Chapter 19: 19. Darkness
I got home and quickly changed into a suit. Taking my fake glasses and hairpin, I drove to the office. As usual, I was late. My three spare suits of the office were already used and I forget to put more of them. My mind that was busy with the usual stuff, was dashed back on yesterday's incident. I have to talk to him. Not sure what to talk but I need to. When I reached, I took my private elevator and to my surprise, Loren arrived at the same time and stepped in. Just his presence was building up the weird feeling in me.
There was no reaction from my side, I started arranging the list of my questions. Ask him! My inner voice was pushing it up. The distance from the ground floor to the seventh increased drastically, making a slow-motion movement that suddenly halted on a random floor. The elevator was off and this big box turned all dark. I tensed up not by the darkness but by the thought of being locked in a little darkroom. Blinked a couple of times to capture any view, but what I caught was only darkness. My ears seemed block with a whistling sound on repeat mode.
DARKNESS
Darkness can be measured by the absence of light,
Things vanish in presence of its sight.
It's a feeling of not knowing your surroundings, cannot seeing the color they hold,
When your eyes seem dead and senses feel cold.
It is frightening when you cannot hear the chirping of insects or tick-tock of a clock,
People fear it's presence yet, it holds a place in one's heart.
We hide it behind, covering it with light,
Even the sun hide behind darkness when it's the night.
They say one experience light only in the presence of dark, their words are faithful.
As darkness is terrifying yet beautiful.
I felt a warm breath at the side and of my neck which accelerated my heart as if someone spoke at my back. A relief form as I was not alone here, but it was unstable by the awareness of 'his' presence. Ignoring it, I stepped back and touched his hand.
"Can we talk?" I asked slowly in a low voice.
He took my hand and we sat at one corner side by side. My heart was racing up by each second. I could feel his shoulder touching mine. He didn't let go of my hand instead kept it on his lap and covered it with his. My hands turned cold and sweaty like always. His presence was neither bothering me nor I felt insecure. Instead, I was liking it in a weird way.
"Do you have your phone?" I asked, unable to find mine. Maybe I left it at home or at Jacob's place.
"Yes, but it's dead."
Silence formed after our little conversation. He started grazing the back of my hand with his thumb. His touch was increasing the weird feeling along with my heartbeat. And was leaving the warmest in me. I felt his hand on my hair, he took some strands of my hair and bend close in my direction, I couldn't see him but his presence was sensible.
"Is breá liom do chuid gruaige agus ar an mbealach smell tú" [I like your hair and the way you smell]
He spoke close to my face that his warm breath was brushing against my neck, giving me an exotic sensation. Without knowing our proximity, I pulled back letting my heart calm down which was racing.
"Speak an understandable language," I said, steadying my voice and internally repeated those words to remember it. I know he wasn't going to tell me the meaning.
He made a chortling sound in my response. "What do you want to talk about?" And asked, continuing his stoke.
"Who was that red Lady?" I asked in a low voice. My heart was still racing high on his action.
His warm and hard hand was giving a soft touch.
"Red Lady? Who's that?"
"I mean, that Lady who was with you last night in the restaurant."
"On what bases do you give nicknames to the people? A girl with no name, a girl with red end hair and now red lady." He chuckled.
Now I realized how stupid it sounds whenever I mentioned any of these. "Depending upon their first impression."
"I see, so what my name might be? 'The one I bumped into'." He said between his chuckles.
'Mr. Black' my inner voice was quick to mention it, but my lips didn't let it out.
"No." I giggled. "So who's she?" I asked again.
"Well." He paused then continued. "I was on a date with an unwanted marriage proposal."
I pulled my hand the moment I registered those words. His words hurt like a dagger through my heart. Water began to form in my eyes. Why? Why would he date her? Is he going to marry her? Is that why he was angry the whole week? Does he like her? Or not? Many questions began to arise but I was afraid of the answers. Then the word 'unwanted' clicked in.
Keeping my voice calm I asked. "Unwanted? Then why didn't you reject it?" Why would he? There isn't any reason for rejection. She was beautiful and attractive but I want him to reject it.
"I did, but it was having a little impact on my sister's life." He said each word slowly trying to explain his reasons.
I wanted to know whether he's going to marry her, is he dating her or anything. What if he says he is going to marry her because of what so ever was affecting his sisters' life. Elevator was on with a 'thud' sound. I stood on my feet and turned away from him, blinking several times to remove the moisture from my eyes. Without asking any more questions, I was ready to leave. Before I could step out he wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me back. Holding me in front of him.
"I am not marrying her." He spoke softly at my earlobe rising again the wired feeling. My tensed mind was relaxed for a moment.
"So that's the reason you were angry the whole week?" I replied in the same manner.
"Was I angry?" He held me close.
"Yes." My voice was low and I was losing stability. Once again there was silence around us. One question was remaining which I held it. We stood there for a while without speaking. The only audible thing was the sound of our breathing.
"Let's ask Mr.Willson about the meeting. We are already late." Releasing his grip, he walked out of the elevator. I mirrored his action and followed him.
The meeting starts after an hour. I asked uncle to arrange an inverter for extra power supply. And the evening went on as usual. I got home at 10 pm, had my dinner, took a long bath and laid on the bed. While repeating today's incident in my mind, I was contemplating my feeling. A vibrating sound buzzed, distracted me. By turning around I found my phone on the side table.
"Yes."
"Levy, what are you going to wear tomorrow?" Jeal asked on the other side of the phone.
"Why? Something special?" I asked.
"Levy! How can you forget it?"
I stood in a sitting position when I recalled the date. Tomorrow is the competition! How can I forget? I swing open my wardrobe and choose black jeans and a gray shirt.
"Back jeans and gray shirt" I waited for her answer.
"No!"
"OK, how about blue jeans and a black T-shirt or white"
"Pick a dress, Levy." She ordered.
Not a dress, I have to order again.
"Ok, wait"
My right order was delivered to me after a day, which I haven't unpacked yet. I took it out and described the dress to her.
"Ok, I am wearing a white one, you can wear that black." She was convenience. "And come early we'll practice for the last time"
"I'll be there at 7."
When I hung off the phone, I remembered Loren's words and quickly translated them. My cheeks flushed up when I got the meaning of those words. I slowly sat on the bed and fall back placing my hand on my face. Embarrassing! How do I smell? Why would he sm- I got alert by Adam's words.
"Why your clothes are all over the bed." He said, piling them up by pushing away with his legs.
I turned towards him while shutting my phone off.
"Don't do that, have some manners." I picked and put them back in the wardrobe.
"They were at my place." He laid back on the pillow, folding his hands under his head.
"What's with that attitude?"
"What?"
"You're in a bad mood." I sat beside him.
He turned away with 'no'.
"Yes." I turned him through his shoulder.
"When I said 'no' it means no." He snarled.
I narrowed my eyes at him.
"I fought with a boy in my class." He murmured.
"What? Why?" I bend over him, to face him directly.
"I am sorry, the teacher wants to meet my parents."
I sighed and laid beside him. "That's bad, let's give them brothers' number"
"No!" He quickly stood up.
"Fine, I'll talk with them. Tell the truth about the fight."
"Ok."
He began his story, making movements with his hands, showing his fight like an act of a play.
•••••••••••••••••••••
LOCKHART.
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