Started with Goodbye

Chapter 14

Asher and I were finally together because I had managed to overcome my fears and face the reality. We became lovers and I could say that so far, Asher and I got really closer with each other than we ever was before.

Just like that, our relationship became lovers instead of friends, and from strangers to a person I really know, by heart maybe? After all, there were still many things that I did not know about him, but I guess that as the time goes by that the two of us were together, we would be able to get to know each other.

And I hoped that we would really be together for a long time, because for me, he was really the person that I wanted to spend my life with. I wanted him to be the person that I would cherish the most, and the person that could stay by my side even on my darkest times. The person that would not give up on me, on our relationship, and will keep on holding.

Though I know that it was too early for me to think of that, I could not stop myself from doing so. Because, just like what I have said, he was the first person that made me feel this way. He was the person that made me feel this emotion they called love. An emotion that I never thought I would have.

He was the person that made my heart pound, and a person that made me feel calm and comfortable at the same time. After all, I believe that love is not all about those cheesy description about making your heartbeats raise, and making you flustered all the time. No, love was more than that.

Because love, you can only feel it when you managed to let go of your fears for him. Love is when you finally realized that a home was not a place but a person. Love, you can only feel that when you thought that the person you are with is somehow more comfortable to be by your side than anyone else.

Of course, because of the scenario that had happened between Asher and I in the office and in my apartment building, the people who always wanted to hear a gossip could not stop themselves from going on my side and ask me what did really happen, just like now.

One of my co-workers, whom I could not really get close to, and I did not really intend to do so, was sitting on my side, asking me questions that I could not seem to understand now because she just kept on talking, non stop without even asking if it was alright for me to elaborate what just happened between Asher and I.

I planned to ignore her the whole day and just let my boss handle her, because I know that he would get out of his office anytime from now and I did not want to get scolded just because of this co-worker of mine that was not showing any sign of stopping herself from asking questions, which I think that was too personal for me to answer.

Instead of entertaining her questions, and her alone, I just focused all of my attentions on the tasks that I needed to do for this day because it seems like it was too many than before. It seems like my boss wanted me to suffer, not just because of this woman beside me, but because of the works that he just sent to me.

I did not really plan on giving any single attention on my co-worker, but she was talking non stop and I could not focus on my work because of her. I stopped typing on my computer as I looked at her side and gave her a glare that she did not expected and made her taken aback.

She stopped talking as she gulped, maybe because of the glare that I gave her, so I took that as my chance to tell her what I wanted to say right from the start that she just sat beside me, without even asking if it was alright and without even me asking her to do so.

I also took that as a chance to tell what was my opinion about the matter because I did not really pay any attention at anyone who stopped me from walking on my work, early this morning, just to ask me things about what had happened between Asher and I, and who the h*ck was Asher on my life.

“You have been asking me questions for almost an hour now,” I told her as I looked straight into her eyes with my cold gaze that made her look away.

“I just wanted to know what happened,” she whispered, but I clearly heard it, and I knew that she intended to make me hear it, and everyone in the office because they just looked at our direction and they even stopped what they were doing.

I, on the other hand, just laughed at her as if I heard something so absurd. “For what? So that you and your little circle of friends could have something to talk about? So that you can gossip about me?” I asked her that made her look at me, but I did not falter and continued what I wanted to say. “Don’t you know that it was invading my privacy? Oh h*ck. What you were doing right now was invading my privacy, but I guess that you are never informed about such things.”

“You did not even care if you make a scene on our company building,” she told me as she glared at me. “And you were asking for privacy now?” she asked me as if she could not believe that I was asking such thing from her, and that alone made me laugh.

I laughed so hard that everyone around us got confused and curious at the same time. I did not stop laughing, not until I saw an irritated look on her face as if I was mocking her, which I intend to do so later but I guess that I already hit a nerve.

“I did not make a scene inside, and if I really did, I guess that it was just for a short period of time. I remembered, clearly, that I asked him to go out so that the two of us would be able to talk without anyone getting bothered by the both of us,” I explained to her as my voice got serious. “I guess that was not a big deal for everyone, but I guess that I was wrong because of how you were acting right now.”

I then turned my attention on my work again, but I could still clearly hear how irritated she was because of what just happened. I just rolled my eyes, and I did not care about anyone anymore because something like that already happened, and I was sure that I do not have any power to turn back the time.

“Then, you should apologize to us,” she said that made me stop typing again, but I did not look at her direction anymore. “You cause a scene and we got bothered by it, and now, your true attitude is showing, you needed to say sorry to us.”

I let out a sigh of disbelief because of what she told me. It seems like this issue was not just because I did not entertain any of her question, but because she wanted me to apologize over something that I could not really control. It seems like she envied me over something that I did not really know about.

I turned to look at her, even though I did not intend to do so, and I saw that she was about to say something again but then, she stopped because of someone who just spoke behind me. She even looked so shock as soon as she realized who it was.

