46 | See You Again
"It was a pleasure having you work for me, Miss Andress." Rafael stretched his hand out.
It was the end of my last day here. No more uncomfortable heels and pencil skirts tomorrow onwards. No more waking up early! I should be happy right?
I bit the inside of my cheek as I connected my hand with his, allowing it's warmth to console me. I will miss his office and all kinds of memories we shared here.
My heart secretly wished he pull me into him and somehow convince me to stay— in this company as well as his life.
He didn't.
He dropped my hand and I felt alone.
What was I thinking? Camila and Rafael are official now. He has distanced himself from me and I can't even complain. I was the one who asked him to do so.
If only I knew what kind of a person Camila was. But now it was too late.
"Likewise, Mr Grayson. I loved working here. My time here was quite...eventful."
"What do you plan on doing now?" He settled on his chair.
"I'm accompanying Ariel for a shopping night. I've promised her I'll help her pick the perfect dress for her sister's boyfriend's best friend's mom's third wedding."
He smacked his lips together as if suppressing a smile. "With that I meant your future career plans but this sounds good."
Oh! Stupid Vittoria strikes back.
"If you wish to leave before turning into a tomato's evil twin, you're free to do so." He said teasingly.
"Bye." I spun back and made a dash for the door, hearing Rafael's hearty chuckle.
"Vittoria!" Oliver called me out from behind as I reached down to my cabin, making me stop abruptly.
That's the first time he addressed me by my name in front of other employees.
"Uh, yes?"
He walked towards me and surprisingly enveloped into a hug, rendering me shocked for a moment.
"What, I can't hug my sister while I bid her farewell?"
"Can I join?" Liam pouted dramatically.
God! This is a workplace, not our fancy mafia house!
"Are you her brother?" Ariel teased.
"I'm gone. Bye." He slammed the door of our cabin, making the three of us laugh at the idiot.
"I'm gonna miss you, girl." Ariel feigned a sob.
"I'm not." I hugged her. "Because I'm gonna see you often."
"You aren't ditching me with the shopping plan, aren't you?" She warned playfully.
"No, ma'am. I'll meet you at the mall in an hour."
"Very well. I'm excited." She clapped her hands and went on with clearing her desk.
Oliver pulled me to their side, honey brown eyes throwing me a strict warning. "You're going to the mall only, right?"
"Of course, Oliver. I've promised you I won't go back to that place."
"Okay." He smiled and vanished into his office while I slipped into my cabin to collect my bag and a few files.
Before leaving, I turned back and cast one last look at my desk and my adorable co-worker passing me a warm encouraging smile.
I'll miss this.
•••••••
"Finding the perfect dress is such a task!" Ariel plonked herself on the park bench with their plethora of shopping bags pooling next to her.
The struggle was real. But we finally found a very cute strapless pink dress. Although I wasn't a great fan of pink, I fell in love with this one.
My phone rang, indicating Oliver's call. He just had to make sure every thirty minutes that I hadn't managed to get myself kidnapped by someone.
Ariel chuckled hearing me scold my brother for the second time tonight. I thought she'd take the entire drama as a big deal but after the initial shock she seemed to be all chill.
"I can't believe you called your brother hot the first time you saw him." She laughed, recollecting my first day.
"In my defense, I didn't know he was my brother at that time." I frowned.
I'd fed her with a story of our parents being divorced and we being separated as kids and that Mason was my step brother and we just happened to collide with Oliver one fine day. She seemed to believe it so meh!
"Are you okay, Ariel?" I placed a hand on her shoulder. "I know you're upset after... after what happened that day with Allegra."
The smile on her face dropped. She still crushed over Oliver. I felt so torn between Alli and Ariel.
Was that how grandpa must be feeling with me and Camila?
"That's fine. I never expected him to return my feelings. You know what they say about crush." She laughed it away.
I debated over telling her that he did like her at some point but I decided against it.
"I think we should get going now. The next thing I know is your brother firing me tomorrow because I was the reason you returned home late." She rolled her eyes, picking up her bags while I picked one that belonged to me.
I waved her as her cab rolled away while proceeded towards my car when my eyes caught the sight of a certain someone exiting a drug store.
A smile instinctively stretched over my face and I found myself crossing the street, trotting over to him and tapping his shoulder.
"Vittoria? Hello." Harri greeted with his signature shy smile. "Have you been following me, princess Leia?"
"What will you do if I say yes?" I grinned, joining him on the sidewalk.
"Is there anything else I can do apart from being creeped out?" He chuckled.
"Wait let me think..um..nope." I shook my head rigorously and his chuckle grew into a lively laughter.
"How are you, Vittoria? I'm seeing you after...ten days? I hope those wounds have healed."
"I'm good. How about you?"
"I'm fine- oh, please let me." He took the bag from my hand.
"That's fine, Harri."
"Please, I insist. What kind of a man allows a girl to carry her bags."
Why does he have to be so sweet?
My phone rang yet again, making me let out a comical groan. "Grandpa! Stop calling me every few minutes. I'm alright."
Oliver then began lecturing me about not having any junk food because then I won't have dinner at home yet again and after that he threatened me to force me to follow that detox diet like I did in my training days.
I already pity his kid. And if it's mom's gonna be Alli, then god help the poor child!
"I'm sorry have I been holding you up? Your grandfather seemed upset." Harri said, making me break a laugh.
Not the kind of grandfather you're thinking about, Harri.
