FAY
"El, what do you suggest? The blue one or the purple one?" I asked Elroy, raising both scarfs to his view.
On the screen of my laptop, He hesitantly looked up from his sketch pad analysing my cream sweater and Jean shorts.
I noticed he wasn't wearing a suit today. He was wearing his dark oversized creamed coloured designer sweater, and I was pretty sure he paired it with his infamous Jean like Slacks.
He had left for work before I woke up. He didn't even let me know he was leaving. But that didn't matter to me, as long as he hadn't rejected my video call.
"You need to get a girlfriend." He stated with a blank look on his face.
I smiled sweetly at him. "Why would I need one? My boyfriend is a fashion expertise, he knows what goes with what. So, pick... Blue or purple."
He rolled his eyes playfully. "Purple, obviously. You should know stuffs like this." He answered.
"I do know stuffs like this, I just wanted to get your own opinion." I said, throwing the blue scarf on the bed. "So, purple it is, thanks."
"Yeah. Where are you going anyway?" He asked as his eyes went back to his sketchpad again.
I froze.
I should have known he'd ask me this.
"Um," I started. "I'm grabbing breakfast with Lucas."
His eyes snapped to mine in an instant. "You're what?"
I gulped. "Grabbing breakfast-"
"I heard you the first time, Fay." His voice changed, he didn't look too happy with the news. "Why are you going out with him?"
I sighed. "To have breakfast, El. Just a normal breakfast between friends, nothing serious. He had asked me out to dinner the other night and I had to raincheck because- well, because of you. But now, since I don't have anything in my schedule for this morning, I thought I could make it up to him."
The look of disbelief was clear on his face, but he didn't act on it, instead, he asked "Which restaurant are you both going to?"
I gulped down, knowing he wouldn't like my next reply.
"Restaurant? No... Uh- we're not having breakfast at a restaurant. We're having breakfast at his house."
"Excuse me?" Elroy ask indignantly. "You're gonna go all the way to his house for breakfast?"
"Yes, Elroy. He has a wonderful family, you have nothing to worry about." Yeah, I had to add family to my sentence, so he'd feel at ease, but the real truth was that, no one was actually home, it was just Lucas.
He remained silent, staring at me.
"What? You don't want me to go?" I asked.
He blinked, looking away. "I'm busy Fay, I'll talk to you later."
"El-" the video call disconnected immediately. "Damn it, he's mad." I muttered to myself.
Why doesn't he like Lucas? I mean, Lucas is a nice guy, free spirited and fun to be with. Why the hell does Elroy think the worse of him?
I honestly don't know why he doesn't just get the fact that Lucas was holding his feelings back, because he respected my feelings. He stopped making advances at me the moment I started dating Elroy.
I wrapped the scarf around my neck, grabbing my sun glasses.
I'll handle Elroy later.
-
I dried my hands with the kitchen towel, at Lucas home. We just finished cleaning the dishes together, and I had to say, I had fun doing it. It was just a simple duty but it felt really nice to me.
Doing something that I didn't normally do. It felt so normal.
"Thanks Luke. Breakfast was amazing." I smiled at him.
He smiled back. "You're welcome. When you suggested that we had breakfast together, I was actually happy... With my Mom away with Chloe and her fiancee and Stacy away at boarding school. It's just me at home."
"Does it get lonely sometimes?" I asked him.
"Yeah. But thank God for the existence of Netflix and popcorn." He grinned.
"Right... That's the go to fun centre for you. But honestly, you should go out more often, to clubs and events... You Know, meet new people." I suggested.
"You know me Fay, being amongst crowd like that, just isn't my thing. I prefer the quiet to the noisy." He said.
"I know, but I'm just saying. You might not know the kind of difference it'd make to your life." I said.
"You're right... I'll take your advice. But that would have to be when I finish all the movies on my watch list." He smiled.
Laughing, I tucked my hair behind my ears. "Um... Lucas, there's something I've been meaning to ask you."
He furrowed his brows in confusion. "Oh, okay? Ask me." He said.
I smiled softly. "Well... I just- I was just curious. Um... The other day at the editing office, when Elroy asked me to leave. Um... What did he say to you? I mean- what did you both talk about?" I asked.
Lucas raised his brows, then exhaled... Raking his hands through his hair. "Fay, you don't need to bother yourself about that. It not important, okay?"
"I know but, I still want to know what happened."
He sighed. "Fay-"
"Please Luke." I urged.
He watched me in hesitation before speaking. "He was just- just questioning me on why I was trying to get close to you, and why I was trying to, take you from him."
