Rise Up

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

            He didn’t make me wait for too long, he was catching his breath again as if he is being chased or he is chasing someone.

“I thought you already left. Let’s go.” He dragged my hand as we left the office. We went straight to the parking lot. He opened the door for me and he moved to the driver’s seat.

“Where are we going?” I asked him. I seriously can’t understand this person.

            What is he thinking? What emotion is he having? And why take me? To where? So many questions are rising in my mind but this person remained silent.

“Hey, I’m asking where are we going? Don’t I have a right to know where you are taking me?” I retorted. My heart tensed when he suddenly pressed the brake. Seriously? What is wrong with this man?

“I don’t know, I actually don’t know.” He rested his head at the steering wheel not looking at me.

“Then, why take me? Why do you have to drag me, there should still be an excuse for this one” I asked him. I shoved my hands in my face.

“Because if I won’t drag you, will you talk to me? I don’t even understand why you became suddenly distant. You are avoiding me.” Again, I can’t understand the emotions written in his face. Confusion, longing, anger, agony. I sighed and bowed my head. I can’t see him like that, It gives me hope and I hate it. I hate the pain.

“Why Chai? What is your reason?” I can feel his dark stare towards me, I kept my heads down.

“I need to go.” I almost whispered. The car is filled with silence. I opened the door. I’ll just take a taxi from here. I need to go for my part-time job, its waiting.

“You have to tell me what’s wrong for me to understand.” I hear him say that before I close the door.

“I don’t want to be hurt. That is all I can say.” I don’t want to be hurt.

I just decided a while ago to let my growing feeling go. If he thinks of me as his employee, I must stay professional. I still need to finish my internship. All I need is to be distant from him. We don’t actually need to need to communicate every day, we don’t even need to have lunch together, we don’t even need to see each other. I just need to stay away from him. I know, sooner or later this feeling I have for him will vanish. It’s just a crush but as what they always say, ‘Prevention is better than cure.’ I must prevent myself from having deeper feelings.

“There are things that are always better left unsaid.” I closed the car door but he opened the door on his side.

“I’ll drive you home.” He returned to the driver’s seat. I was left there, Staring at him from the front. What? I continued walking to the highway side to pick up a taxi. It’s already rush hour, It’s hard to get a taxi especially that we are in a high way. My put my hands down and looked at him again, He hornked his car tat s why I automatically looked athim he is not leaving yet. I felt my phone vibrated

‘I’ll drive you home. Let’s go.’

‘Don’t be too hard-headed.’

            I looked around hoping that there will be an empty taxi that will stop in front of me but unfortunately, there is none. I sighed in defeat. I went inside his car. He drove in silence, I did the same, I sat in silence. I sent a message to my landlady, that I need to do a rain check for the tutorial session for his son.

            We reached my place. But before I step out he talked.

“Are you going to continue being like this?” I faced him

“Like what” I replied

“Being distant.” He looked at me. I shook my head in response. No. I don’t want to.

“Can’t you just, can’t we just stay the same?”

“We will but not now.” I smiled at him he just nodded. I stepped out of the car.

            Patrick is a good friend. I want us to stay friends again.

“You did a great job in your presentation Miss Lucas.” Everyone is looking at me while Ma’am Patricia is praising the presentation yesterday. We are about to end our meeting when she remembered what happened yesterday. I just smiled and bowed my head.

“Anyway, you are chosen to take part of the project.” My eyes widened and all I can hear is the teasing sound from them.  Why me?

“Don’t worry I will be with you throughout the project.” Maam Patricia assured me

“I will inform you next time for the project meeting, Dismiss.” Everyone congratulated me. For them it is an honour but for me it’s a responsibility, a job maybe?

“But ma’am” I was about to protest but she just smiled at me and left the room.

“Congratulations Chai.” Sir Mark congratulated me

“but sir, I don’t want to be part of it.” I said but he just laughed at my pleading reaction.

“Why not?”

“It’s too much work sir. I only have a month here in finance department. I won’t be able to stay long.” Excuse. That is just my excuse.

“It’s okay. Then be part of the project for just a month, there is no problem in that.” He keeps on motivating me but I don’t know.

“Still sir.” I also keep on insisting.

“Why? It’s a good opportunity for you to learn how business contract and transactions are made. Who knows, after your internship you will decide to put up your own business. What do you think?” Worry is still visible in my face. He messes up with my hair before leaving too.

            I don’t mind about the project. Yes, it is true I have the chance to learn things with this project and I’m grateful to part of it but the problem is. It’s not even a week when I decided to keep my distance away from Patrick but with this project, I don’t think that will happen.

            I followed Sir Mark to talk to him, maybe he can do something about this project thing.

“Sir!” I run towards him. He is a fast walker huh. He turned left but I was still halfway. I keep on calling him hoping for him to stop and look at me. But it did not happened at all.

“Sir!” I turned left as I reached the intersecting hallway. My feet stopped to move. Two pair of eyes were set on mine. There he is talking with someone I’m trying to avoid.

“Are you calling me Chai?” His face moved towards my direction making him turn his back to Patrick. I swallowed a lump in my mouth. I walked towards them keeping the yee contact to Sir Mark trying to avoid my gaze going to Patrick.

“Sir, Can we talk?” I looked at Patrick

“Is it important?” Sir Patrick asked

“Not really, I’ll just go to your office later sir. It’s about the project?” I hesitantly said the last part. I just want him to prepare his self what to tell me later on. Anyway, he must have already an idea on what will I say to him.