To The Top Of A Cliff (Girls of Chicago Series #1)

Chapter 8

“Are you okay?” Denise asked me.

I was busy staring at my phone. It’s been seventeen days since Clifford went back to the base. It’s been seventeen days that I have been waiting for him to text me because that’s what he told me but there was still not text message coming from him.

I even answer calls from unregistered numbers now because I am hoping that it could be him. But they were not him.

I sighed and looked at Denise who’s looking down on me in the cubicle. “What?” I asked her.

She pursed her lips and gave me a look. “Are you okay? You don’t look good,” she told me.

I smiled weakly and nodded. “I’m fine. I’m just waiting for something to come up on my phone,” I replied.

She raised her brow. “Who? The man from the air force?”

I sighed and nodded. “It’s been seventeen days,” I told her.

“But he’s on duty. He couldn’t have access to phones,” she said. I don’t know if she’s trying to show me reality or if she’s only doing that so she could console me. But either way, it’s not helping.

I am holding on to Clifford’s words. He said he’d look for a way. But he hasn’t contacted me yet. I’m worried.

What if something bad happened to him?

What if he found someone better than me?

I know he told me things to reassure me but I just can’t get the possibility out of my head.

I hate feeling like this. I am not the type to be insecure. I have always been so contented on my appearance and my reputation. I have never been jealous of someone else because I have confidence in myself.

Until now.

“You know what? I know what you need,” Denise smirked. “You need to unwind. And we can unwind tonight. It’s Friday! We should have fun. What do you think?” she beamed.

I looked at her. I have no plans of partying but then again, maybe it’s a good way for me to stop thinking about Clifford right now.

I smiled and nodded. “Sure! Same time, same club?” I asked.

Denise winked at me. “You know it,” she chuckled before going back to her cubicle.

I sighed and looked at my phone again. Still no text from him. I took a deep breath and smiled at my screen. Maybe I should stop waiting. The more I wait, the more I grow paranoid. So I should stop and focus on my work.

Miss Thrina gave me an important project and I don’t want to mess it up because it has a huge possibility that if Valeria liked it, it would be an entry to the fashion show. I can’t wait to see something I made on the runway!

I proceeded on what I was supposed to do and that’s what I focused on until the end of work. Denise reminded me of the night out before we parted ways.

I was excited when I got home but I was surprised to see Mom and Sylvia having their little wine session on the garden.

Mom smiled and motioned for me to come to them and I had no choice but to oblige. “How was work, dear?” she asked me.

I smiled and nodded. “It was good. I am extremely enjoying my time there,” I replied.

Sylvia smiled at me. “You should. Because after you graduate, you’d be taking over your company.”

Something inside me twitched. Herman Black seemed to be decent to me. But why did he choose someone like Sylvia to be his wife? I don’t know.

I faked a smile. “I know,” I replied because I don’t want this conversation to expand. “Anyway, I need to go. I have a night out with my coworkers.”

Mom and Sylvia smiled at me and let me go. Thank goodness! Because I don’t know what I could say to them once they let me stay there with them.

I already had enough of their comments on my life. I want to be a fashion designer but none of them believed that I could be. It’s as if my life is already planned. After I graduate, I will learn how to run the company…which isn’t mine in the first place. It’s Heaven’s.

I wore a cream halter top and a pair of ripped jeans. I topped it off with a pair of red Jimmy Choos that Mom got me last weekend when she went on a shopping with Sylvia in Los Angeles.

I put my hair up in a high ponytail and put on light make up.

I looked at myself in the mirror before smiling in content. This would do.

I got my Louis Vuitton Pochette Florentine belt bag and wrapped it around my waist. I only need my phone, my lipstick, my wallet, and my keys. And when I got everything I needed, I left and drove to the club.

Denise texted me and said that they are running late. I looked at my wristwatch. I am thirty minutes early. But there are already a lot of people inside so I got in and decided to just stay at the bar and chill.

I ordered two shots of tequila when someone called my name. I looked to my right and saw Chadrick Moore, Sage’s worst cousin. He’s the most playboy and he thinks everybody likes him. Well, all four of them are like that.

Sage is the epitome of annoying.

Porter is somehow the most decent.

Miller is the one that dates girls the longest.

And Chad…well, he’s the huge d**k in the family. He sleeps around more than he works. I don’t even know if he’s good at business. But by the looks of him, he’s always in the clubs and having fun. I wonder if he knows anything about business.

“Hey,” he told me. He’s holding up a glass of whiskey while smirking at me. “Are you here because of Sage?” he asked me.

I narrowed my eyes at him. “No,” I replied. “What do you mean?”

