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Chapter 12: TRUCE FOR NOW.
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Alex POV;
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My apartment hunt has finally come to an end after what felt like decades, after searching intensely for so many days I was standing in a place I could happily call mine. It was a three bedroom apartment, close to work, with a beautifully busy view of the city and access to the rooftop.
The pile of cardboard boxes in my living room, bedroom, random room and kitchen was now giving me a headache because I needed to unpack and so I postponed the task and decided to get to my office and get some work done.
My place got fully furnished just yesterday so I wasted no time in moving in. Looking at the decor I realised that I was biased towards blue, white and black , I grabbed the keys, locked the door and skipped out of the building, the weather was beautiful today as I looked up at cloudless skies and felt the pleasant breeze on my skin before getting into my car.
I guess it’s safe to say my life’s getting busier and going down a different path lately, I can’t call it ‘boring’ cause my family just won’t allow it. Dad and Kyle and Sammy never failed to remind me of their glorious presence by ‘helping’ me move out and by that I meant bugging me till Kingdom come, my mom as usual had tried her best but failed to control the hassle but she’s not mad at me anymore and told me to visit often- like a gazillion times.
I thought Kyle couldn’t get any crazier but it’s getting worse as he’s climbing higher the stairs of fame and popularity. Thankfully I’m not in the limelight of it at all and I preferred it that way.
It was another normal day with…….work, it’s not really my definition of fun, especially since the workload had suddenly increased to an enormous level and there’s not a minute to spare with the fast approaching deadlines. After parking my car I made my way towards my office room.
So, it’s been a few weeks after the ‘crockery breaking-coffee spilling-wound healing’ incident and I’ve been avoiding Jensen ever since, well, even more strongly than before.
It was definitely a surprise when out of nowhere he once asked me if my hand was better, but since I’m set in my lines, I nodded and walked past him without a word or another glance, he even looked apologetic at certain point, but I didn’t care. If he thinks everything is cool between us, he’s got another thing coming!
It was a shock that he noticed my hand in the first place, I always thought Jensen was the kind of guy who would walk past a person who took a bullet for him, but not before shooting the poor guy a nasty glare for making him late for a meeting or something.
Yeah okay, so maybe he’s not that bad and I’m just portraying him in dark light, but he has been giving me serious whiplash these days.
Everyone around me knew him better and longer than me and they all seem to think he’s not so bad, he was not the ‘nice guy’ type either, but according to popular opinion he was pleasantly obscure and strangely attractive. Honestly, I couldn’t disagree. So, for now my judgement of him stood at a firm A-OK.
I was really confused with him, in the beginning at least, it was obvious that we were of conflicting sentiments, which made it easier for me to not care, but now it’s some weird kind of gray area and so it seems like a much bigger dilemma. I get muddled up around him, not knowing how to react or greet him.
He on the other hand behaves as if nothing was out of the ordinary, like there was no argument or clash of opinions to begin with, but he never verbally apologised or said anything about what happened that day so I’m just assuming that we were practicing ‘Truce for now‘.
But I had to make sure, so much uncertainty was not good for my mind, especially when it was brought to my notice that me ignoring Jensen is actually working in his favor. He was actually enjoying the serenity that comes with my absence and that’s just not acceptable. I can’t leave him alone to his peacefully luxurious life. No, that’s not how it works!
“Do you think he’s up to something?” I asked Nick, who seemed busy clearing the desk of unwanted files and documents to make room for the important ones.
He spared me a glance for a millisecond and then focused back at his work at hand, “Alex, I don’t think he sits in his office and makes villainous schemes of dragging you down all day.”
I wanted to believe him, but something said I should be on my guard. “Villainous you say… though that would suit him, appropriately.”
Nick gave me a flat stare and said, “If you’re gonna start calling him that I want no part in it, I refuse to acknowledge it was my idea.”
“Sure Nick.” I laughed, “by the way I won’t be coming in tomorrow, I’ve already applied for a leave.”
Nick paused, “but- it’s a weekday…”
I raised my eyebrows, “hence the leave.”
He shook his head, “alright sure, I reschedule if anything important comes up.”
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Jensen’s pov
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An error message popped up on my computer for the hundredth time and I rubbed my hands down my face and sighed heavily.
Leaning back in my chair I grabbed the phone and speed dialled my assistant.
“Where’s the tech guy I asked for like a million years ago?” I grumble at her exasperated.
“Your million years were like fifteen minutes ago in real time and he said he’ll be there to check your system soon, can’t you lay off for a few minutes.” I could imagine Kate rolling her eyes as she said this, and it only made me sigh again.
“Okay… ” I agreed, “get me those R&D files I need to look into.” I said and hung up.
Minutes later I heard a knock on my door, followed by the click of her high heels as she entered my office.
