Wing Of change

**

Aria is a fine young lady. Smart and very innovative but an introvert to the butt._having being raised in a strict Christian home where the children are duly restricted from engaging in anything that would bring shame and disgrace to their family's name.

Aria grew up avoiding a lot of things especially the opposite sex as it was strictly forbidden. All these and many other rules to live by, left a lasting impact on her social life over time as she grew older.

At age thirty_Aria has zero to no social life experience as she gave little or no room for fun outside of her work at the Okoji's enterprise.

Not that she would have it any other way though!. Does she have female friends perhaps? One might ask.

Well the answer is yes! The closest thing to being called a friend in her life was her best friend Lizzy. They practically grew up together and went to the same university but are two polar bears.

Lizzy was fun and out going. Full of energy and ambitious to own one of the biggest fashion house in Lagos city even though she still far from achieving any of it. Even though they both live in the same city_They hardly ever find time to see each other and hang out.

For over six years, Aria had dedicated herself solely to her work. She had just two routines in her schedule. From work to home and home to work and back again._which kind of goes a long way to explain why she was still a virgin at thirty.

There was no room for anything else except family gatherings but definitely not fun. Fun was for Lazy and idle minded people and Aria was far too serious for such non profitable ventures.

Year after year, there was no significant changes in her life. No one to call her own and why would she? when all she does is hid her perfect figure in that horrible oversized piece of clothing she usually put on.

Her boss couldn't call her out on it so long she was doing her job diligently and staying invincible as well, then there was no need to stress himself over it.

Aria doesn't even have a boyfriend to bug her about her sense of fashion that were so ancient and ninety eighties. It was just she and her little apartment and working life.

A lot of male prospect saw her but never took notice of the beauty that lay within and it has always been that way.

A boy had once smiled at her in fourth grade but that was all there ever was because she replied with a frown and the poor kid never looked her way ever again._That was the closest interaction any male has ever had with her.

She wasnt exactly bothered about anything until something happened that struck a cord in her mind and changed everything.

It all started out with an invitation from her cousin who was finally tying the knots with her childhood sweetheart and since it was a family thing, everyone was required to be there.

She could still recall her aunt's words vividly like it was stuck on a replay in her head.

"Aaah ahn Aria, it's being so long I saw you_are you married now?" Her aunt Lucy had asked with an expectant look on her face while Aria fumble within herself for a reply.

"I'm not yet married aunt" she managed to answer with a forced smile.

"But you are engaged to be married soon right?" She pried further.

Aria half coughed and choked on nothing in particular as she looked to her cousin for help. Topics like this one are not her favorite and she knows exactly what her aunt could be driving at.

"Mom! Mom! Please,can you just stop already?Uncle John would have invited the whole family if she has don't you think? so quit asking her those questions" her cousin Zara_ the soon to be bride finally took the cue and stepped in to save her from her mom's unruly behavior.

But did that stop the old lady from pushing further? No!

"I'm sorry my dear but you should really give it a thought if you haven't done that already..." She leaned in closer to Aria and touched the nap of her chiffon blouse and adjusted it a bit before she continued with a smile.

"_when i was at your age, i already had my second child. To be honest?I really don't know what is keeping these generation from giving us grandchildren when time really wait for no one these days"

She ended with a dramatic huff and a gentle tap on her shoulder before moving over to adoring her daughter and ignoring Aria all together to mold over the words she had just said to her in silent.

Aria couldn't believe she made it through that very day with everyone preying at her private life. Why won't she be the topic of discussion when her socialite of a cousin has found herself a prince and was getting married already unlike her who was already above the marriage age.

Aria was six years older than Zara and she was getting married and it won't be long before she start having children while Aria on the other hand doesn't even have a boyfriend to call her very own_That fact alone was enough to get every eyes rolling at her direction.

After that day, she made a silent pledge to herself never to attend any family events again,at least not while she was still single.

Even though she had always lived by the rule; never looked at boys other than for the sake of it and never kept their companies either. She was still unmarried unlike what she was made to believe while growing up.

Their preacher wife at Sunday school always emphasize the need for one to keep herself for the right person and when at a marriageable age, the one meant for him/her would show up but none of that has happened in the last thirty years of her life.

