"You are at once both the quiet and the confusion of my heart."
— Franz Kafka.
"What do you have to offer asides your body, Mariam?"
— Chief Jamal.
xXx
Mariam dressed quickly.
It was almost six a.m. and she didn't want to waste any more time. Not after Jamal's sound warning yesterday.
She slipped her arms through the armholes of the black gown and pulled it down over her head.
It was a knee-length, loose gown, but it didn't do enough to hide her prominent butt and breasts.
It wasn't her fault, she couldn't do anything about that.
He could go hang himself for all she cared.
She left her room and made her way towards the stairs before changing her mind. It wasn't six yet, so he might still be in his room.
With that thought, she backtracked and made her way across the hall towards Jamal's room all the while thinking it was probably a bad idea.
Just before she arrived at his corridor, his door slipped open and he stepped out into the hall.
Their eyes met and he paused, his hand still on the door knob.
"Good morning, Sir."
He didn't return her greeting immediately. Instead, he turned away and pulled the door close before turning back to her.
He was in his full work out gear and he looked as attractive as ever.
"Good morning, assistant."
Mariam bristled but refused to rise to the bait. If he wanted to act immature this morning, she wouldn't indulge him.
Jamal pushed away from the door and just when he was about to move past her, he dropped his work out bag into her hands.
She caught it and sagged from the weight since it was really heavy.
She opened her mouth to complain but he was already striding away from her.
Mariam rushed after him, extremely upset. It wouldn't cost him anything to carry the bag himself.
He knew it was too heavy for her. He knew it.
His long legs took him across the hall in record time, but before she got close to him, he was already jogging down the stairs.
She grunted and readjusted the bag in her hands, trying futilely to even out the weight. She climbed down the stairs and rushed across the hallway after him, but before she got halfway, he was already slipping out the entryway.
He was walking with his hands in his pockets, his movements graceful and poised.
Mariam ran out the entryway, gasping for breath. She hurried across the tall pillars holding up the majestic Palace and then turned towards the back gates.
She sighted Jamal already by the gate, laughing with the guards. He remained there for a few seconds and she rushed to cover the distance between them.
Just before she reached him, he slipped out the back gates again.
Mariam whined, almost to the point of tears. It wasn't so much about the weight of the bag, it was his nonchalance. The way he was acting. He was trying to frustrate her out of the job.
And she didn't know why.
She hurried down the path leading down the center and by this time, Jamal was already a speck in the distance.
He was almost at the training center.
Mariam walked past the level four building and ignored the catcalls from the men.
Normally, she would have engaged them. But now, she was too upset to even care.
She saw Jamal stop in front of the training center and deliberately slowed her movement. He was waiting for her, so she would make sure he waited a long while.
She walked slowly, even though her arms were urging her to walk a little faster so she could get to the center and drop the bag, but she didn't.
She endured the weight.
