Chapter 54 Heated Cheeks
JESSICA
My heart raced the minute I locked eyes with him. He heaved an irritated sigh, rolling his eyes and focusing on his phone.
My heart tightened as I walked into the elevator and moved to the back as the elevator doors closed. I stood a bit close to an unfamiliar man dressed in a black suit.
He must be the guard. With the way he is dressed, dark shades, and the white radio earpiece connected to his ear.
I moved my eyes to Uncle Xavier in front of me, busy with his phone.
Last night's event filled my head.
He placed his entire attention on Kendra throughout. He looked like he was enjoying her performance.
He actually was.
Cause he gave her flowers and offered to give more gifts.
I don't know but.....that made me feel......
I lowered my gaze as my heart tightened again.
That's the same way I felt while standing there last night and watching him give Kendra flowers.
I know it is a sin to feel this way towards your neighbor but....I couldn't help it.
Not after the kiss and the way he spoke to me at his office.
And his body language right now at the sight of me.
He really......he really does hate me, doesn't he?
But why is.......
The elevator shook, making me freeze as I looked up.
I placed my hands on the wall behind me as the elevator shook again.
What is happening?
"The fuck?" I heard uncle say, making me look at him.
The elevator shook again.
This time, violently, forcing my feet ahead and I found myself falling.
I closed my eyes but quickly held something to prevent me from falling.
"You fucking kidding me right now?" I heard uncle ask, making me open my eyes.
I saw my hands wrapped around one of his.
I gulped as I looked up.
Uncle is looking down at me.
Oh, God.
"Let go." He ordered.
"I...I am sorry." I said, releasing his hand and standing up straight, and lowering my gaze.
"Right. Sorry as always. That's all you are good at." he said, making me look at him.,
He is facing the doors.
I lowered my gaze as my heart tightened.
"Incompetent kid,"
I froze, looking at him.
He is pressing his phone.
"Stop calling me a kid," I said, making my heart pound faster.
He raised his head from his phone and turned to me.
I swallowed as I stared at him.
"What was that?" he asked, taking slow steps towards me.
My palms became sweaty.
I looked at the guard momentarily. He is just standing there like a statue.
"Huh?" Uncle caught my attention, now standing in front of me.
My heart pounded violently as I stared at his green eyes which were staring at mine with nothing but hate.
"The fuck did you just say to me, KID?" he mouthed the last word daringly.
I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out.
He is making me extremely uneasy right now.
"What? You can't speak anymore?"
I lowered my gaze.
"Look at me."
I obeyed.
"Say what you fucking said earlier," he ordered.
"I....I didn't say anything."
He scoffed mockingly.
I lowered my gaze as I felt tears coming.
"You need to know one thing, Jessica."
I looked at him.
"You make me sick."
I furrow my brows slightly, making him nod.
What?
"Hold on, let me be a little bit polite. You make my skin crawl."
I huffed inaudibly as my heart ached.
"So I would like you to do one thing for me. Don't appear in front of me again."
I kept staring at him.
The seriousness in his eyes and those harsh words again.
He raised his brows. "Got it?"
I didn't respond.
"Good," he said as the elevator beeped and the doors opened.
"Let's get out of here Dester." He said, averting his eyes from me and walking away with his guard following him behind.
A tear rolled down my face. I wiped it off as I walked towards the buttons on the wall.
Sniffling, I pressed the button for my floor and stood still, staring at Uncle as he walked out the entrance doors without looking back.
My heart tightened severely as the elevator doors closed.
I lowered my gaze, sobbing silently.
I covered my mouth with my palm as I sobbed.
"You make me sick. You make my skin crawl. So do one thing for me, don't appear in front of me again."
My heart ached severely.
He really said all that.
This just confirmed it. He really hates me so much.
I have no idea what I did wrong.
The kiss clouded my head as always.
It was needy and hungry. His hands were around me but that wasn't him.
It was the drinks he took.
Because if that was him, he would have remembered that he kissed me.
He wouldn't have spoken harshly to me at his office back then.
And now.....
I raised my head, closing my eyes and blowing out air to calm myself.
I looked at the buttons and tiny screen on the wall. I am almost on my floor. I can't go out looking like this.
I wiped my face with my palms.
I used my uniform and wiped my face, sniffling.
The doors beeped and opened.
I inhaled and exhaled as I walked out of the elevator. The floor is slightly busy with my colleagues and some patients moving to and from with their IVs.
My phone vibrated and I took it out of my pocket.
Mom is the dialer.
I took the call and placed the phone to my ear.
"Mom,"
"Hey, sweetie. Is your day going well?" Her happy voice is always soothing.
Sometimes I wonder if I would be able to live without her. She is the biggest genuine blessing in my life.
"Yes, Mom. It is."
"Is something wrong?"
And she can sense it when I am unhappy.
"You sound sad, honey. What happened?"
I shook my head as she could see me.
"Nothing happened. I am just exhausted." I lied, stopping at the desk and leaning on it.
Ashley and Catherine are not here. The desk is empty.
"Aw, my princess. I understand. But you will be home soon, right?" she asked.
"Yes in two hours," I said.
"Okay. I made your favorite meal and smoothie. They will help you relax."
I smiled slightly.
"Thank you, mom."
"Just have fun okay. This is you living your best life doing your dream job."
I lowered my gaze, feeling a little side of my heart healing.
"And don't forget that they are lucky to have you."
