Between Gasps and Glances

Noelle's POV “Jace, stop playing with me,” I stood there, trying very hard not to get my hopes up. “Noelle, I’m serious, and I’m not taking no for an answer, you have to take this job.” Jace was firm. I wanted to be excited. I wanted to, but I had experienced too many disappointments. I couldn’t find the joy, even if I tried. “I took the last job, and the one before that and the one before that, but they all came crashing in my face at the last minute.” I fell into bed with my back. “They all find out eventually, and when they do, no one wants to work with me.” “Noelle, this is not going to be like that. I told you, the job is private and quiet. Nobody is going to dig into you as long as you do your job well, which I believe you will.” Jace persisted. I thought long and hard about it. “I’m sorry, Jace, but I cannot go through another last-minute rejection. My life and career are over. Maybe I should accept that.” “Noelle…” “Jace, please,” I shut him down, not even looking at his face. A very intense silence enveloped us. “What happened two years ago, Noelle,” he said softly, “Eventually, you will have to move past it.” Jace said and then walked out of my room. The calmness of his voice broke my heart. I knew he was hurt. He knew me better than anyone else in the world, and he was all I had and now, I have succeeded in pushing him away. A drop of tear trickled down my cheek. It had been two years—two years, and it still felt like yesterday, because I could not outlive the effect of that awful incident on my life. ‘It has been two years!’ it dawned on me. I had had no gainful employment the entire time and Jace had been the one providing for me. ‘What if he was pushing this job now because he was tired of doing that?’ I sat up in bed and noticed a piece of paper on the chair Jace was sitting in. ‘He left the address for the job, he really must be tired,’ I thought. I was immediately thrown into a dilemma. I needed the job and Jace needed a break. He was only my best friend. He didn’t have to suffer for being the only person in my life who wanted to be with me. I sat there for two straight hours, staring at the paper, until I eventually fell asleep. *** “Yes?” I responded to the knock on the door, pulling myself sluggishly out of bed. I walked over to the door and when I opened it, there was no one there. I rolled my eyes in anger and turned around, but just before I slammed the door, my feet kicked an envelope into my room. “Oh, dear!” I exclaimed as I read through it. My rent was due in about a week and that did not sound like a Jace problem, or not anymore. I went to the bathroom and hurriedly prepared for the job interview. It was about time to try again, and even if I failed, at least I could say that I tried. “Where are you going ma’am?” “5818 Hayes Avenue,” I responded to the cab driver. Nothing prepared me for the building in front of me, twenty minutes later. It looked like it could pass for heaven. Every single stone was shining. All the hedges were trimmed to perfection and the beautiful flowers from the garden were blooming like it wasn’t the middle of summer. My heart was racing, with the amount of private security that escorted me from the gate, through the big yard. “Miss Noelle Carter?” An old woman came out the door and met me as soon as we got close enough. “Yes ma’am,” “This way,” she said, turning back into the mansion and I followed behind her, finally losing the two hefty men that had escorted me in. “Make yourself comfortable, Mr. Hayes will see you shortly.” the woman said and then left. ‘Hayes, as in Hayes Avenue?’ At this point, I felt like the woman was mocking me by asking me to calm down. I looked around and noticed how exotic everything was. The golden chandeliers on the high, white ceiling. The couch and how every thread on the curtains looked shiny. The paintings on the walls were clearly million dollar NFT’s. ‘There’s no way this man did not already know that my reputation had taken a huge blow. My chances of getting this job were ruined even before I started.’ What happened was not something I liked to talk about. I’d hate for it to be thrown in my face here, or anywhere else. I looked around and more specifically at the stairs. ‘I had to get out of here.’ All staying here was going to do was humiliate me. I was yet in another dilemma, because Jace was never going to forgive me for chickening out. “Miss Carter,” I heard the old woman call, startling me out of my thoughts. “He’s going to be down here in a bit,” she said, placing a glass of juice on the side table where she left me to sit. “Thank you,” I responded in a weak tone, and watched in silence, almost wetting myself as she left. I stared up the stairs again. I felt out of place and I imagined the old man in need of a chef was not going to like it when he saw me. “No! I can’t do this!” I decided and headed for the door in a rush. “Oh my goodness! I’m so sorry!” I said, shaking terribly as I ran into a hard rock chest. I bent down to pick up the iPad I had hit to the ground, praying that it was still in perfect shape. “I was just…” there were immediately no words in my mouth as my eyes beheld…