I'm Meant To Hate You

25

"Kiana! It's so good to see you back dear!" Richard said as he enveloped me in a bear hug. "God, how I've missed you." He spoke as he pulled away, looking behind me and smiling once again.

"It's good to see you too, Rich." I mumbled. The events of last night were scorched into my heart. I had never been one to claim that I felt betrayed, it all seemed too fictional. But the eight letter word had never summed something up so perfectly.

"And you came with Emily." He said as he pulled away completely to walk past me, making me turn slightly as Emily tried desperately to walk away. "Ah, ah. Don't leave me hanging young lady." He said as he pulled her into a hug, and this time she couldn't prevent looking over at me. My jaw clenched as I tried to keep myself in check, turning away from them both and heading into my brand new office that occupied the top floor. The windows were the same, but the personal quarters were much more comfortable. They were more for me. Richard really had gone out of his way to make me feel at home whilst I was at work.

"Do you like it?" He asked from the doorway, motioning at his old office that was newly decorated.

"It's lovely." I said, a genuine smile forming on my face as I looked over at him as he made his way in, shuffling around some paperwork on the desk. He motioned for me to sit, as he sat on the opposite end of the desk.

"I'm glad. If you really want to do this Kiana, you have paperwork to get through before it's yours. I'm here to help if you need me, but I think Emily might be of more help to you." He said as he stood.

"Why?" I asked, why would Emily be able to help me with business.

"She's your assistant. I thought she would have already told you. I'll send her in on my way out." He said, and before I could stop him, her heels were already clicking against the marble floor. I couldn't ask him anymore, he was gone. Emily now took his place in front of me, her tightly tailored black suit outlining her beauty. Making it much more difficult to ignore her presence.

"I suppose I'm not the only once who's changed." I muttered, barely glancing up at her as she stood silently. I shook my head as I scoffed, standing from my chair and leaving my new office. The paperwork that currently rested in my hands weighed more than I thought as I waited for the elevator to drop me off on the right floor. Mel's desk came into sight as I dropped the paperwork down, glaring at her.

"Why are you looking at me like I just killed your cat? Tone it down." She mumbled, looking over the paperwork at the back to me.

"Sorry." I huffed, sitting against her desk as I looked over her office. This floor was much more lively than any other, the creativity proving to be the cause of that.

"What's got your knickers in a twist? Thought the sex you had last night would have heightened your mood for the rest of your life." She teased, a smirk growing on her face before it dropped almost instantaneously.

"Why didn't you tell me that she was my assistant?" I grumbled.

"Oh. I wanted it to be a surprise. Thought you would be a bit more enthusiastic about it."Her brows furrowed as she took me in. "What's wrong? Did she do something? I'll fucking kill her." She muttered, standing from her chair, but she plonked back down when I stood on her way, shaking my head.

"No. I'll sort it. I just needed to think it out first. I have to get this signed, can I do it here?" I asked softly.

"Go ahead boss." She said as she left her desk to go elsewhere. I breathed out a sigh of relief as I took a seat in her chair, opening the documents and beginning my read through them.

——————

"Everyone's gone. You need to go home Kiana. Go and get some sleep." She wasn't who I expected to be concerned over my wellbeing. I dropped the pen against the last page, finally finishing signing it. I dropped my head in my hands, feeling my eyes well up as I tried desperately to rub the tears away. I shook my head in disappointment at allowing myself to get vulnerable yet again in her presence, standing from Mel's chair and collecting the randomly placed paperwork. I held it tightly to me, as if it would protect me against her. My legs took me away from Mel's desk, my lips sealed shut as I left her standing there, watching me walk away.

I placed the documents in an envelope once I reached my office, registering it to Richard's lawyer. I dropped the heavy envelope onto my assistant's desk, onto Emily's desk. I then shut my office door and dragged myself into the elevator once again, this time going down to my garage, where my company car waited for me. The lights flashed as I opened it, greeting me.
It revved beneath my foot, the tyres spinning against the floor as I took myself away from the agency.

I barely recalled my drive home, my obsessive need to allow my emotions to control me overpowered everything else. I slammed my door shut as I got out, clicking my apartment's floor on the elevator as I chucked the keys to the valet. "Thanks Greg." I offered as the doors to the elevator shut, before they no sooner opened again, revealing my floor.

The anxiety welled up in me as I grew closer to my apartment, knowing that the possibility of the feelings I've been having would all come undone was very large. Work gave me a slight escape, but I needed to get it out of me.

"Hey sweetie, Emily's making dinner." Mel said as she leant into Laurel who offered me a gentle nod.

"Not hungry." I dismissed as I shut the front door, locking it and then walking past them both to my room. I also shut that, before dropping flat on my bed. A quiet knock sounded on my door, but I remained silent. The door opened softly, and then closing again just as gently.

"Tell me what's wrong." Laurel's voice sounded as she perched on the end of my bed. "I thought it would be better to talk to me considering I'm not practically either married to you or a family member."

"I don't need to talk." I muttered.

"Oh, but you clearly do. Listen, I won't say anything to either of them. I can try and help if you tell me. Or I can just listen." She offerer, leaving the silence to grow loud.

"She fucked me and then left. She didn't say anything, she still hasn't. She just fucked and ducked. Like a fucking player. Like I'm a prostitute. Now tell me Laurel, how you're meant to fucking help me get over feeling discarded." I sneered at her. "I'm sorry. That wasn't fair." I muttered, sitting up properly and pulling her in for a hug. "Thank you." I spoke softly. The door opened again, this time without warning.

"How sweet. Listen, I hate to break up the two of you finally bonding but I really think you need to apologise sweetie. She's not said a word." Mel said from the door, making Laurel pull away and look at her girlfriend confused.

"What?" She asked Mel, standing up from her seat and ready to defend me.

"No, I didn't want to make it all out to be her." I whispered to Laurel. She nodded at me, grabbing Mel and turning back to me.

"We'll give you space. We'll be back tomorrow evening." She said, pulling a grumbling Mel away from me and out, hearing the front door slam shut after a few minutes of silence, then dropping back in my bed.