Emancipation

thirteen

It's almost become a thing to go to office after my classes get over. Two days ago after chatting a lot with Hale, I got to know that James and him have been friends for years now and even though they are opposite to each other, it's clear that James also cares for his friend.

After Hale left us alone, James talked me through a lot of things, like telling me about different operations working under the company and some of the investments that they have made in the past few months. He gave me as much tour as he could, given that the enterprise is spread over the entire building, working in different departments. Some floors spaces have been rented to different companies on lease basis, as James informed me. My nerves around him were starting to resolve slowly. He told me I could come visit whenever I had time after college and the offer pleased me.

So the next day when I turned up, he didn't even look surprised, but rather left me with some files to study as he got busy with his own work. We left for home together afterwards, since I drove myself there so he let Mark leave as James drove us back in sedan I drove around.

Our conversations had grown more in the office but they all revolved around work so it was working out smoothly so far. I usually sat on the couches in his office so that I don't disrupt his work at all. Because I really couldn't hold up well if he snapped at me here.

I was flipping pages through a file when Amy entered the office with an iPad setting on her arm as she moved to James's desk, clearly missing my absence.

"Your dealing with Alfred is supposed to be on Monday, at what time do you want me to schedule it? You've got 10 o'clock and 3 in the afternoon free." She tells him, scrolling through probably his schedule.

"Morning sounds fine." He replies, his tone clipped as he continues to sign the paperwork in front of him.

Amy visibly sighs at his response as she looks up at him. I feel like I should probably make my presence known to her but a part of me is so curious to know how she behaves around when it's just the two of them. "Are you still pissed about the weekend?"

James hand pauses for a moment but he doesn't even look up before putting them to paper again, "I'm busy right now."

His tone is cold, almost as cold as how he talked to me on the wedding day. I think that's the harshest he has ever been with me. The thought brings a little hurt along with it but I ignore it immediately, pushing it at the back of my head.

"I know you said that we were done, but I thought it was just a phase. I understand that I probably shouldn't have kissed you bu—"

I clear my throat at her words, not wanting to hear anymore because this is a torture I'm putting myself through. As soon as she mentioned the kiss, James looked up at her. His eyes set on her for a moment before they came back to meet mine, as if gauging my reaction. I must look like an idiot with shock etched on her face. Of course they kissed. How naive of me to think otherwise.

Amy slowly turns around and when she notices me sitting on the couch, her cheeks flush in what looks like embarrassment before a mask of anger covers her features. She opens her mouth to speak but when no words come out, she immediately shuts up.

I stand from the couch, keeping the file on the coffee table before walking to the door as I look at James, "I'm going to get myself some coffee." I lie, because I clearly hate coffee but he doesn't know that.

I just couldn't stand the two of them being in the same room, waiting for me to react. How am I supposed to react? I'm actually stupid enough to believe him when he told me that they were done. Maybe he was, but Amy definitely didn't get the memo.

As I make my way to the pantry, I clench my fists and slowly open them, repeating the motion to calm myself down. I pour myself a glass of water as I take a seat on one of the chairs.