“Nothing!”“She agreed to go out on a date with me.”I threw Matt an annoyed look. It was none of his business what we did. His gaze narrowed at me first and then a small smile played on his lips.‘What was he playing at?’ I thought to myself.“Really?” His eye brows rose up in surprise.“Yes.” Matt continued to smile, completely oblivious to whatever Jared was doing or not saying.“I see. I hope this won’t affect your duties, both of you.” I avoided his gaze as Matt answered for the both of us.“No sir. It won’t.”“Good.” There was almost a hard edge to his tone but I paid no mind to it.“I have some problem set for you guys to solve. This will be after your test. I’ll email them to you but, I will need the hard copies for your assignments. They’ll be essential for your final grade at the end of the semester.”I cursed under my breath. We were over a hundred in total, sixty plus in my set and I wondered if he really had the time to look at our assignments, paper to paper. He surely c
I was so nervous throughout the date, scared I would fuck it up with my inexperience. If Matt saw it, he didn’t mention it and for that, I was grateful.“What do you think?” I looked at him and the platter before me.Matt was crazy rich. I’d seen that from the car he’d picked us up in. While I didn’t know much about cars, I knew Maybachs were fucking expensive. He’d taken us to le palais crémeux. I couldn’t even pronounce the fucking name. That was how posh it was.“It’s covered in gold.”“Yeah.” He didn’t think it was crazy that a meal was covered in gold. I chuckled to myself.“Uhm… I don’t know. Let me taste it, I guess.” There was a slight crunch to it but other than that, it tasted like regular stake.“I don’t know why but I thought it’d you know…” I gestured to the plate.“...taste like gold?” His brows rose and then he burst into the laughter. My cheeks burned in embarrassment.“Oh shut up.” I adjusted my dress a little. I felt severely under-dressed in the restaurant. Everyone
Matt and I walked hand in hand to class the following week and everyday after that. We’d fallen into a comfortable zone where we’d just kiss and cuddle. Nothing really beyond that but I revelled in the attention he showered me. “See you after class.” He placed a kiss on my cheek after seeing me off to my next class. I felt my phone vibrate in my hands as the lecturer droned on with the boring lecture. I looked down at my phone and opened it subtly. “Your test results are out, kindly let your classmates know.” My heart palpitated heavily against my chest as I read the mail. It hadn’t even been up to 5 days since we had the test. Did he seriously not have a life outside his job? We were in one of our other accounting classes when the message had dropped in so, I waited for the class to be over before announcing it. “Guys!” I yelled for the thousandth time, finally catching their attention. Not really expecting all eyes to lock on me, a blush crept up my cheek. “Uh… the test result
All week, I tossed and turned for nights, trying to figure out if the text had been a mistake or some sort of joke.It pissed me off to think that he thought he had some say over my life.What the hell did he mean by that?I could do better than him?There was a bang on the door and I looked to the window. It was dark out and 1am.“Who is it?” I heard a retching sound outside the door that caused me to worry.I quickly opened the door to reveal a completely wasted Matt.“Hey.” He goofily smiled. He hadn’t gotten back to me since he’d disappeared three days ago in Jared’s office. Not a single word from him and he showed up drunk as fuck in front of my room.“Jared? What’s going on?”“Aren’t” hiccup “you” hiccup “going” hiccup “to let me in?”At that point, I was worried about him so, I helped him get in. Thankfully, Ashley had gone home for the weekend.“Here.” I offered him some water, at least to help his hiccups and drunken state.He gulped it down fast, maybe a little to fast becau
What the hell was I doing? What were we doing? I snapped my eyes open and saw him looking down at me. I took a conscious step back when he dropped my hands, his breath turning harsh.“Get out of my office.” He sneered.“Excuse me?” I reeled back from the hard edge in his voice.“I said to get out. Are you deaf?”“Okay, what is your problem? One minute you’re acting like you care, the next you’re talking to me like I’m the scum of the earth.” I could feel my eyes somewhat acting up but I forced the tears back. He wouldn’t see me cry.He threw his arms up and I knew he’d lost it. His usually controlled emotions burst open like a dam that had been forced shut for too long.“You.” He pointed his finger at me accusingly.“Me?”“Yes. You. You keep doing stupid things, making stupid mistakes.” I felt like a child who was being schooled and I kept my mouth shut because… what could I have said?“You’re so naive and stubborn.” Then I felt my blood boil. I didn’t care if he was my lecturer at th
I got back to my room quite late, effectively wasted and miles away from reality. You see, the problem about people like me being drunk, a fact I got to realise after being shit-faced just once, was that, I was a drunk texter. I’d woken up to a splitting headache and looking very deranged. I was still in last night’s clothes, my hair was a mess and I reeked of alcohol. Ashley arrived just as I woke, a slight smirk at my obvious misery. “Someone had fun last night.” She pinched her nose in disgust and went to her side of the room, after eyeing me as many times as possible. I had no energy for her so instead, I went to have my bath after taking advill. I was looking through my texts when one caught my eye. “Fr sllmepne so smartt, you are awfuly done.. no dumb.. about hw to tweat a lady.” A very high pitch but quick scream left my lips. “Is there a problem?” She eyed me and the phone in my hand. I quickly looked at the sender. I’d drunk texted a very incoherent message to Jared at h
Our exams were starting in a few weeks and I was far behind. I’d spent more time trying to sort out my life than live it. Most weeks, I was confused or just plainly out of it. Some of my notes had gaps in them and that meant I’d have to work extra hard to try and fill them.“You’ll be fine.” Alyssa rubbed my back as I exhaled loudly on my way to class. We’d met at the admin parking lot. She paused on her way to her office and knocked on Jared’s door. There was no reply.“Strange.” Her brows furrowed in confusion.“He’s usually around by this time.” I nodded in agreement. Maybe he was just late. I still had his class later in the afternoon and he was supposed to give us a much needed revision for our exams.“Well, I gotta head to class. See you later.” I offered her a brief class and walked in the opposite direction of her office.“See ya!”The class was in disarray as usual. However, what I’d found unusual was the quiet as they set their eyes on me. This was one of my departmental cla
He was in a cocoon of blankets but his eyes weren’t open. I knelt down beside him where he lay half-way on the bed.“You’re burning up.” I said after feeling his forehead. I tried to pull off the blanket but he wouldn’t let me.“You’re going to die if you remain wrapped up like this.” I begged until he let go. I noticed some tablets of drug.“Have you even eaten something?” I pulled the hair away from his forehead and peered at him. His face contorted in pain as he shook his head no.I wasn’t sure he even knew what was going on or that I was the one speaking to him.I cursed under my breath and ran towards where I thought would be the kitchen. I opened the fridge for ingredients for soup. It was the easiest and quickest thing to do. Thankfully, he had what I needed.I cut up the vegetables as I let the broth simmer.People who had high fever needed to cool down so I grabbed a rag and a bowl of water, leaving the food on low heat.I didn’t need to add burning a house down to the list o
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