You are Fired

Michael POV:

I stared at the mirror in the rest room, my lazy blue eyes hid behind the glasses, my lean face still looked laced with anger, I was trying to keep it check before I stepped out again. My dark wavy hair slightly mussed in back from my restless stless fingers combing through it.

Aurora shouldered into her long swey shirt jacket just as I walked into the hall. Like she promised earlier, she had waited till the end of the day. She was the only one left in the office, she was still clearing her desk and look about done.

I stopped and glared at her.

“I hope I’ve made my point about the coffee,” I said bluntly. “Have you reconsidered your impulsive resignation, by the way?”

She stared at me with her sad eyes and gulped nervously.

"No, I haven't. I will be leaving as soon as possible"

"You aren't in control of your emotions Miss Hardy, I'm willing to give you till tommorrow morning to think it through overnight. You are behaving like a child throwing a tantrum" I replied

“You can call it that if you like,” she replied abruptly

I felt a pang of anger rise from my gut by her reply.

“In that case, you can consider this your last day and forget the measly notice. I’ll get Libby to finish your work and I’ll mail your two weeks’ pay to you. If that’s satisfactory?"

Her face felt tight and uncomfortable at the taunting question, but she stood her ground. “That will be fine, Mr. Angelo. Thank you"

I glared at her again, furious that I couldn’t get a rise out of her. “Very well. Your office key, please.” I said

She fumbled it off her key chain and handed it to me, careful not to let her fingers touch mine. Her heart was going to break in two when the shock wore off, I know how much she loved working here, that was why I wanted to give her till tommorrow to think about it. she was trying so hard to hide how devastated she was, but I saw through it easily.

I stared down at her dark head of hair as she placed the key in my fingers. I felt an unfamiliar, uncomfortable surge of loss. I couldn’t understand why.

She had a sort of empathy with people that was disturbing. She was easily hurt. I could see that this was killing her, being tipped out of my office, out of my life. But I have to let her go.

It was for the best, I told myself firmly. She was only infatuated with me. She’d get over it. I thought of how much she’d lost in the past year: her father, her home, her whole way of life. Now she had her invalid mother to care for, a burden she shouldered without a word of complaint. Now she had no job. I winced as I sensed the pain she must be feeling.

"It's for the best" I muttered Uncomfortably

She looked up at me, her blue eyes hazel in her rounded face.

“It is?” she asked

“You’re confused about your feelings. You’re only infatuated, Aurora. It isn’t love eternal, and there are eligible men elsewhere. You’ll get over it.” I said as kindly as I could, watching her face flush violently.

Her lips actually trembled as she struggled for what to say.

I knew my words made her feel like sinking into the floor. It was the worst humiliation she could ever remember feeling in her life. But I couldn’t possibly have made my own feelings any clearer.

“Yes, sir,” she finally manage to say before turning away. “I’ll get over it.”

She picked up her bits and pieces and headed toward the door. With both her two hand fulls, I opened the door for her. I was a gentleman till the end

"Thank You" she said absent mindedly

"Don't work go work for Jordan, he's a terrible human being and boss, with a devilish temper."

"She can't be as bad as you sir, you are the worst of the worst" she said without looking at me

"Besides why do you care, you've always hated me and I'm finally out of your hair" she added in a dull miserable tone

She walked toward her car with her heart around her ankles. Behind her, a tall man stood watching, brooding, as she walked out of his life.

Only after she drove away did I notice the cake she left behind. It was so unlike her to forget things, but I guess she wasn't in her right state of mind.

I wouldn't call her over a measly cake, so I did the the next logical thing; I w waited to see if she would come back for it. I waited for over half an hour, yet there wasn't any sign of her. I picked the cake furiously and threw it into the dumpster, I didn't know why I was hoping she'd come back for it, guilt I guess.

I finally took my bag and walked out of the office to my car.