You're Not Danielle!!

CHAPTER TWO: A DAY TO FORGET

The rest of the day seemed to drag on for Danielle. Every time she closed her eyes, she could see Mr. Roderigo's angry face. The way she had bumped into him and spilled the coffee all over his body, she couldn't stop herself from not replaying that incident in her head.

His voice so hard and annoying, must he embarrass her like that? Must he make a fool of her any chance he gets? Her hands made loud noises on the computer keyboard to show how angry and frustrated she was. She couldn't even take her coffee because of one man! One rude punk who derives joy seeing her break down.

Before midday, he called her into his office, and she braced herself for another scolding. Her heart was in her mouth, she had already concluded to herself that she just have it all bad for herself today.

Since she woke up and prepared for work this morning, she knew that today won't be so nice, because she was greeted by her dad shouting into her ears about her inability to come home since she left five years ago. How she's a disappointment to them and what-not but she didn't let all that her father said weigh her down. She was more concerned about getting to work early, Mr. Roderigo will make sure he cut off her head the moment she walks into that company late.

Then her croaky old car stopped in the middle of the traffic and had to get towed away after getting yelled by car owners, then she basically had to walk to the company, her heel broke. That was as embarrassing as anything but then, she was determined to go to work and nothing can make her back down. An absence from work is worse than not coming at all because that angry boss of hers will give her an earful for being a nuisance.

She flagged down a taxi and had to forget her purse inside the taxi, thank God she didn't leave her phone in the car but it was bad enough because she had no physical cash with her neither can she withdraw because her card was in her purse. So frustrating!

And she came to work amidst all those difficulties to meet her ever ungrateful boss who wants nothing but to lynch her to death! She sighed out in frustration as she knocked on his office door ready to be insulted again by him.

"Come in," Mr. Leonard's voice called out from inside the office. Danielle took a deep breath and opened the door, her heart thumping in her chest. She walked into the office, and tried to keep her composure as she faced her boss.

"Sit down," he said, motioning to the chair in front of his desk.

Danielle sat down, and waited for him to speak.

"Danielle, we've had a lot of problems with your performance lately," Mr. Roderigo said, his voice stern. "I've seen an increase in mistakes on your reports, and you've been late for work several times. I need to know what's going on." Danielle felt a lump in her throat, and she struggled to find the words to explain herself.

"I'm sorry," she finally said.

"Sorry won't solve the problem because I need to know why you're not good at what you should be good at." He said gesticulating with his fingers while locking eyes with her. "Miss Carmen suggested that I may be a bad boss to you that's why you misbehave every single time."

"That's not true__"

He shunned her, he hates being cut off when he's still speaking and Danielle is good at doing that. "I need you to give me a reason why I shouldn't make you write a resignation letter by next month."

Next month? She gasped and gulped at same time as those words sounded unbelievable in her ears, he isn't going to do that right? He's bluffing right? But his cold face said otherwise. Such a placid being! As hard as rock! She hates him so much. She can boil an egg with the type of hate she has for him.

"I know my performance has been lacking lately, and I apologize for that. But I promise that I will do better. I'm going through some personal issues right now, and I know that's no excuse for my work, but I'm trying my best. I know I can do better, and I will do better." Danielle looked her boss in the eye, her voice filled with sincerity. She truly did want to do better, and she was determined to prove herself. Maybe once, if only he will allow her and stop being a punk!

"Better, you may leave." He dismissed her getting busy with his laptop again.

Danielle stood up, her head spinning with frustration and anger. She wanted to tell him off, but she knew it wouldn't help her case. It will worsen it. She turned and walked out of the office, her heels clicking on the hardwood floor.

Once the door closed behind her, she let out a deep breath and leaned against the wall. This was not how she wanted her day to go, and she wasn't sure how she was going to turn things around.

Not when her boss wants her to write a resignation letter by next month.

***************************************

Antoine's car door was opened by his security guard, he came out and walked into his house.

"Hey, you're back honey," Chanelle asked smiling and pushing for a hug and he hugged her with no feelings or emotions showing on his face or body.