Chad smirked. “Sage is around here,” he replied. “I think he’s trying to see if his girl is around.”

I shrugged. “So what?” I deadpanned.

I don’t care if he’s here. And why is he looking for Heaven here? It’s not like he could find Heaven here. If he isn’t dumb, Heaven isn’t the type to go to parties. She’s more on the conservative side.

“Are you jealous?” Chad chuckled.

I gave him a disgusted look. “Why would I?” To be honest, just the thought of me being jealous because of Heaven is almost making me want to vomit.

Heaven didn’t really do anything to me but I just can’t get myself to like her. She’s just someone that’s unlikeable for me. But Sage is still on the top of my list. He’s an arrogant douche who thinks he can control everything.

Chad laughed and shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe because you’re supposed to marry him?”

I scoffed and downed my first shot of tequila. I sipped on the lemon and licked the salt on the glass. I scrunched my nose and placed the glass down.

“I don’t want to marry him,” I told him as I looked at him.

He smirked. He’s drunk. I guess he’s only looking for someone to f**k tonight. His face is all red and I can see from his eyes that he’s not in his sober state. “That’s new,” he uttered. “We all know that you want to marry him. Maybe I’m just drunk,” he laughed.

I rolled my eyes. “Yes, you are drunk,” I told him. “You’re already leaning closer to me.” I leaned back and pushed him away. “If you want to f**k someone, go to the dancefloor and look for some women who would want to.”

I shook my head and looked at my glass again. I downed the whole thing before hearing Chadrick laugh out loud.

“What if I want to f**k you?” he asked me in a suggestive tone.

Yuck! Gross!

I looked at him with a disgusted face and willed myself not to throw the shot glass to his face. “Get the f**k away from me,” I told him as I moved another seat away from him.

God, he’s ruining my night. I should be having fun right now and not disgusted at a drunken bachelor who only knows nothing but to f**k.

“Chad!”

I let out a sigh of relief when I heard Porter’s voice. He came to his cousin before narrowing his eyes on me. “What are you doing here?” he asked me.

I rolled my eyes. “Am I not allowed here?” I asked sarcastically. Look at all these rich men thinking they have a say on who to see in public places. Their sense of entitlement baffles me.

Porter pursed his lips. “Sage is here.”

“So? What’s the fuss with that?”

Porter shook his head. “Whatever, just have a good and quiet night, Julia,” he told me before dragging his drunken cousin out away from the bar.

I sighed and ordered two more drinks. “Finally, the bad spirit has been cast away,” I mumbled to myself as I started drinking on my own again.

I checked my phone and saw Denise’s text.

Denise:

We’ll be there in thirty minutes.

I smiled and replied an “okay” before going back to drinking the shots I ordered. I was already on my fourth shot when I felt someone wrapping his arms around me, hugging me from behind.

“Why are you drinking alone?”

My eyes widened as I immediately recognized that voice. I was about to turn and look at him but he tightened his hold on me. He kissed the top of my shoulder and I could immediately feel the shivers down my spine.

“W-What…w-why…” I couldn’t finish my sentence because my mind is in a state of chaos once again.

He chuckled sexily to my ear. “I missed you,” he whispered.

I couldn’t help a smile from forming on my face as I heard him utter me those three words.

“I exchanged my leave with a friend of mine,” he told me.

“What did you tell him?”

“I told him there’s an emergency and I need to get out badly,” he replied.

I bit my lip as I could feel my blood rushing to my face. I don’t know if it’s the alcohol or my emotions. Or maybe both.

He loosened his grip and turned me around to face him. He’s smiling widely as he stared at my face.

I pouted at him. He looks even more handsome now. His brown eyes are still as mesmerizing as ever and his smile is making my heart drop.

“Why did you not contact me?” I asked, sounding like a child who had her candy taken away.

Maybe it’s the alcohol. Okay, I’ll blame it on the alcohol.

Clifford looked at me with amusement in his eyes. He reached for my face and wiped his thumb over my lips. “I’m sorry. I didn’t find a way to bring my phone inside,” he explained. “I’ll make it up to you.”

I frowned at him even more. “What will you do?”

Clifford smirked. “I have four days of leave now,” he uttered. “Do you want to go somewhere? It’s the weekend. We can have a short drive to Michigan.”

I bit my lip. That sounds exciting.

“Do you have class tomorrow?” he asked me

I shook my head.

“Then can we leave tomorrow morning?” he suggested. “We’ll come back on Sunday evening. Is that okay?”

I looked into his hopeful eyes and slowly smiled at him. I nodded. “That would be perfect,” I replied. “But first, please kiss me,” I ordered him to which he gladly complied.

And now, all my longing is gone.