Traces of Delilah

Four

Oliver's face wouldn't leave my head.

I had done more than dream about him again last night. I thought about him while eating dinner, while watching TV, even while I was in the shower. Now, if that wasn't disturbing, I didn't know what was. His presence was like a dirty little secret chasing after me, until it eventually caught up and tore me apart limb from limb, nerve from nerve.

As Thomas mentioned, Oliver and I had seen each other again this morning. 

I had been given an interview on the spot after handing over my application alongside my resume. I wasn't surprised, considering I had my fair share experiences with past jobs. I thought he was the manager because he was the one to interview me. But it turned out, the manager was on vacation. So, I wouldn't have seen him until the week I started working.

The interview was awkward anyways. I knew I'd been partially to blame. Whenever I glimpsed at his face, I saw my own questions reflecting back at me. The same way his eyes haunted me yesterday, was the same way they burned a hole in my eyes today—burning directly through my negligence to accept what I saw.

All I could think about was, I had to see him again. Starting three days out of the week, it was essential. Thankfully, the position was only part-time so I could leave as soon as my morning shifts were over. But still. Why wouldn't that damned face leave my head!?

I groaned and kicked my legs, letting out a frustrated scream. 

I had been lying on my back for hours. The palms of my hands were clammy and moist with sweat. But that didn't stop me from clinging onto the pillow I had on top of my face. The pillow blocked out the incoherent noises I was making. Or so I thought it did.

"Don't you think you're a little too old to be throwing temper tantrums in here? Seriously though, is everything alright?" I removed the pillow to see Skylar had cracked open my room door, and stuck her head in. 

I eyed the casual clothing hugging her tall, curvy figure. It hadn't dawned on me until I glanced at the clock. The hands had just struck 1:00 PM. Then, her clothing made sense. She was about to leave for work.

I sighed and sat up straight. "I've had better days."

"Oh? Okay, I've got a few minutes." She walked in and sat on the corner of my bed. "Tell me everything. What's wrong?"

I threw the pillow on my lap and used it to post my elbows up. "I don't know. I just keep thinking about this dream I had."

"A dream? What was the dream?" she asked.

The look on her face matched the uncertainty I'd been feeling since I saw Oliver for the first time. Should I have told her about my encounter with Oliver in my dream or whatever that was? Nah, maybe not.

"I was," I paused, choosing my words carefully, "someone else. Like a completely different person. I'm talking, someone I've never met before! I wouldn't be able to put a face to them if I tried!"

"Well, that's something you don't hear every day," Skylar mumbled. 

"I know." I chuckled.  

"I guess you never know. Maybe you have seen this person before and you don't remember. I have weird dreams about people I've seen before all the time. But we could also say, if I didn't know you, I'd probably think you were high as shit right now," she joked with a shrug.

I slapped her arm, dismissing her comment. "Shut up!"

"What? Girl, come on now. You know it's true." She laughed. "Alright, I'm going to go now. Tell me more about this later." She tapped my legs before jumping off the bed.