A Tale Beyond Destiny

Chapter 13: Falling (Caleb)

I was in my office when I heard my phone ping, indicating that someone had texted me on my personal number, but I did not have time to check it out as I heard the door of my office open, which made me look up and I did not bother to look at my message any longer.

I nodded my head, once, when I saw that it was my secretary, Fabian. He was one of my closest friends, though whenever we were in the office, he would always try his best to become as professional as he could, but whenever we were outside of the building, and out of our responsibilities, he would always show me, and to our other friends, how childish he could be, if ever he wanted to show it; and for my own opinion, it made my head ache but nonetheless, he was still my friend and I did not want to ruin his fun.

“I am here to inform you that you need to be at the meeting later,” he said in a sharp tone, as if he was the boss, and not me. He even widened his eyes as if he was threatening me, as he continued what he was saying, “You cannot possibly go out of the office again, without even telling me that you are already at home. I needed to make some excuse the last time that you did that, you know?” He said and I almost could not stop laughing when I saw that he was trying to keep himself from fuming because of anger. “You should be thankful that it was just a simple meeting and not a major one, because if ever, I did not know what to do anymore.”

We both shook our heads at the same time, though I could tell that we did that for different reasons, which I did not want to elaborate on any longer. He even had the guts to glare at me as if I had done something wrong.

“I will attend today,” I reassured him as I started to sort out the files that were scattered all around my desk. “Didn’t I already tell you that earlier when I came across your desk?” I even asked him as I returned my attention to him once again.

“Who knows, maybe you are planning something again? And I should point out that that something is more like skipping a meeting, a major one, that is, because it is what we will discuss later.” I almost saw how his nostrils flared up because of too much frustration, but I just let out a short laugh as I shook my head once again.

“I already assured you that I will really attend, so what are you fuming about, huh?” I asked him as I decided to check my phone when I remembered that I had received a text from someone earlier.

If any other person was inside of my office, I would not possibly do something like that, checking my phone just because someone had texted me, because I always thought that it was too unprofessional. But then again, the person inside of my office as of that moment was one of my closest, and most trusted friends, which was why I could do that. It was a plus that he was acting so friendly, even though we were still at work.

“Maybe because you skipped a meeting the last time, when, in fact, you cannot do it in the past!” he said, that made me look up at him once again, but then again, I shook my head when I saw that he was just acting that he was mad at me. “What happened really, huh?” he even asked me as if he was demanding that I should tell what happened, but I refused to do so.

How could I do that? How could I tell him the truth when, in fact, I skipped that meeting just because I wanted to see Caliana? I could not possibly tell that to him, because I knew that he would just make a big deal out of it, and I certainly did not want any more headaches than I already had.

And so, instead of answering him, I just resorted to focusing my attention on my phone that I was currently holding, and I could stop the smile that broke out of my lips when I saw that it was a message from Caliana.

It was not just a simple message though. It was a message that had a picture of her, and I already knew that she had just taken it that day. She looked so adorable in that pink dress of hers, and that made my heart melt even more than before.

I was really glad that I was able to teach her how to use a phone, and even though I just intend to teach her how to text and call, in case of an emergency, she tends to be a person who wanted to learn almost everything about it. And in these past few days, when she had been so focused on trying to figure out how the other apps were working, she found out how to take pictures and to send them to someone; which I was really glad because she kept on sending me pictures of her even though I did not ask for one.

I immediately replied with a simple ‘It looks great on you,’ as I had clearly forgotten that I was not the only one inside and my nosy secretary, Fabian, was still in my office and was now looking at me as if I had lost my head, though I doubt that was the case. I just noticed that he was still inside when I heard him clear his throat.

I looked up at him as I put down my phone, though not until I checked that Caliana had not replied to my text yet. Then, I turned my attention on Fabian once again, who had one of his eyebrows raised and was acting as if he was one of those many employees of mine who wanted to hear some gossip, even though it was really unnecessary.

He looked at me for a brief second, then suddenly, he said to me, “I think that I already know why you are acting so weird lately in the office,” with that ‘I am sure and you cannot hide it from me’ tone that made me almost want to dismiss him and tell him that he needed to do his work. I could do that, and I would certainly do that if he did not say the right words the next time that he opened his mouth.

It was not that I did not want to tell him the truth... It was just that, I knew that the moment that he would open his mouth while he was talking to the other people inside of this building, I knew that he would talk all the way and he would not be able to stop himself. And I did not plan to make an issue out of Caliana, even though I doubt that she would be able to do that, but who knows. After all, she was really a curious woman, and I would not be shocked if ever she would find out about it; and just like what she said before, for some reason, I really could not lie to her, even though I really needed to do so.

I snapped out of my thoughts when I heard that one of the chairs in front of my desk had formed a sound, and I did not have to look and see that it was Fabian, and I instantly knew that he just wanted to get the information that he wanted from me, because again, he was acting like one of those nosy employees of mine.

He leaned in my direction as if he was afraid that someone else might hear what he was about to say, though I doubt that something like that would happen, because this office was literally the only room on this floor, and aside from his desk and my office, there was no one in this part of the building. Though there were some employees who would come and go on this floor, I doubt that they would go as of that moment because I knew that they were still preparing for the monthly meeting that would be held in almost an hour from now.

