ACHICHIBO~ The little girl I knew

chap5(how we parted ways)

The day passed like nothing, as my head was filled with thoughts. The hours passed like smooth air; undetected, as my insides felt like heavy rocks. And before I know it we were back at the hotel after the time we had lost.

"Hello?" I answered my phone as it rang the moment we got in the room, after I was done with work,  to be met with a man's voice on the other line.

 "Hello? Is this mister Toby Finley?" he asked

I glanced at Jasmine who had plunged herself into the bed, exhausted. "..Yes" I hesitated for a second there... I studied her still body, concluding that she has probably fallen asleep the moment she had shut her eyes, and here I am on the other end of the room anxiously praying that this wasn't the police on the other line.

"I am Richard Cuban, we met a month ago to discuss your business plan"

 I released a breath I didn't even know that I was holding, making my once tense body relax "Ow... Yeah!"

"Well, I would love to invest in it. I am available this Friday to talk if that's okay with you"

Friday? Two days from now... I can ask Hannah or Simon to take care of Jasmine while I am away, just for a little bit. "Yeah! Sure! Thank you, sir!"

"Good. Then, see you on Friday. I will send you the exact time and place"

"Sure. Thank you, sir". He hung on the phone before I can pull it far from my ear. But when I did, I stared at the screen for a while before it dawned on me. 

Richard Cuban called me!!!!! 

He wants to invest in my project!!!

As I couldn't contain my excitement, I ran towards Jasmine jumping on her bed, startling her.  She jumped up to sit straight, fixing her eyes on me. She tried reading my face, checking if I was angry at her. When all she saw was a huge grin, she grinned back. "Achichi" I started, making her perk up before we both yelled "BOOO!!" 

I held her face in my hands and looked closely into her eyes "I.will.have. my own business!!" She looked at me stunned for a second but smiled when she saw how excited I was. "Days from now, I will bring you to my own flower shop, okay?" Her eyes lit up as she nodded her head frantically, making her cheeks rub onto my palms. 

That one action on her part, and that single simple and innocent sensation she created in me made my time stop. Or was it just my own wish? I got into a trance at that one moment, taking her fully in; her beautiful orbs, her tiny pink nose, her rosy cheeks, and her grinning lips.

Noticing that I froze, she tilted her head to the side examining my state with her pure, bright eyes, which led her to put pressure on my left palm and move her long strands of silky smooth hair to tingle my arm and hand. The moment that our closeness created didn't last that long, since it was interrupted by my ringtone, causing us both to aim our attention toward it. 

My hands slowly let go of her face, as if my whole system was begging me not to. 

And I wish I listened to its warning because picking the phone up... was the biggest mistake of my entire life... She-

"Hello?"

"Is my daughter Jasmine there?!" was the first thing I heard

"Sir, please calm down" there was a commotion on the other line... But all I knew was-

"Please! is my daughter with you?!"