The Boss & The Assistant - Rewritten Edition of "The Boss"

Chapter 32 - Lafayette

When I walked back into the party, everyone turned to me and yelled Happy Birthday! Michael came up to me with a cake adorned with sprinkles and candles. I blew them out, putting on a smile. I thanked Michael and Emilio, my smiling friends, hugging me. It was dark and shadowy. My heart was racing. All of these people were here to celebrate the new year with me, celebrate my birthday with me, but the only thing I could think about was Emerson.

My body and my mind didn't know how to react. I felt terrible. I felt amazing. I wanted to kiss him again. I wanted to flee the country. I had to talk to someone but I couldn't tell anyone about this. The first person I could think of talking to was Em himself, but I couldn't. What were we going to do? The amendment to his contract didn't excuse this. I was his boss. He was my assistant. It was still a boundary that had been crossed.

Shame, shame, shame.

The voice from the Catholic school rang in my ear. Why now? I had slept with so many people before, but now the oppressive and omniscient voice had to fill my head? It didn't matter that we had an amendment because it didn't matter that I was his boss at all. What mattered was that I just didn't deserve to have someone like Emerson.

What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!

I hadn't been to church since I was a teenager but of course I could still recite a passage. Why did our childhood traumas always have to follow us? Even the ones who blacked out those memories from their mind, the trauma still controlled them. If God was real, why did he have to hurt us so much, especially as children? Was I really that bad of a person?

"Where are you?"

I looked up. Em had entered the room. He was standing behind a candle on one of the tables. His face glowed against the wavering flame. "I'm here," I said. This is what I said right before we kissed. I shouldn't have said that. "I..." I could barely speak. How did he always know when I was in my head?

His sapphire eyes were glistening. "Faye," he whispered, leaning forward. "It's okay. I promise. You don't have to worry or overthink. Okay?"

I nodded. "Right," I said. "Right. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. I'm sorry. This is all my fault, not yours. We just have to forget that this whole thing happened. It's your birthday. It's a new year. We should have fun," he said.

"Okay," I said. "I can try."

He smiled softly. "Good, but I shouldn't drink anything else for the rest of the night. I mean, I don't want to accidentally make out with someone like Marcus or Michael."

I managed a laugh. He could always make me laugh. In a flash, though, my smile dropped. "Oh shit," I said.

"What?" Em asked. He followed my gaze and looked down. One of the ruffles on his shirt got caught in the candle and was catching fire. Em shrieked.

I grabbed one of the cloth napkins and started swatting at it. Jerry threw a glass of water onto him, putting out the fire, and drenching Em in the process. It was pandemonium. Em's sister came running off of Clovis's lap, Clovis following. Michael, intoxicated, was asking if there was a fire he had to watch out for, while Emilio tried to calm him down. Marion covered his eyes at the horror of seeing the blouse ruined.

The only good thing that came from this was that it put a halt to the party, just enough that people would leave. I actually wasn't fond of parties, unless it was small and with my friends. I should've just hosted them at my place. Then maybe Em and I wouldn't have gotten stuck together alone where mistakes wouldn't have happened. Many of the attendees started to clear out, clasping hands with each other, eager to get to their bedrooms together. Don and Jerry took the responsibility of shepherding the rest out, calling taxis for them if need be.