So I'm back with this. I'll be honest with you, I have no idea when or how often I'll be able to update but I'll try my best.

Keeping Numb - Chapter 6

We go to the park and I finally realize why couples come here all the time, there's something about walking through the park with someone you like that's so pleasant and comfortable. And everyone just seems so happy…I'm happy.

"You know, I used to sneak out to the park all the time when I was a kid. I went to this private school where everyone was so stuck up and into themselves, it was like the park was the only place where I could find normal people." Spencer says, taking a bite of her ice cream cone.

"Normal people besides me, I was always at the park, but I was usually doing something weird like digging holes in the ground looking for imaginary fairies." I reply, and Spencer laughs.

"That is kind of weird…but cute at the same time," she replies.

I smile at her, and we continue walking until my cellphone starts making the most obnoxious ringing sound. I mutter "sorry" embarrassingly as I reach into my pocket to grab my phone, and Spencer just grins at me. It's a text from Callie: "Where are you? The iron maiden is gonna throw a fit if you don't get your ass into the office right now!"

I outwardly groan and Spencer immediately looks at me with concern.

"Is everything okay?" She asks.

"Yeah, it's just that my crazy boss needs me to be in the office right now. And when I say she's crazy, I'm not kidding. I have no doubt that one day she's gonna Mike Tyson my ass and bite my ear off."

Spencer laughs. "Well, we'd better get you back then. I have a feeling that you might need your ears in the future."

"Yeah, I think you're right," I smile. "Where do you want me to drop you off?"

"It's okay, I live just outside of this park." She points towards the park entrance. "I can walk, it's only a few minutes away from the park".

"Are you sure? I mean, I can drop you off it's not a problem."

"Ashley, seriously, I live right outside the park. I could probably throw a stone out of my bedroom window and it would hit you in the head."

"Hey!" I laugh. "My head is just as valuable as my ears…I use it a lot you know."

"I don't doubt it." She gives me a stunning smile and I melt for a moment. "I've really had fun with you. I'm not sure what your schedule's like, or if you would even want to, but maybe we could get together again this week. I mean, if you want, no pressure or anything."

I inwardly laugh because now she's the one that's getting nervous. Oh, how the roles have reversed. I instantly feel a bit better about myself knowing that I'm affecting her at least a little bit. I pull out a notepad and pen from my journalist satchel and write: "I would love to. Call me tonight, 562-213-4905." Slipping the note into her hand, I instantly feel nervous again. I watch her read the note, looking up at me smiling when she's finished, she leans in and gives me a kiss on the cheek.

"I'll talk to you soon," she whispers in my ear before she walks away.

I walk into the office and immediately run into Callie who whispers frighteningly to me: "The iron maiden wants to see you in her office now!" I gulp and walk as slowly as I possibly can towards her office. My boss is brilliant, but she's also very scary. She's my role model.

"Come in." She calls out before I've even had the chance to knock on the door. I walk in warily, very much aware of the possibility that I could leave this office with no ear.

"Take a seat." I sit down. "Where have you been?"

I scramble to come up with a good excuse. "I, um, fell down the stairs and sort of had a mild concussion. I was a bit dazed for a while but managed to pull myself together to come into work today." I feel very proud of this excuse, original yet plausible.

My pride begins to falter a bit when I see her just look at me with a stone cold expression. The thing about my boss is that she is a very attractive woman. But her undeniable emotionless power makes her incredibly attractive but also demonically scary at the same time. I am usually, on a regular basis, torn between wanting to jump her or cower in a corner.

"Do you know what the mark of a good journalist is, Ashley?" She asks, twiddling her very expensive fountain pen between her fingers.

"Um, good communication skills?" I offer.

"No. It is the ability to make something sound better than it actually is. You're a terrible liar Ashley, you should work on that. "

She gets out of her chair and I contemplate running for my life, but I relax when she starts pacing back and forth behind her office chair.

"We're running a piece on young L.A. socialites and one of the socialites we would like to interview has specifically requested you."

I'm surprised for a moment and wonder who it might be, I'm dying to ask, but the one thing I've learnt from being in the iron maiden's office on many occasions is to never speak unless I'm spoken to. I learnt that lesson the hard way.

"The socialite will be here in 30 minutes. I trust you'll be able to get a good interview?" She looks at me with the intensity I've come to know well.

"Of course." I reply.

"Good. You can leave now."

I walk out of her office and see Callie nervously biting her fingernails at her desk. I walk over and take a seat at my desk next to hers.

"What happened?" She whispers urgently. "Did the iron maiden try to kill you?"

I laugh. "No, not yet. But I have a feeling that if I'm late again, she just might. She wants me to do an interview for a piece about young socialites. Interviewing a snobby, rich kid doesn't sound like my idea of fun."

"Aww, boo. Well it's a hell of a lot better than my assignment! The iron maiden is making me research the history of garbage collection in L.A. for a piece on the state of refuse dumps. Kill me now."

I can't help but burst out laughing. "Good luck with that! If this socialite is a cute guy I'll forward him to you so that you can quit this job, get married, and live the rest of your life as a real housewife of Orange County."

"Oh would you! That would be great!" She smirks sarcastically.

I laugh and get down to work. I still needed to start my article on the bank robberies and do some research on the childcare system in L.A. before this socialite came into the office.

A half an hour later and I'm still steadily forging ahead with my work when I hear a deep voice above my head.

"Ashley Davies?"

I look up and am momentarily surprised to see the guy that Spencer was with at the fundraiser last night standing above my head.

"Yes?" I reply.

He reaches out his hand for me to shake. "I'm Aiden Dennison. I'm here to do an interview with you about L.A. socialites."

"Oh okay, right." I shake his hand, and I can see Callie out of the corner of my eye staring intently at this man. I'm not surprised, he is clearly very attractive. "Let's go into the conference room, it will be a lot quieter."

He follows me into the conference room and we take seats opposite each other. I take out my trusty notebook and pen, fully immersing myself into journalist mode.

"So, Aiden. Tell me more about what it's like to be a socialite." I look up at him, pen in hand, ears open, eyes focused…the typical stance of a journalist.

"I saw you last night…at the fundraiser?" He looks at me, eyes probing.

"Yeah, I think I saw you too. Are those events part of your everyday routine as a socialite?"

"You were talking with Spencer, right." He says, totally ignoring my question.

"Um, yeah I was. Do the two of you come to these types of events a lot? Is it sort of expected of you as a young L.A. socialite?" I try to redirect the conversation back to the original question.

"Yeah, me and Spencer come to a lot of these events together. But then again, it's kind of expected that we would since she's my girlfriend and everything." He smiles.

I almost choke. "Sorry, did you say Spencer's your girlfriend? As in…your dating?" I ask, almost too afraid of the answer.

"Yes. Spencer's my girlfriend, hopefully more than that soon. I'm planning on proposing," he says, beaming.

And with that I think my heart falls out of my chest.

I'm back home…back to drinking. I've never been so disappointed, and I feel stupid for allowing myself to get so attached to someone I hardly even knew. I'm not weak. I don't fall for girls that I just met, in fact, I don't fall for girls period. I've never been hurt because I never let myself get hurt. But today I let myself get hurt, and it hurts like a bitch.

My phone starts ringing, I pick it up. Unknown number…Spencer. I push ignore.