The lady in front of me looked perplexed just as I was.Last I checked, Jared wasn't expecting anyone, especially since I was over.I looked at her one more time. Black raven hair that cascaded the length of her back, red ruby lips reminding me of a siren. She was what any man would call classy and beautiful.I subconsciously dragged down Jared's shirt on me and stood upright so I could appear taller than I was."Who are you?" I asked back, my arms folded over my chest.She kissed her teeth and pushed me out of the way."Jared!" What the fuck? She was yelling the house down and stomped around like a woman on a mission. "Excuse me?" I tried to go around her but she paid me no mind."Jared’s sleeping." I shouted at her, causing her to stop in her tracks.She whirled on me, staring daggers."I'm his fiancé, Vanessa." She smirked. My face fell. Vanessa... Jared had told me about her but I wasn't going to let her think she had some power over me. "Yeah. Jared told me about you." She cove
I didn't want to leave, but the weekend was already over and classes would be back on by Monday.Vanessa coming around meant one thing. Careful vigilance. She might not think I'm a student or his student, but I'd be stupid to think she wouldn't come back or get curious about me.I needed to keep my head down for as long as I could, which meant going to Jared's place was a no, for now, at least. The drive back home was bitter-sweet. Usually, Jared would drive me to a walkable distance back to my room, but we couldn't even risk that.I picked up my phone and tried Becka. I missed her so much, and she hadn't been picking up my calls. I dropped the phone from my ear. Her line had been disconnected. A sense of dread gnawed at me, and I just had to what I should have done all the while.I called her mum.The line rang multiple times, but there was no answer. Maybe they didn't want me in their life anymore. To be honest, it seemed like my fault, and I didn't blame them if they didn't want
"Hey." I turned to look at the person who'd spoken. "Matt, hey." The once rowdy class had dispersed, leaving a few of us hanging around.My classes for the day was over but I couldn't bring myself to leave just yet."What's up?" I glanced at him. Could I ask him if he'd sent me a gift basket or that would be too presumptuous of me."Just saw you hanging around and thought to say hi." While his words had been harmless, I tried to keep my distance.Matt hadn't outrightly hurt me but he was playing certain games with girls around me and I didn't like it."Did you get my gift?" His words caught my attention."That was you?" A frown pulled down my face. What the fuck was he playing at? He'd clearly stated that he was pissed at me and didn't want anything to do with me.Even though I'd found part of his friendliness confounding, I did it purely out of civility. The smile on his face pulled me into further confusion. What was so funny?"Yeah. Did you like it?" My brow shot up in disbelief
"I was just summoned to the Dean's office. Where are you?" I licked my lips nervously as I approached the admin office."Hey. What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in class?" Alyssa had seen me first while my mind wandered aimlessly."Hey. I got an email to see the Dean by 10am this morning." "That was your Leah? I don't know why I didn't put two and two together when I sent the email." She gave a short laugh."You sent it? Do you know why I'm here?" I looked at her desperately, hoping she had an answer for me. Rather, she shook her head no."No. I have no idea. I was just asked to send the email this morning." "Oh.""Maybe you did something wrong." She teased in a spooky voice. She had meant it in a light manner but I didn't have the luxury of waving it off. ,I really was worried that they had found out. I looked at her like a deer caught in headlights. "Leah? What did you do? What's going on?" She pulled me by the elbow into a corner for privacy but was interrupted by her
Jared cleared his throat and he excused himself, leaving me to deal with it. Well, she was my friend but I didn’t hesitate to make him know how much in trouble he was in. “I...” She held up her hand to silence me. I felt hurt but I probably deserved it. We talked almost every time and I hid it from her. I couldn’t trust her.She was hurt too so I thought to give her some space. I turned the knob of her door, prepared to leave when her words stopped me in my tracks.“Where are you going?” She frowned at me.“I thought you didn’t want to talk to me.” She rolled her eyes at me and stood akimbo, her hand resting on her hips.She gestured to the walls of her office.“Walls have ears.” Realisation dawned on me. She was just trying to protect me. I should’ve told her sooner, instead of hiding it.I didn’t have to wait for long before she took her lunch break, driving us outside campus foe a discussion.We grabbed food at Joe’s and walked back to her car. Once we’d settled, she turned to m
I bit my fingernails as I waited for the meeting to start. I’d completely ignored Jared’s messages when I finally turned on my phone.I’d gotten an email from the research team that there’d be a meeting today by 3pm. I was there quite early and the only one seated.I couldn’t calm my nerves as my feet bounced restlessly.I wasn’t even in the economics department. Couldn’t they have found somebody better? Someone from the economics department. I couldn’t help the scowl that marred my face.I hated being blindsided.“Are you Leah?” I looked up from my phone. The woman who had spoken was a petite lady, with wavy brown hair. She didn’t look familiar.“Yes, I am.” I put my phone in my pocket. She looked older than me and I didn’t think anyone would appreciate not paying attention to them.“Great.” She smiled and found a seat opposite mine. She didn’t speak again and I was left to look at the room like it was the most interesting thing on earth.The conference room only looked smaller a
