Loving My Best Friend

Ch 18 - Ignorance

Oliver’s eyes widened and he sucked in a sharp breath, staring at the gift box. Emily opened her eyes and walked out of his room, not caring about his reply. He was left standing as she walked out on him and sighed in defeat. In anger, he had thrown the box into the trash but he never meant to discard it. In fact, it was a momentary thing. He would have opened the gift box sooner or later. But now it lay crashed in the corner.

Oliver went to pick up the box quickly and inspected the damage, which appeared to be nothing from outside, but from inside it was broken, just like their friendship.

Gently, he pried open the wrapping and then opened the cardboard box. He saw some pieces of glass and carefully opened the box and inspected the damage. There was a broken frame with a picture of Emily and Oliver together with a quote of friendship beside it. And there was a cup which was broken in half as well. It said ‘Congratulations Oliver on your remarkable achievement’.

Oliver sat heavily on the floor beside the box and sighed. He should’ve opened it sooner. At least he shouldn’t have dropped it in the trash bin.

There was also a note inside and Oliver quickly unfolded the paper. It was Emily’s writing, he recognized at first glance.

“Hey, I know we have our agreements and disagreements. But you’re my best friend and, no matter what, I am always there for you. I am always happy for you to move forward in your life. Congratulations, Oliver.”

“Damn it!” Oliver exclaimed and crushed the paper in his hands. His hands were clenched into fists and he gritted his teeth.

He didn’t know how to rectify anything that happened. He couldn’t repair the broken gift and certainly not their friendship.

Isn’t it that he wanted to be away from her? Now he would have no trouble keeping his desire for her at a distance. He could feel relief, but relief was far from what he felt.

This wasn’t the solution, he knew.

~~~~~~~~~

Emily came home and went straight to her bedroom without bothering to greet anyone. Her mother noticed and frowned as she saw Emily walking past her. She knew something was wrong but she decided to give her time to settle down.

Slamming the door closed, Emily threw her purse on the bed and let the tears fall. She felt her heart breaking every time she recalled how ruthlessly her gifts were discarded in the trash.

He had no regard for her and her friendship.

That’s it… Emily thought. I am no longer mopping over him. He is a selfish asshole.

She remembered the time she had last left him alone at the university. It was the same way.

After spending that night with him, Emily had decided to tell him about her feelings and she had gone to see him. And she was glad she did. She saw him with Evelyn, a girl from his class, making out. Her heart was shattered into pieces and she had left. Oliver hadn’t waited even for a week and had gone to sleep with another girl from his class, showing how little Emily meant to him. And Emily had left the university, deciding that she wouldn’t be in contact with him until she got rid of those feelings for him. But that never happened and he had returned to her life and just like before, he had hurt her again.

Stupid… Emily called herself and wiped her cheeks. She should have learned her lesson but she had fallen for him gullibly again.

“Emily? Are you okay?” Her mother called out from outside the door and Emily sniffled, quickly wiping her cheeks.

“Yeah, I am good, " Emily said, but her mother hesitated before asking again.

“Are you sure?” she asked.

“Yeah, I just need a moment to myself,” she said.

“Okay, take your time,” her mother said, and left Emily alone.

With the upcoming wedding Emily knew she had to face him again and again. But this time she assured herself that she wasn’t going to avoid him like before. She would face him and ignore him like he never existed in her world.

~~~~~~~

Almost a month later…

Pretending he didn’t exist was more difficult than Emily had thought. He was right there in front of her, flirting with a beautiful woman as she sat beside him.

Emily had been avoiding him and so was he avoiding her but she doubted it was working. At least not for Emily. Her mind was distraught and she was exasperated at the way it kept reminding her of Oliver even though he was far from her and happy in his life, judging by the looks of it.

They were at the wedding venue for the rehearsal. Eleanor and Rickard sat together looking like the most beautiful couple ever. Their love radiated from them and Emily wasn’t able to take her eyes off them. Except one person , Oliver, kept getting her attention.

His laughter and the way he was getting cozy with that woman beside him was irritating Emily to hell. She wondered who that woman was that was also invited to the wedding rehearsals.

