Sorry everyone for the delayed post. I have been held up with personal work. Henceforth, I will post regularly.

Please comment and vote.

Life wasn't easy after the verdicts. The case garnered so much attention in the media that I am constantly asked for interviews and articles. Some welfare associations wanted me to be their spokesperson or the least to promote their cause. I even got an offer to pen down my story. Truth be told, I just wanted to be left alone. I wanted to start my baking course, concentrate on my future and leave the past behind. But paparazzi had a different idea. They want me to spell out every little detail of my life. The fact that I was still living in Ethan's house didn't make it easy. Ethan was also swarmed with media attention for the support he gave me going against his family. Ethan becoming the new CEO of Harris & Co did not help matters. He tried everything in his power to divert the attention from us but it only brought more attention and finally, we had no other option but to wait it out.

After nearly three months later, the media has finally moved on. I started my Professional baking Course about a month back. At last, discovering something I am natural at has changed my life. I have become more confident and happier. Also, I moved back to Kate's apartment much to the disappointment of Ethan. But he let me move on one condition to have my own personal bodyguard who followed me 24x7. Initially, it felt weird to have Luke Mackenzie around but now we have become friends of sorts. He is a friend of James who retired from the army after serving for 20 years. He is very instinctive and never lets anyone near me.

After moving in with Kate, I was worried Ethan and I will become estranged again. But thanks to James who forced me and Kate to enrol for a self-defence program in the same gym where Ethan works out. All four of us have developed a routine of meeting at the gym every evening and going out for dinner. In the weekends, James and Ethan came over to eat my baked goodies or do anything we wanted. It annoys Kate that they hear all the time. But I like it when they are around. After being alone for so long, I like the company.

Today though both James and Ethan are busy. It's the first time since I moved, its just Kate and me. We are lounging around and having a girls night as Kate calls it.

"You remember the guest Pastry chef I told you about?", I ask Kate who is lying next to me and flipping pages of magazines.

"Kale. No.. Caleb right, the guy who owns the Breadsticks."

"Yea, he asked me out yesterday", I say trying to be nonchalant. Caleb Woods is a guest instructor at San Francisco Baking Institute who teaches us gluten-free baking every Friday. He also owns a famous bakery called Breadsticks in the Bay Area. I was shocked yesterday when he asked me out. It came out of nowhere. I have only spoken to him a couple of times and all of it was related to baking. I don't know how to get out of this situation. I am no way ready to date anyone. Though I have come a long way, I still have an issue. The most difficult one is my fear of touch. I still have panic attacks when touched which is no good for dating. Dr Karl has been helping me but I have only managed to shake hands or sit next to Kate. The very thought of being intimate with someone makes me want to throw up. So dating is not an option I am considering anytime soon. But Caleb is my teacher and saying no may cause some awkwardness between us.

"I knew this was coming sooner or later", she says looking at me with a wicked smile on her face.

"How?"

"We brought you gingerbread last week after you told him you like it"

"He asked everyone what they liked and he brought gingerbread for everyone"

"But you are the only one who said you liked gingerbread and he gave you an extra"

"He gave everyone croissant the first class. I don't think gingerbread was anything special"

"Good, you are clueless", Kate huffs.

"Anyway, how do I say no without causing any awkwardness", I ask trying to ignore her annoyance.

"You should go. I would love to see James and Ethan's reaction. James would beat himself up for not asking you at earlier"

"Ask me out. James. What is she talking about?", I ask

"My dear gorgeous friend, my brother dearest has been crushing on you from the moment he met you", Kate says sitting up and pinning me with a "you are an idiot" look.

"We are friends", I say weakly feeling anxious all of a sudden. I try to remember if James showed any interest in me but I can't recall. I wonder if I was self-centred and didn't notice it. I remember the conversation Ethan and I had before I agreed to fight my case in court. Even though I chalked is an argument to make me agree to fight against Sandro, I know he inferred he still had feelings for me. I knew Ethan would never act on it and also know I am selfish for knowing Ethan's feelings yet holding him close without responding to his feelings. I should let him move on but this small group we had created has been everything for me in the past few months and the very thought of losing any one of them terrifies me. If what Kate says is true then the world I created will shatter so I stubbornly ignore it and tell myself that Kate misunderstood everything. The resolve brings me to breathe back and I take a few deep breaths to control the anxiety I was feeling.

But Kate being Kate decides she has to prove her point to me.

" I will prove it. It's been so long since I did this. In my High School, there were so many clueless friends I literally became a Love Guru in my year."

"It's going to be so much fun.", Kate continues excitedly. I try to talk her out of her crazy ideas but she is like a force of nature, set to do want she wants, not worrying about the destruction it would cause. After a while, she gets frustrated with me for not cooperating and locks herself up in her bedroom. I hate it when Kate gets upset with me but I don't go after her. If I did, I have to give into the plans and I am ready to know whatever she wants to prove. I would rather be in the unknown.

