by Mel Ryle
Before Maggie could ask further, the elevator opened to reveal an infuriated William. He walked right up to me with a tight jaw and a furious look. I don’t think there was ever a moment that day when the man didn’t look annoyed at me.
“In my office, now!” he basically shouted and pointed at the door of his office before walking towards it.
I held my ground and didn’t make a move to follow him. He finally noticed my refusal to follow his command as he stopped by his door.
“Like I said before, Mr. Maxwell, you may have power, but you don’t have the right to boss me around. I still have my dignity, which I didn’t give away when I accepted this job,” I affirmed seriously. “If you’re just going to argue and threaten me, then we have nothing to talk about. I already got a gist of it downstairs.”
William didn’t say anything as he continued to scowl at me. I didn’t look away either, not wanting to lose the stare down. In an annoyed hiss, William looked away and got inside his office, closing the door with a childish slam.
Once he was gone, I let out a sigh of relief. Maggie, on the other hand, just chuckled. I looked at her and gave her a small smile, which she replied with a beaming one. Then, I turned to my computer with a triumphant grin. I had a lot of things to do, which I hope would be enough to keep my mind away from thoughts of Mr. Mogul.
I left around seven thirty. Around that time, Maggie was still at her desk, very much absorbed on the files stacked up in front of her. I said goodbye to her before getting in the elevator. Before the doors closed, I took one last look at the closed office in front of me. He hadn’t stepped a foot out of there since he slammed it shut in my face. Not that it mattered anymore. What the stubborn man did wasn’t any of my business. So, I put him off my mind as the elevator closed and descended.
The week passed by like a breeze—but not the fresh kind. Whenever William and I were in the same room, the tension was so think that you could cut it with a knife. It was like that almost every day. When Friday came, I was so relieved to have my first weekend off. I needed to be away from him and from all the work. More importantly, I needed to see my father. For days, I felt so empty to end my day without seeing him. With my past jobs, I never had to give up my time with him. It was only the two of us now, so he was always a priority for me. But I had no choice but to work. Thankfully, I knew he understood the situation.
I didn’t make it obvious that I was so eager to get away from the office, but I couldn’t fool Maggie. The woman had come to understand me from the days I’ve worked with her. This also proved how much of an open book I am.
“Happy to get your weekend off?” Maggie asked as I stood up, packing my things.
“You bet,” I replied with a grin, knowing full well that I couldn’t truly lie to the sweet lady.
“Enjoy. I’ll see you on Monday,” she waved goodbye as I walked towards the elevator.
“You too!” I called as I pressed the button to the lobby.
When I got to the lobby, I quickly waved goodbye to Danny who was tending the reception desk. She saw me and beamed, giving me a short wave of goodbye. I didn’t stay long in the area and got to the bus station. I was debating on whether to go visit my dad now or wait until tomorrow. Before I could decide, my phone buzzed. I glanced at the name on the screen before answering. It was Terry.
“Hey, ‘boyfriend’,” I greeted with a smirk, remembering my joke last Tuesday morning.
“You’re still not over that? Well, ‘girlfriend’—who isn’t that much of a girl—I wanted to ask if you’re free tonight,” Terry joked along.
“What do you mean by ‘not much of a girl’?” I pretended to sound hurt by his words, but, I was only messing with him.
“Damn it. I didn’t mean it like that...I thought we were kidding around...” Terry defended, his voice thick with guilt.
I laughed hard at his defense. “I know you were kidding. Yes, I’m free tonight. Why?”
“God! Sometimes...” he remarked in frustration, “Well, Jack wanted to see you, Andrew wanted to see you, some of the guys wanted to see you, and I wanted to see you again, too.” From the sound of his voice, I could tell he was leaving out something.
“If you’re trying to ask me to go out clubbing again, you already know my reply,” I retorted with a grin.
“But I’m not the one asking for you. They are.”