What a dream!

She sighed and turned on her side with a deep scowl on her face as she lay on her bed that night_ feeling lonely and sad.

She has had a restless week, just thinking her life over, and after arriving at what seemed like the right thing to do. Aria finally decided it was time to go over the usual limit of being the perfect modern woman.

And having the courage to finally step out of her comfort Zone was the first step out of many as she had come up with a to-do list to guide her through while making sure she doesn't miss out on anything.

With all the things that needed to be done, turning in her resignation letter was topping the list of course and the sooner she gets it done, the better.

There was no going back!

Tomorrow will sure as hell be one to remember but whatever happens, she was willing and very determined to faced it come what may. She could already imagine her parent disappointment over the phone when they learn of her latest decision but her mind was already made up and there was no going back.

Aria read through her to-do list for what seemed like the hundredth time that night before a silly wide grin appeared on her face and she felt her tensed shoulder relax a bit.

Taking out a mask tape from her table drawer, she stuck the paper against her newly painted wall right where she would be seeing it as soon as she wakes up in the morning. Satisfied with her actions,She then proceeded to picking up her laptop and placed it on the bed in front of her before she began to type frantically at the keyboard.

Once she was done typing her resignation letter. She yawned and stretched before logging off from her laptop and placed it away at the night stand. She took off her lens and rubbed at her eyes a little before turning off her lamp stand. Stretching her full length on the bed, she sighed in exhaustion before drifting into a peaceful little snore.

Tomorrow is going to be a hectic day and she will be needing all her energy to keep up.

*

Aria inhaled deeply through her nostrils and exhaled slowly as she stood contemplating her next move that morning.

It was just 9am at the office and she was ready to go in and see her boss with her letter grasped firmly in one hand._only problem? She was starting to over think everything!

Damn!

Putting in the resignation letter turned out to be a lot more difficult than she had previously imagined it to be. She thought all she needed to do was go and slam it on his desk and walk out with her head held high but easily said than done right? So there she was pacing back and forth in total anxiety.

Earlier at her house, she was confidently rehearsing the line she had come up with over and over again while looking at her expression in the mirror but now that the only thing standing between her and her boss was the glass door and her sudden development of cold feet.

Huff!

Another five more minutes and she was in and standing before her boss while taking another puff of breath to calm her racing heart. Her boss, Mr Frank Okoji was in his usual position and looking as elegant as always. He raised a brow at her direction, wondering what she could be up to just standing there.

"Good morning sir" said Aria with her usual composed voice.

"Good morning miss Davis. What can I do for you today?" He continued to stare at her but she said nothing but instead, gave the envelope in her hand another gentle squeeze.

"Are you okay? You look tense!" He asked still staring at her.

"I'm fine. I just came in to hand this in personally before leaving" she took a step forward and reached out with the envelope but he made no attempt to grab it from her outstretched hand.

He looked skeptical.

" What is that if I many ask?"

Aria hesitated for a moment before answering. "It's my resignation letter. Am leaving the company"

"What do you mean, you are leaving the company and for Christ sake, who said you can just resign because I don't remember asking for that thing in your hand! So do you mind explaining?" Mr Frank had half yelled and asked at the same time.

"No one asked me to leave. It was my own decision to do so and I will ask that you respect that and grant me this request by approving it"

He only scoffed at her reply before leaning back against his headrest. He also seemed to be studying her with intense expression.

"I see that you are not aware of the company's policy do you miss Davis?" He asked her with a raised brow.

Aria only shook her head in reply before saying. "I'm not even aware we have one that is directly tied to an employee resignation"

"Well, now you do and it states that, any employee who wishes to resign from the company for whatever reason other than be told to do so will first and fore most have to submit a three months notice prior to their time of leaving and you haven't done that"

Aria was quiet for a moment as she stood raking her brain, trying to process the information she has just been bombarded with. She couldn't even recall anyone giving her a written or verbal information stating such policy because in all her six years of working as a staff in that company, she hasn't come in contact with such.

Unless he was making it up to keep her from leaving she thought in sheer realization.

"How come I was not aware of this so called policy until now?"

"That's because you didn't mention in your résumé that you would wake up one day and decide it's okay to just walk out of the company after everything it has given you" he said matter of fact-ly.