“Are you thinking about that woman?” Chloe whispered in Emily’s ear and Emily turned to stare at her in surprise.

“Which woman?” Emily feigned ignorance but Chloe smiled.

“The woman who is flirting with Oliver,” Chloe said, wiggling her eyebrows.

Emily glanced at Oliver and blinked. “Do you know anything?”

Chloe snickered. “Not much. Just that she’s Oliver’s date for the wedding,”

Emily nodded, looking down at her hands. “Okay, glad to know that.”

“You don’t have to pretend in front of me, I can see you getting annoyed seeing them together,” Chloe said, eying Oliver and his date. “He’s always been like that, you know.”

“Yeah, I know. That’s why I keep my distance, I don't want to get hurt,” Emily said, taking a sip of her drink, and Chloe nodded.

“I think that's a wise choice,” Chloe said with a nod, and Emily continued to eat silently. Even Chloe agreed with her, but Oliver couldn’t see that.

~~~~~~

A day later…

Emily was working on her laptop in her office when there was a knock on her office door. She looked up and did a double take. Raymond Artair stood on the other side of the glass door.

She smiled and nodded for him to come in.

“Good morning, Mr. Artair,” Emily said, standing up and shaking hands with him.

“Good morning, and please call me Raymond,” he said in reply.

Emily chuckled and said, “Yeah, I forgot. So, what brings you here today?”

Raymond Artair frowned a little and replied, “Last time, when we were having coffee, you left suddenly.”

Emily’s smile dimmed a little and she nodded.

“And I thought since you’re so busy at work, why not have a coffee in your office? We can talk, right?” Raymond Artair proposed.

Smiling, Emily nodded. “That’s a great idea, since I can’t seem to get rid of work. I will order coffee for us,” said Emily, and picked up her desk phone to order coffee.

After Emily was done ordering, Raymond Artair turned and looked towards Oliver’s office. “You can delegate your work to your assistant, right?”

Emily followed his gaze and sighed. “Actually, Oliver’s no longer working here. He got a new role at his father’s company. A much better and bigger role and I am happy for him… So now, I have to handle all of it alone.”

Raymond Artair’s brows furrowed and he shrugged.

“Good for him, but you can hire a new assistant,” he said, at which Emily nodded.

“Yeah, it’s currently in process. You know how difficult it is to find honest talent nowadays,” she said and Raymond Artair nodded.

“Oliver sure spoiled you. You wouldn’t be getting anyone like him,” Raymond Artair said and saw the sad smile on Emily’s face.

“I know, no one’s like him. But I have to get someone, right?” Emily said and waved at the man who was standing outside her door carrying their coffees.

After the man had placed their coffee on their table, Raymond Artair continued the conversation.

Emily enjoyed having someone to talk to while she was engrossed in work. Raymond never complained about her working while she talked to him at the same time. It was then Emily remembered that she had to bring a date to the wedding and who could be better than Raymond? He was so easy to talk to. Never made crude or perverted remarks and kept work and personal life separate.

“Raymond, I need a favor from you,” Emily asked hesitantly and looked down before taking a deep breath.

“I will be glad to be of service,” Raymond said, and Emily cleared her throat.

“Can you be my date tomorrow? It’s my dearest friend’s wedding,” she said with pleading eyes, and he laughed.

“That’s it? I thought you were going to ask for my kidney,” Raymond Artair said, and Emily laughed hearing him.

“So will you come with me as my date?” She asked with a hopeful smile and he nodded.

“It’s a shame that a woman like you has no date,” he said, and Emily rolled her eyes with a chuckle.

“Please,” she said, and he nodded with a serious face.

“I will pick you up. Send me the time, place and your address,” he said, and Emily nodded.

She smiled and thanked him. With him by her side, she might be able to keep her thoughts away from Oliver. She hated how it all came down to Oliver, but she couldn’t help herself. He was on her mind day and night. After their last argument, Emily couldn’t deny that he was even more in her thoughts. She was tired of trying to distance herself from him so she wouldn’t be hurt, but it seemed like it was destined to happen.