“We need to talk.” I hit send on the message and clutched the phone tight in my hands, waiting for his reply.I attended the remaining classes for the day but my attention was elsewhere.Even when I had been asked a question, I just blabbered on without thinking. Tests also had been announced to commence in a week’s time.I looked at my phone and refreshed for new messages. None came up.This man was keeping me on my toes for no reason and I didn’t like it. When my phone chimed, I quickly opened it but it wasn’t a message from him. It was a spam email.I groaned and slammed my phone on my bed. I grabbed a hoodie and baggy joggers and headed to his house since he was literally forcing me there.I hadn’t been in close proximity with him since the time at Alyssa’s office and I really hoped it was safe to go to his place at this moment.I knew where he kept the spare key and checked twice to make sure no one was watching. To be honest, his street was very secluded and I almost never saw a
I quickly ducked and squeezed myself in between the tiny space under the kitchen counter, trying to make as little noise as possible. The voices grew louder as they approached the living room. “Fuck fuck fuck.” I muttered under my breath. “You can’t tell me you haven’t noticed the looks the ladies in our department give you.” “What do you mean?” There was a hard tone to Jared’s voice like he didn’t like where the conversation was going. “Oh please Jared... I’m not a fool.” “I’m not saying that.” Oh he was. Jared knew exactly what he was talking about, even though it pained me to know that. “You don’t have to. Besides, Penelope said you turned her down and several ladies in the other departments.” Penelope? The first lady who’d asked if I was Leah at the meeting? Just how many people had a crush on this man? I heard the crinkle of fabric. Someone was taking off their suit jacket. “But still, if you had to pick one of them, who would it be?” I definitely hated this Dr. Ramon no
Jared and Leah did become friends again but their interests lay somewhere else. They realised they were made for bigger things and they would do that outside the cave they once existed as lovers and even if something were to happen between them, it would take more time than expected for it to happen. Aly, Aarav, Jared, Jack and Leah remained friends but things would change over time. Work, family, life and ambition would force that circle to expand to others too. You may imagine that Leah and Jared ended up together or not. You are the author of that story, a work of fiction is a work of fiction. Author’s Note (I hope this doesn’t come off as offensive): I’ve seen some comments about therapy seeming like a bad thing. Therapy is not weakness, it is an admittance that you need help you may not be able to provide yourself. Mental health issues are not a joke and deserve audience. Some of us have been through traumatic experiences, loss of loved ones, accidents, bullying, harassmen
THIRD PERSON'S POVLeah looked different. There was something about her, like a light that surrounded her and her eyes looked burdenless. Maybe it was the Norway air, but she seemed ... better. Both she and Jared did."Mr Deric?" The secretary had her head cocked to the side, wondering why her guest was awe-struck, standing in the doorway."Sorry." Jared shook his head and walked in. Leah had a smile on her face as she watched him walk in. She recognised that air of confidence that usually surrounded him and couldn't stop watching him.Her attention was called by the men that surrounded her, as she spoke, she seemed to put everyone in a trance. Jared didn't hear a word she said, only observing how comfortable and right at home she felt."I have called this meeting here today because of a different kind of alliance about to be brokered between Norway and the US. Miss Leah Thomas has come as a financial representative of the BridgeStone Foundation, a company spearheaded by the governmen
Jared’s POVLetting Leah go was one of the hardest things I had ever had to do but I did it for her and myself. I was wrong to assume she’d come running back to my arms because I saved her. I smiled wryly to myself.I hadn’t seen her in quite a long while and our paths never crossed again. Aly was beyond pissed that she tried to leave without telling her but she quickly forgave her when she saw her condition. They talked all the time too and that was why I knew what she was up to most of the time.“Do you regret it?” I looked at the lady before me, she was seated behind her desk, peering down at me with curiosity. “What?” I’d zoned out for a minute and didn’t hear her.“Do you regret it? Letting her go.” I inhaled sharply. I’d been coming here for months. When Aarav asked me why I thought I needed a therapist, my reply was ‘who doesn’t?’“Not really. It was her decision but I got to understand much later. It would have been selfish of me to ask her to stay when she needed to go.” I f
