Chapter 8

Allison’s p.o.v

I didn’t want to sound desperate so I told him to give me time. To be honest. I was ready to follow him the moment he suggested it.

We reached work and I came down from the car heading straight inside.

I would never have imagined in my life who stood inside, with an apron.

“Allison?” my sister said, looking at me with shock on her face.

I felt like the air had been sucked out of my lungs.

She looked at me, I nodded my head and passed by her, barely acknowledging her.

Grace may not have been the one abusing me, but she definitely did her fair share of things.

As the rest of the day passed, I tried my best to ignore her in every possible way. But fate seemed to have other plans.

“you’ve been ignoring me. Don’t tell me you’re mad at me? I didn’t even do nothing”

You’ve done plenty.

But I said nothing instead.

“Did you steal the clothes you’re wearing?”

“What?” i snapped.

“You did didn’t you.” Mum is soo going to hear about it.

“Give it, its too pretty for you anyway” she said coming closer to me to pull it off.

“no” I said pulling myself away from her hold.

During the process of pulling away she saw the necklace Ben gifted me sometimes back.

I never took it off. It felt wrong to do that.

“a necklace? You’re definitely stealing” she said looking at me with wide eyes. “Give it or I’ll report you to the police”

“It was a gift, “ i explained. I didn’t see the need to. But i did anyway.

she laughed.

“You? Given a gift? Oh please, try another lie. You are too ugly to be given such gifts. I’m sure the person gave you out of pity” that seemed to have struck a cord

We were friends, he had no reason to gift me these items. That might also be the reason he wanted me to follow him. Because he knew I had no where to go.

He pitied me.

“You don’t know what you are talking about” I said and left to the front desk

“You know that right? You aren’t good enough for these type of gifts” she reached for the necklace and ripped it from my neck.

“No!” I yelled from the pain and unable to take it anymore. That was the first gift I had ever received, ever. And she just.

I hit her without even knowing. Then another.

We were in a cat fight before I knew it.

“enough!” a very pissed looking Ben said staring at the two of us.

“is there a reason why you are fighting with the new staff?” I kept quiet.

“She hit me first, I was on my own and then she started making up lies against me.” She shrieked.

She was doing it again. Get us in trouble and shift everything to me.

“Allison, is this true?” I looked at him with disbelief. How could he even believe that i would do that.

“Look, I would not condone Fighting. You guys should hug it out or something, but this should not happen again.”

“heard that? It shouldn’t happen again” she said and walked off. I watched her go, my cut chain on the floor.

Through out the day, I was a mess and I had no one to tell. I didn’t know why I was pissed at Ben. For some reason, I expected him to take my side. But then again he didn’t know about grace, he didn’t know about my family. He never knew.

I was more or less a stranger to him in that aspect.

“ready to go?” Ben asked coming out of his office from behind me.

“Sure” most of the staffs had gone, my sister included so I just packed up my things and went.

“How was work?” he asked slowly as the car was qui. Not the usual small talks we usually had when we were either going to work or coming back home.

“good” I answered, not even daring to look at him.

“Is there anything the matter?” he said with an annoyed sigh.

“No. Nothing at all”

“Why don’t you look at me then?”

“I see you everyday, i didn’t know there was any other thing to look at.” I couldn’t even believe I was talking to him this way. On a normal day, i wouldn’t have it in me to take my annoyance out on anybody. I would keep it bottled up

“Ally” he sighed in a resigned tone. “is this becoming the earlier fight?”

“Its good, you said we should hug it out”

“I’m sorry, why don’t you tell me what happened?” I didn’t know I could get anymore angrier about whole issue.

“Why didn’t you ask that earlier? You made me look stupid in front of her. I though you”... I cut my self off from saying ‘loved me’ he never said it. I was the one that assumed that and I was the one that was being delusional about it.

“I thought I was your friend” I said in a more quiet voice.

“and I am sorry about that. I just thought since she’s a first time employee I should cut her some slack. She most probably is tensed about a new work environment. I couldn’t have you frighten her more on her first day.

“that snake doesn’t deserve such kindness “ I said with so much bitterness i didn’t realise I had for my sister.

“And you know this how?” he looked at me with even more confusion than when we began the conversation or rather screaming match from my end.

“You talk like you knew her before now?”

“She is my sister!” I blew off on him. “my sister who has been terrible to me her whole life. My sister who watched as my mother abused me and did nothing. My sister who purposely got me into trouble each and every single time just to watch my mum beat the shit out of me. She broke my necklace. It was the one you have me” my voice cracked. It was then I realised that I had been crying. Tears flowing down my eyes like an ocean. It didn’t want to stop.

I loved that necklace. It was the nicest thing anyone ever did for me. And now she broke it. I just’ i couldn’t complete my words as I was really annoyed and was chocked with sobs

“I’m.. sorry. I didn’t know. I didn’t think”

“its fine, i never told you” cold hands met my cheeks, carefully wiping the tears from my eyes.

“I swear I wouldn’t have hired her if I knew.” He said pulling me in to hug me.

“Its fine.”

“no it isn’t. I might not be able to fire her because it’s not a work related issue. But I swear I won’t let her talk to you that way. Or come near you”

He hugged me a little more tightly, and then brushed the hair out of my face.

“I don’t like to see you cry” he said a little to too close to me. His breath fanning my face. My eyes were focused on his lips. He said some other words but I couldn’t understand them.

I licked my lips, they felt a bit dry.

He dragged his thumb across my lower lips, causing me to look at him.

“this might be a wrong time or place, but I think I more than like you” he said in a very low voice.

I smiled a bit, taking my fingers across his lips.

“I think I more than like you too”. We smiled at each other. It felt so good to be true.

He said he liked me. More than liked me.

Was I dreaming?

We reached the house and I ran straight to my room. My heart was beating wildly and I didn’t know how to control it.

We almost kissed. He touched my lips. He said he more than liked me.

I don’t know how long I stood behind my door. But a knock came from the other side of the door.

“I made dinner.” I kept quiet, waiting for him to leave. I didn’t hear anything after a while, so I thought he left.

I opened the door and there he was, staring straight into my eyes.

“Are you avoiding me?” he looked... hurt?