For a moment there, Aria almost felt bad about wanting to quit her job. That very company has been nothing but good to her over the years and it will be a real shame to leave them without a tangible reason other than her desire to step out of her comfort zone and live a little.

Was that too much to ask for? But then again, her mind was already made up and it was not a question of indecision plugging her mind at this point.

'What if you are making the biggest mistake of your life?' Her subconscious had challenged her for the last time but she brushed it aside just as quickly as it had appeared on her mind.

She squared her shoulders and scoffed mentally at the thought itself.

Her boss noticed the scoff expression on her face and wondered if it was directed at him or the fact that she was having an internal battle within herself. Whatever it was, he wanted to find out as he leaned across his desk still studying her reaction.

He wasn't about to let her get away with a felony against his company. Frank Okoji was a man whose intuitive nature had helped him out of a lot of financial potholes. At thirty five, he was already a force to reckon with_succeeding his late father as the CEO and raising it from the ashes of bankruptcy with the help of his ever ready assistant who also happened to be none other than Aria herself.

He has always counted on her efficiency at every turn with confidential information and now she was suddenly on the verge of walking out of his company just like that? This must be the working of his rival company since they can't bring him down.

"How much are they offering you to leave us?" He blurted out the question at her.

That question came as a shocker as Aria could only stare back at him in disbelief.

"Excuse me, what?"

"You heard me. How much are they offering you to switch over to their side. Tell me and I will double the amount for you"

Aria couldn't believe her ears a she stood gapping at him. Was he in anyway implying that she has been bribed by some God knows what company in order for her to betray him? Because that would be total absurdity. The fact that he could think that way about her, annoys her to no end.

She took a step closer to his desk and placed both palms against his desk with her eyes in the same level as his.

"I don't know where you got that absurd idea from but I'd like you to understand that, this is all me and no one is paying me to do otherwise" she took a short thoughtful pause for her word to sink in.

"You too can testify to this very fact. Six years is not six months and I have a clean record to back that up so you tell me if am capable of betraying you or not" Aria had ended with a smirk that was barely noticed, seeing how much of a fight was left in his features.

In as much as he would have loved to argue with all she had said, he knew she was right. Aria was not that type of person. He was just hurt she was leaving without any tangible reason.

He picked up the letter lying against his desk and read through it before placing it back into the little envelope housing it a while ago.

"Alright then, am going to take this as you being foolish and in need of a break so take a month off if you want and after that time elapses and you still want to leave then I will gladly sign it".

"That won't be necessary because my mind is already made up"

She took a puff of breath and took a step back . After realizing that her mind was already made up, he resulted to asking her a less complicated question.

"I see, so what kind of life will you have after you leave here. A fulfilled jobless life or there is something else you want to share with me"

"Let me worry about that sir and just for the record, there is much more to life than work work work and work and as long as you are seated in that comfortable chair of yours, I doubt you will will ever understand. And as for the documents I was handling. I already had them placed in the top shelf drawer and even brief your secretary as well just in case you need some form of assistant" she ended with a sweet little smile.

"I will take my leave now" she didn't even make it to the door before his voice stopped her midway.

Frank Okoji got up in all his seven feet glory and walked over to where she stood staring back at him.

"So you are really leaving?" His voice barely audible as he stood only a breath away from her face.

Frank was standing too close for comfort at this point and it was making her really uncomfortable. If only her feet could just move an inch away from him. But she was frozen by the proximity of his presence for anything to function well.

When she finally snapped out of whatever was holding her captive, she stammered back a reply at him before looking away.

"Yes....yes i am leaving"

He took another inche closer. Aria could feel the strong alluring scent of his perfume pulling her in and causing her to grow weak around the knees.

What could be happening?

Aria has been in this man presence almost every single day for over six years and never once have they been this close in proximity.

And for the first time in six years, Frank was staring right into those brown eyes that has always been hidden behind those overly sized lens of hers and they looked quite pretty if not perfect just hanging loosely across the bridge of her small pointy nose.

She gluped down nervously as his eyes darted to her rosy red lips and lingered there for far too longer than necessary.

Damn!

Why was he staring at her that way!

