Forever And A Day

Chapter 16

Davina

After our meeting that took up most of the morning, we then realized that it was now lunch time. We all scattered to the break room, because Evan got catering delivered for us. It was mentioned by someone that the food was Mediterranean. I would not have known that I was not the type of person to go out and try different things.

“Um, Itze what is this?” I asked.

“It looks like some type of salad…”

“It’s Fattoush salad and the other dishes have steak and chicken kababs. There’s also rice pilaf there,” Evan interrupted.

“Oh…Okay it all looks good.” I said to him, and he smiled back.

I made myself my plate and noticed that other employees were congratulating Itze, so I decided to sit in the classroom where the business program usually does their lectures. Luckily, the class was over, so I was alone. I began to do my normal routine of having things set in place. Making sure my drink was in the top left corner and having a napkin under it to make sure no marks were left, and having my utensil on my right. It has been a habit of mine for as long as I can remember.

“Is it alright if I sit here?” Evan asked, so close to me that I jumped, not being aware of his presence.

“s**t!” I said in the reaction of getting startled.

“Mr. Blackwood, I do apologize for my crude outburst. You startled me and in response it just slipped!” My eyes went wide from embarrassment.

“Haha no need, I owe you an apology. I should have made my presence known. And please, call me Evan”, Evan said with a smile.

I nodded to give him the confirmation that he was okay to sit with me. We sat in silence eating. I wasn’t really sure what to talk about and I am already socially awkward. I just thought of the first question that came to mind to start a conversation.

“What got you interested in investing in a college? Especially one that seems to be on its last legs.”

He looked at me like he was trying to examine my face. “Someone dear to me had a vision of helping individuals to break out of the generational customs that they may be born into. I just want to make that a possibility.”

I nodded and thought that he must be speaking about a wife. I looked down and didn’t see the wedding ring. I looked up and noticed that he was staring at me, and I blushed, feeling the sensation that I was just caught looking to see if this man was single. He smiled and continued to eat.

“Why don’t you tell me about yourself?”

“There’s nothing really about me. I am just a simple nobody that works here.”

“Davina, you are not a nobody.”

“What knowledge would you know to make that judgement call?”

“Just…Just trust me, please.” Evan said to me, almost feeling like a command.

I gulped, “Okay.” Was all I was able to say.

After my strange yet enjoyable lunch, Malcolm had given me the task of posting the new banner above my station. Grabbing a step stool that was in the janitorial closet, I posted it against the wall. I slowly took my time to begin pinning up the new banner and make sure I stayed safe. Once I made my way to the last part of pinning the banner, I stared into the eyes of the wolf. Suddenly, the wolf’s eyes were beginning to change color. They began to glow into this golden yellow and I thought I saw the head growl and snap at me and I jumped and lost my footing on the stool. I began falling knowing that I was going to strike the ground. I closed my eyes but ended up in some warm strong arms.

Evan

I was walking up to the delicious view of Davina. I saw her bendover picking up the stool. I couldn’t help but look at her ass when she bent. As much as I knew she was my mate, I didn’t want to be with her, but the mate bond was still pulling me to her. I watched her look at the insignia wolf that was a symbol of my pack.

“She’s beautiful.” Titus said in my mind.

“I know she is but, something isn’t normal about her.”

“Regardless, that makes her even more special in…. WAIT, I FEEL HER WOLF.”

“WHAT?!”

From there, a string of events began to happen. She lost her footing and I saw her figure fall. I moved at my supernatural speed and caught her. She was in my arms bridal style, and I saw on her face that her eyes were closed like she was readying herself for the impact. She then looked up at me and we locked eyes together.

“Her wolf, it’s…gone.” Titus says, whining.

“How? What the f**k is she?”

“Thank you, Evan...” She said while being bright red from embarrassment.

I whispered in her ear, “Remember like I said, just trust me.”

She nodded and I set her down. When we turned around, we were faced with an audience of Malcolm and Itze looking at us with mouths open. Davina ran to Itze and Itze led her to her office.

“Malcolm, how long ago did you hire Davina?”

“Uh, I believe it might be 2 or 3 weeks ago. Is there any problem with her?”

“Not necessarily. What’s her last name?”

“Acero. Davina Acero is her name.”

“I believe one thing that is company policy is to perform a background screening, correct?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“Is there any way you can send me over to me?”

“Yes, I can definitely do that.”

“Perfect, thank you.”

Malcolm smiled nervously while he nodded. I wondered what he must have read within her file. I would also have someone from my secret connections look more into her.

Davina

“Holy s**t! What the f**k was that?” Itze yelled whispered at me once we were in her office.

“I…I don’t know…I was just…I was just.” I began to panic, almost feeling like I was about to bring on a panic attack. The tightness was beginning to form in my chest. I slumped on the wall, allowing myself to slide down to where I was now sitting on the floor. My knees were on my chest.

“Whoa Davina, are you alright? Do you need me to grab someone? I’ll go get…”

“NO! I *gasp* just need *gasp* to breathe!”

I then allowed my head to sit between both my legs, sucking as much air as my lungs were able to take in. Itze sat next to me trying to rub my back but, I pushed her hand away.

We sat there for a few moments and after successfully regulating my breathing, I looked up at Itze with wet eyes, half from suffering and half from getting emotional, being that I had just given witness to someone of me having an episode. I haven’t had a panic attack in a while, but I always feel so defeated after one.

“Itze, I am so sorry that you had to see that.”

“You have no reason to apologize for expressing what you felt. You suffered an incident that caused you to have a reaction. That’s a completely normal thing.”

“Itze, I am really a f****d-up person.”

“You are an amazing human being and there is not one bad bone in you.”

“No! What I mean is I am mentally a jumble clusterfuck. 10 years ago, I was in some sort of accident that caused me to suffer from a mental condition and I do not know what happened to me all those years ago. I was in a psychiatric facility where I had to relearn everything. Walking, eating, reading, writing, everything you need to do to survive. I was then moved to a group home that helps individuals get familiar with normal society. I have never bothered to be with anyone because I did not want them trying to figure out what was wrong with me, since I really don’t have any clue. Steve was the only person that truly knew everything, and he didn’t understand what was wrong with me. I had the same episode while with him and he looked confused as to what to do, then I became more of a nuisance to him. My pregnancy was the straw that broke the camel’s back and he left me.”

I was then crying and Itze held me while I allowed all my emotions to break free. I couldn’t hold it anymore, I wanted her to see who I was and give her a glimpse as to why I didn’t have friends or family. A relationship was always something last in my life and I couldn’t allow myself to open to someone again. I cannot handle another pain in my life.