Metanoia

Chapter 1: Departure

15 years later...

"Welcome back, Jov." Ezra smirked, tapping his toes. His tongue rolled as his blueish eyes looked into hers. Strands of his gold-streaked hair messily stood up straight, a few pimples sticking out of his cum-white skin. His puffy cheeks were smooth and plump, like a cherub's. His good looks would make girls fawn head over heels over him, but Jovie suppressed the urge to flee with all her leg power, to run from him. She is not letting his hotness compensate for his horrible personality, at least not today.

"Late again?"

Jovie slammed the office door shut and set down her bike. She frowned at the fact that the first thing that appeared when she entered was the Boss's favourite person. Well there goes the bane of her existence.

Jovie raised her hands to her forehead. Sticky, warm sweat coated her hands. Panting, she leaned against the door. I do this every single day, I can do this, I can do this.

"Late your ass." Jovie glared at Ezra. "So what's your point?" Okay, that sounded better in her head.

"That's not how you speak in an office, young lady." mocked Ezra. Jovie felt her chest tighten, as if she'd been called out. (She was)

Jov snapped her mouth shut, pulled out a chair and scanned the office. She plopped down onto the cold leather chair and sighed. Her teeth clattered with rage. She wanted to punch Ezra so, so badly.

But this was Ezra. Nobody messes with Ezra. There was not a single soul except her and Ezra, not a single sound except for their breathing, matching up against each other.

The silence was deafening, yet the faintest groan of annoyance could be heard. Jovie was sure it was from Ezra—it had to be. Hey, work ethic.

Jovie scowled. "Be very glad Will let you stay here, because your attitude, your attitude is—"

"Be glad Boss letchu stay here." he retorted, coming off as immature as hell. "Because look who caused yet another ruckus."He snickered and held up his middle finger.

Jovie groaned. She had been so good all month. Nothing seemed to go wrong. Was this going to be wrecked again? "What ruckus?!"

"We got a call from Mr Arable. Guess who delivered sooooooooaked sandwiches." He yawned. "And, pointing out the obvious, it's you."

This was the hard part about being a manipulator of the weather. To hide it is no easy task when the sky itself gives extra attention to you. Jovanna knew she did it as well. The sky had been white as a sheet of paper when she was going to Mr Arable's.

"I...yeah, I did."

Ezra leaned in a little. "Well, at least I'm not the one who gave someone soaked sandwiches, little girl~"

Jovie paused. Jeez, jeez. I get it....ugh, ripoff bad boys these days.

"And you know what?" Ezra giggled. "It's the fifth time in THE MONTH."

Well, technically, she was 16, and her life was already ruined by being a Climatic delivery girl......but still, this was a little too much. She lowered her head again, thinking about all the sandwiches she'd ruined during her daily delivery sprees. Even though she couldn't help the condition of the mail, she had to make this right somehow, to make it right. Or she might lose her job and go back to her hellhole of a home.

A flicker flashed in Ezra's eyes. Jovie assumed it was hope, the hope to get her in trouble and possibly losing her job, of which she had for a long time. I won't die, I won't die, she reminded herself.

" I—" she muttered, realizing it was too loud. "It was just an accident."

She silently observed the tips of Ezra's thick lips curl up into a curved smile, sensing her fear. He met her gaze, seemingly innocent eyes boring into hers, prompting her heart to race against her chest.

"Accident your ass." he winked.

Jovie pouted.

"Oh, so every time you deliver something, you accidentally soak it." He gave a fake smile. "You think I'm stupid?"

Jovie's heart stopped. The blood flooding into her cheeks pulled back, her warm and eyes shot upwards in surprise. A surge of power—her own power— snapped her mouth shut. Keep a cool head, keep a cool head, keep a cool head. she scolded herself yet again.

"Well, you are stupid." huffed Jovie. "Very stupid."

Ezra's smirk widened.

"Oh really?" He leaned against the counter, yawning. "Says the girl who ruined the meals of five people this month, BRO!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said stiffly, avoiding his eyes. She gripped the cold metal doorknob, shifting her gaze to the wooden door, the terrifying emptiness plunging into her heart. "—bRo!"

Ezra leaned back in his chair. "Oh, so you don't huh?"

Ugh, did he know what he was talking about?

Ezra cleared his throat.  Stuck-up little idiot.

"Well, it's not the first time you've done this kind of thing. We're all used to your bullsht by now."

"I—um—"

In a sense, he was correct. She had gone too far. And she couldn't blame Ezra for blaming her on violating the rules, being almost a mortal enemy to her. She had caused more havoc than she ever meant to.

It ain't your fault, she reminded herself. She looked outside the window. Clouds were drifting towards her—she meant to push them— the sun hid bashfully behind the clouds. Her heart pounded in protest, demanding herself to stop this at once.

The stuffy air, absent of sound, tightened...no, really. She could literally feel the air tightening.

"May I help you?"

Both of them turned their heads over to Mr. Will Garcia, their boss and Jovie's doom. They both put up fake smiles.

"N-no—" Jovie protested, but paused at the realization that this was useless.

As expected, Ezra gave an ostentatious bow and proclaimed, "Ms. Jovanna Everhart refused to be informed of her incompetence to deliver a palatable meal to Mr. Arable."

To be completely honest, Ezra sounded like someone who threw every word longer than seven words into the book.

Will lowered his head. Their eyes matched, his icy blue peepers penetrating through here.

Ezra flashed his signature charming grin to her as she shifted her gaze back to her own feet. She had made this mistake herself. And somehow she had to fix it back.

"I'd like to have a word with you, Miss Everhart."

Oh good. At least he had a decent sense of morality, unlike Ezra, who winked at her as he walked closer to Will. But something about his eyes were off...they weren't one of raw, unbridled anger, like she was in trouble. They were just cold, merciless..which meant she was even more dead.

"...in private."

Ezra gave a scowl, irritated at the fact that he called him by his first name. He stormed away from the room and a slam blasted through Jovie's ears.

"Deserved it." Ezra muttered.

"Mind your words. You've been nothing but reckless today." Will commanded, his authoritative voice making even Jovie's blood run cold. "Sorry," muttered Ezra, and he slowly exited the room.

"Now! About the talk, Ms. Jovanna Everhart."

Jovie let out a sigh. He seemed fine...for now. But she couldn't let her guard down. He was an unstable individual. Welp, I'm dead, she thought to herself as she gripped her fists, ready for her demise.

Word count: 1214