Chapter 9 Coffee

Aurora's POV:

'What the hell did just happen inside the cabin?' I thought to myself while examining my wrist. The skin there was bright red, it was surely going to bruise pretty bad.

I was mentally berating myself for even going inside. It was not my place to care about whatever was happening inside his cabin. But come on, I was really scared when I heard the loud crash coming from his cabin. Without even thing, I rushed on instinct, but as soon as I reached inside, I regretted my decision.

But still, it was no reason for being that violent towards me.

At 6 pm, I left the office and rushed towards the Subway Station, train leaves at :615 sharp, not much time to reach the station after leaving the office. Every day, I bid a silent thanks to the deity powers up above for making me arrive on time. Otherwise, I would have to wait for another 1 hour for the next train.

After reaching the apartment, I went straight to the fridge and poured myself a glass of white wine, after the violence I faced in the office it was the much-needed drink. I drank it in two long gulps, rinsed the glass, and made my way to my bedroom. As I was about to open my door, Sia opened her own bedroom door and peeked from the gap, and said, "Welcome home darling, Aurora. How are you? And how was your first week at the office?"

I sighed, recalling my hectic week in my mind but I told Sia that it

was pretty good but as I was tired, I wanted to take some rest. I started for my room when her harsh gasp made me halt in my tracks.

Sia's shriek hit my ears instantly, "WTH is that Aurora?" She rushed towards me and grasped my wrist in her palm, but her hold was gentle and light, so much unlike that devil's.

I tried to make her calm, "It is nothing, Sia. Really. It just looks worse than it is."

She shouted in response, "WHAT? Do you think it is nothing? Hurry up, tell me who did this to you?" Her shock was replaced by anger in just an instant.

Knowing that there was no way out without telling her the truth, I decided to tell her what happened. I opened my mouth but she raised her finger and said, "Wait a sec. Go to the couch and I'll bring ice." Without giving me a chance to reply, she ran to the kitchen to get some ice. Only if ice could heal my wounds. I sighed to myself and went over to the couch.

I sat down on the couch and rested my feet on the coffee table. In no time, Sia came and gently took my wrist in her hand and started applying ice on the bruise. She looked at me expectantly, and I knew that it was time to tell her everything. So, without any further delay, I told her that the guy whom I punched in the casino was none other than Andrew Davilla, my current boss. I went further and told her how he hadn't forgotten about the punch and had no immediate intentions to forget about that incident and how he was planning some kind of revenge maybe or whatever because I honestly can't know what is going on in his wicked mind. I even told her he increased my working hours, made me leave my restaurant job, and then finally about that horrendous bruise.

Sia's face was showing the expression that I couldn't quite decipher. Was that shock? Anger? Pity? Or the mixture of all that. I rolled my eyes and said, "Please. I didn't tell you all this so that you can show me pity."

"Who said I am feeling pity for you?" she said flatly.

My jaw dropped. I mean, that was harsh. She corrected herself, "I mean, you are tougher than that, Aurora. You don't need anyone's pity, you know how to fight your own battles." I managed a small smile, and then she continued, "But this is so horrible. Who is he? Some 15-year old kid who can't control his raging hormones? Or is he someone going through some kind of late puberty and acting like a child?" Her eyes were as wide as an owl's, her way of expressing the shock.

"I don't know, Sia. But just leave it all. I am alright. This bruise will also heal in a few days," I tried to soothe her anger.

"Yes dude, this one will get healed. But what if he ever tried to hurt you again? Or in some worst way? You know clearly that not all wounds heal, Aurora," she said defeated.

Yes, Sia, he would definitely try to hurt me again. He was so immature not to. But of course, I did not tell Sia that. "Don't worry. He will not." I lied, plastering a weak smile on my lips.

There was a silence for a moment and then Sia said, "What are you going to do, Aurora? I mean, it is apparently violence and bully. Aren't you going to strike back? Take a stand for yourself?"I pondered over Sia's point for a minute and then replied, "No, I am not taking part in this dirty game. I am there for just 6 months, I will go and just do my job. Let him play his filthy tricks. How far would he go? There must be some stopping point for him, right?"

I looked over at her expectantly. Sia hesitated but then said, "Yeah, you just focus on your work."

Not wanting to drag this conversation any longer, I picked up the remote and turned on the TV. We started watching TV, but my mind was constantly pondering over one point.

'How far are you planning to go, Andrew Davilla?'

