Chapter 23.


    I spend half of the next week working myself out to death.


    Every morning, we start out jogging, going round the neighborhood as many times as we can. We start


    with three miles, then slowly increase the distance every day. He soon has me running up to eight to


    nine miles every day. It''s a lot of work I tell you, why is losing weight so hard when just the sight of cake


    adds to my weight.


    "How long are we going to keep doing this?" I ask as I pant heavily. We''re walking back to the house


    after another morning jog.


    "When you stopining," Maverick says and a groan erupts from the back of my throat. I stop in


    front of the mailbox when we reach the house and fish out the mails inside.


    I called home yesterday to check in on everybody and found out that Jack got back in one piece. The


    Christmas cards they sent to me got transferred back to them because Tony''s house address doesn''t


    exist anymore. The owner of the ce decided to renovate it into a supermarket.


    Mom and Dad don''t know what happened though. I don''t want the whole family of Whites hunting Tony


    down and I trust Jack would respect my decision and keep his loose mouth shut.


    I notice a different envelop from my normally packaged ones and read what''s written on it.


    "You got a mail too," I stretch it out to Maverick after seeing his name inscribed on the outside. He eyes


    it before snatching it from my hands and tearing it open to read it. I let curiosity get the better of me as I


    peek over his shoulder to read what''s in it. I was a reporter and one of my characteristics is to be nosy.


    Sue me.


    Dear Mr.Wright,


    It reads.


    As one of our most recognized figures in the city, you have hereby been invited to the society''s annual


    Ball taking ce on the 11th of January. Do inform us if this is going to cause you any inconvenience


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    and we''ll get back to you without further ado.


    Yours Faithfully,


    Enigma Team.


    "Who are they?" I ask after reading the whole thing.


    "They''re apany or team that holds this Ball every year for the citizens of this society. Recognized


    citizens of the society," He says "You should go with me."


    "That''s ridiculous. I don''t go to parties. Remember what happened thest time I went to a club party?"


    He gives an uncertain look. "Exactly. I don''t like parties, parties don''t like me. It''s a mutual something." I


    say and climb up the porch into the house as he follows behind.


    "You have toe with me. It''s yourst task of you wanting to be a woman," I stop on my tracks


    and turn around to give him a questioning look.


    "Proceed."


    "I know for a fact He''s going to be there," By ''He'' we both know he meant Tony. "I thought his face was


    familiar the first time I saw him but now I know I''ve seen him every year I''ve been invited to this Ball


    party."


    "And you think I should go because...?"


    "To prove yourself to him for once in your life. I know you want to show him the person you''ve be,


    the person you made yourself be. You know you want to show him this new you and make him


    regret he treated you that way. You didn''te all this far just for yourself, I''m not stupid, you... Are you


    crying?"


    "It''s just amazing someone finally understands me other than Jim. He was the only one who knew how


    to put up with my shit," I half-smile, and yes, I''m crying.


    "April, you have to train your mind to be stronger than your emotions or you''ll lose yourself all the time."


    "So I can''t cry?"


    "You can bawl your eyes out whenever you want to but not for little things like this. Jesus Christ, no one


    died." He says and saunters up the stairs to his bedroom.


    I dab at the tears falling from my eyes and examine myself in the mirror on the wall near my bedroom.


    Maverick''s right, I do want an opportunity to see me as I am now. But not in the sense that I want to get


    back with him. Maybe I just want to show him I can be better than the people he cheated on me with.


    My bra top is revealing most of my belly area so I run my hands through the bare skin. I spent seven


    years with Tony and gained nothing and with just twenty-eight days with Maverick, I''m gradually


    beginning to understand the meaning of self-love even if it took twenty-two days of hard dieting and


    exercising. It was totally worth it.


    But he''s wrong about just one thing. If I wasn''t able to train my mind to be stronger than my emotions,


    then I wouldn''t have been able to go on with this thirty days no ice cream thingy. It''s really not a very


    easy job letting go of something you''ve grown too ustomed to.


    I really want Him to see the new me but what is the new me? My hand leaves my belly andes up


    to trace the contours of my face before running down my long curly hair.


    Maybe it''s time to seek another person''s opinion on this. And I know just the right ce to go.