“Ms. Adlair already apologized to me and the higher ups because of the scene that had happened,” my boss said to her, and to everyone. And yes, he was the one who appeared that made the woman, who was sitting beside me, got frightened. “We already accepted her explanation, and she promised that will not happen anymore.” She stood up from her seat to greet my boss but he did not acknowledge it. “If you have issue about her, or anyone else in this office in general, let me know directly. Not like this that it seems like you just wanted to attack her over something she does not have any control about.”

And because of the sudden appearance of our boss, my other co-workers immediately returned to their respective tables and the only one who was standing was that woman who just attacked me, without me knowing any reasons why she had to do something like that.

“Ms. Adlair is professional enough to solve her personal problems, quickly, without anyone getting affected.” My boss looked at me but I just nodded my head at him to tell him that it was alright, then he looked at that woman again. “And just like what I just said earlier, if it bothers you, or something bothers you in this company, then let me know so that we can solve it, without getting affected the other people inside.”

Right after he said that, the woman immediately apologized to him, and not me, but I just let it go because I did not want to make this issue got bigger than it ever was. I just turned to my computer again and was about to continue my work, but I stopped because of what my boss said next.

“It seems like you needed to take a leave for just a day, Hera,” he told me that made me look at him with a frown on my face as if I was trying to figure out what he wanted to say.

I looked behind me, and saw that my co-worker was not there anymore and it seems like she already left. Maybe, she already realized that what she did was wrong and she just continued her work for the day.

“This week have been rough with you,” he told me that made me look at his direction again, a frown was still seen on my face. “And you already did almost all the job that you needed to do, so I guess that it was alright for you to have rest first and come back after your much needed leave.”

I slowly nodded my head at him again as I said, still unsure if it was really alright, “If that is what you want, then I guess that it was alright for me to take a leave for a day?”

He smiled at me and nodded his head as he agreed to what I just said. “Yes,” he said to me that made me focus my attention on him again. “Then, you can take your leave now so that you can take a rest first.”

I nodded my head at him again, and saw him did so too before he excused himself, saying that he still needed to finish some work that he left because of the scene that had happened earlier. I looked at his direction for a whole minute, as I registered what just happened before I started to pack my things that I brought on our office.

And when I was finally done, I took my leave without even bothering to bid my co-workers a goodbye because I saw how they glared at me, as if they were jealous that I had a privilege to have a one day rest just because of what had happened.

I sighed as soon as I step out of our company building, before I bring out my phone so that I would be able to contact a person that I needed to talk to right now. I searched the number that I needed to call and brought my phone on my ear so that I would be able to hear if it was already ringing.

I did not wait long until the person on the other line picked up the call and greeted me, “Hello?” as if she was unsure that it was really me who called her at this kind of hour.

“Aiden!” I called her name, almost so loud that made the passerby look at me with a frown on their faces that made me apologize at them by bowing my head.

“Hera?” she said my name, still unsure if it was really me who called her. I imagined that she was even checking her phone to make sure that it was really me. “Why are you calling at the time of work? This is new for you, you know?”

And she was right. I never called anyone, nor texted anyone, at the time of work because I think that it was unprofessional for me, and I think that it was not right for me to take my time on a call, and it is a plus if that call was really just a nonsense one.

“I’m on a leave!” I told her and I could hear confusion on her voice as I heard her say ‘huh’ but I did not pay attention at it anymore. I just told her, “I was about to say something to you, but let me find a place for me to sit first because this might be longer than you had expected.”

And even though Aiden was still clueless about what was happening, she still agreed saying that she would just take a sit on the floor of her studio, and I knew that she was on her office and was doing her work but I also know that she was ready to leave her work just for her to hear what I wanted to tell her.

So I immediately went to the nearest cafe, ordered a caramel latte, and sat on the right most corner of that cafe. I started to tell her everything that had happened, earlier on the office, and she was just listening to me, almost silently.

I heard her hummed as soon as I finished telling her what just happened. “First of all, this was the moment that I could really say that you are indeed my best friend,” she told me that made the both of us laugh. “And second, why do you have to tell me what happened when you already have a boyfriend that you can talk to, huh? I have work, you know?”

I sighed as soon as I heard that from her. “I could not possibly tell this to him because it was not really that important,” I said to her and I could hear her sighed, loudly, on the other line that made me imagine that she was rolling her eyes right now. “Also, I know that you are not busy today so I decided to bug you.”

I heard her laugh again before she told me, “Instead of bugging me, Ms. Hera, why don’t you just spend your one day rest with your new boyfriend, huh?” and that gave me an idea to call Asher after this talk we were having. “With that, you will not just waste this day inside of our apartment without even doing anything.”

I hummed as soon as I heard that from her. “I will consider that,” I said to her.

“Yeah,” she agreed with me with her bored tone. “You go, girl, spend this day with your Asher and I will spend mine with my workloads.”

I laughed before I bid her a farewell, saying that I would spend my day just like that.

With that, I finally called Asher so that I could spend my one day rest with him.