Alex's POV.
“We got the deal!” Steve screamed while doing a very ridiculous celebratory dance around my office with a glass of champagne bought for this exact purpose.
immediately, I heaved a sigh of relief. Trust Steve to be so forward as to buy a celebratory bottle of wine even before getting the deal. I couldn't help smiling smugly while shaking my head in amusement as I sat in my office chair.
“It wasn't that easy to convince them though, especially since you weren't present. But our proposal was accepted anyway." He stated.
“Bro, I thought about that too, my not being around during the presentation. But on second thought, I knew you could handle it." I responded with a satisfied smile.
As much as I wanted to show how happy I was, it was as if something was out. After a while, Steve moved closer to my desk and without hesitation, he asked. “You don't seem excited to me, Alex, may I know what's going on?
“Of course, I'm excited. I truly am, who wouldn't be?" I answered ridiculously.
But Steve didn't relent, he was bent on knowing what the problem was. I guess I'm not so good at pretending either.
“Hey, you know you could tell me anything right? And quit acting already. Alex! I can tell you for free that something is bothering you, so spill."
"It's this girl at the hospital. it's annoying how I just can't get her off my head, I mean, it wasn't even my fault." I replied.
“Her? Who?” Steve inquired, with a confused look on his face.
“The mysterious girl in the hospital”. Upon hearing this, Steve kept his glass of wine at the farther end of the table and sat down, already very interested in the conversation.
This came as a surprise to Steve because I am not one to be bothered by women let alone being moody because of one.
“Are you serious right now? Wait, could this be love at first sight? Is the hard guy Alexander developing soft spots now?" He said amusingly.
"Well, news flash, I'm not planning on falling for that cliché word called love. Not after what my ex-fiance did to me, by the way, I never said I loved her."
“The girl you claimed appeared from nowhere in front of your car?” Steve asked again.
“Claimed? She appeared from nowhere. I'm not “claiming”. I blurted out, giving Steve an accusatory glare.
“Well, if she's really on your mind like you say, maybe we should go see her”. Steve said, raising his hands in mock surrender.
“See her? Oh c’mon...we both have more important things to do than go visit a girl who has a death wish in the hospital. Besides, her discharge papers have been sorted. I'm sure she's already out of there, not that I care though”. I replied “Well, whatever you say, man,” Steve replied with a mischievous smirk on his face.
Knowing Steve and his obvious knack for playing matchmaker, I decided to ignore him. Feeling more lightheaded, I decided to join in on the celebratory drink.
*****
Sophia's POV.
Soon after the handsome rude stranger left, a nurse came in to give me my belongings and to check my vitals just like he said.
The first thing I did was to check my phone and sure enough, it's 25 missed calls. 15 from Stephanie, my roommate and best friend, 5 from my mum, and 5 from ex-colleagues probably calling to check up on me due to the abrupt way I lost my job. It just hits me again that I'm jobless! Gosh!
Of course, I called my friend Stephanie first. Ever since my dad passed, the relationship with my mum has been kinda strained and I'm sure she only called because Stephanie must have called her in a panic. I just couldn't cope with her addiction to drugs.
“Where the hell are you?”
Immediately I heard Stephanie's voice, the tears I'd been trying to reel in ever since I opened my eyes in the hospital started pouring down like opened floodgates. “I'm in the hospital,” I said between hiccups.
“Hospital? Oh, honey are you alright? What happened? I could feel her starting to panic.
In a bid to reassure her, I said, “I'm fine I just need to get out of here. Can you come get me?”
“Sure, what hospital are you in? I will start coming right away." Stephanie remarked.
At this point, I did not need a soothsayer to tell me how worried she was. Good thing I asked the nurse from earlier to tell me what hospital I was in because Mr. Rude Pants didn't bother answering any of my questions. “Reddington hospital” I replied.
“Okay, I will be with you in no time. see you soon” Steph added before disconnecting.
****
Some 30 minutes later, my hospital room door flung open and Stephanie dashed inside.
After hugging me as both of us could manage with me laying on the bed, and making sure I was alright, she immediately took a protective stance with arms akimbo and said “Now, I need you to tell me exactly what happened and don't you dare omit anything”.
Trust Stephanie to be stern with me even while I was lying in a hospital bed. Though we're best friends and both the same age of 24, she sometimes acts like a mother to me. I just love her.
“Can we go? I can't stand this place much longer”. I replied with fresh tears running down my cheeks.
“Of course honey, we have all the time to talk at home,” Stephanie said as she slid her arms over my shoulders to comfort me.
“It's going to be fine. You're going to be fine. Now let’s get you out of here”. She added.
Her soothing words were like a balm that calmed my wounded soul.
Back at our apartment, Stephanie grilled me into telling her everything, from getting fired from my job to the moment I called her from the hospital.
“Stephanie, I'm so sorry you had to go through all that” she said while wrapping her arms around me in a much-needed hug. “Don't worry, you'll get another job. And where's the asshole that did this to you? I'd like to give him a piece of my mind!”
"That won't be necessary Steph. It was my fault. I wasn't paying attention while crossing." I responded softly.
Although it sounded like I was defending the asshole and I guess Stephanie picked up on that because she immediately stood up, pointed her finger at me, and said. “Don't you dare try to blame yourself for this, you hear me? You're a victim for God's sake!"
All I could do was offer her a weak smile, clearly not in the mood to argue with her logic.
“Now, I'm going to tuck you into bed because the doctor said you need to rest, okay?
“Goodnight, Steph,” I said sleepily after she helped me into bed.
“Goodnight, darling” she replied before placing a kiss on my forehead.
That night, my dreams were filled with visions of the tall, blue-eyed stranger.