Before she could process an answer, she heard his deep voice pulling her out of her imagination and back to reality.

"I asked you a question and you haven't answered" he stated.

"I'm sorry what? I wasn't paying attention"

He gave a short chuckle and reached out a hand and held her chin and causing her to shiver internally. "I asked if there is nothing I can do or say that would make you change your mind about leaving?"

Aria could see the desperation in his eyes as they kept staring at each other.

This man would do anything for his company not because he cared about anyone or anything for that matter and she wasn't about to be deceived either.

She was doing this for herself and nothing and no one will get in her way. Absolutely no one. Not even this handsome man standing before her who thinks he can change her mind with a flick of his smile.

Aria reached up and picked his hand off her chin with a tight smile before responding.

"No Sir, am afraid there is nothing anyone can do or say to change my mind on this matter. Am really done!"

She took in his facial expression for a split second and said,

"Goodbye".

**

Aria rushed out through the door before he would change his mind and try to stop her again and headed straight to her corner where her things were already arranged inside a small brown box to be carried away.

She continued to pant nervously as she leaned against her desk, trying to steady her breath a bit.

Straightening up to her full length with a new kind of fire burning in her chest. She picked up her box and turned to walk away and stopping only to say her final goodbye to her follow colleagues who were more than shock to hear about her decision before heading out.

Once outside the building, Aria was beaming with happiness. She has never felt so free in her entire life as she continued to walk towards the direction of her car.

Her feet was light on the ground as it hit each pavement outside in the garage. She was practically floating at that moment. Aria felt like a caged bird that has finally been set free to sore high above the great horizon.

She continued to walk with her head held so high as cool breeze caressed her cheeks, congratulating her victory or stupidity, as her ever conscious mind had so reminded her but she brushed it aside as she came closed to where her Toyota corolla was parked.

Placing her box at the passenger seat. She took one last glance at the magnificent building that has being like her second home for the past six years now and gave a half smile that barely reached her eyes and a single salute before getting into her car and leaving.

*

Aria was forcefully dragged out of her slumber the next morning with the constant ringing of her alarm.

She rolled over, gave a loud yawn and full body stretch before grabbing her lens from the night stand and putting it on.

She glance at her table clock and realized it was just 6:30am in the morning and instantly regretted her decision to leave the alarm on. That time was meant for days when she would hurry off from bed and off to work and she had no reason to do so at that point which why interrupting her beauty sleep at point onward has to be stopped.

After turning it off and placing it back against the table. She reached for her phone lying just across from it. Sleeping across the phone screen, her eye lid shot up in alarm the moment she saw the numerous list of missed calls on her phone that came in while she was asleep.

Thank God the phone was on silent.

She could only guess why judging from the names of the callers reflecting against her screen. Ten was from her mother, three form her father and the rest happens to be from her brother Larry who havent even in touch with her for years now.

She bet the news of her resignation has gotten to them as well.

Oh well, facing any of them at the moment isnt even part of her to-do list so they can definitely wait. She has other things to do like shop for new clothes and put her life in other.

Placing her phone right back where she had picked it from, she jumped off the bed and slipped her feet into her flops before dancing her way over to the bathroom,humming to whatever song that came to mind.

Since she was already up, she batter get into her morning routine as well as she proceeded to having her shower as well.

Thirty minutes more and she was fully dressed in a plain oversized Tee that was paired with jogger pant and seating at the stool in her kitchen while waiting for her breakfast to finish warming up in the microwave.

While waiting, she decided to look through some fashion blogs online for tips and color mash up and accessories to go with. Aria wanted to change how she dresses to match the way she felt on the inside.

She wanted colors to compliment her brown olive complexion but not in a slutty way but enough to make her feel comfortable and modest.

She quickly rushed over her breakfast when the alarm went off indicating it was ready. It was around 10am still when she was ready to head out for the day.

She strapped her brown leather sandal around her feet with her swing bag containing her credit cards and grabbed her car keys before heading out.

It was going to be a busy day ahead.

**

Few hours later, she returned back to her apartment with bags and bags of clothes and accessories to go with that barely fit into her arms as she stood fidgeting with the door lock.