"No, that's okay. He's just worried about me being out alone."
"Well then he definitely hasn't seen you fight." He placed a hand over my back as we crossed the road, carefully looking at the road while we did so and quickly withdrew his hand once we were back on the pavered sidewalk alongside the sea.
His every action indicated about him being a decent gentleman and it came naturally. I was taught to detect body languages and they all pointed to him being legit. There was no faking or trying to be the nice guy.
He was a lot like Liam.
"He hasn't seen me fight but I did get busted that night. The reason why you don't see me there these days."
"Ah, yes! People have been missing their princess Leia."
"Princess Leia ceases to exist." I shrugged. I noticed his face had a few cuts and bruises, most of them naturally getting covered by his dirty blonde had falling over his forehead.
I suddenly recollected Mason trying to get him the job of a Soldier. "What happened to that job? Did Mason tell you anything about it?"
"He called a few days back saying he had talked to someone about it and that he'll let me know if anything."
I never knew he already talked to Rafael.
I hope Rafael agrees to it. It would help him with a constant source of income. You won't always win the money in fights.
"Hey look!" He pointed to an ice cream truck. I owe you an ice cream treat, remember?" He smiled.
"I'm always ready for ice cream. Let's go." I jumped around excitedly earning a few stares from the people around.
Oops.
"So what's your favorite?" He asked.
"Cookies and cream." I flashed him a cheeky smile. His eyes lit up but the happiness soon faded into a concealed sorrow.
"Cookies and cream." He mumbled to himself with a sad smile. It was like that reminded him of some beautiful memory with someone, the mention of it only hurting now, like it did to me.
I remember Rafael and I having ice cream at this very place when we came here. His amused eyes watching me down three rounds of ice cream back to back secretly made me smile.
"Here." He handed me mine while he got a plain vanilla for himself and we continued sauntering along the calm sea.
I sensed occasional stares of some of the bystanders like I've been receiving ever since I left home. I hoped Harri didn't read gossip magazines and watch these time pass gossip news.
"Did I tell you I liked your natural black hair way better?"
"Are you flirting with me, Harri boy?" I shouldered him teasingly.
He helped me as we sat down on there concrete edge, facing towards the sea. That'd do me some good with avoiding these stares at least.
"There's no way I could compete with Rafael Grayson." He replied, making me snap my head up at him.
"What?"
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to sound rude." He panicked and began rambling in his British accent. "I shouldn't have said that. That was so personal. I really act very stupid at times-"
"No, Harri, it's oka-"
"I don't know why I said that. I'm sorry once again I-"
"Harri! Shh.. Babygirl!" I gestured a finger on my lips, biting back a smile.
However, I didn't succeed as my words caused him to get all flushed, making him look even more adorable.
"That..uh.. It isn't how it looks. I'm not like that, you know?" He stuttered.
"Like what?" My cruel self felt like playing with poor Harri.
"The..the dominant and..d-daddy stuff." He scratched his head, looking down at his lap. "That tattoo.. It was actually a part of my characterization for the film. It wasn't my personal choice."
Oh damn! And here I was thinking he had a hidden dark side.
"Really?"
He nodded, wiping his mouth with a tissue. "I played a psycho lover in that film."
"That's so amazing! How I wish I could watch that movie. What was it titled?"
"There were a few narrowed options but we never got a chance to finalize one. The producer had some fight with someone and it escalated into the film never releasing." He shrugged.
"Why don't you try somewhere else again?"
"I don't think I'd be able to manage with everything going on now. Maybe sometimes later."
Life can be so unfair at times. Some easily get what they don't deserve while those who really do are left with nothing but a defeated reason as to why they couldn't have it.
We stared ahead at the dark ocean in a comfortable silence. Harri seemed to be a very sought out person. His thoughts were clear unlike mine which were always a complete mess.
"What do you think about love, Harri?" I twiddled with the tissue in my hand.
"We realize it's importance after it's gone." His reply came instantly, his eyes fixed at the calm water.
He couldn't have said it better.
"Have you ever loved anyone?" I asked.
"I'm afraid to love anyone now."
At first I thought that wasn't the answer to what I asked but a few seconds later, it made sense. It was the perfect answer to my question.
"Even so, something is pushing me to face the fear these days." He confessed, making me switch my eyes to him only to find those bluish grey ones locked with mine.
I held his gaze like there was magic in it. I could suddenly detect there faint aroma of the spicy cologne which didn't reach me until now. Because I wasn't so close...until now.
"What is it?" I whispered absentmindedly, making failed attempts to move away.
He didn't speak for a while, just kept looking at me with his scrutinizing gaze and then subtly tapped my hand. "This." His warm hand covered mine which was curled around his arm without me even knowing it.
A soft but horrified gasp fell from my lips and I jumped back, retracing my hand. An awkward tension formed between us as we avoided meeting each other's eyes, both of us not knowing what just happened and why it happened.
The familiar fear springing from the thought of moving on encroached into my heart, making my anxiety rise. But feeling so wasn't healthy.
Why was I holding myself back from moving on from a person I can't have now?
What was it that I felt for Harrison?
Do I want to feel anything for anyone apart from Rafael?
There were so many questions and I even had the answers. But I was too afraid to admit it.
How could I admit that I was slowly learning to forget Rafael. And my heart didn't like it.
Author: There! A Vittoria Harri scene. Now stop blackmailing me for heaven's sake, Masey!!!!
Mason: *smirks* That would be okay. For now.