Today I was determined to talk to Ethan when I caught sight of him in his suit, ready for work.
I didn’t see him at breakfast so I assumed he was done with it already. I didn’t have much time to catch up with him.
Grabbing a hoodie from the closet, I quickly put it on and hurried down. I was lucky he was just getting in his car when I burst out the front door. He didn’t see me because he got in his car at that exact moment.
I ran towards it and threw open the door before getting in and closing it behind me.
He looked a little stunned by my actions and blinked a couple of times.
“What’re you doing?” He asked, angling his body to face me.
“Let’s talk.”
He huffed and faced the front. “I don’t have time to talk to you right now.”
“I lost count of the number of times you said that to me in the past two weeks.”
“Your point?”
“Why are you avoiding me?”
“I’m not avoiding you. I’m very busy so I don’t have time-”
“Oh really? You have time to go on dates with Heather. You have time to eat. You have time to drink. You have time to sleep. You have time to breathe. But what you don’t have time for is to talk to me other than you telling me that you don’t have time. I’m not stupid, okay? I know it when there’s a problem. So please tell me. Did I do or say something wrong? I tried to think of a reason as to why you would be like this and can’t come up with anything.”
Ethan didn’t meet my eyes. He stared straight ahead whilst clutching the steering wheel hard. “Please get out. I have an important meeting.”
I gaped at him. “So you’re really going to be like this? Fine. I’m not getting out.” I declared, about to put the seat belt on.
He leaned over and grabbed my hand midway from putting on the seatbelt and opened the door for me.
“I told you I’m not going,” I said firmly.
After a few minutes of protesting over this, he finally heaved an irritated sigh and got out instead. He jogged over to my side and opened the door.
“Get out before I make you.”
I shook my head and clutched at the seat belt which I managed to put on.
“Fine. You asked for it,” he said and bent down to take off my seatbelt. I stubbornly held on to it.
He suddenly turned his head in my direction and I froze at the proximity, our lips a mere distance apart.
All too soon he ducked out from the car. I noticed that by that time he had unbuckled me.
Before I knew what was happening, I was lifted from my seat bridal style.
“No, no, no!”
But before he could set me on my feet, I clung on to him. I probably looked ridiculous hanging from him like a monkey with my legs around his waist and hands around his neck. I didn’t even know how I managed to get in that position.
“What the-” Ethan tried shaking me off and spun to make me let go, eventually failing.
Five minutes later, I was comfortably seated in the passenger seat with Ethan driving the car begrudgingly.
We were silent until he pulled up in front of a tall building which I assumed was where his office was. The building we had gone to when I was his secretary for a day was a different one but I just assumed this was a second office.
I got out and peered up.
“Wow. This building is so big. Is this-”
I looked back but the car was gone and so was he. I could see the car in the distance, getting smaller and smaller until it disappeared among the many cars.
Was my presence so unwanted to him that he would just leave me like that?
I looked around, not knowing what to do or where to go.
In my haste to talk to Ethan, I had forgotten my phone so I couldn’t call for help. I didn’t even have any money on me.
I sat on the sidewalk and stared at my feet. What was I to do now?
I kept staring at my feet for a few minutes before a polished pair of shoes came into my view.
I looked up and Ethan was gazing down at me.
“You came back?”
“Don’t you know the way back to the house? Were you going to keep sitting here until someone recognized you? It’s not safe here for you.” He said, sounding angry at me.
I just blinked up at him. “Says the one who left me here.” I pointed an accusing finger at him. “Your fault.”
He rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed. “Come on.”
He offered me his hand and I took it. He pulled me to my feet. We walked towards the car and he pulled the door open for me and closed it when I got in.
After he got into the car, he turned to face me. “If I drive back to the mansion, will you go inside and let me go to work in peace?”
“Nope.”
“Knew it.” He grumbled as he started the car.
We pulled up in the parking lot of his actual workplace. I remembered it was the same building I had been to.
This time I waited for him to get out first before I did. We walked in.
I felt out of place in my hoodie, jean shorts and sneakers whereas everyone was dressed up in office wear. Prim men and women threw me curious looks as we entered an elevator. I hid my under the hood and turned away from the people in case anyone recognized me. I felt uncomfortable under their stares. It was a good thing I was hidden well from view because of Ethan.
We reached the nineteenth floor where Ethan’s office was.
“So what are you planning to do here? I can’t spare you any time right now. I wasn’t lying when I said I had an important meeting.”
I shrugged. “That’s okay with me. We can talk when you have time. Maybe over lunch?”
“I eat lunch while working.”
“Fine. I don’t want much of your time anyway. A few minutes will be enough. Tell me when you have at least that much of time for me.”
“I have to get to my meeting now. You can rest there for the time being,” he said, pointing to a door at the corner of his office. I hadn’t noticed it when I first came here three months ago. “And why are you dressed like that? It’s a little chilly today.”
“I didn’t have much time to change into something else because I wanted to talk to you before you left.” I said, walking around his office to observe things. I hadn’t looked around there when I came here before.
“I’m thrilled to know I’m so important to you,” he said sarcastically. “Just go in there for now.”
I nodded and walked towards the door. The room was big. It was warm and cozy. It had a bed, a refrigerator, a big TV, kitchen appliances and gym equipment in one corner. It was obvious Ethan used this room to rest for a while or exercise. It was nice to have a space of your own at your workplace.
Just as I was about to close the door, I heard his office door open.