“Really?” I asked as a challenge, knowing full well he was bluffing.
“Okay. I also wanted you to come, but they wanted you too,” he admitted.
I chuckled at his gullible nature. Sometimes, Terry had a soft spot about lying to me. The boy had always been truthful, which made us become friends faster and easier. I couldn’t have asked for a better and more suited person to be in my life right now.
I pause for a second and hmmm-ed as if I was still thinking, prolonging the suspense. But in truth, I already had an answer. I needed the drink and I needed some company after what happened over the past few days. But I’m not planning on getting drunk like last time. One glass, or two, is enough to calm the nerves.
“Okay. I’ll go out with you guys tonight. But you have to pick me up and return me home in one piece,” I finally replied as a smile danced at the tip of my lips.
“Finally!” Terry exclaimed excitedly, which made me laugh.
He was going to pick me up around midnight after his shift at work. We were going to Jack’s bar with Andrew and his friends. I was excited to be hanging out for the first time rather than working. It would be weird to go to the club I used to work in, but I knew I’d be having fun tonight since I’d be going with a weird and fun crowd.
When midnight came, I was already dressed to go. I wore one of the few sexy clothes I own. I was thankful that I bought it before moving here, knowing that people in the city wore more refined clothes. But at least there are others here who dress like I usually do, so my everyday clothes don’t look that out of place and I didn’t need to buy anything new.
I studied my reflection for the last time in the mirror. I was wearing a loose black tank top with a white tube undershirt. I paired it with the only black mini skirt—well, the only skirt—I owned that went down to mid-thigh. I paired the whole look with the black satin pumps given to me by Alexandra. I completed the outfit with my watch and a black clutch that I used during prom. I am quite a sentimental person (or you could call me cheap). I even still had the same sneakers from back then.
Around ten minutes past twelve, there was a knock on the door. I quickly turned off the television I was scanning through and grabbed my things. I skipped towards the door, excited about going clubbing that night.
“Good evening. Are you ready?” Terry greeted with a beaming smile as I opened the door.
“I’m so ready,” I replied just as enthusiastically, then locked the door behind me.
The ride to the club was short. If I’d known that it was near my apartment, I wouldn’t have asked Terry to pick me up. Maybe if he and Andrew had some plans tonight, I could take back my request and walk home. But I wouldn’t bet on it.
When we finally got there, Terry had a good look at me as I hopped out of his motorcycle.
“Goodness, Andy! I didn’t know you had killer legs,” he remarked as he took my helmet.
“Well, only you who can wait this long to notice. I’ll forgive you for that because of your sexual orientation,” I replied with a chuckle, lightly blushing at his comment.
“Yeah. Sorry about that. You know I’m visually impaired when it comes your kind,” he said while laughing at his own joke. I snickered at his cunning way of giving me a compliment.
We didn’t have to wait in line as we reached the front door, like last time. Once we got inside, the place was already packed with people. Some were dancing to the thumping beat of the music while others drank themselves to oblivion on the sidelines. The rowdiness was one of the many reasons why I don’t like such places. The crowd was another thing altogether.
Terry ha
lf-dragged me from the dance floor towards the bar, where I could already see Jack making drinks. With him was another guy who looked too young to be a bartender. Once we reached the counter, Terry lightly shoved a few drunken men aside and guided me to one of the stools in a protective stance. Sometimes, I found him sweet.
“Protective much, ‘boyfriend’?” I teased.
“I might not be attracted your kind, but I can still be a gentleman, Andy,” he replied with a grin.
“Where is Andrew?” I asked and swiftly changed the topic as his body heat started to wreak havoc on my hormones. I’m only human. I have needs, too.
“They’re here somewhere,” he replied as he leaned away from me, scanning the room thoroughly.
I took this as an opportunity to put a bit of distance between us. In doing so, I lightly bumped into someone behind me. Startled, I turned around to apologize, but stopped as I looked up at the person. My mouth suddenly went dry at the familiar blue eyes that were staring directly at me.