"Yes, mom."
"That's my girl."
"I love you, Mom. Thanks for being the best mom ever."
"Nah don't get all sweet with me, young lady. I am the mom here. That's my job."
I let out a chuckle.
"Save that for when I am old and can't walk."
"You will be able to walk, Mom. Stop saying that all the time."
"Old people have one or two disabilities, sweetie. That's getting old. We can't escape that." she said.
"I will make sure you do."
"Right, Nurse Jessica."
I smiled.
"What's with the smile, Jessica?" Catherine's voice was interrupted as she slammed a file on the desk and looked at me.
"Who was that?" Mom asked.
Catherine raised her brows at me, placing her hand on her waist.
"That was Catherine, right?" Mom asked.
"Yes,"
"Is she bothering you again? Oh, I am going to..."
"I will call you back, Mom. I have to work. Bye." I hung up, staring at Catherine.
"Sorry, I was speaking to my mom."
She scoffed. "Mom or your boyfriend?"
I furrowed my brows slightly.
"What? You are no saint. All girls have boyfriends. You didn't have to lie with your mother."
"I wasn't lying."
"Forget it. Why aren't you in your seat? Why are you out of the desk?"
"I was...."
"Save me the usual excuses, Jessica." she retorted. "I am bored with it. Like really bored."
I sighed, walking around the desk and towards the seats. I sat on one of them and she moved the file to me.
"Keep this and give it to me when I ask for it," she ordered.
I picked up the file, opened the drawer, and put the file inside.
"Where is Ashley?" she asked.
"I didn't see her when I came."
She huffed. "She is probably stuffing herself with Justice's dick somewhere."
My cheeks heated up as I looked at her.
She is looking away.
She returned her eyes to me, making me lower my gaze as I picked up a pen.
She scoffed. "What? You haven't heard the word, dick before?"
I looked at her momentarily.
Her face twitched. "Wait, are you blushing?"
My heart pounded as I began writing a random thing on a paper.
"Don't tell me you are a virgin, Jessica,"
I froze.
"Oh, my God."
I looked at her.
She is staring at me with surprise and covering her mouth.
"I don't believe you," she said.
I continued writing.
"I bet you did a thing or two at your party on Saturday," she said, making me look at her.
She folded her arms, staring at me with raised brows.
"It was just a congratulatory party."
She nodded. "Right."
"My mom organized it." I defended, hoping she would drop it.
"You mean your boyfriend organized it."
"I don't have a....."
"What boyfriend?" Ashley interrupted, taking a seat next to me.
Her hair looks a bit messy and all.
"Oh wow, Ashley. You are back from your stuffing, huh?" Catherine asked, adding to my heated cheeks as I focused on what I was writing.
"Stuffing?" Ashley asked, sounding confused.
"You know, the thing you usually do with Justin," Catherine said.
"I was working in a patient's ward, silly. What are you even saying, Catherine?" Ashley asked.
"Oh," Catherine said, making me look at her momentarily.
"Oops, sorry," she said.
Ashley heaved a sigh.
"I thought you um...."
"Yeah, stop thinking, Catherine. No wonder you have zero friends cause of your big mouth." Ashley blurted, making me look at her.
She is scowling at Catherine.
Catherine huffed, making me move my eyes to her. She looks hurt by what Ashley just said.
"You don't have to be rude, Ashley," Catherine said.
"That's the fucking truth. It is high time someone tells you that to your face, Catherine so you can change. Stay out of my fucking business." Ashley spat, getting on her feet and walking away.
I lowered my gaze and moved them to Catherine.
Her eyes are brimming as she stares at Ashley walking away.
It was just like the rude way Uncle Xavier spoke to me.
My heart tightened
"What are you looking at?!" Catherine snapped at me.
I opened my mouth to speak but...
"Dummy," she said, walking away angrily.
Sighing, I rubbed my face tiredly. I looked at my wrist watch.
I have an hour and thirty minutes left to be done with this shift.
I can't wait.
I need that meal and smoothie.
And bed rest.
TWO HOURS LATER
With my backpack on my back, still dressed in my scrubs and my jacket in my hands, I walked towards the elevator. I pressed the button and the door opened.
I walked into the elevator and pressed the button.
I was about to press the button for the down floor but stopped myself the minute Michael came to my mind.
I pressed the button for the fifth floor.
The doors closed and I was taken up. Not long later, the doors beeped and opened.
I walked out of the elevator and walked along the hallway.
It is my first time on this floor and I have no idea where his office is.
He is a pediatric surgeon. I just have to ask around and.....
I stopped in my tracks the minute I saw him standing close to the reception desk, talking to a familiar middle-aged man dressed in a black suit.
I held my jacket nervously as I took slow steps towards them, claiming the middle-aged man's attention.
Next, Michael looked my way.
I smiled slightly.
He smiled as well.
The middle-aged man patted Michael's shoulder before walking away.
Michael approached me and I think I remember who the man is.
"Hey," Michael said, smiling.
"Hey. Was that the chairman?" I asked, staring at the middle-aged man walking ahead.
Michael looked behind him and then at me.
"Yeah. That was uh...the chairman. What are you doing here? I wasn't expecting to see you here." he said.
"I uh...I wanted to see you."
His lips formed a smile.
"I wanted to apologize for....."
"Let's go on the date right now and I will accept your apology." he chipped in.
"Um.....right now?"
"Yes. Right now."
Geez.