Rising

Gentle Kiss

       I sat on the Café waiting for Rebecca to show up. She called me earlier to meet her here, that’s why I left the office. As I waited, the phone rang, and looking at the caller ID I noticed it was Milly, one of the managers of the maintenance department. 

     “Hello, Milly” I answered.

      “Hello Jayden, are you busy?”

     “I am here waiting for someone at the Café. Why, is there something wrong?” I instantly thought about Niray. 

     “Yes, sir. I just sent Niray home early. She was harassed by José and she’s not feeling well” she said and that made me stand up immediately. Rebecca was coming through the door, with tears in her eyes. 

     “Okay, I’ll go check on her later, thanks for letting me know” I hung up and greeted Rebecca. She looked a little off and I could see a bruise on her face.

     “What happened?” I asked. She shrugged her shoulders and looked down.

      “My boyfriend hit me. He found out I went to your office and he got angry” she sobbed quietly, she didn’t want the other patrons to realize what was going on. I took her hand and squeezed it in reassurance. 

     “You have to leave him. And you shouldn’t have come to my office at all. We are not together anymore. And I don’t hate you for cheating on me, but you need to leave me alone. I am trying to move on”

     “With who? That little immigrant?” She asked bitterly. 

     “That immigrant has a name. And it’s Niray. And with who I move on doesn’t concern you” I replied, I was not going to let anyone insult Niray “I have to go, just order what you want” I left a few hundred dollar bills and kissed her on the head before heading out. 

     I needed to check on Niray. I needed to make sure she was okay. 

     Minutes later I arrived. I knocked on the door and a man opened it. “Hello” he said. I was wondering if I was at the right apartment. I looked at the number and looked back at him. 

    “Hi Jayden. Come on in. This is my boyfriend Alfredo” Minerva introduced him to me. I shook hands with him and I had to pull right away before he broke it. 

    “Is Niray here?” I asked and she pointed at her room. I knocked at the door and Niray opened it, her eyes were blood shot, probably from crying. She walked away and I went in, closing the door behind me.

     “What are you doing here, boss?” She asked. I hated when she called me boss, I was her friend. Heck, I wanted to be something more, but can’t scare her away. 

   “Milly told me what happened at work. Are you okay?” I asked concerned. She looked at me with a smile.

    “Are you worried about me, boss? I am fine, I was able to spray him with the glass cleaner” she giggled.

    “How many times to I have to ask you to call me Jayden?” 

    She stayed silent for a few minutes. She looked down in embarrassment. I walked over to her and lifted her chin, noticing a bruise on her mouth. “He did this to you?” I asked angrily. No one dared touch a woman that way and got away with it. 

   “It’s nothing. I was able to defend myself” she said softly. I admired her, despite being treated unfairly, she keeps going. She’s the strongest woman I’ve ever met. I just wish my brother would see that and stopped treating her like trash, or any of his employees. 

    I touched her bruise and I was shocked to see she didn’t pull away. I took the risk and I leaned slowly until my lips brushed hers. I could feel her getting nervous, and I couldn’t help it anymore. I pressed my lips gently against hers. She stood there frozen, then she relaxed and as I moved my lips against hers, she followed. Our lips molded perfectly as the kiss intensified a little. 

    She put her hand on my neck and responded to my kiss, but came to her senses and her hand met my face. I was shocked and looked at her while touching my cheek. “It’s slapping all you know how to do?” I said, letting out a chuckle.

    “I am sorry. It’s just an instant reaction. You shouldn’t have kissed me, it was inappropriate. And it seems like apologizing is all you do” she said, walking away from me.

    “You seemed to like it, otherwise you wouldn’t have kissed me back” I smiled and she looked at me with wide eyes. I was out of place I knew, but I couldn’t help it. She was beautiful. 

    “I will just go. I wanted to check on you and make sure you were okay. If you don’t want to go back to work I und-“

   “No! I do. I need the job, my grandma needs her medicines” she interrupted. I understood her situation. I went through the same with mom. She struggled a lot raising us, but she made it, and I was proud of her. I’m sure I would be proud of Niray when she achieved what I had planned for her.

    “Okay then. I will see you again tomorrow. Have a good night and rest well” I mentioned before I walked out. As I headed out of the apartment, I said my goodbyes to Minerva and her boyfriend. Waking to my car I heard a screeching noise and when I looked up, a car crashed against mine and I ended up in between. I let out screams of pain and all I could hear was the people screaming and trying to help me. I was in big trouble.