28

Ashley
I opened my eyes and retreated slowly from Leo’s embrace.
“Let’s not do that again, ” I muttered, “-Never.”
I drowned into his milky eyes that stared at me for seconds. I observed him as he leaned against a wall, the reflection of the sun shining and making contact with his memorizing facial features.
“Silly me, ” he chuckled, “I almost forgot you had a boyfriend.”
“He’s not my boyfriend, ” I verbalized, “We are just going out on a date.”
“I’m relieved.” He lifted his head and opened his mouth to reveal the most dazzling set of teeth that was complemented with a beautiful smile.
Blood rushed to the tips of my fingers, the pulse coming in hot waves that caused everything else in me to throb. The booming was furious and continuous. I felt like I was on fire as if someone had set a slow and steady match beneath my center, deep in the pit of my stomach, and right in the middle of my chest.
“Why are you relieved?” I blushed, “It’s not like you have a chance.”
“Never say never. ” I heard him say with a wink and I giggled like a child.
“Do you pity me?” I asked, rubbing my chin incessantly.
“It’s not your fault so why do you think that?” he replied, “I have a pretty bad relationship with my family, you know. They are really crazy and sometimes, insensitive. ”
“Is that why you are working here?” I arched a brow.
“No.” he smiled, “I’ll tell you all about it, later.”
“Will you?” I shot a playful glare at him, “You’re vague and you rarely talk about yourself.”
“I will not allow you to coerce me into a long discussion when we should be working, Ashely, ” I heard him say, “Take my hand.”
I looked at his outstretched hand which was big and veiny. My hands reached to grab his wrist and he pulled me up as if I was a piece of wood.
I heard him grunt in pain and I held on tighter to his wrist.
“Are you injured?” I muttered slowly.
“I will be fine by tomorrow.” I heard him respond.
“Where are you injured? You need to tell me and put your ego aside. ” I spoke, putting my hands on the door.
“You don’t have to bother. Stop asking me questions and let’s go,” he answered hastily.
“I need to know…” I yelled desperately, moving closer to him and the distance between us became so close that I could see the little hair under his chin, “You got wounded, trying to protect me and I feel so bad knowing that. ”
“You don’t have to worry about your Prince Charming,” he winked, tilting his perfect head, “I’ll be fine, eventually. ”
“Promise me that you’ll go see a doctor.” I shot out my pinky finger, “Promise me.”
He swiped a finger across his lips which sent my core into eternal ecstasy.
“You are cute. ” he smiled, slowly bringing out his pinky finger. He moved it closer and interlocked it with mine.
I swiped bits of hair hanging over my ear and I caught him staring at me.
Was I so irresistible?
“What?” I asked, catching him off guard.
“We are in an uncompromising position here, Ashley,” he started, crossing his arm across his rock-hard chest, “-And you don’t seem startled about it. Am I the pervert here?”
I scoffed and impulsively moved a step backward, noticing the tiny distance between us. My chest was almost touching his and I could hear his heart race which was quite odd. His breath was fanning my face and his lips were angled just enough to smash it against mine.
“Why do you always have to ruin the mood with your dirty thoughts?” I muttered, batting my lashes shy.
“At least, I express them quite well unlike you.” He smirked and then shook his head swiftly.
I found that cute and appealing and I returned it with a cheek burning in flames.
“Let’s go, cutie, “he urged, “Everyone would be relieved that you’re alive.”
Why would anyone think that I was going to commit suicide?
I observed as he pulled out the keys from his pocket and inserted it into the keyhole. He was about to twist it when he turned and tilted his head, angling it towards the right.
“You look like a mess, ” he said softly, “I should be the only one to see this. Nobody has to.”
The need to sink straight into the ground overwhelmed me. My upper lips flattened and my pupils dilated, my cheeks raised up and furiously red with embarrassment.
“Why does he say so many crazy things?” I muttered inaudibly to myself, darting my eyes away from his sharp gaze.
“So I’ll leave you to clean yourself up. Good luck.” His hand was tightly formed into a fist as he bumped it gently against my shoulder.
I shot him a smile as he unlocked the door and stepped out. I felt the need to rub the center of my chest because of the way it kept thumping.
It was insane and it felt amazing at the same time.
****
I managed to get all the grime, and makeup out of my face and inhaled sharply for several minutes before walking out of the door. I sighted Emily walking out of the cookery and I grabbed her arm gently. She turned and gave me a sad smile.
“What’s wrong, Emily?” I asked.
“Nothing, absolutely nothing,” she shrugged, “There’s nothing wrong when your friend shoves you aside and seeks comfort in a co-worker whom she says she loathes.”
I pushed my hands deeper into my apron pockets, “What are you implying?”
“Are you into him or something?” she continued, “Shouldn’t your focus be on Mason?”
