Thelma’s POV
I woke up the next morning lying on my back, my hands on my chest. Who knows, I might have slept with my face smiling throughout the night. I didn’t understand how I managed to have slept even when I didn’t take my dinner. I am no philosopher but I think it may have happened because I was carried away with thoughts- crazy thoughts about Drake. Crazy. I stood up and began to arrange the blankets. I never considered dressing the blanket as a serious task until Simon made it clear to me that it should always be the first thing to do whenever I wake up from sleep. Simon 1, Thelma 0. Someone knocked at my door. I didn’t bother to look at my time nor did I bother to guess who it was. I was only surprised that Simon knocked- so unlike him.
“Come in,” I said uninterestingly.
He walked through the door. I didn’t bother to look at him. “Good morning, Thelma.”
What? I turned around quickly and looked around the room searchingly. There was no one else in the room except Simon and me. “D-did you just say something?” I asked.
“I said, Good morning.”
I fought against the urge to smile. I didn’t remember him to be such a darling. I mean, his rudeness was expected but I was surprised that he greeted me politely. Seriously, this was the guy that called me weird names last night right in the presence of the Alpha. “I find this-” I gestured with both hands, spreading them out, “Very hard to believe.”
“It is expected.” He walked in and closed the door. “The Alpha told me that you ain’t quite comfortable with this room. You may need a new one, maybe.”
Oh Goodness! Of course, the room was ten by eight or less. “Of course, dickhead, I don’t like it in here,” was exactly what I wanted to tell him but I smiled and said, “Yes, Simon. As you can see, here is just very small.” I smiled.
He nodded. “Gather your things, I will show you your new room when you are done.”
What? Is he serious? Happiness rushed down like a river and poured into my heart. “New room?” I asked.
He nodded.
“Alpha’s room?” I raised a brow at him, still smiling.
He looked at me, face void of any reaction or emotion. “No,” he said. “New room.”
“Okay.”
“When you are done, you press-”
I interrupted him. “I press 1,” I said. “Yeah, yeah. I know that already. Don’t bother!”
He began to walk away but stopped at the door as though he had just remembered something. I looked at him attentively, wondering why he stopped just like that. “Ehm, Thelma. I uh.” He scratched at his brows. I became more interested in what he wanted to say. “I just want to apologize for being rude to you. I am sorry.”
I put my right index finger into my ear and scratched at it. “Please, did you take something last night, or is it me not hearing you properly?” I asked him.
“No, I didn’t.”
I snorted. “I don’t know if anyone had told you this but you have been behaving strangely. Are you sure you are okay?” I asked.
“I am very okay, Thelma.”
“I hope you know you just apologized to me?” I raised my two brows.
“Yes, I do know.” He leaned closer, maybe two steps away from me. “And I mean it, Thelma.” He brought out his right hand to shake mine in a polite handshake. “I am sorry for causing you pain these past few weeks. And in case you are still angry about my actions toward you, then I would urge you to find it in your heart to forgive me.”
I hid my laugh within the corners of my lips. I didn’t know exactly what made him change his mind toward me. But one thing was certain, he seemed serious about getting my forgiveness. I took his large hand, it enveloped mine and made it look small. “No hard feelings?” he asked.
“No hard feelings.”
He let me go and walked away immediately. When he walked away, I began to laugh out loud. I didn’t believe that Simon above all persons would stoop so low and ask for forgiveness from me- something Mr. Rudolph would never do. It was my biggest surprise of the year. If he truly meant what he said, then surely, I would play by the rules. Besides, nobody wants to be an enemy to him anyway. He is irritating as fuck when he means business. I brushed the thought aside and gathered my things as quickly as I could. I didn’t want him to change his mind. In case it turned out that he had smoked something, then by the time he might have realized himself, I would probably be in my new room. Brilliant thought. When I was through, I went to the telephone and quickly dialed 1. He didn’t pick up. Maybe I was late, I thought. Or maybe he had already changed his mind. I didn’t want to think faster than reality so I decided to dial again. It rang, but no response. I sat back at the bed, frustrated. Shortly after, my door opened and Simon walked in.
“You are through?” he asked.
Oh, God. “Yes, I am.” I carried my backpack and looked at him. “Let’s go.”
He came to me. “Care if I offer you a hand?” he asked.
I looked at him again, face to face. I slowly handed him over the bag. But then, my heart had already leapt into my throat. “Thank you.” I smiled at him but was still surprised.
He ignored me and led the way. I followed him up immediately and then he took me towards a lobby- a long one. There were other rooms I saw on the opposite sides of the lobby. The lobby would have been dark if not for the fluorescent lights hung on the ceiling at determined distances. When we got to the end of the lobby, he pushed at a double door that led into space. At my right was another corridor and at my left was another corridor- though they had curved walls in such a way that I could not see the end of it. Light was thrown inside the corridor by either a door or window which I could not see from where I stood but I could see the reflection on both sides. I ran after Simon who had rather maintained walking straight. He pushed at a single door this time and strolled not far from there before he showed me my room.
“Here it is,” he said and gestured with his right. “You can stay here for now.”
I looked around the room, I couldn’t believe what my eyes had just seen. The room was a masterpiece. At the right was a double cushion made of pure dark red leather. AC was hung on the wall just at the back of the leather cushion seat. “Oh my God.” Left my lips surprisingly. I stepped on the red rug, moved straight on it till I got to the kitchen. The deep freezer, the gas cooker, the kitchen utensils, the cupboards all looked new. I came out to the sitting room and saw Simon patiently waiting for me.
“Do you like it?” he asked.
“I love it,” I said. “Thank you so much.”
“You don’t have to thank me,” he said. “It was the Alpha’s suggestion. He asked me to show you the room and know if you would like it.”
Immediately he mentioned the Alpha, I frowned. “Oh, that,” I said. “Well, thank him for me.”
He nodded. “I will leave now.”
“See you around,” I told him.
He left.