CHAPTER TEN; COURAGEOUS ROSE

“Courage is a love affair with the unknown” - Osho

The days flew by as fast as a waterfall, rushing  with Aurora ensuring her strategies were put through to the letter, she knew she had to finish up as fast as she could because Kinsley, her brother informed her the previous night of their plan to move on to the next universe. She really didn’t want to leave Hebe universe, she had made friends and created a bound with Neville, who she hadn’t spoken with since she resumed work. That was one thing she knew she had to talk about before leaving, no matter how much she tries to avoid it, but instead, she choose to concentrate and pour all her focus into her task first. Aurora created a sub-team that would be able to control the implementation of her policies, and reported to her daily, aiding her to ensure thorough navigation within the entire chain of businesses. This created a lot of free time from her end, which she loved spending with Sydney and dell at the café, assisting in serving especially during rush hours. She got to associate with more people, but most importantly she was avoiding the awkward moments between she and Neville as they share the same office.

    Neville had never engaged her in any form of conversation, even with the effort from her end; he always finds a way to dime the whole conversation. Aurora wondered what happened, what went wrong, did she in anyway offend him, she felt like a ghost while they share an office. She needed to ensure her mental state, which was the main reason why she keeps coming down to help her new friends. Rumors within the office were that, the policies weren’t appreciated by Neville but he was never conjured to accept it and she was certain about it. 

‘Why is he putting up attitude’, she thought.

‘Then ask him’, Sydney replied.

‘Wait, how did you hear that? Can you read mind?’ aurora responded bewildered. She thought about it, how Sydney got to read her thoughts, except she possesses a gift.

‘You said it out’, Sydney replied. 

Aurora laughed because deep down, she had hoped she had special gifts, just maybe she would be able to relate with her on a deeper level.

‘Oh! I didn’t realize I was thinking out loud’, she laughed to avoid the awkward moment she created.

‘But, why haven’t you talked this out with Neville’, Sydney asked.

How could she explain to her that, she was afraid of the possibilities especially with the fact that she did leave, and didn’t want to seem desperate.

‘You both are quite stubborn, I wonder how you guys survive to share a space’, she continued.

‘It’s funny how I see him stealing glances at you whenever he comes down to have a drink, and he never does that. I am certain, it cause of you he keeps coming down’, she added.

Aurora didn’t want to read meaning to that action, even though it had cross her thought. He could easily request for his drink to be delivered to his office, but he keeps coming down, added with the new discovery of him stealing glances. What exactly is the problem then, why is he giving her cold vibes, does he feel intimidated by her? She knew time was a luxury she doesn’t possess, therefore the need to get this answers.

‘Probably, it’s time we have that talk then’, she replied.

‘Maybe I’ll get some form of closure of the situation”, she added.

She didn’t understand how one can be flirting with her this instance and the next moment he is giving her cold shoulders. Or did he know the truth about her, but she was certain everyone in this universe seem oblivious to a parallel universe. Aurora gave her a deep breath that she didn’t know she was holding, at the exact moment Neville came down to get some snacks. Usually, she avoided serving him but this time she decided she would.

‘What would you like to offer’, Aurora requested. She could sense his hesitance, but she kept cool waiting for him.

‘I’ll appreciate it if someone else could get my order’, he responded with a blank face.

This was the last straw for Aurora, She was tired of whatever it is he was playing at, was he trying to gauge her patience? Because she was certain it had reached its limit. 

‘OH! So sorry about that, but every other staff got their hands full and won’t be available to take up your order’, she replied with a fake smile

But they both knew that wasn’t rush hours and Sydney as well as other staffs were busy with nothing. Neville noticed that Aurora wasn’t planning of letting him have his way this time; he had no choice but to make his order, which she served with a fake smile through it all. As soon as he was done Sydney came over to check on Aurora because she had never seen her act that fake, she knew she was trying her best to hold it in. 

‘Why does he have to be so obnoxious!!’ she shouted as they walked into the inner office within the café.

‘I really think you should talk to him about him, he is probably feeling all high and might and doesn’t want to acknowledge his fault’ Sydney said as they got to dell office.

They explained everything that happened to Dell and he was of the same opinion of her going to talk to him about whatever is going on between them. She knew she had to, but she earnestly wanted him to be the one to bring it up. But every single day he comes to work, he acts like she wasn’t existing and he hurts her so badly. Probably she was scared of rejection, which she was certain was always the other way round for her. She had always been the one to reject suitors, not her being rejected but she knew she needed closure and it can only be gotten through this conversation. 

After she was relaxed she got up from Dell office and went over to her office, reaching the secretary office, she said;

‘I am about having a meeting with Neville, every form of meeting on my schedule and his should be cancelled until we reach a concession’.

The secretary knew this look, the exact one she came in with the first time she was here, and she knew Neville was certainly going to get an earful. She knew it was bound to happen, seeing how strenuous their relationship, it was just a matter of time, which had finally reach.

‘Yes boss!’ she responded, not wanting to prey into business that wasn’t hers. Moreover, they both had nothing on their schedule for the rest of the day, so the forces were in favor she thought.

Walking in, all she could think of was the closure she did get no matter the outcome of this confrontation. Entering in, she noticed Neville wasn’t on his table but was on her table looking into the city. 

‘Even better for me’, she thought.

Standing in front of face, she noticed he was in a deep trance and had to call him out of it. She needed to give a piece of her mind and he can’t be absent-minded while she did it. Neville looked at Aurora with confusion not understanding how she walked him without him noticing. He couldn’t believe he was in deep trance thinking about someone who was already in front of him, being dumfounded which Aurora noticed.

‘What is happening?’ she asked him.

‘Did I do something wrong? Are the policies getting to you? Do you not appreciate my presence here? What exactly is the problem? Why are you giving me this cold shoulder?’ she continued 

‘Since my first day at work after the presentation, you have been putting up cold walls. Which isn’t making the environment conducive enough for me to work’ she added.

While Aurora was ranting, Neville held her chin up, which cut off every words from her lips locking both their eyes. His eyes said it all, what he thought and felt; it was filled with lust and desire. She could sense and see in his eyes strong desire that she hadn’t been shown to before. Naturally, her body navigated towards him, she didn’t to understand this pull. His eyes called out to hers, causing her heart to cease, she had to remind herself to breath. Aroused by desires equal to his, she felt the rawest form of lust; he yearned for her like a baby, starved of his meal. She could feel the heat emanating from him, she tried to break free, she tried to fight this desires creeping in but it seems her body was in control at this point, the brain signals were of no effect on her as she stared into his eyes. Slowly and gradually Neville brought his face closer to her until their lips were locked.