C8 While fate

(flashback)

"Will Ashton not be playing the game?" A girl asked and her friend shook her head in reply.

"I think I see him on the bench, Cecilia."

"Coach Peter must be very angry with him to make him sit aside for the Finals." Cecilia said to her friend, Agnes.

"But they are going to lose, it's 24-27 already and the time is almost over," Agnes said.

"Well, the coach will have the principal's reprimanding to worry about losing the game," another brown-headed girl intervenes.

"Not only that, basketball is Ashton's passion, losing a game when he is teamed would kill him!" Cecilia said to them and Agnes sighed in defeat.

"I can already tell the fate of our school if they do not let Ashton in any minute," Agnes said. They both groaned as their rival school rejoiced as another point was scored.

"I think I'm going home, I can't watch this anymore!" Cecilia said.

"Wait, Ceecy, I think they are letting him in." Cecilia looked at where Ashton was formally seated, only to see him being exchanged for someone else at the referee's whistle.

Cecilia scoffed. "There's nothing they can do anymore Agnes, it's 10 minutes until the match ends, we are certainly going to lose."

"We'll see,"

(Ends)

---

Letting the door open, she gasped involuntarily as she took a proper look at this man. Tall, beautifully posed and incredibly handsome as well.

"Are you Dawn Michaels?" The lady was driven out of her thoughts immediately.

"Who wants to know?" The lady asked and Samuel took out his ID card.

"I'm actually working with the police on this investigation," he said.

"Oh," she said, but when she fully comprehended what he had just said, she shook her head hurriedly. "Investigation? What investigation? Look, I assure you that there has been no recent theft in this area, everywhere has been calm, now you can leave." She attempted to shut the door in his face, but Samuel was quick to hold it open. He caught sight of her flushed cheeks but decided not to dwell on his recent suspicions.

"I'm afraid not, Miss Dawn."

"Why not?"

"I'm afraid the information I need is about a friend of yours named Freya to be precise," the lady frowned, tilting her head in confusion. "Can I come in now? I won't take much of your time."

"Sure,"

---

28-28,

"Yes! Yes! I told you he would do it."

"Hold your horses Agnes, we are still not winning," Cecilia said. "C'mon c'mon just one more to go," she said mainly to herself. Agnes squeezed her hands back in anticipation.

Josh bounces the ball beside him for some time in contemplation. He passes the ball, bouncing it under his knee to Ashton, who grabs the ball immediately, who immediately jumps and earns them another point.

The whistle sounded, signaling the end of the match.

"Yes!"

"Oh my God," Agnes squealed. "He did it, I knew he could do it!"

The crowd went wild with excitement. Ashton smiled as the crowd chanted his name. He breathed deeply, catching his breath gradually as he scanned the crowd in admiration.

His eyes met with a familiar hazel pair and he was quick to wave his hand in recognition. Amelia waved back immediately but rather shyly. His eyes finally reached another, the new student that had stolen his attention from the day she resumed, and they stayed there for quite some time, lost, until his friends jumped onto his back, laughter ringing in their tones. It took him quite some time to get over their excitement and when he did, she was long gone.

---

"So, what do you really want?"

"I heard you were friends with Freya Kennedy," Samuel said. "Well, she died a few days ago-"

"What?! Freya's dead?!"

He didn't hesitate to say, "Yah she is."

"When did she die? And my gosh! How didn't I get to know about this?" She finally took a seat before Samuel.

He told her, "I need you to tell me everything she told you that she likely didn't tell anyone else,"

"We don't talk that much but she did tell me things at times," she stated. "What exactly do you want me to tell you?"

"Was she dating anybody?"

"When she had a sleep over at my place on a certain day, she did say something about breaking up with a guy named Samson, but before I could ask her why, she had already fallen asleep." She said to him and he nodded.

"Other than that, nothing else?"

She thought for a while then said, "Not that I can remember."

"If that's the case, here is my number," he said. He could almost see excitement in her eyes. So he specified, "Call me whenever you remember anything I can use to trace the person that is responsible for her current state."

Her smile almost fell, but she nodded and said, "Sure, I will."

---

"He's really handsome!"

Thea stopped sniffing immediately when she heard the tap running.

"I couldn't take my eyes off him for a moment there, Anna."

"I heard he is engaged," one of them groaned.

Thea gently stood up from the toilet lid, engrossing herself in their conversation.

"I heard he's engaged to a model and they'll soon get married," Anna said.

"What?! He can't get married now, Anna. My life would be totally ruined. I think I'm in love."

"Hey Daphne, stop fantasizing about him already."

"Don't tell me you like him too, Anna," Daphne said to her.

"I saw him first!"

"I told you first!"

The sound of the toilet flushing interrupted their conversation and they turned to the source of the noise, only to see Thea come out.

Thea ignored their presence, behaving as if she hadn't heard a thing.

"How's your job going, Thea?" Daphne was first to speak.

"My job is none of your business, Daphne."

"Oh no, don't get angry so fast. We just wanted to make sure you were alright." Daphne said.

"Thanks for your concern, I am well."

"I was- I mean we were wondering if you knew that the Boss was engaged. Just so you know, he is taken," Anna stated.

"And by a beautiful model, to be precise," Daphne added.

Thea put off the tap immediately, then said, "And yet you two swoon over him?" She scoffed. "Hypocrites," she said to them before finding her way out of the rest room.

"My gosh! I hate her so much," Daphne said.

"Come on Daphne, we have work to do."

---

Samson dumped the clothes inside his box as quickly as he could.

"But you haven't told me where you were going," his mother said to the very nervous man. Something was wrong somewhere. Why did he want to fly out of the country so fast?

"Mother, I'm going away for sometime. I'll be home before you know it."

"So you are just going to leave me all by myself, Sam?"

He let out a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. Questions upon questions, he had to leave before anyone found out. He didn't know the police would catch up on him so quickly.

He placed his hands on both of his mother's arms. "Look mom, there are some things I can't tell you, something I regret doing, but I think it's better that we talk sometime else. I'll call you when I reach Pakistan."

His mother frowned. "What have you done, Sam?"

"I promise, when I call you, we'll talk then see each other again." He said and his mother nodded. He kissed her on the cheeks affectionately. His lips lingered on her cheeks for sometime before he leaned back.

"I love you Mom,"

"I love you too." He picked up his bag. Ready to leave, he let the door open only to be greeted by three policemen at his doorstep.

"Samson Maxfield?" One of them said.

"Yes that's him," another said and the formal replied, "You are under arrest for the murder of Freya Ryder,"

"My Lord! Sam, what have you done?!" Mrs Maxfield panicked.

"I didn't do anything," he said. One of the policemen grabbed him by the arm. "Hey! Let go of me. I'm no criminal! I didn't kill her!" Samson yelled. "I didn't kill her!"

"Oh my God, Sam, no! You, let go of my Son!" She blurted out.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Maxfield. Your son is needed at the station." A policeman said.

"Sam?!" She wailed.

"Don't worry mother, I'll be fine. I didn't kill anybody!" He yelled as they dragged him away. She followed them, still demanding them to let go.

"Sam?!" She tried again but he was already being put in a truck.

"Go to your sister's place Mom, I'll be okay!" Was the last Mrs. Maxfield heard of her son.