I took a shower, changed into my blue and white striped PJs, and fell down on my bed. I was so tired today, but still, I was unable to sleep. My thoughts were mulling over only one thing. I was constantly thinking about what Sia said back in the living room;

"What are you going to do Aurora? I mean, it is apparently violence and bully. Aren't you going to strike back? Take a stand for yourself?"It was an irrefutable fact that one cannot avoid bullying by staying silent about it. I had learned it long ago. I was always different from others whether it was school or neighborhood. Where other girls of my age preferred glittery dresses, foot-aching high heels, tons of itching makeup, and fancy hairstyles even on warm days, I was the one to wear comfortable hoodies, soft joggers, never touched makeup, and choose a high ponytail or bun for hot days.

During childhood, I never understood why I couldn't fit in the group, I constantly tried to fit in but they never accepted me. Later on, their ogling indicated that I couldn't fit in because I was not the one to follow trends or their unspeakable rules. After that, I steered clear from them, I never even tried to change my way of living. Why would I? If someone couldn't accept the real me then they did not deserve my efforts to change myself.

The same thing happened when I got to high school, I knew the first day, that I would not fit in so I didn't even try to. There was no point to it. So, people did what they thought was the easiest way to label me as an outcast, they simply started bullying me in high school. That was the first time. Yes, I was used to being alone but bullying? That was a whole new experience. At first, I remained silent. But after a few days, it happened again. During lunchtime, I was carrying my plate to an empty table when some frat girl stuck her feet in my way and I toppled on the floor, all the orange juice fell on my clothes and my food on the floor. If I hadn't been seething inside, I would have laughed at her childish act. Such a cliche trick that was.

But that was my limit. I immediately stood up, snatched a bunch of that girl's hair in my hand, and dragged her into the open area of the cafeteria. There, I had beaten her to the pulp until a teacher came to take us to the principal's office. I was not afraid of the Principal, I even knew that I might get suspended before taking a stand for myself. I was determined to make my point clear so, I looked in the eye of every student, the message clear in my eyes, 'I will not harm you unless you mess with me.'

Then I met Sia, who was a bit like me, she had some friends but I always found her whatever she wanted to do, not bothered by anyone and never allowing anyone to pressurize her. We became friends and then soon, best friends. We matched the same vibes with each other. And we were friends since then.

I had always taken a stand for myself, but now I was confused. I had never been the one to play dirty games or filthy tricks on anyone. How could I make myself clear to Andrew that I was not interested in his game? Even apologizing for that punch won't do anything at this point. He was extremely angry with me and thought of me as something vile, obnoxious, and nasty being. I couldn't let him carry on with his violence but how could I stop him? What could I do? Spit in his coffee? Leave dozens of cockroaches in his office? Hammer a bunch of nails in his office chair? Every single of these ideas was so childish and was the one which would only infuriate him even more, instead of making him stop.

After much thinking, I decided on one thing which made the most sense to me; I was not in the game. Let him play, he would get tired soon or maybe not be interested if I don't respond to him.

Little did I know at that time, that my not responding was just enraging him even more.

The next day, I woke up and got ready in just enough time to catch on with the train. Thank God, I reached the office on time. I got in and settled down behind the reception desk. Soon, Mary came over, Mary and I had become friends over the course of one week, I thought our mutual disliking for our CEO had tied us with some invisible thread.

"Hey sweetie, how are you?" She asked with a big smile."Hi, Mary. I'm good. You tell?"

She sighed heavily, "How can I be? I am just so over with being a secretary of Andrew Davilla. I am leaving as soon as I find some better job."

I didn't ask her why was she saying so. Wasn't the answer clear at this point?

After a little chat, Mary excused herself to go and prepare things for the meeting.

After only about 15 minutes later, our own Mr. CEO bestowed us with his arrival. He stood in the middle of the office for a moment, everyone saying him Good Morning as a way of greeting, but as usual, that broody man didn't bother to even say Hi in response. He made his way to his office, but it didn't go unnoticed by me that on his way, he glanced at my wrist, for the sake of inhaling some satisfaction by seeing the purple bruise in place of yesterday's red.

But today, I was wearing a full sleeve crop top. So sad that the brat couldn't get satisfaction by seeing my bruise. I smiled in my small victory after I heard him close his cabin door with a loud slam. He was followed by Mr. Jacob Rivera soon, who dutifully answered everyone's greetings and managed to stop at my desk. He lifted his hand to show me one paper bag and one coffee cup which he placed on my desk and said, "Good Morning Ms. aurora. This little treat is for you from me, as a way of saying sorry in Andrew's place. Have a nice day." He nodded and went to CEO's cabin.

I wanted to say that he should not be the one to say sorry as he was not the one at fault, but my growling stomach and his sweet gesture made me accept the treat but that didn't mean I accepted the apology as well.