Chapter 3

ALINA’S POV

“You’re kidding.”

“You’re kidding me, Lina. You’re telling me that sexy hunk sitting in there like the king of a damn empire is your ‘sexy man’? THE sexy man?! From your dreams??”

“Yeah, that’s right.” I confirmed, “But please, scream louder Clo. The entire building hasn’t heard you yet.”

She rolled her eyes, muttering “Unbelievable. It’s just- no. No way” She shook her head, as though waving the thought off. “There’s just no way.”

Luckily, the elevator doors opened to the ground floor just then, and we stepped out. My steps more intentional than Cleo’s. For obvious reasons.

“How did this even happen?” she asked as we reached the parking lot, heading for my car. “I mean… how is this possible? How can you dream of a man you’ve never met and then see him physically? Or is this some sort of spiritual hypnosis? Cause I’m not understanding at all.”

I sighed, starting up my engine as i drove out to the road. “This isn’t spiritual.”

“Then how is it happening?” she pressed, “I saw you in there, you were so shaken up. You were sweating! That’s not normal, that’s not you. And the way he spoke to you… what did he even mean by all of those questions about someone he knew before and-

She paused. Her words hanging the air between us as slowly, it dawned on her. “Wait a minute,” she muttered, adjusting completely to face me.

“Keep your seatbelts on,” I warned, watching as she unbuckled. “keep your seatbelts on, Cleo. You’re-

“I don’t care about some stupid seatbelt, Alina!” she snapped, “What i care about is what you’re going to say to me right now. Do you know that man? Have you met him?”

“It’s…” I sighed, fingers squeezing my wheels for a bit. “It’s complicated. A long story, Cleo.”

“You’re kidding,”

"Let’s just get to the office first. I’ll tell you there” She didn’t want to but agreed regardless. The rest of the ride quiet, with her gaze on me like some mother hen.

 I was going to receive a lecture today; I just knew it.

In no time we arrived at the office. Boldline Creatives Building, and straight, all road led to my office.

And there, I unveiled it all.

“Okay hold on, let me see if I get this straight,” Cleo started, “You’re telling me the man I saw in that room, that we saw in that room… that’s your ex? THE ex-boyfriend?”

I nodded slowly. Quiet. “He’s the same one that ghosted and had you pining at the bus station for 3 days straight? Runing you for healthy relationships?? Maybe even sex now?!”

“Clo,” I whined softly, sinking into my couch. “I’m not ruined.”

“You are too!” she argued, “You are, Alina. You wouldn’t take a fine guy like Jordan that’s being on your case for months now! You’re rejecting things good things, how is that not ruined?”

“Jordan and I are not like that; I’ve told you before.”

“Even so!” she fired, “I can’t believe you kept all of this from me. I can’t believe you would… so that time you said you had to go see your mom, you were lying?”

I remained quiet. Eyes low. “You lied and instead went out of the city? To go see a man? Get some dick??”

“Oh God,” I groaned. Palming my face just then, shame all over me. “You make it sound so bad. It wasn’t really like that. I didn’t plan for it to happen.”

“But it did happen. What’s the difference?” she scoffed, “You even ran off after it, and came back home like nothing happened. Smiling in my face all innocent, great job! You had me fooled. I should be proud at this point.”

“Proud?”

“You travelled for a dick! Sex! At least you finally got some.”

“Seriously?” I shot her a look, “What is that going to do for me right now.”

“Well, I don’t know let’s start with the fact that you fucked your ex, and now he’s potentially going to be your new boss. How about that?”

I just rolled my eyes, exasperated now. “I don’t want to.” I said, “I don’t want to have to meet or see him again.”

“But you two had sex.”

“And that’s where it ends,” I concluded, “I want no more than that. Want nothing else from him. You saw him back there. His attitude… he doesn’t even recognize me. He’s worse now, I’m sure! Last thing I want is to be under a man with such behavior or one that i have a past with.”

“Yeah, but you didn’t have any problem being ‘under’ him a few weeks ago.” She teased, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

“Cleo,”

“Alright…” She resigned, raising her hands in defeat. “He is the enemy. But we might work with him. I could tell he liked the presentation, what will you do then?”

I sighed, shoulders slumping as I stayed on the couch. Cleo directly opposite me. “You will have to see him. Talk to him, have meetings … pretty much be in his face for the next 6 to 8 months. What happens then?”

“I don’t know. I guess…” I started, the words hanging on my tongue for a moment. Heavy. Like the weight deep in my chest. That burden. That nagging feeling that something wasn’t right… the sane feeling that had been there since the dreams started. Gradually worsening with every night.

Admitting it to myself didn’t help. And now talking to Cleo about it all didn’t seem to make it go away either. If anything, my chest felt even tighter now. Choking. Just like back then… that day, that moment when it finally all came crashing down and me underneath.

Stuck.

That’s the feeling. Stuck. And somehow, it seemed it wouldn’t go away anytime soon. Not if I don’t cut it off. All contact. Loose it all.  

Maybe that’s my solution. My answer. So, I faced Cleo. Her eyes expecting me. “I can’t.” I said to her. “I can’t work with him, Cleo. Need to stop having those dreams, especially now. It’s all getting too much. Too close… I don’t want it. I don’t want him. So, I’m getting off the project.”

She blinked. Not a word. Her eyes on me. “W-what?”

“I’ll step back from the project, someone else can run it.” I continued, rising slowly to my desk. “It won’t stop you or the rest of the team from getting the promotions you deserve, don’t worry. I’ll take on the next project.”

“What?” she stood up, coming over with a disbelieving look. “You don’t mean that, do you? Do you??”

I sighed, “This is the only way to-

“Bullshit!” she snapped, “All I hear is a woman trying to run. Trying to hide! You’re going to pass up an opportunity to boost your portfolio and finally get the promotion to Managing Director that you truly deserve? You’re going to let it all go because of a man?? A man that came out of nowhere?!”

I just stared at her, the fire in her eyes. “Lina.” She called, “Girl, you’ve worked your ass off for this. This company! We finally have a lottery ticket to move past the status quo. Past that asshole Joe!”

“How can you even say something like this? You want to give up? For an ex you and I know he’s not worth shit?! Where is the Alina that says to never live in the past? Is she still in there? Or has seeing her lameass ex sent her into hiding!”

Her words stung. Angry and loud. “Cleo please…” I sighed, already feeling drained as it is. “I don’t need this right now. I don’t. But no matter how I look at it, no promotion is worth me tolerating that man. I don’t want to, and that’s final.”

“I’m out, Cleo.”