His White Rabbit

Ch. 5 - A day off

I am walking on a thick rope but no matter how thick the rope is, I can fall so easily... My heart is pounding against my chest but something inside of me forces me to move forward and take another risky step towards death. I am scared to scream for help, I am scared to take a deep breath because any sudden and quick movement can cause me to fall and die. I am about thirty feet above the ground and my life is on a thin line. I got no secure ropes around me...

"Come on, Rosie! Give me a show!" I hear the familiar voice shout from below me as I try my best not to start crying and just hoping I won't make a mistake and fall which is most likely to happen. William kept shouting something to me and I could feel the stinging in my eyes from the tears. I was scared. 

'I am going to die!' I thought in my head, scared to look down. I am still on the rope somehow, keeping my balance with God knows which miracle. 

"More! Make them laugh!" He shouts and I suddenly see people. Audience. Everything is full of people and they are clapping and whistling at me, making me lose the track of time and space. The next moment, I am surrounded by dead silence and my mind goes blank. 

I am falling, my hand is reaching for the rope but I miss. Life is slow motion. 

The moment I hit the ground, all voices are back and the screaming of little kids enters my brain like a sharp knife but I am already gone.

...

The next morning all I could think about was the dream I had last night. I was shaking by the fact that I started having nightmares about my new job and my new boss. Yesterday I didn't want his words to scare me and I decided I would work my best to become perfect assistance but after that dream, it felt like it was a bad sign. I knew it was just my mind playing tricks with me but still, I couldn't brush off the thought. 

When I remember all the screams and the view from the top... It was so high and I couldn't calm down when I woke up from the nightmare. I was sweating and my heart was beating out of my rib cage like wild. 

Today I didn't have anything to do cause William went to Europe to pick up some stuff he needs for the shows and his tricks so I had a day off already. He was in fact considering to take me with him but we both agreed it would be best if I just stayed home. I was glad he left for a day. It was a short period of time but still, I would be too nervous all day around him. I wouldn't be able to look at him in the eyes straight. But I was sure if he pulled that trick again with me... That thing with his eyes and the grin on his perfectly clean face, I would lose myself in his eyes again and probably let him say and do to me whatever the hell he wanted. I didn't want to admit it out loud but that's the truth. I can't keep my shit together around him. Either because he scares me or he just makes me want to kiss him.

How can a man be so intimidating that you fear him and want him at the same time?

The morning went on as usual. I didn't leave my apartment though. I didn't feel like going out at all today and to be honest, all I wanted was to lie on my couch and watch movies all day. And do some online shopping too. It's what really makes me happy. 

After a few hours of searching through eBay and some makeup sites, I bought around 15 things. From books and house decorations to makeup and clothes. I managed to get my hands on a new set of makeup brushes so you could say it really made my day and helped me forget about the dream. I have loved makeup since like... 7th grade. 

When I woke up in the morning the weather was quite good, I mean it was sunny and with only a few clouds in the sky but now it has gotten really dark. They said on the news that we should expect a downpour so I closed all my windows except for one that was close to my desk so I can always close it in time if it starts raining. 

Suddenly my phone starts ringing, snapping me out of the movie I was watching on TV. It was some thriller so I was a bit tensed and everything. I glance at the screen to see who's calling and I am surprised to see William's name on the screen. 

"Hello?" I pick up after a few seconds of hesitation. 

"Hey, love." I sigh gently from relief. I don't know why but I kept holding my breath for a few moments now. I guess my guard is still up after the dream I had last night. 

"Good day, sir," I say politely, trying to keep the professional vibe between us. At least for now when he can't... seduce me with his gaze. "How's the trip?" 

"Boring," William replies and then silence follows. I couldn't understand why he called me or what he might need. He seemed a bit frustrated and I could tell that by the tone in his voice. He didn't have that hype and excitement coming from him. 

"Sir, is everything alright?" I get up from the couch, finding myself too nervous to sit in one spot calmly. I head to the kitchen to grab myself a glass of water or something because my throat was dry as hell.

"Everything is fine, deary. Just missing your presence." His reply took me off guard and I almost spat out my water. I didn't see that one coming even though I knew I shouldn't be that surprised. 

"My presence? Why, sir-"

"Cut it with that sir thing. It's stupid. You call me that when we work." He says a bit more sharply and I sigh, closing my eyes for a moment. I have to keep my shit together. I have to concentrate more when I am around him or... when I am in any kind of contact with him. I  press my tongue between my lips, breathing deeply through my nose to calm down. I started to hate the way he treated me. One moment he is all sweet and seductive and the next minute he...

"Fine... William. Why do you miss my presence? I am not that fun, a-"

"You know, I have realized you act differently." He cuts me off again in the middle of the sentence and I feel like I was going to explode. What's wrong with me? What's wrong with him?  I don't reply this time just yet but instead, I wait for him to explain what he means by that. "You are even grumpier than before." I sigh and put the empty glass in the sink harshly, making some noise that he could probably hear over the phone. "Please don't be like that, I like you when you are cheerful."  I stop in the middle of the room, processing the words that left through the small device in my hand. I couldn't believe he actually liked me? I felt the stress leave as I finally sit back down on the couch. "Rosie, love?" 

"William..." I start but stop myself because I didn't know what to say. "I am just a little stressed out. I didn't mean to... be grumpy with you." I say softly, feeling kinda better. "I didn't sleep well last night and you interrupted me in the middle of something..." It wasn't really a lie so I didn't have trouble believing it myself. "I am sorry." I sigh silently so he can't hear it and lean back then lay down fully. I hear him chuckle on the other side.

"It's alright, little Rosie. I know nightmares can be quite fucked, right?" He says and I feel some chills running down my spine. Everything he said sounded like he knew exactly what was happening. Of course, he could have just guessed but it was creepy as hell. "I will see you tomorrow, Rosie. I have something for you and I assure you, you're gonna love it." He says and I smile to myself. He sounded more like a normal person than a crazy maniac. 

"Okay. Bye." I say with a smile and wait for him to hang up. It took him a few seconds but he did eventually. 

The nightmare I had was just a stupid dream. William is not like that and it's just me being nervous cause of what he said yesterday. About other women quitting the job on their own. 

William and I... we will get along just fine. He can be very weird sometimes but I like it.