I waited for him to clear his bed and offer me a seat before I sat. I shook my head internally. How did it get to this? I asked myself.‘You did it.’ I exhaled loudly and watched him perch himself on his work chair. He turned to me and rose his brows as if to say ‘what did you want to talk about?’ I cleared my throat and rubbed my clammy hands against my gown. I’d resorted to wearing gowns due to the fact that it was less constricting than most and easier to pull off, I just had to undo the zip and let the dress fall to my legs.“Yeah… uhm…” He continued looking at me and I couldn’t bear it anymore, so I found interest in the bedsheet. It was a fine looking colour, regal and plush looking. It felt so soft to touch, almost like you’d sink into it and be enveloped in a word of threads and fabrics.“Leah?” I hitched a breath when I heard his voice. No matter how many years I’d known him, no matter how many times he called me, I’d always feel the fluttering in my stomach whenever my name l
“I injured my spleen, not my legs. I can walk for myself.” I smacked Jack’s hands away from me. “It’s so you don’t try to run away again.” I rolled my eyes at him even though I felt a stabbing pain in my chest.“Pretty sure I can’t move past this house without falling over.” I’d been recuperating for the past week and Jack was coming over once in a while to check on me. Let’s just say he is more overbearing than most, and I thought Jared was worse.Speaking of Jared, he’d been avoiding me. The only reason I was sure he was even around the house was the fact that food and my pills were always made available. The pills I took made me drowsy for most of the day, so I spent most of it sleeping.“Have you seen Jared today?” I asked Jack as I swallowed my pills and washed them down with water.“Nope.” Jack said and turned the T.V on. If I was being honest, I feared speaking to him. No doubt, my accident had changed the dynamics of our relationship and I wasn’t sure if it had become worse o
Most of the time, situations arise, things happen and we are inclined to judge of the situation. It is easier that way because, sometimes, it makes us feel better about ourselves.When the tides turn and we become recipients of judgment, we understand the situation better. It takes a human to realise his mistake, but it takes a humble human to admit it. How many times have we judged a situation wrongly and admitted our error?We’re all guilty of hurting someone, friend, foe, lover… not intentionally but we seek forgiveness. Forgiveness isn’t just feeling sorry, it’s also a way of cleansing our souls, freeing ourselves from the guilt.Jared never told Leah that he forgave her and she couldn’t forgive herself, she couldn't free herself from the guilt.***JARED’S POV “What’s going on?” I asked the doctor who’d just come out of the operating room Leah had been moved to. 14 hours was the longest time I’d had to wait for a report from a doctor and the expression on his face wasn’t looking
I ran my fingers through my hair, walking to and fro like a sojourner who had lost his compass, I’d probably lost mine. The ambulance had arrived shortly after but the Leah was already… I shook my head. ‘No, she can’t be.’ I couldn’t focus on any other thing than the fact that there were many doctors running with Leah’s gurney, one was on top of her, doing chest compressions. The sweat beaded on the doctor’s face told me they’d been doing it since she was in the ambulance.I was slowly losing my mind and Aarav wasn’t here. He was busy trying to sort everything out while I went with Leah. I didn’t want to leave her side, if only I could have followed her into the OR.“She has lost too much blood, especially with the damage to her spleen and hypothermia already seeped in…” I didn’t want to know all the negatives, I didn’t want to know what was wrong.“Can someone tell me, is she going to be okay?” I yelled at the people who had brought Leah in, who seemed to be conversing with a doctor
JARED’S POV“What are you going to do?” I flipped the documents that Leah had sent. I hadn’t had the chance to look at it because I didn’t want to, not initially. Anything involving her work place kind of pissed me off but when I finally did, I could stop the fear that ran through my bones that Leah could be in danger because of it and I needed to act fast.I looked up at Aarav whose facial expression mirrored mine. He too was very conflicted and while he trusted Leah, it would be a big move to change banks, disastrous if it was the wrong move. We had been using Marque and Co. for so long and the previous leadership had proved capable of handling our assets.This new guy, this Ryan Fisher, from the moment I first saw him, I knew something wasn’t right with him. What Leah had sent hadn’t pointed to him as the culprit but with just enough evidence to let us know that something shady was going on and we needed to act fast or we’d lose more than just money.“We should involve the cops.” I
I felt a kick to my head and I groaned, my head feeling like it was split open. I blinked my eyes to get accustomed to the light before trying to sit up, something I found difficult and almost impossible to do.I tried to move my body and realised I was bound hand and feet. This slowly entered my consciousness and my drug-induced haze cleared up, I was face to face with a horrid looking mask and I scrambled backwards, bumping into something that felt horribly cold to my skin, metal.The person in front of me moved back, giving me room to at least breathe.“What the hell is going on?” I looked around to see not one, like I had imagined, but four people, armed with guns. My heart started to beat faster than normal at gauging my situation and my throat felt dry. It was dark outside and I realised I must’ve been asleep for hours.I was going to miss my flight, if I even made it out alive in the first place. No one replied me and I couldn’t even make out anything with the ridiculous outfit