After trying on some of the clothes she came home with, she fell back on the bed feeling exhausted and burned out. New messages and calls seems to be piling up more when she took another glance at her phone screen.

With a deep sigh, she stashed the under the pillow and pulled off her glasses and followed by her shoes. She was feeling too exhausted due to how long she had to spend going through so many piles of clothes to get what she want for herself. Some were either too revealing or to short.

It was all worth it at the end of the day because she was feeling pretty proud of herself and everything she returned home with.

She let herself relax fully on the bed before blinking lazily a few times. It wasn't long before she finally dozed off.

Aria woke up to her phone ringing on repeat. It was barely just an hour since she fell asleep and must have turned off the silent mood unknowingly.

She didn't have to look at the screen to know who could be calling as she had set apart a ringtone for her Mom who also happened to be the caller at that point as well. Speaking to her seem inevitable and the further she pushes it off, the more difficult it would be for her to explain things to her.

She let the phone rung away before redialing her number while bracing herself for some serious scolding. It wasn't even up to another heartbeat before she heard her Mom's voice answered from the other end.

"Have you lost your manners? Why in the world have you refused to answer your calls Aria?_do you have any idea how worried your father and I have been because of you?" Her mother's high pitched voice had stunk her ears through the receiver causing her to cringed internally.

"Mom! Mom please calm down for God sake or you are going to damage my hearing for sure" Aria had first tried to reason with her mother was still raging mad at the situation at hand.

"My God Aria_first you put in your resignation and then you refused to answer any of our calls and all you are worried about is me causing damage to your ears? I believe as your mother, I deserve more than that"

Aria couldnt very much sense the disappointment in her voice at her statement but she wasn't about to allow herself be manipulated either. There was absolutely nothing she could say to her mother at that point that would justify her crazy ass attitude or without her thinking she needed some sort of deliverance from whatever has taken hold of her and making her act without thinking of the consequences.

"Mom please,can we talk about this some other time?because it's obvious now is not a good time"

"Now is not a good time you say?" Her voice that of sheer disbelief.

"Yes mom because its obvious you are upset"

"Of course am upset. Your father is angry if not furious. Do you have any idea how hard it was for your father to secure that job position for you that you so easily threw away without as much as a second thought? Of course am upset!"

"I can only imagine Mom so how about you help me apologize to Dad on my behalf while I call you some other time so we can all talk when we are less upset and angry"

Aria had said in a bit to get her Mom off her back but she wasnt having any of it.

"Oh no young lady_don't you dare hangup on me because am still talking to you and you haven't given me a reasonable explanation as to why you could be so reckless"

When she couldn't take it anymore, she quickly hung up on her Mom but not before before blowing her a good bye kiss. "I love you too Mom, please try not to be upset. I will call you soon"

Aria sighed in relief the moment the call like went dead. She could very much imagine her mother's reaction at that point but what else could she have done. Listen till she is forty? Because that's exactly what she has been doing all her life and she was already thirty!

Thirty and alone! And she was done listening at that point.

Aria was thirty years for crying out loud, not thirteen and has every right to decide what's best for her life and what doesn't serve her anymore without anyone sounding like she has committed a crime against humanity.

She could very much understand her parent concern but she wasn't as stupid as to walk out on a high paying job without doing as much as saving up.

Aria has enough money saved away to do whatever the heck she wanted but that not even top of her worries. She has this sense of loneliness crawling all over her skin and needed to connect back to the world as soon as possible.

Aria has been isolated for way too long. She was in serious need of comfort and friends. The last time she spoke with Lizzy, she was on the verge of moving over to her city. All she had to do was find out if she was around so they could finally meet up.

Aria quickly searched her number and called her up but it just kept ringing away without any answer. She ended up leaving her a message instead, hoping she'd call back as soon as she heard them.

She fell back on the bed before her eyes caught sight of the to-do list on the wall as she went over the remaining items she was unable to get.

The painting on the wall was already worn out and needed new ones and some art decoration for her living room as well.

First thing tomorrow morning, as soon as she was up and had her breakfast, she would head out for them but right now, she just lay back and sank deeper into the bedsheets not willing herself to think about anything else.

She wanted nothing more than to sleep her thoughts away. It was already past her bed time.