Unfortunate Surprises

Alicia's POV

The whole way to work, I trembled, but managed to keep a straight face. My vacant state thankfully hidden behind my glasses, and my typical ‘mousy’ look on like an armor, I pushed forward and looked forward to the time I could enter my office and lay my head on the desk.

Then I let out a long tired sigh and closed my eyes briefly. This peace was fleeting but I craved it.

Just for a few seconds before work started. That would be some goddamned reprieve from all the turbulent emotions I felt.

Unfortunately it wasn’t to be so, for as soon as I sat behind my desk, the door suddenly flung open, and a telltale scent of designer perfume filled the air.

“Alicia, guess what!” Daya was grinning from ear to ear, not noticing the look of frustration and exasperation on my face. She was so loud. Would I be a bad friend if I told her to pipe down at least a little this morning?

I winced as she continued, willfully blind to my state. 

“I know you went home early last night , so you must have missed it. But something exciting happened!” She squealed, and planted her butt on the edge of my desk. It wobbled under her weight a little, causing more chaos.

I cast a short glance at the papers she had disturbed out of the pile on my desk, and took in a deep breath so I wouldn’t scream at her.

Patience, Alicia, I told myself.

“I'm sure it must be exciting for you, Daya,” I replied in a kind tone. “But please, it's morning and work just started. Can we talk about it later?”

“Don’t be such a damn prude, for fuck’s sake. I’m trying to tell you there was a fight in the club!” She leaned forward into my personal space so much that I could see the outlines of her lip liner.

Hearing of the fight reminded me of the events of the last night and I shut my eyes tightly as Daya continued.

“I heard there were some mobsters in the club last night! Oh, how I wish I could have been there to see it! Unfortunately Jack— that’s the guy I met last night by the way— didn’t want to stay and see the end of it,” Daya continued, and her shoes hit the side of the desk.

I sighed; because, of course she would find the prospect of such things interesting. It wasn’t my business though- I wanted nothing to do with it.

“Oh, I’m sure the mobsters are so handsome too. I like that, the rugged type. Gosh, it's kind of exciting if you think about it like that. Imagine a guy like that seeeping me off my feet- oh that'd be AMAZING,” she began to swoon, to my utter dismay and disbelief.

“Are you serious, Daya? That sounds dangerous. Please don’t involve yourself in something like that,” I pleaded with her but she rolled her eyes at me.

“What does someone like YOU know about the appeal of danger?” She sneered. “You’re just a prude. Bad guys are the BEST at everything, Alicia. They take care of those they care about. And they have... skill, if you know what I mean," She waggled her brows, laughing out loud when I cringed visibly at her blatant innuendo.

God help me, I DEFINITELY didn't need to hear about THAT.

I could tell there was nothing I could say that would make her change her mind.

Well, whatever, I shrugged internally, a little bit hurt by her comments about my person.

Mobs, gangs and the like… whoever gets involved with them is a fool, and I am not one of them. I prayed Daya wouldn’t fall for that either.

I changed the subject quickly to Daya’s modeling gigs, knowing she wouldn’t miss an opportunity to talk about herself and leave me to tune out most of what she was saying in favor of decompressing.

An hour passed before I got her off my desk and convinced her to do some work. The boss was always looking to cut down on stay that were less than exceptional.

Even though Daya and I had entered the small company at exactly the same time, I had already gotten two promotions and three raises, while she lagged behind.

Sometimes I wondered how she hadn’t gotten herself fired already.

The sound of a knock on the door derailed my plans to get my friend out of my office, and we both turned to see who it was.

To my surprise, it was a man dressed in a suit, and my eyes widened at the sight of the bouquet he carried in one hand.

“Is this Alicia’s office?” The man’s deep voice and scarred face was intimidating to say the least but I swallowed that fear and nodded jerkily.

“Y-yes, that is I,” I replied with, only for the man to push the door open further and walk over to my desk, dropping the bouquet on my desk, as well as a box I didn’t notice before. Then he walked over to me, holding an envelope.

What else could I do? I was speechless and overly aware of how this bulky man towered over Daya and I.

I took it on autopilot and must have blanked out what the man said because the next thing I knew, he was gone and Daya was giving  me weird glances.

“What does it say?” She asked me, in a demanding tone and I gaped at her briefly before realizing she was referring to the envelope in my hand. “Give it to me, I’ll read it!”

She was about to take it from my hand when I shifted from her reach and tugged the envelope open.

Not one, but TWO notecards fell out.

I grasped them both and my eyes skimmed the contents of one, which only led me to feel despair.

‘Marina,

Considering that you owe me, you might as well join me for dinner. No excuses. Bring my watch. -Mikael’

The other note was written in cursive script and it didn’t take long for me to realize it was from Acker.

‘I don’t appreciate you fleeing that morning. You will make it up to me by coming for dinner. Though Mikael Serrano will be joining us, I’m sure you and I will have time to finish what we started.’

I felt faint, like I was about to pass out.

Oh no.

What was going on?

How did they know where I worked?

How didn’t I see this coming?

“Alicia, you’re keeping me waiting. Can I open the box already?” Daya’s voice made me lift up my head, and to my horror she was already tugging away the dark blue lid.

“No, wait-“

But it was too late, for she pulled up a sparkling dress that made me fall silent. My eyes bulged out at the sight of it. This dress looked fantastic, not like just any other club dress.

Daya too must have felt the same way, for she let out a loud exclaim.

“Oh wow! This is gorgeous! And-“ she cut herself off with another gasp. Then she slowly turned to me, her eyes round with shock.

“Alicia, this is one of the best designers in the city!” I saw a gleam in her eyes as she clutched the dress to her chest. “Look how gorgeous it is! It must cost a damn fortune!”

My eyes instantly flickered to the ajar door, before turning back to Daya. I was already tense; if she managed to get the attention of some of our nosy coworkers, who knew the rumors that would spread?

Attention was definitely NOT what I wanted in my life.

“Give it here,” I stood and snatched the dress from her, throwing it back in the box and shutting it. I put the box out of her reach. I had every intention to return the dress, somehow.

If only those two would leave me alone.

I didn’t know what to do now that I had somehow entered a situation out of my control.

“Are you going to tell me yet, hmm? Who gave that dress to you? And those notes? Who wrote them to you?” Daya asked insistently, her lips pressed into a pout. There was something oddly taunting about her, or rather, annoyed, in her body language. Almost like I offended her.

My throat closed up at the thought of telling her the incidents that led to me having this dress. There was no need for her to know was there? Besides, she was the one who left me behind both times when she was meant to be by my side at the club.

“No one,” I replied to Daya, my voice curt. I didn’t have to explain anything to her.

…