“Ms. Peterson, fancy seeing you here,” he said softly, his eyes still on me.
“Mr. Maxwell, hi,” I replied, my voice thick with surprise.
“Would you like something to drink? I’m about to order,” he asked, his eyes smoldered a little.
Taken aback by his offer, I nodded in reply. Why was this man nice to me all of a sudden? We have not been talking to each other for days, but now here he is, casually asking if I’d like a drink.
I continued to gape at him as he snapped his finger to get the bartender’s attention. I recognized that the bartender was the new guy and not Jack.
After he made our orders, he faced me again. He still looked so handsome even under the dim lighting, which made his bright blue eyes prominent and clear. And that dirty blond hair of his gleamed whenever it was struck by the light. I noted that he was still wearing the same suit from this morning. That meant he directly came to the bar from work.
“Did you come here from work?” I asked outright, my curiosity gnawing at the back of my head.
“No. I came from dinner,” he replied with a smirk tugging at the end of his lips. This action made my stomach knot a little.
“Oh. Okay,” I said awkwardly, not capable of asking him another question.
“I was having dinner with my sister’s fiancé since he will be off to Europe tomorrow,” he said, responding to my unspoken question.
I gave him a shy smile in return. I can’t believe he had read me so well. Maybe it was written all over my face again. I decided to turn away from him and face Terry, who I thought was beside me. But he wasn’t. I can’t believe he left me here, when he knew about my unstable relationship with Mr. Mogul. I stood on my toes and scanned the room, looking for him and ignoring William.
I felt someone tap my shoulder, which made me turn around to see William handing me a glass of dark red liquid. With another shy smile, I grabbed it from him and drank a little sip before saying my thanks. I was surprised he ordered me cranberry juice with a pinch of vodka. How did he know what I wanted? Then, at the back of my head, I remembered ordering the same thing from his sister’s engagement party. I was surprised that he remembered something as insignificant as what drink I liked.
“If you’re looking for your boyfriend, he is there in a booth with some other guys,” he drawled as he slightly leaned forward to point somewhere, his face almost a few inches from mine.
My breath hitched as I stood frozen. He smelled so intoxicating. Maybe it was his cologne, but the scent seemed more natural than perfume. As I leaned away, I finally took a breath and looked at the place he had pointed out. It was then that I found Terry and Andrew seated together with a few of their friends. After a few seconds of studying the group, I turned my attention back to William, only to find out he had walked away from me.
I quickly scanned the room and found his retreating figure on the other side of the room, heading towards the exit. With him were two other men in full black suits, which I guessed were his bodyguards. I kept my gaze on him until he left. For a moment, I was in a trance.
Did that really happen?
Fourteen
After looking at the empty space William occupied earlier, I snapped myself back to reality and joined Terry and his friends. They were a fun crowd. I was able to get to know more about Andrew because we talked for a few minutes when Terry left to get the group more drinks.
“So, how long have you guys been dating?” I asked Andrew when Terry was out of earshot. The boy didn’t really like to talk about his romantic life, just like me.
“It’s been a year and a half,” he replied with a light smile. Andrew didn’t look as attractive as Terry. I wasn’t saying he wasn’t handsome, though. He was cute in his own geeky way, with his glasses and sweatshirt combo. He was more the next-door shy type while Terry was the bad boy.
“Wow. That long,” I acknowledged, mumbling more to myself. “So, is it really true that I’m the reason you fought a month or so ago?” I pried, wanting to know the truth since Terry didn’t want to talk about that incident.
“Yeah. Uhmm… It wasn’t really about you. I was supposed to move in on the same month you showed up, but then... you know,” he replied, stuttering a little, looking uncomfortable.
I took his hand, gave it a little squeeze, looked at him straight in the eyes and said, “You don’t have to be embarrassed, Andrew. I’m sorry for coming between you two. And I’ll kick Terry’s ass for letting that happen.”
