Chapter 6
1829 Words
Jason
When I arrived home, I immediately detached myself from my car and headed to my apartment.
While riding the elevator, I thought back to my short date with Jessica. Well, I couldn’t exactly call it a date because we only had dinner. But maybe I could consider it as one. At least I got the chance to spend a few hours with her and she accepted my offer. I couldn’t be happier than that. But she still had these walls around her. I couldn’t push her too much or I would lose her and I didn’t f*****g want that.
Now that I had the perfect one, I wouldn’t let her escape.
And I could tell Jessica needed saving too. She had her heart broken by her pathetic ex-fiancé.
Yes, cheating was bad. I would never do that. I only dedicated myself to one woman. Despite I didn’t love them – only liked them – I never cheated.
But what I was hiding from everybody this time, except James and Ricardo, could potentially hurt her a lot and I hoped…I wouldn’t.
I reached my floor and walked out of the elevator, heading to my room. Walking in and I turned on the lights. Heading to my bedroom while untying my necktie, dumping it on the bed. My suit jacket followed and then my shirt, leaving me only with my slacks as I entered the bathroom. I landed my palms on top of the marble counter, looking at my reflection, immediately seeing the f*****g Satan.
It’s my time now.
Shit, not again.
I f*****g hated doing this. This was so not my style.
But it was the Satan’s need. The last time I refused to listen to my inner demon, I almost attacked Linda although I didn’t remember everything fully, James gave me a bigger picture once I woke up and it was not pretty at all.
I gave up.
“I won’t be having this game any longer,” I said and he laughed.
I opened my slacks and entered the cubicle, taking a quick shower.
It should not be a problem if I did this. I was having a holiday now. I was just helping James and Ricardo. I would be needed if they called me.
So tonight, I would let my inner demon come out and play so I could have a good night's sleep tonight without having his voice bothering my head.
Once I was done, I walked out of the cubicle, grabbed the towel, and dried myself. I was about to get out of the bathroom until I stopped in front of the counter. Slowly turned my head to the mirror, and looked at my own reflection again.
I would be okay.
I would be saved.
Just tonight. No, just at night, I allowed the Satan to take control of me because tomorrow morning, I would be back at my normal life.
And the Satan wickedly smiled at me.
Reminding me that I was just making a fool of myself.
And what a f*****g delusion I was.
***
Jessica
I was about to wear my pajama when my phone rang and Sally’s name popped on the screen. What did she want? “Hello?”
“Hey, Jess? Are you sleeping already?”
“About to. Why?”
“Oh, thank God. I’m sorry, Jess. But could you keep me company tonight? I was supposed to have a drink with my friend but she canceled it at the last minute and I don’t want to go there alone. Please? Please? Please?” Drink? By remembering tomorrow was still a working day? Uh-oh, nope.
“Sally, sorry. You know that I—”
“Please, Jess? I won’t ask you again because I know that you hate bars and stuff. I had a bad day after Mr. Greene came. I swear to God, he was the most annoying old man I’ve ever met and he ruined my mood for the entire day. I needed a drink or two to calm myself. I won’t be taking your time too much. Two hours max. So, Jess…please? I will come and take you home too.” Oh, bummer. I didn’t really want to join. What the hell was I supposed to wear too? Bars were out of my go-to list. I hated that place. I didn’t mind drinking but not there. I drank alone in my apartment.
But I felt bad about Sally. She rarely felt like this.
Sally was a year younger than me and we joined the company together. She was the cheerful one and very popular, unlike me who was so timid. Maybe accompanying her until she felt better wouldn’t hurt.
“Okay.”
“Oh, my God! Thank you so much, Jess! I’m on my way now,” she informed.
“Sure.” I ended the call. I sighed while looking down at my body still wrapped with my favorite blue towel. “Good thing I haven’t worn my PJ.” I put down my phone on the bed and looked for some clothes in my wardrobe. I wouldn’t be wearing anything too open as I grabbed the blue dress. I put on make-up and wore the dress until my phone chimed again. A message from Sally said she was downstairs already. I pushed my phone into my handbag and walked out of my apartment, heading downstairs.