"What?" I asked in surprise.
"Yeah, I think he's just jealous of our friendship. He probably thinks I'm trying to make advances at you or something. But I honestly tried to make him understand that we were just friends. He didn't listen though."
I shook my head. "I don't get him Lucas. Why does he hate you so much?"
He shrugged. "He asked me to stay away from you, he threatened to fire me."
"He what?" My eyes widened, refusing to believe that.
"I didn't believe it at first, I mean, I didn't think he'd dislike our friendship so much to the extent of threatening me like that. But he did. I guess he's only feeling insecure."
Would Elroy really go as far as threatening to fire him? After he explained our kind of relationship to him?
He would... Elroy was capable of doing that.
"But don't worry Fay, I told him that we were only friends, and even if he wanted to fire me, he could go ahead and do that. Even when he threatened to-" He stopped himself from continuing his sentence. But the look on his face told me that whatever he wanted to say wasn't pleasant. At all.
"Threatened to what?" I asked him.
"It doesn't matter Fay, I don't want to cause trouble between the both of you-"
"Tell me Lucas. What else did he say to you?" I said, my voice stern.
He scratched his neck in hesitation. "Well, he threatened to make sure my family and I end up in the streets."
My eyes widened. "What? Elroy would never do that." I said in an instant.
"When he said it at first, I thought he had been joking- but then he told me that if I refused to stay away from you, he'd make sure I roam in the streets with my family. He told me he'd send letters to different organizations not to hire me if I went in search for a new job... He threatened me with so many things Fay, so many things I can't recall. I mean, I knew Elroy Chesterfield had anger issues and a controlling trait, but I didn't know he'd take it that far."
I was confused.
Fine, maybe Elroy had been a little bit jealous. But I don't think he was capable of stooping that low over a small issue. Or was he?
Of course he was! The Elroy Chesterfield I once knew would go to any length to get what he wanted. Even if it meant he'd have to sacrifice a whole bunch of his pride and ego...
But that was then... Now, now he was changed. The man I know now would never do that.
He asked you to also stay away from Lucas remember? It's not totally unbelievable that he threatened Lucas too.
"They're just threats Fay. Don't think too much about it... He might just be trying to scare me off or something."
I looked up at Lucas. "Still, he shouldn't have done that. I mean, going as far as to threaten your family? It's not right Lucas. I won't have him belittling you because of a simple misunderstanding."
"It's okay Fay, I'm not even bothered by it." He said, looking sincere. "Please just let it go."
"No. I won't. If I don't let him know that what he did was totally wrong, he'd do it again... Maybe not to you, but to someone else."
Lucas sighed. "He might not even do anything, Fay."
"It doesn't matter." I said. "He shouldn't have threatened to take away your home or ruin your career, thats just so low."
"Fay, just drop it."
"No, I won't. You're so kind that you can't even see his fault in this matter."
"You seem to be forgetting that he's my boss Fay."
"And so what?" I asked. "I have to go see him."
Lucas's eyes widened. "What? No Fay... There's no need for that. It'll only make matters worst for the both of you. He was just jealous."
"Jealous? That's not even an excuse for what he said to you, Lucas."
"Come on Fay, he's probably starting to care about you, maybe that's why he thinks I'm trying to take you away or something."
"Care about me? If he really did care about me Lucas, he would have thought of my feelings before threatening to fire you or even throw you out of your home, knowing how much our friendship means to me." I found myself saying.
"Fay, you don't have to fight for me, okay."
"Why not? You do it for me every time."
"I know, but I can't have Elroy hurt you again."
"He won't." I said, sounding so sure of myself. "I'll just give him a small warning."
-
Jealousy doesn't matter in this case, all that matters is that, he didn't just go as far as to threaten just Lucas. Elroy went ahead to threaten his family. His family.
That's just so wrong, on so many levels.
"Carter, is Elroy in?" I asked immediately I stepped out of the elevator.
Carter looked up from his laptop. "Oh, Fay... Uh- yes he is... But he has a visitor now, so maybe you should-"
"I don't care if he has a visitor, I'm going in." I said, moving to the entrance of the door.
"Whoa," Carter rushed to stand in front of me. "That wouldn't be wise Fay.. he doesn't like interruptions, I believe whatever it is, it can wait until his visitor leaves."
"Like I said Carter... I. Dont. Care." I said sharply, shoving him out of my way.
I wasn't going to think about my actions, no. I came here to say something. And I was going to say it.
With that thought in my head, I roughly pushed the door to his office open.