Round Two

Five - Zuri

Zuri

“You did what?!” My best friend literally fell off her bed.

“Damilola Bamidele!” Damilola’s mom’s voice echoed through the house.

“Ma!” Damilola froze, seated on the tiled floor.

“Bring your voice down!”

“As if I didn't get the whole loud voice thing from her,” Damilola grumbled to herself before yelling, “Okay, ma!”

I winced, putting a finger to my ear. “Damn!”

“What were you saying again?” Damilola edged closer to the bed, particularly closer to me, and sprawled on the floor.

“I ran?”

She immediately shot upright, giving her full attention. “Why the f**k did you run?”

“I didn't know what else to do.” I groaned inwardly. “It… it just happened.”

“And you left Gabriel there?”

“He literally followed me. Worried.” I poured. I shouldn't have left Gabriel like that; taking a cab straight to Damilola’s house and abandoning him. “And I just left without a word.”

“Girl…” She pinched the skin in between her brows. “You’re something else.”

“I know…” I gasped, falling back into the bed. “I messed up real bad. But, come on, it's Kim we're talking about. He just has this stupid effect that makes everyone lose their shit.” Immediately, I shot up right. “And the worse part is that he has a flipping girlfriend!”

“Jesus Christ!”

“Damilola!” Went her mom.

“Sorry ma!” And she immediately brought her voice to a whisper. “Please, tell me you are not serious.”

“I am.” Sadly. “I mean it's more than five years already so he should have a girlfriend. Besides, why should I care? I already have a boyfriend, don't I?”

Yet somehow, that answer didn’t sit right in my chest.

“Yes.” She blurted out. “A boyfriend who doesn't know you're about to be kicked out of your home. And oh, he doesn't even know you got a job as a janitor at some fancy tech company.”

I fell back on the bed and stared at the white ceiling, silent. Gabriel was sweet. I knew that but somehow I always found something wanting. Why?

“Am I cursed, Dami?” The words came out slow and tired.

“Oh Zuri,” Damilola climbed onto the bed and sat beside me. “Why would you say that?”

“Take a look at me, Dami,” I sighed, eyes watering up. “My life is a mess. Ever since mom and dad divorced, I've become a confused, hopeless piece of s**t with no sense of direction and…”

“Don't you dare do that to yourself.” Damilola said sternly, her dark eyes glassy with so much warmth. “You're my best friend, not one confused, hopeless piece of shit.”

“Dami…” I cried out.

“I won't hear it, Zuri.” She said, “You are the strongest person I've ever met… Besides my mother, of course. And I admire you so much.”

“Don't lie to me.”

“I'm not, Zuri. You're amazing and I pray you one day realize that too.”

My heart gave out, and I leaped onto Damilola. She immediately wrapped me in a hug as I cried my eyes out.

And I heard his voice again, young and sweet in my memory.

“You inspire me, Zuri.”

•••

It was my first night at work. I had spent most of the night keeping the floors, dedicated to me, spotless. And the executive office was on one of them.

Big white lights shone on the hallway as I walked down, pushing a janitor's cart, heading towards the executive office. The company had closed for the night, and the silence that followed was unnerving.

No voices. No ringing phones. Just the soft hum of distant generators and the faint squeak of my cart wheels echoing off the polished floors.

It felt like the building was holding its breath.

“Why are the lights still on?” I arched a brow at the stream of light pooling at the gap between the door and the floor.

I keyed some digits into the keypad lock and the door beeped open. I immediately went in with cart, closing the door behind me. I turned around to take in the beauty of the spacious and expensively furnished office, however, my heart stopped at a particular sight — a tall man standing at massive windows, his back facing me.

A thief.

“L-l-leave before I call the police.” I threatened. “N-now.”

He scoffed, his back still turned to me. “If anyone is getting arrested right now, it's you.”

“Huh?”

“You're in my office, are you not?”

And it hit me hard. He was the CEO. The founder of K.T Tech.

And I just threatened him.

“Oh my God!” I gasped. “I'm so sorry, sir. I didn't know who you were.”

How couldn't I tell he was the CEO?! Take a look at his vintage suit! And his shoes look like they cost a fortune! Oh, Zuri, what have you done?! This man could literally fire me…

“I thought you were some kind of intruder.” I kept on rambling. “I'm so sorry, sir. Please, don't fire me. I promise it won't happen again. I promise, sir.”

A low, rich chuckle filled the office, electrifying the air. And strangely… me. He turned around, and my world froze.

“Kim?” But how?

I saw the spark in his dark eyes disappear, replaced by something I couldn't put a finger to.

K.T… Kim Tanaka.

“You…” His eyes took my appearance in, carefully assessing.

Whereas, my hands fiddled with the hem of my faded shirt as I looked down at my boot-clad feet. I couldn't help shrinking into myself as he put the pieces together.

“You're a janitor.”

My teeth dug hard into my lip, holding a wince. It was unbelievable. It was stupid. I am a janitor at the company my ex boyfriend's owns.

“Karma is a b***h,” He said quietly. “Isn't she?”

“I…” But, he wasn't wrong. Look at how my life went after I mercilessly dumped him… worse still, without good enough reason.

Kim never hurt me. He never did.

“Wow.” He shook his head in disbelief. “I always wondered what became of you, Zuri. Royal High’s best graduating student.” His voice hardened, so did his gaze. “And the girl who promised to always be by my side.”

My heart throbbed.

“Well,” He breathed. “It's all in the past. Although it's good to see how it all turned out.”

My vision blurred at his words. He doesn't care. And somehow, that hurt more than if he had.

Silently, he strolled to his desk and packed up all his things. Then, he came towards me, particularly the door. However, just as he was about to open the door and leave, he halted.

His nearness set my heart running a marathon. And he still smelled like cinnamon.

“Have a lovely night, Zuri Okoro.” With that, he left.

And a tear fell.