Chapter 14

“what the hell is wrong with you!” I looked at Jim with complete shock.

“I don’t.... I don’t understand. You were about to fall off the bed. I was just trying to help.”

“well I don’t need your fucking help okay? I’m not some helpless person.” He sneered at me. “What of you had gotten hurt trying to keep me on the bed? From now on, worry about yourself.”

I’m sorry. But is there something I did wrong?” the way he was acting was totally off, I couldn’t explain it.

“Everything is just peachy” he said giving me a sarcastic smile

“Look, I don’t know what’s going on? But I’ll give you your space.” I stood, walking to the door then looked back. He wasn’t even bothering to look my way.

“Good night Ben” I put of the lights and went to my room.

I laid on the bed till sleep took me out, still not bothering to change out of the dress I had worn earlier.

**

I woke up with a start.

It was sunny.

‘That’s a good start’ I told myself as I made my way to the bathroom.

Normally, I would ignore the mirror altogether but today, for some reason it was the first thing my eyes caught.

It had been long I had done this.

“she looks like she fought a tiger”

“You downgraded”

“she might be downgrade....” those words kept replaying in my head over and over again.

I went into the shower with those thoughts but it didn’t seem to be leaving any time soon.

I dressed up, wearing a long sleeve shirt and trousers. This way, I was sure nobody was going to see my scars and make fun of them..

I walked out the room to see on the table a bunch of flowers along with a note.

I am sorry for raising my voice yesterday

Love you

Xo

I read the little note over and over.

He apologised, I should have forgiven him and gotten over it. Why was it still bothering me?

I stood, waiting for something to happen.

Nothing. I decided to go to the café and help out.

As expected, it was as busy as ever when I opened the door of the door.

It was a new place so of course people would want to try it out.

But what shocked me was Emily. There she was, sitting at the right side of the cafe, with a cup in her front. She looked glorious just sitting there.

I walked over to her and greeted her trying to feign a smile.

She smiled right back.

“I see, you’re one of the workers Ben brought right?”

I blinked once

Twice.

Three times.

“Workers” I repeated.

I mean I was still working for Ben, but that was not the reason I came here

“yeah, he must have really loved your services.”

She was nice, too nice in fact.

“i actually did come here with ...”

“Allison, I see you’re here. Would you like to help out Mila in the kitchen?” Ben said from behind me, effectively cutting me off.

I look back to him. He looked behind me to Emily.

“Sure” I said not being able to be in the same place as him anymore.

My mind went back to the event of the previous night.

I remembered how he looked at her, like she was the only one in the room.

I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath.

“Its all in my head.” I whispered to myself.

I walked I to the kitchen and saw Mila, we both had grown close over the weeks. She was nice and friendly, but she was the outspoken type while I was the opposite.

“Hey” I entered taking the orders from the table and making them

“Hi, what’s up” she replied bubbly as always.

“ nothing much” I answered in a full tone. It didn’t seem to bother her, it never did.

“did you hear? There is a woman outside and supposedly used to date the boss. I heard they are getting back together”

I felt a stab to my chest.

“really?” I said even though i heard her loud and clear.

“yeah, I want to see her though, I bet she is pretty” she sighed.

I nodded and continued doing my work.

There was no way i was going to let it bother me.

I continued my work and went out to deliver them.

I stopped a bit in my tracks as I went out and saw the same men from yesterday they were laughing with Ben. I looked at my order. It was their table I was meant to wait on.

I felt my hands shake.

I wanted to be far awa6 from them as possible.

I took little steps Towards them, hoping that Mila or someone would come and help me take that table.

No one was coming. I was going to have to do this by myself.

I went to the table and dropped the two cups of coffee and I saw the face of one visibly change to one of disgust.

“what of the one that took the order?” he was the same one that said that I fought with a tiger or something.

“I am helping her out, we’re kinda short staffed now.” The other nodded, not minding.

“Allison?” Ben called, actively trying to look away from me. “Follow me” he said once he saw that he had my attention

We went into his office.

It was a familiar feeling at the same time, it felt different.

“Yeah?” I said looking at him

“Those people are my friends, we go back to secondary school days” I nodded my head trying to understand what he was driving at.

“I don’t want you around them”

“Why?”

Before we came here, he had talked about a proposal if we were going to take that big of a step, I didn’t think not seeing his friends was a bright idea.