I stared at Emily with my eyes wide open and made not a sound. I was in total paralysis for a couple of seconds.
“Why would you think that, Em? You just assumed without asking me. ” I responded, trying to hold myself from making my hand into a clenched fist.
“I didn’t assume,” she deadpanned, “I am asking you, right now. Do you like Leo?”
I shook my head, “Of course not, I hardly know him. ”
“Then why did you open the door for him and what were you discussing for several minutes?” she continued, stomping her legs on the ground like an angry kid.
“I don’t know. I just did and he spoke to me,” I responded, a bit irked by her questions, ” And I don’t have to tell you what we were talking about in there.”
“You are hiding something from-”
I cut her off in mid-sentence.
“No, I am not, ” I affirmed, “You sound like you don’t trust me.”
“I do, ” she answered, “I’m just curious and really worried about you, I don’t want you to step on Mason’s heart.”
“If you’re worried about me. This is not the way to go about it. It’s just disappointing that this is all you could think of. I am in pain and this was all you could ask?” I blurted out the words my heart wanted to speak.
“I just wanted to know,” she uttered with a stern expression on her face.
“And is that necessary in this situation?” I questioned.
She turned and looked at me, “You ran away when I wanted to comfort you. I should be the first to do that but you didn’t let me and now you want to put the damn blame on me. I won’t let you do that.”
I swallowed a globe of saliva that felt stuck in the middle of my throat.
“I am not blaming you, Emily. I don’t know why you have that idea, ” I voiced out hysterically, “I don’t think I can continue this conversation with you. I feel it would -”
She interrupted me in mid-sentence, rubbing her palm over her face.
“Neither can I, ” she implied, “I have a salary to earn, bills and debts to pay for, and a new apartment to rent because I’m quite sure you are capable of throwing me out of your home,” she replied with a snarky tone.
I let out an exasperated sigh as she walked away from me, briskly.
“Emily.” I called, “Emily!”
I repeated it severally and consistently but she didn’t turn back and it made my heart ache.
****
The rest of my co-workers, Alfred, Nadia, Luke, and Leia showered me with affection while Alfred stuffed ready-made pancakes in my mouth to lift my spirit.
I was at the counter, attending to a customer with my gaze watching Emily, who was rubbing the tables with white clothing.
“Could you please take my order?” The customer directly facing me asked with a bright smile.
“Of course, I can,” I responded with a charming smile.
“Em, could you please be a darling and get me a tray?” I heard Leo yell with his head facing down and struggling to write a receipt in legible handwriting.
“You can do it yourself, Leo. I am using my hands as well, darling. ” Her voice was dripping with sarcasm.
I batted my lashes, thinking of why she would say that to him. Was it because she was still upset with me? Emily didn’t have a sharp tongue unlike me. It was really strange and uncanny when I heard those words roll off her mouth.
“Did you do something to her?” I heard Leo whisper.
I shook my head, “No, did you?”
“I probably didn’t, ” he bit his bottom lip, “But I’m sure it has everything to do with you.”
I scoffed and turned around, reaching out for a coffee cup. I filled the blackish-brown content into the cup and gave it to the person in front of me.
“Thank you.” He said before walking towards a chair.
“She’s really scary when she’s upset, isn’t she?” I heard Leo mutter, “Get her a bag or apologize to her.”
“You can just mind your business and keep working. ” I rolled my eyes and when I flushed when the word, “cutie.” crossed my mind.
****
After working hours, Leo disappeared without saying a word and I wondered if he took the back door.
There were so many odd things about him and somehow I felt the need to unravel them all.
I was about to call out for Emily and hope she would respond when she walked into the room, holding her bag.
“Are you about to leave? Let me go get my bag.” I muttered.
“You don’t have to.” I heard her say. I turned on my heels, my face bearing a confused expression.
“Are you still upset with me?” I asked, “I spoke the truth, you know.”
“I just need to think and it’s uncomfortable if we are walking together, “she said, “and I’m sorry for not trusting you. That was silly of me but I just need to be alone.”
“But we can-” I wanted to speak but she cut me off in mid-sentence.
“We can talk at home, ” she uttered, “-If you’d allow me.”
I shot her a relieved smile as I whispered an “Okay.” before watching her leave.
When she was out of sight, I felt something in me collapse. It was like the wall of trust was breaking down into disbelief and guilt.
When I told her that I didn’t have any feelings for Leo. I was unsure of it, I just gave her the answer she wanted.
I walked over to the counter, looking at Leo’s empty seat and still smelling his cologne. I looked at the table and noticed a crumbled paper.
I reached out for it and opened it. To my surprise, I was surprised to see a bunch of numbers scribbled on it, legibly.
Underneath the numbers was a sentence that made me smile and a tear dropped on the paper.
“I am here for you, cutie. Remember that, now and always. “