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Chapter 7

"I got it, I got it...It's here honey" Liz says and runs to me breathlessly holding the chain in her hand. Thank God the ring is miraculously there too although the chain is cut and covered in sand.

I grab it and a sigh of relief leaves me through my sobs. I place it in my palm and examine it as I clumsily wipe my eyes. I have completely forgotten where or who I am with. I squeeze my hand into a fist as I realise how close I was to losing it. I clean it up and lock it in my fist.

"Thank you Liz...thank you so much" I mumble and walk to the bag I left on the sand a few meters away.

"Ash..." I hear someone say and I am almost startled. I look at Harry who looks puzzled and pale and I suddenly feel embarrassed. I turn to the person next to him and see Niall looking at me in an awkward manner and I want to evaporate. To them I must seem like a crazy person right now but my chain, my ring, they are the second most valuable thing in my life.

"Ashley...are you OK?" Harry moves to approach me and I step back feeling so vulnerable.

"I need to go ..." I say and turn to leave. They stay there motionless. They understand that I need to be alone. They must sense it...it is so obvious really.

"I will call you later Harry" Liz answers for me.

When I am inside the room...I put the chain and ring in a box in my suitcase and go straight to the shower to avoid talking to Liz who knows better than to disturb me now. When the warm cascading water touches my skin I finally relax. I hear Liz talking on the phone but cannot make out what she is saying. I need to get my shit together for the presentation. I need to be professional and deliver what I was hired to do.

Getting out of the shower I am met with worried eyes, friendly worried eyes. Liz is a free spirit, doesn't take shit from anyone and embraces who she is without ever feeling the need to justify her actions but she is also a gentle heart, someone you can count on and someone who in return will let you be who you are even if she disagrees with you.

"I am fine Liz..." I lie down on the bed, turn to the side to avoid confrontation and curve like a ball. I don't know how long I stay there but I stay for a while...Jason's smiling face in my mind until Liz warns me that it is time to get ready for the presentation. I am so embarrassed of my reaction. I don't want to go but I have to. I reluctantly get up and move to my suitcase. I get dressed in a pencil skirt and a shirt, pull my hair back and apply some basic make up. I am well aware that appearance does play a significant role in my job. If you want people to take you seriously, you need to dress the part.

I call my lucky charm Anzette to see how she is doing. Her voice calms me...she is my medicine in all this. She is the only one that can help me so I call her but she doesn't answer. Damn timezones! I need to hurry. Liz is ready at the door and I pick my stuff and walk past her. She smiles at me ...I smile back but she knows it's fake. She knows me too well.

I walk in the press conference room and I see that some reporters are already here. I start preparing when I look back and find Liam waving at me motioning for me to go closer. Gathering all my courage I do.

"Hey Ashley..I think I'm going to faint" he says and pretends that his hands are trembling.

"What are you talking about, Liam? You perform in front of so many people...this is seriously nothing" I state the obvious.

"Ashley...I sing up there...not talk and and I'm not alone...there is a difference" he points out and it is then that I realize that he is really nervous.

Trying to reassure him I forget momentarily about what happened at the beach until I see Harry approaching, his eyes wearing the same look Liz had since that bloody moment. A look of worry. As soon as he is near me I blurt out.