I know I shouldn’t be feeling this way, but the mood in my office changes so drastically and so desperately and so... weirdly whenever my big brother comes over that I just can’t handle it.
It’s so annoying that at this point, I’ve stopped trying to even spur on any kind of conversation. Because whenever I do, it fizzles out like a poor-quality firecracker.
Even now, Keith just sits there, right in front of me as we hang out at the conference table in one of my offices, tapping his fingers on the table. He’s looking around the office as if he hasn’t already been here a thousand times, ignoring the elephant in the room as if that’s ever helped.
I sigh. “Keith, I’ve told you. I can’t be there for dinner next week. We have a party here at the office then.”
Keith shrugs. “You’re going to have to tell that to mum yourself, Gerr. I’m not going to be your messenger all the time.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose, about to say something when Bru cuts in. “Maybe we can go to your parents’ house after the party here, Gerrard?”
I throw her a halfhearted look. She throws me one back, and looks pointedly Keith’s way.
I give in. This is probably one of those rare few opportunities where she gets to be around my big brother, and no matter how much I dislike family dinners, I just don’t have the heart to say no to Bru’s small ray of hope.
I sigh again. “Fine. I’ll be there.”
Keith grins. “That’s more like it, kiddo.”
He pushes his chair back and gets up, and so do I.
“See ya later, G,” he calls over his shoulder as he makes his way to the glass door, but just before he slips out, he turns. “And Gerrard?”
I know it’s something serious, and something bad, when he calls me by my full name. I brace myself, and from the corner of my eyes, I see Bru do the same.
“I want to remind you that it’s a family dinner,” he tells me, his eyes briefly shifting to Bru, who glances down at her feet then. “Outsiders aren’t welcome.”
That was harsh, even by my standards. I open my mouth to tell him that, but he slips out of the room, and Bru stops me from doing anything.
“I-I’ll talk to him, okay?” she says, her eyes pleading as she holds me in place. “Just don’t- don’t interfere, Gerrard. Please.”
I just shake my head at her as she rushes out after my brother.
What’s even wrong with her, I just can’t begin to fathom.
But then I never could. Even in high school. Even when all three of us were the best of friends, because Bru has always been mad about my brother. And he used to like her, too, until one day, when the three of us graduated, he decided that Bru was better of without him.
It was cruel to see him distance himself from her when he clearly liked her still. But ever since he opened his own garage shop, he decided Bru could do better. Way better.
With someone like me.
I could almost laugh at the stupidity of what Keith has suggested to Bru every time she's tried to talk to him.
“You deserve better, B. Someone with a better job, someone who can give you what you deserve- more than that-- and that’s Gerrard. Not me. I’m just a mechanic. I can’t bear the thought of you realising that way down the line and hating me for ruining your life.”
And that’s how Bru-the-fashion-designer-yearner ended up joining my wannabe start-up.
To stay closer to my brother. To try and make him see that she liked him. Not his job or what he did.
And I know deep down Keith knows that. But then that fear of Bru supposedly realising that she could’ve done better keeps him away.
I sigh, checking the doorway to see if Bru’s back.
She isn’t.
It makes me feel bad for her.
It makes me want to shake my big brother a good few times.
Because can’t he see Bru’s in it for real? Can’t he see she’s in love with him and not his job? It almost makes me wish I had a girl like that who cared for me and not the money I earn or the name that comes with being with me. Because any and every girl who’s ever wanted to be with me? She's only wanted to be with Gerrard Southerford, CEO of Southerford Inc. Not me.
I walk over to the windows overlooking the city, feeling lost all of a sudden. I wish Keith would’ve accepted my offer as a partner in my company- in namesake at least- just so he’d feel worthy of Bru or whatever complicated shit he’s built up in his head.
But all he’d said was, “I work in that garage because that’s my passion, Gerr. I need you to understand that.”
I pocket my hands at the thought.
Five years Bru’s been after my brother, but he still won’t give himself a chance with her. And she still wouldn’t give up.
I don’t want to, but I feel jealous of what they have. Of the love they share. Because all I’ve ever ended up with, as far as love is concerned, are phonies.
