22.
Here's my theory about Mondays. Now I'm not a scientist, but hear me out.
Monday's set the tone for how your week is going to pass.
Whenever my Mondays start horribly and continue to progress badly throughout the day, the rest of the week ensues in the same manner.
It's a theory with no evidence except my own experiences but I live by it.
Last night, in my happiness haze, I forgot to set an alarm.
Luckily, my body was beginning to become used to waking up early and I woke up a few minutes before my alarm clock usually rang.
It was almost as if my brain never slept.
As though it was subconsciously waiting for the moment I could see him again.
Despite that blessing, I was somehow still running late to get to the office. In an attempt to save time, I visited Silva's café and picked up a small black coffee for him. In all my rush, I left my phone at home.
I made my way into the building, chirping a greeting to reception and security. They stared at me in confusion as I made my way to the private elevator. Jeez, I knew I wasn't normally a morning person, but it wasn't that weird for me to greet them a good morning. I did almost every morning.
I made my way inside and tried to shake off the buzzing excitement making way underneath my skin the closer the elevator got to his floor. I stepped out and looked in both directions, catching his muscular back as he made his way towards the kitchen.
I placed my coat over the chair and bag on the floor, all whilst holding his hot coffee. Suddenly, I heard a woman's loud screech. I placed his coffee on my desk as I made my way in that direction, wondering what was going on.
Who was that? Why is there someone on this floor?
My heartbeat picked up the closer I got to the voices. I knew that voice. What was she doing here? She wasn't supposed to be back for another two weeks?
Suddenly, there was no doubt in my mind of who it was. I stood in the doorway, watching the shocked expression on my tanned sister's face as she stared at Mason. Her expression turned to fury as her eyes cast behind him to look at me.
"What did you do?" She'd never spoken to me like that before. Her words were lined with malice and anger. Her jaw was taught and I could tell her teeth were clenched from the way she nearly barred her teeth at me.
Following her gaze, Mason turns around to face me. His confused expression settled into a hard, blank canvas as he examined me. He looked between Ophelia and I, connecting the dots.
I mean it wasn't hard to do. One twin works for you and the other doesn't. We're both here dressed in office attire. One of us is tanned, the other isn't. I think the situation was self-explanatory, yet I found myself wanting to explain. No, I needed to explain all this to him. He deserved to know.
"I can explain," I said, holding out my hands in hesitation.
"Oh, I'd love to hear this," Ophelia's sarcastic tone dripped venom.
"Shut up, Ophelia. Not now." I snapped as I looked at her. She's the reason we're in this mess. It was her idea, after all.
"No, now is a perfect time. What the fuck were you thinking?"
"Enough," His voice grumbled. He didn't speak loudly or yell. He didn't need to. He was the elephant in the room. "Ophelia? My office. Now."
I watched as he walked away, without throwing a glance my way. The pressure in my chest which had been absent for some time now, built up in full force. Its effects nearly make me bend over for air. I felt as though I couldn't breathe and my sight was blurred from the onslaught of tears.
"If I get fired, we're done, Charlotte. I will never speak to you ever again," With what I assumed was a final glare, she walked past me and made her way into his office.
I made my way to the seating area outside his office. The comfortable couch did nothing to ease my discomfort as I waited for them to exit.
After several minutes, the door opened. I straightened as I watched Ophelia walk slowly towards her desk. Picking up her bag, she softly shoved things around her desk inside of it.
No. No, no, no. This cannot be happening.
Her sad eyes meet mine and she shakes her head as she looks at me. I watched as she made her way to the elevator and disappeared as it closed behind her.
Making my way towards his door, I knocked softly.
No answer.
I knocked, again.
No answer. Inhaling a shaky breath, I turned the doorknob and walked in. He didn't spare me a glance or a word. It was as if I wasn't even here.
"Can we talk?" I asked, only to be met with silence.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it, this, to get out of hand.
When she asked me, I thought it was going to be a quick and easy switch-a-roo.
Then, I met you and the lines started getting blurred," The more I spoke, the faster he typed.
"I know it's not an excuse, but please don't fire my sister.
She did nothing wrong. It's all my fault.
I should have never said 'yes' in the first place. "
"Why?"
"What?"
"Why did you say 'yes'?"
"I knew it would make Ophelia happy. I didn't think of the repercussions. I didn't think that it would wound up affecting me so much...I didn't think I would end up liking you."
He was silent. He wasn't speechless. A man like him in a situation such as this probably had way too many things to say about it and me. I know for a fact that if I was in his shoes, I'd have exploded a while ago. His restraint was strong and he was a gentleman through and through.
"For someone that likes me, you seem to have taken an awful amount of enjoyment of fabricating lies to me."
"I didn't do it on purpose."
"Yes, you did. You made a choice. To deceive me. You continued to make that choice time and time again, with every lie."
"It wasn't completely a lie! I'm still me. I'm still that girl you brought to the roof to watch the sunset."
I was desperate. I could feel the loss of control of the situation continuously slipping from my hands. I could feel myself losing him, despite my efforts to keep him.
"That may be true but it doesn't change anything. Now, I need you to leave."
"Not until you promise me that you won't fire Ophelia."
"I can't undo what has already been done."
"I'll do anything. Please, just don't fire her for my mistakes."
"I don't want anything from you. Get out," His eyes cut to mine for the first time and my breath caught at the pure anger in his eyes. I'd seen him angry plenty of times, but never like this.
"You owe me a favor. Remember? That's my favor. That's what I want"
"After all this, you think I owe you a favor? I don't owe you anything," He leans forward with a sneer. "You think you have a right to demand anything from me after this stunt you've pulled?"
"No, of-"
"Listen," he sighed as he rubbed the slight stubble of his jaw. "I need you to leave. I can't talk about this right now." His fingers returned to his keyboard, the tapping of the keys filling the tense silence.
"I really am sorry." There was so much more that I wanted to say and I wasn't beneath groveling for his forgiveness. At this point, I would give him anything he wanted in hopes that he would talk to me. Even if that means he wants me to leave.
I made my way to Ophelia's desk and grabbed my coat and bag before making my way to the elevator. My chest was tight and my legs felt weak with every passing second. I tried blinking quickly to avoid the tears from building up. It had the opposite effect.
I kept my head down as I made my way out of the building and to my apartment. As I passed Silva's, I realized I had never even given him his coffee.
When I got home, I checked my phone for any messages. The tears that had subdued me came back in full force as I read Ophelia's.
Hey Char! I'm back home early!! I tried calling you on the way back and this morning but you didn't answer. Don't bother going in today. I'll take it from here. Thank you so so much I love you 3
If I hadn't forgotten my phone, maybe we could have broken the news better to Mason.
If I told Ophelia earlier, then she wouldn't have been so mad.
There were so many ifs and regrets about how I handled the situation.
I was mad at myself, mad at Ophelia. Yet, there was nothing else I could do other than drown in my misery until they wanted to talk to me.
I checked my emails and my heart raced at the FINAL GRADE heading on the newest one. I opened the email and waited as the PDF downloaded. Once it did, my eyes scanned the document.
I passed.
I fucking passed. I've been waiting for this day, imagining what it would feel like for years. To finally be done with school and onto the next chapter. Yet, I could do nothing but close my laptop and stare at the wall as the empty and hollow silence of the room filled my soul.
I was supposed to feel as though I was on top of the world. Instead, I felt like I was six feet under.
Hey Guys!
Hope everyone is doing well! Here's Chapter 22! The truth is all aired out..how are we feeling?