“Tell me,” he said, that made me frown, and he even moved near me as if he was still not satisfied with how close he was, but for me, it was enough to punch him in the face because of how he had been acting. He looked straight into my eyes before he asked, in a whispering tone, “Do you have a girlfriend inside your house, or maybe, a wife? And you are just keeping quiet because you do not like the idea of a life full of drama and paparazzi?”

I should have known. I should have known that he would not open his mouth with a smart statement. I should have known that it was another episode of his speculations which had never been right. I should have known that he would not be able to take this seriously as he should have done.

I let out a loud sigh as if I had given up, and I even pinched the bridge of my nose as I asked him, “What makes you think of that?” I looked at him with a frown on my face, and I made sure that I looked so intimidating so that he would not be able to continue on asking me, but then again, it was Fabian I was talking to and I already knew that he would not stop, not until he get the answer that he wanted; and I never intend to give him the satisfaction on hearing what he wanted to hear.

“And no, I am not avoiding the paparazzi and the news that will come once I already have the love of my life,” I added, which made him look at me with one of his eyebrows raised. “I will even be proud of what we have.” That statement made him stood up from his seat as he clapped his hands, slowly.

“You really have my respect, Mr. Miller,” he said, and I knew that he intended to joke around when he called me by my last name. After all, he was just calling me whenever we were in a meeting, or just like this time that he wanted to tease me.

Though I did not let him take the pleasure of getting any reaction from me. I remained seated in my seat as I was staring right at him. I just continued on looking at him as if I was waiting for him to talk once again, but all I really wanted to do was the total opposite of it.

All I had in my mind was to escape from this sudden ‘interrogation’ and continue on my day as if this conversation did not happen between the two of us. All I wanted to do was to get to that meeting, then I would reply to Caliana’s text once it was finished, but then again, I could not do that because it seemed like this friend of mine, who was currently in front of me as he continued to tap on my desk, did not want to let me go not until I started to open to him; which I did not plan to do so.

“Anyways, enough of those compliments and let us go back to our main topic,” he said, which made me let out a resigned sigh as I looked down on my desk and waved him off. It really seemed like no one would be able to stop him from asking me almost everything that he wanted to know. “Come on, tell me now!” He had this excited tone in his voice that made me want to glare at him, and so I did.

“What will I tell you, huh?” I asked him as I tried to act as though I did not have any idea about what he was trying to find out about me, even though, again, he already asked me that in the first place, but then, again, I did not want to answer that because I really do not have one.

“Come on!” he said as he even stood up from his seat as he dramatically paced back and forth in front of me. “Just answer me if you have a girlfriend or not! It would not hurt you, would it? After all, you already said that you will not hide any relationship that you have, right?”

“And that is the point,” I said as I pointed my finger at him as if I wanted him to register every little thing that we were talking about as of that moment. “I already told you that I would never hide it, and I as of this moment, I was not able to tell you anything because...” I am already losing my temper, and it seems like Fabian had noticed that because he slightly backed away from me. “I really do not have one.”

I finally stood up from my seat when I heard my phone ring, indicating that it was time for me to prepare for the meeting, even though all I had to do at that said meeting was to listen to my employees talk about their progress for the whole month. I felt that Fabian followed, and I almost thought that he had finally let that topic go because of my sudden outburst, but then again, I was wrong.

“I am not buying that,” he said, as if he was some kind of investigator who wanted to know almost everything that has been happening in my life; and I certainly did not want to entertain this said investigator, because I should know better than telling something about that to him.

After all, I knew that rumors would start to spread like a wildfire if ever I entertained his questions and curiosity. Even though he was not really the center and the cause why that rumor would spread, I knew that he would not be able to keep his mouth shut and he would just talk and talk, until his heart’s content. I knew that he would not be able to stop himself, even though he did not intend to talk about it, as if it was not a secret.

Maybe, if it was our other friend, I would be able to talk about this. Even more so, I would be able to discuss this, whatever this is, because really, I also did not have an idea about what we have. It was as if we took that statement ‘More than friends, less than lovers,’ too literally, or maybe, I was just afraid to admit that I already liked her. I was so afraid that something might change between the two of us, if ever I really have feelings for her.

I let out a resigned sigh once again as I went out of my office, with Fabian following me behind, and went to go on the elevator so that I would be able to reach the floor where the meeting would be held.

“Then who is that person you have been talking to on the phone these past few days?” he asked me, which made me stop in my tracks just to glare at him, telling him that I would not answer that, though he just raised one of his hands as if he surrendered. “I am just curious, you know? I never heard you talking like that.” He even shivered as if he was frightened by what he had seen these past few days in my office, whatever it was. “And when I mean that, you are talking so soft that it almost made me think that you are a different person!”

“I think that you are just imagining things,” I said as I tried my best to evade our not really so stressful topic.

“I certainly think I am not!” he protested, which made me almost want to scratch my head, but I just resorted to letting out a loud sigh as if I was too tired to argue with him because of our topic. “But I do not think that I am the right person that you should be talking to, because I really think that this is too serious for me, and I guess that there is a deeper reason why you cannot tell me the truth.”

“I am glad that you finally realized that,” I told him in a bored tone, which made him snap his head towards me and gave me an annoying grin. “And I think that we should focus on work now, and not talk about my personal life.”

I saw him nod his head at me as he even said, “Yeah, somehow, I agree with what you suggested.”