Ravenwolf's Rose

Close To You

When Jackson squeezed my body closer to him I held my breath. I could feel the heat from his body radiate into my skin.

"Let go..." I think at this point I was half-immersed by his touch, but the other part of me knew this wasn't right.

"Be careful..." he whispered.

I thought my sanity was slowly slipping away. I exhaled and with another shove I was finally able to detach his arms that were around my waist...

"What are you saying..." I laughed while looking up at him. There was a grin at the corner of him mouth before he said: "are you alright?"

"Yes."

Jackson then picked up my portfolio and passed it over to me. I held onto it, but before I had the chance to leave he passed by me first. I stood in place. After he left, I slowly made my way out of the swimming pool area...

I was a little stunned. My cheeks felt warm. 

Cool down... I kept telling myself. 

I must have looked like a drenched animal walking back to my room.

When I closed my door I heard my phone ring. I had left it in my room to charge.

I walked over and saw that it was from an unknown number again. I ignored it and decided I would block another number from this phantom person... at some point I did need to reach out to the police so that someone in the cyber department could figure out who it was?

After I dried myself properly and changed my clothes I went back downstairs again to grab a snack to eat. While I did I could hear Kenz laughing in one of the main living rooms. So I took a small detour and saw her and Charlie playing a board game together. I smiled. I was happy she was getting to spend more time with her family...

I then proceeded to the kitchen and grabbed a container of fruit in the fridge. I sat down to eat first and then cleared up and washed the dishes afterwards. On my way back to my room I saw Gerald and Cassandra together. They were standing in the middle of the foyer. Gerald was fixing his tie and Cassandra was texting someone on her phone.

I didn't want to walk right past them without saying anything... and since I couldn't avoid it I approached them. Cassandra looked up and then away immediately. I expected that much from her.

"It's been a while since we last saw one another..." Gerald looked up at me and smiled candidly.

"I've heard from Nathan about your contributions to the company. Thank you for all your hard work..." Cassandra rolled her eyes. But Gerald wasn't paying attention to her at the moment so he reached his hand out to shake mine. 

"I'm just doing what has been required of me..." after shaking each other's hands Cassandra spoke up in the background:

"Of course you have dear and that's all we expect of you" she was grinning now. It was definitely forced.

"Thanks Cassandra..." I smiled back at her possibly too enthusiastically. She looked angered by my response...

"Alright, honey... I think it's time for me to head out..." Cassandra added and Gerald nodded in my direction before wheeling his luggage forward. Cassandra looked like she wanted to say something but she just gritted her teeth together and turned around to follow after Gerald.

I exhaled and shivered in place before walking towards the staircase.

There was something different about Gerald. He seemed to be diplomatic... but with Cassandra around it was probably difficult even for him. I was glad he decided to greet me despite her being here... I didn't want to read too deeply into their affairs... so when I got back to my room I continued working on the painting I was completing for Rae's cousin in New York. I wanted to give her something for her new apartment. She was starting anew after getting a new job in the city.