CALLA : BOOK II

52 - Rejection

                I avoided going to Aion as much as I possibly could. After the kidnapping and Spring Ball events, I felt Eli Frye was becoming too close. I wanted a clean break from my past so I didn't want to continue to deal with the one person who once consumed my heart. I couldn't do that to myself again.

Eli Frye, of course, didn't make things easy for me. As soon as I appeared at Aion, the man cornered me in his office. When he took my hand, I was startled to see him looking at my fingers as if inspecting them for injuries.

"I'm fine" I pulled my hand back when his cold smooth fingers touch my callus ones.

I had played the violin too much so my fingers have several fresh blisters.

"If you wanted to rest more, you didn't have to come in..."

I rolled my eyes at his comment.

"Your partners beg to differ" I said crossly.

I would have stay home longer until I was good and ready to face Eli Frye, but Ben Carter and Mason Banks both made it clear when they called my lawyer Richard Starr to say I was in breach of contract if I refused to go to work at Aion.

"I see..." Eli Frye understood the meaning behind my words. "I'll speak with those idiots"

"Why are you friends with them anyways?" I said in the heat of anger.

"Roaches and flies are difficult to get rid of"

Hearing his statement, I stared at him for a moment before I covered my mouth to suppress the laughter. Seeing me holding back my amusement, Eli Frye gave a small grin. Again, I felt uncomfortable by the change in the usually cold, unreadable man. I still cannot believe why he is unexpectedly taking interest in me when he never did before.

"Have you eaten?"

His question surprised me. Looking up at the taller man, I felt the urge to run.

"Do... you want to have lunch with me?"

I could hear the hesitation in his voice. Eli Frye was nervous? Impossible! All of a sudden, I realized I needed to make it clear with him. The line needed to be drawn to avoid future problems.

"Outside of work, I won't go anywhere with you"

Eli Frye looked at me with dimmed eyes. I could see his disappointment but held firm with my decision.

"I only want to maintain a professional relation with Aion. Please don't cross that line"

I held onto my breath as the man violet eyes stare into mine.

"I understand..." He said softly.

The part of me that felt relieved suppressed the other half that felt disappointed.

"Can we at least be friends...?"