She placed the new pile of files in their designated spot on my desk, gave me my coffee and then proceeded to give me her unnecessary, unbiased opinion on my appearance after barely glancing in my direction, “you look like Dracula… you know, without the bloodsucker part.”
The lack of humor in her tone would have confused me if I wasn’t so used to her sarcasm and brutal honesty. “Gee thanks, expecting to turn into a bat any minute now.” She didn’t even crack a smile at that, but I could tell she was amused by the fact that she refused to meet my eyes as she looked away.
“When was the last time you had a good nights’ sleep?” She enquired, as she eyed my messy desk. Her OCD must be kicking in.
“I can’t remember for the life of me” I said while leaning back some more with my reclining chair as I rubbed my eyes. That deal with Japanese investors was a real pain in the neck.
“Sounds healthy.” She commented, “you’re gonna work yourself to an early grave.” There she goes again with her too honest opinions.
“What’s left in my schedule for today?” I asked, already feeling exhausted from all the meetings.
She basically read my mind, “There aren’t any other meetings today, but your lawyer is coming at around four and you have to meet Josh for drinks as Blueline.”
“Great! That means he’ll get shitfaced and I’ll haul his drunk ass home.” Looking forward to that one.
“As usual. ” She agreed.
I flipped through one of the files, like a habit that was almost insentient and changed the subject “what happened with the charity event?”
“I looked up the best event planners for that but none of them are available.” She told me, reporting about what I asked her to do this morning.
“No one?” I asked incredulously looking up at her as I frowned “They know money is not an issue right?”
“Yeah, I made that abundantly clear, but they are all booked.” She said, “unless you might consider hiring someone not so significant…. “
“Can’t we call in a favour? We have so many employees working in real estate staging, they must have connections with event planners right?”
“I already tried that angle, even Carrie tried…” She said, “did not work out so well.”
“Damn” I cursed, as I dropped my head in my hands after abandoning the file I was kinda reading. “Jenny’s gonna kill me!”
“Well it’s your fault for not booking one of them in advance, so you deserve to die.” She said flatly, as she started rearranging my desk.
“In advance? I didn’t even want to do this thing! Jenny forced me to! I only just agreed yesterday and that’s because I didn’t see another choice.” I don’t know who I was complaining to.
“Well, you should have known about her powers of persuasion, you’ve fought and lost enough times.” She reminded me quite bluntly.
“So you’re saying I should have accepted my defeat before the war even began?”
“Pretty much.” She even shrugged.
“Thanks for your vote of confidence, I feel honoured.” I mumbled loud enough. She rolled her eyes, she might as well have said ‘get over it’ Or something along those lines.
“Just be glad I’m still working for you.” She said casually.
“It’s times like this when I don’t even doubt that you are plotting my demise with my sister.” I told her, she almost smiled.
“Josh would probably help too.” She added.
“Probably.” I agreed. “But what do I do now? I can’t plan this event myself! I can’t even tell any difference between satin table cloth and silk!”
“There’s something you can do.” She said, and the glint in her eyes was so foreign I had no idea where she was going with it.
“And that would be?”
“You didn’t hear it from me…but, Alex has a lot of experience in event planning…” She raised one of her eyebrows and looked at me pointedly.
I caught on quick enough alright. “Alex? Alex Brook?”
“Of course! How many Alex’s do you know!” She practically glared.
“But she-… ” I was lost for words, “she would never agree to help me.”
She wouldn’t even look at me. Every time I walk into a room she’s in she finds something to occupy herself with.
Granted we had a rough start, but the things she says and does just brings out the strangely obnoxious side of me…
It’s not okay. I’m aware.
I’m usually level headed, even pleasant to be around sometimes (says Josh)….
But with her I can’t help but just go ahead and react impulsively, I don’t think and respond like I normally would…. She makes me lose my cool.
I’ve been meaning to apologize… Trying and failing really. She’s good at placing herself far from my general vicinity… And it’s been a week now.
If I apologize about something that happened so long ago won’t I look weird? Besides… She might have forgotten all about it so far…
“Sounds like you need to work on your powers of persuasion.” Kate said simply, breaking into my train of thoughts “oh and… maybe don’t mention the fact that you’re asking for ‘help‘, she hates your guts.”
“Thanks for the heads up.” I said sarcastically.
She smiled before walking away, and I wasn’t sure if it was because she was just proud of herself for putting me in this situation or because she enjoyed my pain. Maybe both.
I needed a plan.
I picked up my phone and called a familiar number. He picked up on the third ring, although he was probably busy with his crazy amount of work.
“Jensen? Can’t believe you called… This must be really important.” David said, with just the right amount of sarcasm and amusement.
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-vinee
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