I saw Sally’s Focus and approached it, jumping in where I saw Sally wearing a very open blouse. Long-sleeved cream blouse with black leather jeans. Her cleavage was shown. She was very confident with her looks. She always did.
“Hi, Jess.”
“Hi.”
“Sorry for inviting you so suddenly because I bet you were about to tuck inside your comforter, weren’t you?”
I laughed nervously. “Almost.”
“Well, sometimes you need to loosen up a bit and you’re wearing a great dress too. Maybe you were telling yourself subconsciously that maybe you should get a guy tonight,” she joked.
“Sally!” I scolded and she laughed.
Sally drove us to her wanted bar. It was not too far from my apartment. We walked in and headed to the bar table quite far from the crowd. I had asked her to do so and Sally didn’t mind it. She wasn’t going to drink a lot too knowing she would be driving again later.
We gave out our order to the bartender. “By the way, have you planned on taking a driving lesson yet?” she started.
“I have a license but it’s been too long since I put myself behind the wheel.”
“That’s because you used to have someone to take you anywhere,” she said and I smiled weakly. Yep, I was.
She kept looking at me as the bartender put down our drinks in front of us and I smiled to thank him. “You haven’t forgotten about Christian completely, have you?”
“It’s not easy, Sal.”
“I know but you have to move on eventually. It’s not easy especially when you two were in a relationship for five years. You need time but you should build up the courage within you to move on. You deserve better, Jess.” Yes, that’s what everyone said, even Sally.
I nodded my head. “Thank you, Sal.”
Sally was right.
Ricardo was right.
Even Jason was right.
It’d been almost a year and Christian never once contacted me to at least say sorry or even from Stacey. Neither came from them. It was just proof that they never cared about me. I was just fooling myself.
I looked back at Sally. “You’re right.” I raised my drink. “Maybe I need a drink too tonight.”
Sally smiled widely and raised her drink too. “I’m proud of you, Jess. Cheers to a new life. And a new guy!” We tossed and I was about to drink my blue lagoon until I saw...
Jason?
My eyes fixed on him and slowly brought down my cocktail. I couldn’t see him clearly because he had his back on me. That brunette hair and posture looked almost the same as Jason and he had…girls around him. And his current attire was not the same as the usual Jason I knew. He wore a black leather jacket as girls were practically gluing themselves around him. I was hoping he would turn around so I could see if he was Jason or not until people were increasing and I lost sight of him.
“What’s wrong?” Sally asked as I blinked my eyes back to her.
“Um, I thought I saw someone I know near the window.”
“Who is it?”
“Jason.”
“Jason? You mean, Jason Ross? Your boss’ friend?” I gave her a nod and she turned to where the person I thought as Jason was and by the time people gave us better access to look at him, he was nowhere. Gone from his seat. The girls were still there but he was gone already. Was I hallucinating?
“He’s not there but he’s yummy too, you know? And he seems nice,” Sally commented.
“Well, you’re right. And very popular,” I added.
“I know that.” Sally turned her eyes to me. “But don’t judge him badly, Jess. He might be handsome but that doesn’t mean he will do the same as Christian.”
“I know, Sal.” I couldn’t judge people one-sidedly without knowing their real selves and based on one terrible incident with a man. Even though I had communicated with Jason for almost a year, I could tell there was something Jason hadn’t told me. Maybe because he saw me still not opening myself, he did the same too. He was hoping I would reveal my true self and he would reward me with his secret.
“By the way, I saw you today with him going home together,” Sally said as I flicked my eyes to her.
“He invited me for dinner,” I told her and she gasped excitedly.
“And how was it?”
“Good. We talked a bit and since he knew my problem from my boss, he advised me to not give up hope, consider everything as a lesson, and move on.”
“Wow, what a guy. Even he said the same. Maybe he’s the cure for everything. Why don’t you give him a chance?”
I chuckled. “You said the same like Ricardo.”
“That’s because everyone loves you and an adorable being like you deserve better.”
I smiled widely and said, “Thank you.”
Yeah, I deserved better. More than Christian. Maybe I should give Jason a chance? But instead of thinking about him…
Was it him before he was gone?
- Writer
