DENNIS


    I leaned back against my seat and gazed out the window at the airport''s bustling terminal as I waited for my meeting to adjourn.


    "Alright team, let''s review our sales projections for the next quarter. Mr Ben, can you summarize the key points?"


    A bald man, seated at the far end of the table cleared his throat to begin, "We''re expecting a 12% increase in sales, driven mainly by our new productunch and expanded marketing efforts." "That''s a conservative estimate, don''t you think?" The chairperson interjected, "I believe we can push for 15% growth."


    Ady by my side added her input. "I agree with you. What''s holding us back from reaching that higher projection?


    "Well, we need to consider market trends,petition, and customer adoption rates. But I think we can revisit our pricing strategy and explore new channels to reach our target audience." The bald man answered, his eyes cast downwards to his tablet.


    Thedy next to me spoke again even as I struggled to keep up with the discussions flying over my head at a wheezing rapidity. "I''d like to suggest leveraging user-generated content and social proof to build trust and credibility with potential customers."


    "That''s a great idea, Emily. Can you borate on your thoughts for reaching that 15% growth?"


    "Sure. I think we should focus on upselling and cross-selling opportunities, as well as expanding our influencer partnerships.


    "And what about our marketing budget? Should we allocate more resources to digital advertising or events?", inquired the bald man.


    "Good question. Let''s discuss the ROI on each option and make a data-driven decision."


    The dialogue around the table became a free discussion for all present on sales projections and marketing strategies, exploring ideas and tactics to drive business growth.


    My mind, however, was far detached from the discussion of marketing strategies and sales projections. Unbidden, it wandered back to the fateful night I met Anastasia. The deep connection that precedented that meeting as a result of the sparks ignited within me.


    It was one I couldn''t shake off easily.


    "Sweet Ana," I whispered to myself, wandering far back to the first time I hadid my eyes on her in college.


    She


    e was a pretty thing, her bright smile and infectiousughter leaving asting impression on me like the permanent burn of an insignia branding an object. And it was not just me. Every other person who - crossed paths with her felt the same.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    But that was as far as it went. There were no direct interactions until the night when she copsed at the bar. From then on, our lives seemed to have been intertwined.


    12


    The look of pain etched on her face as she revealed her boyfriend''s infidelity was permanently seared into my memory. There was no forgetting the shock that rocketed through me after discovering her pregnancy as well.


    I didn''t know how to process this unexpected turn or what to feel. Disappointment? Jealousy? Disgust for her boyfriend? How about all three? Yet, as I looked into her eyes, thereid an opportunity to demonstrate my care and support, as well as win her over.


    Little did I know that my determination at being recognized by Ana would set me on a path of self-discovery and growth.


    My thoughts once more took flight, like the nes departing the airport, drifting to my troubled past. It consisted of a violent family life and personal mistakes that once defined me, mistakes that I feared would taint Ana''s perception of me.


    It was no news on the campus of my bullying to prove a point or to assert dominance on whoever thought to cross me on purpose. If by exerting force I got people to bepliant, then so be it.


    It was the exerted dominance that kept us in check back at home. My dad used it on the family, bending even the most strong-willed to his caprices. Anyone that dared set a toe out of line was severely dealt with. None was spared


    "Fool." I mumbled, almost kicking myself at the memories of my past misbehaviors springing up again.


    What if she saw me as nothing more than a product of my toxic environment and dered wanting nothing to do with me?


    I pressed my fingers into my temple to quell the pressure that had slowly began to build there, the journey of my lifeid bare before me like a blueprint.


    This was when I realized that I had begun to change. I had started working tirelessly to be a better version of myself so as to gain Ana''s approval. I wanted to prove to her that I was capable of love andpassion.


    Our friendship began to grow gradually, with me baring my guts to her without any inhibitions whatsoever.