"Hey babe, how did you fair today?" He asked her while she nodded rubbing her head and hair on his chest.

"Oh, you know, the usual. Nothing too exciting." She smiled up at him, trying to gauge his mood.

Something seemed off, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. "What about you? How was work?" she asked, hoping to get him to open up a bit. But Antoine just shrugged and mumbled something about a meeting. She knew something was wrong, but she didn't want to push him too hard.

"Here, I made some dinner for you. You would love to have some, don't you think so?"

"Thanks, honey, but I'm not really hungry right now. Maybe later," Antoine said, turning away from her and walking towards the stairs. She tried to hide her disappointment, but it was clear on her face.

"Hey, are you okay?" she asked, following him up the stairs.

"I'm fine, just tired," he said, closing the bedroom door behind him.

She stood outside the door, feeling helpless and confused. She wanted to help him, but she didn't know how.

Then she followed him in trying to be cheerful, "My father suggested if we could push up our wedding a little." She said and he immediately paused on his walk to the closet.

"Your father?" He asked turning to look at her.

"Yes, he said we will be getting married in a month."

"A month? Why so fast?"

"He said that the sooner we get married, the sooner we can start our lives together. He thinks it's better to get it over with, so we can move on to the next phase of our lives," she said, trying to sound positive and cheerful. But Antoine could see right through her.

He knew she was just trying to trap him further into her family's world, to trap him into herself as she have always done. But it won't work because he won't let it work. They've controlled him enough, haven't they, isn't it high time he thinks for himself?

"I'm not sure I'm ready for that," he said, turning away again. She felt her heart sink. She had been so hopeful that he would be excited about the idea of getting married soon, but it was clear that he wasn't. As usual, nothing about her ever excited him.

"Why? Because you still don't love me?" She asked shaking up.

"Stop being dramatic Chanelle," he said as he opened the closet door, getting ready to remove his clothes and have a bath.

"Because you still love her?" She asked and Antoine knew what she was talking about and where she's trying to arrive at.

"She's dead Antoine! When will you look at me! When will you learn to love me as much as I do for you!"

"Enough Chanelle!!" He yelled.

The room fell silent. The tension was palpable, and neither of them knew what to say next.

Chanelle stood there, her heart racing and her mind spinning. Antoine stood across from her, his jaw clenched and his eyes cold. They stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, neither of them willing to break the silence.

Finally, Chanelle spoke up, her voice trembling. "I just want to make you happy, Antoine. I just want to be the one you love."

"That's enough." He said and left the house, trying to find a place where he can find peace and solitude, a place where he will be allowed to think of Danielle without being caught.

He drove aimlessly, not sure where he was going or what he was looking for. All he knew was that he needed to get away from Chanelle and her constant reminders of Danielle. He pulled into a parking lot and stopped the car, resting his head on the steering wheel.

Tears welled up in his eyes, and he let them fall. He missed Danielle more than he could ever put into words. He missed her laugh, her smile, her presence. He felt lost without her, and he didn't know how to move on. If only he was nice enough to her, if only they never argued that morning, if only he said the I LOVE YOU words to her more often, maybe she wouldn't have died. Maybe she'd be alive and breathing by his side.

Then a knock at his car window cut him out of his reverie and made him rewind his car window as he tried to find out who that was.

A drunk girl was looking at him and shaking up before: "He_y wh_at you do_ing here? Do you also have a boss who makes you angry all the time too??" The drunk girl babbled. Antoine looked at the girl in surprise, not sure what to make of the situation. She was clearly inebriated, and he didn't want to get involved in anything that could get him in trouble.

"I'm sorry, I'm not interested in talking right now," he said, his tone polite but firm. The girl's face fell, and she looked at him with pleading eyes.

"Please, I just need someone to talk to," she said, her voice cracking.

He opened the car and came outside, the drunk girl fell on his body giggling for almost ten minutes before she stopped and looked up, peering directly into his face.

"Hey, I think I know you."