It was almost 5 in the evening when Kate comes looking for me. She apologized for being pushy and suggested we go out to some fancy restaurant. That is how we end up in this breathtaking beach restaurant a few hours later. I look down at Kate's purple cocktail dress that I am wearing and look at the other patrons in the restaurant. I am overdressed. Kate did my makeup as a part of the apology and I let her do it. But now I feel like I am standing out in this place and it makes me nervous. The dress I am wearing only reached my mid thigh and my fingers itch to pull it down further. I have a bad feeling about this. Unaware of my anxiety, Kate talks to the hostess and soon we are seated in a table of 5.

" I thought it's only us", I ask Kate. She shrugs and starts pursuing the menu avoiding my gaze.

"I thought it would be fun if James and Ethan should join us"

"But who is the fifth person",

" That would be me", says a voice behind me. I turn around to see Caleb Wood looking at me sheepishly. He is wearing a well-fit suit and greets me with a dimpled smile. I am tongue-tied, to say the least.

"Wh.. What are y.. you doing here. ", I say shuttering. Caleb looks confused at my question but Kate jumps in and says

"Mr Wood, I am sorry I didn't let Amy know I invited you. You know Amy and what she has been through."

Colour creeps in my cheeks when Kate brings up the past casually. It's no secret and everybody knows about everything that happened thanks to the media. But for me, it's a haunting subject and talking about it is still difficult. I try to look anywhere else but Caleb's understanding eyes catch me off-guard. I swallow and look away. I just want to go back home and crawl into my bed. Oblivious to my discomfort, Kate continues to explain,

"When Amy told me you asked her out I thought I should help her. She is too scared to go out alone. So I decided to invite you to this dinner so she can relax and we can get to know you as well."

"Oh.. Okay..", he says to Kate and turns to me and adds, "Amy if you are not comfortable with me I will go. I don't want to pressure you into something you are not interested."

Even though he said he won't mind leaving, he looks disappointed. I look at Caleb's suit and the bouquet of flowers he is holding in this hands. He was looking forward to the evening.

"It's okay. I was shocked. Please join us", I say trying to sound determined.

He relaxes immediately and grins showing off his dimples. He hands me the bouquet of flowers and takes the seat next to me. As we make small talks, James walks in, in his usual dark suit. He kisses Kates on her cheeks and turns and stares at me.

" Wow, you look beautiful Amy. This colour suits you", he says and I immediately think if he is just being nice or is he trying to say something more. I look at Kate who is grinning smugly. Only then it hits me that all this is a setup. This is Kate's ploy to prove to her point. I feel like I have been punched in my gut so I look away and try not to compose myself so I don't appear as miserable as I feel.

I give a small smile but James is too intuitive to miss my strange behaviour. He raises his eyebrows but I avoid him by drinking water. Finally, he notices Caleb.

"And you are?", James asks quietly.

" I am Caleb. Amy's date", Caleb says extending his hands. I continue staring at the glass of water in front of me and avoid making eye contact with anyone, even though I can feel James' eyes bore into me. They shake hands and the conversation starts flowing. James questions Caleb like he is in an interrogation room and Caleb seems to be a good sport answering everything without hesitation. Every question James asks Caleb solidifies what Kate said earlier. I try to calm myself but I can't stop feeling like I am in the eye of a hurricane and everything around me is spinning out of control. I can feel the panic set in and I excuse and rush out before I have a panic attack in a restaurant full of people.

In my mad rush to get out of the restaurant, I collide with someone at the entrance.

"I am so sorry", I say between gasps.

"What's wrong Amy?", Ethan asks holding me by my arms. Hearing his voice I feel so relieved and throw myself at him. I hold him tight as a sob erupts me. I know nothing devastating has happened and I am upset over nothing. But I can't help but envision what would happen. At some point, if James confesses his feelings, I have to make a decision. A decision that will change the dynamics of our small group. If I accept James feeling, I will end up losing Ethan. And if I don't accept James feelings, I will lose both James and Kate. I don't want to lose any one of them and the very thought brings more tears.

" Shhh. Amy. I will take care of everything. Whatever it is that you are upset about. I will take care. Shhhh", Ethan continues to coo into my ears as he strokes my hair. His soothing words stop my sob and lay my head on his chest clutching on his lapel to stop shaking. After I gain my strength, Ethan pulls up just a little to check if I am okay.

"What is it?"

"Can you take me home?", I whisper

He agrees and shoots a quick text to James and Kate before leading me back to his car. As we drive back, I try to shut down my mind and hope all this is a nightmare.