Andrew let out a sigh of relief and chuckled at my words. “Now, I get why Terry likes you,” he murmured, more to himself than to me.
“What does he like about me?” I asked eagerly, wanting to know something I wouldn’t ever find out from the person himself.
“You’re very easy to love, Andy,” Andrew replied in a whisper in my ear, then leaned away a little with a beaming smile.
I beamed at his reply and leaned towards him as I said jokingly, “I couldn’t say the same thing about him. So I salute you for loving the man.”
Andrew enthusiastically wrapped his arms around me, squeezing me lightly. He only let me go when Terry rejoined us, laughing lightly. I laughed along with him, which made Terry stare at us with a curious look. I chuckled at his reaction and turned to Andrew with a finger on my lips to shush him.
We finally left at three in the morning. Terry left no room for argument about him taking me home. Andrew even took his side this time. In that moment, I felt my heart swell knowing I have friends who were as sweet as them. I didn’t continue arguing with them anymore and allowed Terry to take me back.
Within a few minutes, we reached my apartment and he dropped me off in front of the entrance. He gave me a brief wave before he hit the road. I waited for him to disappear from my line of vision before getting inside. When I reached my bedroom, I didn’t have enough energy to change, so I just slept in the clothes I was in.
The next morning, I was glad to wake up without any side effects from last night’s drinking. Although my head throbbed a little, it wasn’t hindering my ability to think properly. I got out of bed and headed to the shower. I had my whole day planned. I was going to stay in the hospital until late evening.
I quickly ate breakfast, which consisted of a granola bar and cereal, and cleaned up before heading down. As I got out of my apartment, the door across mine suddenly opened.
“Andy! Good morning,” Ally greeted with a smile.
“Morning to you, too.”
“So, how’s work and everything?” she asked, her voice sounded a little forced. I think that wasn’t what she wanted to ask me.
“If you are wondering about the guy from last Tuesday, I would say no, we aren’t dating. He’s gay,” I replied bluntly, smirking at my own words.
“Oh,” she said in sudden realization, with a small mischievous smile forming on her lips. “But he doesn’t look like...” she added, confusion visible on her face.
“Yeah. I told him that when I found out,” I said, chuckl
ing at her response. “You don’t have to worry. You’re not the only one who was fooled.”
She laughed at that and we both headed down to the lobby. We separated as I walked towards the bus stop while Ally waited for her boyfriend, which answered my question about who drove the silver car that picked her up last time. When I finally reached the hospital, I went up directly to my father’s floor. I couldn’t wait to see him because I missed him too much.
As I got in the room, I earnestly greeted him with a hug and a kiss, which startled him.
“What’s with the enthusiasm today?” my dad asked as I finally let go of him, chortling at my action.
“Oh nothing. I’m just happy to see you,” I replied, beaming as I settled down. “So, what are the plans for today?” I asked casually.
“Not much, really. I’m watching reruns again.”
“You’re always watching reruns. How about spicing things up and watching a new show?” I offered, wiggling an eyebrow at him.
He simply smiled at my answer and continued watching the show on the television, which ended in thirty minutes. Before I could start a conversation with my father, my phone vibrated in my bag. It took a while to fish out my phone, but once I checked, the number was unregistered. Since I didn't know who the caller was, I decided not to answer. I didn't want my day to be disrupted by something trivial. But before I could return the phone in my bag, the same person called again. Left with no choice, I finally answered the call with the intent of scolding whoever was on the other end of the line.
“What do you want? If this is a prank call, then you have another thing coming...” I warned, not giving the person a chance to talk first.
“Glad you’re still as feisty as ever, Ms. Peterson,” a familiar voice snickered.
“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding... What do you want? Wait, before you answer that, how did you get my number in the first place?” I asked incredulously. My good mood went down the drain from that point.