Ruben doesn’t play.As I wait at my desk, waiting for ‘something to be sent my way’, I think about what’s happened since morning. First, Gerrard Southerford himself witnesses my interview for the position of a lawconsultant in his company. Second, it becomeshelluva lot apparent to me that he hates my guts the way he staredme down in the Interview Room.And somehow, I still end up with the job?And then, Argo Smith, one of the senior consultants on the team takes it upon himself to introduce me to his only son, who turns out to be the manager, and then Remo tells me that Smith ‘runs half the company’?I know for a fact that he’s no partner in this company; Gerrard’s not the kind of person to share even a fragment of his success with someone else who didn’t even contribute to it.Then how could Smith run half this company?My mind drifts back&nbs
It's been twenty minutes by the clock, and Bru still isn't back. It's making me wonder if all's well with her and Keith; he's a tough nut, I know that best.Sighing, I decide to make my way to the kitchen.If what I'm guessing is right, and they both are having an argument or something, then she's really going to need the coffee I'm going to brew just now. I make my way out of my conference room and to the kitchen, but I see something in one of the rooms down the corridor which makes me stop dead in my tracks.That rascal.Ruben's just entered one of my offices, and guess who he's brought in tow with him?The novice.My jaw ticks.As I watch them without their knowledge, I see Ruben's lips moving. My eyes shift to Gard, and I notice she looks uncomfortable. Ruben laughs suddenly, and I wonder what it was that he laughed at, because the next thing I know is that Gard takes a step back. I wish I could see her face and not
It's been a rollercoaster at work today. I'm exhausted, to say the least- but most of all, I'm starving. The first thing I do as soon as I get back to my apartment is make myself some hot cocoa. While it's simmering away in the pot, I run down to the washroom and let loose. I'm sweaty, my work clothes are damp with my sweat,so I freshen up and change into my night-suit. By the timeI walk back into the kitchen, my cocoa is about to burn. "Shit," I curse under my breath, heaving the pot off the stove with a dishcloth and pouring it into a mug. There's this slight note of smoky cocoa in the vapours that fly over the mug, but it's going to have to do. Sighing, I take my hot cocoa and head to the tiny living room. It's a one bedroom flat that I live in, and to be honest, it's kind of cramped, but then it's the closest oneI could get to Southerford Inc., so I'm not complaining. I plop down on the couch and switch on the T.V. I almo
I just can't believe this bullshit. I can't-- fire Gard. The fucking acceptance says we've signed a fucking one year contract with her. If I still want to terminate the employment, I'm going to need a resolution to be passed by the Board. And I have honestly no idea what the fuck I'm going to tell them when they ask me why I want her gone. The absolute, absolute fuck? I'm honestly just holding my head in my hands at this point, because for some weird ass reason, Bru insists that I rescue Gard from the clutches of Ruben. She's been hounding me about this ever since she saw them in that room yesterday. But obviously, Bru being Bru, doesn't think this is about saving Gard at all. Why? Because just now, before she went to get Gard from the lawdepartment, she told me, "Priscilla was appointed to the position of the final lawconsultant on your team, Gerrard, not to look after everyday cases. We alre
“On whose team, Gard?”I knew it that this man hatedme, but I never knew he’d literally throw it in my face. I get that he doesn’t want me to work for his company.I get that.But if I’m really that unbearable, or— undeserving, then just kick me out, damn it. Don’t just insult me like that.I’m staring at his back, unable to believe the words that just came out of his mouth.Never has anyone ever spat out my last name at me. As if it’s an insult, for god’s sake.You know what, man? I don’t care about you and your shitty company if this is how you’re going to treat me.”On yours, Southerford,” I reply, defiantly staring at the back of his head.I can see his body tense when he hears me, and I brace myself for the worst. Which is me losing this job.But you know what
I thought I disliked Gard. I was wrong. I hate her. Hate. Ever since that meeting in the morning, I've been unable to get that scene out of my head. To get her words out of my head. 'I think it's stupid'. "Fuck," I hiss at myself, slamming the shower door shut. I switch on the shower, water at its hottest, because I'd rather feel my skin burn than keep thinking about that girl. A blast of scalding hot water hits me suddenly, and I hiss under my breath at its intensity. But I still can't believe the way Gard insulted me today. If not for Bru, who held me back just in time, god knows what I might've done. It's already so difficult for me to stand that novice in my company everyday, and then she goes ahead and insults me to my face-- in front of all my team. The fuck? I growl at absolutely nothing and grab some shower gel. I honestly do
I can’t believe I just saw Gerrard Southerford in the flesh.In the flesh. Way too literally.I swear I can’t get that image of his out of my head even now as I zip out of his property, afraid that if he loses it- scratch that- afraid that if I lose it, fuck’s going to happen.I’m kind of embarrassed the way he told me to get out of his house when he was the one whotold me to come in the first place, but now that I think about it?I’m relieved he told me to leave.Because heaven knows what I would’ve done had he not.That man seriously gave my vagina a heartbeat so strong it still won’t go away.I gulp.I’m only just about to push the gates to his property open when headlights make spots dance in my vision.I throw an arm over my face.Tyres screech to a halt a minute later, and it&rsquo
I’m feeling the blood rushing up to my head.I’m feeling it.That’s because I’m still too busy reeling with the aftermath of what just happened minutes ago. Minutes. Gard saw me naked, for fuck’s sake, and now she’s in my house, staying for dinner.The fuck?It’s not that I was naked that’s annoying me so much—it’s that she saw me like that. I mean out of all the women on the planet—her? Like, are you kidding me, damn it?Gard?Why.Why someone I can’t even stand the freaking sight of.It’s a good thing I changed into a t-shirt and a pair of shorts as soon as she left, because god knows I wouldn’t have been able to keep my temper in check if she saw me like that a second time.I swear she’s a synonym for turn-offs.I’m shaking my h