Always next to you

Chapter Five

"Jessi," I said, with tears in my eyes.

I got up and hugged her.

"Thank you so much,"

"That's enough sweetness, get on with work so we can have fun later," she said.

Even if everyone in this office judges me, Jessi was still on my side and that made me feel welcome. I focused on work, hoping to keep my promise to Jessi, but she left work before I did because she had a meeting outside the office. I wished I was doing important work like her, but I was struggling with work for interns.

This was a challenge I had to win. I had to find all the phones listed in Harvey's email to test the new software on. For some reason was missing from the company archive; which meant I had to find the prices and where to buy them, draft a budget, get the budget approved and then head out to buy them before I could get any work started.

I sat in Harvey's waiting room for two hours before he finally let me in to approve the budget I would take to accounting. The rest of the process took me the rest of the day. By the time I acquired all the phones, it was past 7 pm.

My body ached so much that I needed alcohol to relax, but I had work the next morning, so I decided to go home first and rest for the day.

As soon as I get off the elevator on my floor, my eyes are greeted with the pile of boxes I sent to my address. The doorman must have brought them up for me. I was too exhausted to see anything up today, so I carried them and piled them up in my living room.

I dropped the paper bag of phones I got on top of them and locked my door. The thoughts I had been holding back for hours instantly flooded my body.

Now that I was home, the reality of my day dawned on me. The argument I had with Aiden in his office, slapping him, meeting Jessi and Mr Harvey. It was a long day, and I was glad it was over.

My chest suddenly tightened, wishing I had someone to share my crazy day with, but Mia was probably working right now. Just in time, my phone vibrates in my hand.

I looked at the notification to see that Tyler posted a new photo. This time I was able to stop myself from checking to see the post. It was probably another photo of his girlfriend.

Why was I so pathetic?

We were never getting back together because he never loved me, but I still can't let go. In the four years I was with him, I considered him my family and now I was back to being alone.

My body slipped on the walls of my living room till I swatted on the floor. I couldn't control the sobs that broke out of my chest.

It hurt so much. Everything hurts.

I have a job now. Why am I still so sad? When would this feeling stop biting away at my chest? How much longer do I need to endure?

I lay on the floor and cried till I fell asleep.

There were people who didn't like falling asleep because they felt it was a waste of time. When you live in a city like New York, it is easy to deprive your body of sleep to chase the bag but not me. I love to sleep.

It was the solution to almost anything. Sleep relieved me when my mom would yell at me or lock me in my room for days for disobeying her. It saved me when I was suffering from the pain of my newly done braids. It helped me regain strength to code and there was no reason to fear it.

Until tonight.

"Are you sure she said nothing?" a familiar voice asks.

"She really doesn't remember Mrs Banks," another woman answers.