It took exactly one hour to get to Jackson's even on Ivan's super fast bike. Why in the world did he order something to this place in the first place. He could have ordered it directly to the office, why did he send it here first, and now make her come all the way to this place to get it.
"Hello sir, I'm there. What should I do now? She called him as soon as she reached.
" why do you always call me for useless things. I already told you, find a place to stand and just wait till my parcel arrives period. He bellowed angrily.
"But sir, how will the courier identify me. I'm not the one who placed an order.
" And here I thought you had a bit of sense in that box you call head. Of course I already gave them your number, when he gets there he'll call you. He then hangs up. The way he loved hanging up the call made it seem like he went on a special training on how to end calls. Because he was really good at it.
"Have you spoken to your boss yet? Ivan who went to get them some soft drinks asked as he handed hers to her.
" Yes, he says I should wait till they call me. She tries forcing a smile. I'm sorry, the date is ruined because of me. I promise I'll do a really better job on the next. I'll try my best to help you get back your girlfriend. She said sincerely.
"why are you sorry, you have a really insane boss, they were not even here yet, and he made you run like crazy. He must really be out of his mind., so if we have to blame anyone for a failed date, your crazy boss should be blamed.
" NO!!, she said a little bit higher than she was supposed to. He's not like that, he's a very kind person, very caring and diligent. He's not so bad. He's not even bad at all... He's just broken. she whispers to herself these last three words.
" Isla, are you probably in love with your boss? Ivan suddenly ask, making the lady choke on her drink, coughing and clearing her throat continuously. He pats her back, to help her calm down.
"I guess I'm right seeing that you're choking over a simple question like that. He said disappointed.
" No, the drink just got into my nose that's why. All I'm saying is He's not such a bad person. That's it nothing more.
"Well of course I'll be glad if you're not. The truth Isla is that I'm actually not getting back with my ex. I like you Isla.
Wow, was his plan to kill her by choking because if that was it, he was probably going to succeed. Because she choked on her drink again at his sudden confession. Coughing her lungs out.
She'd heard a lot of people confessing their feelings for her, but she had to confess she didn't see this one coming at all.
"You don't have to give me an answer yet. Like you said, we still have one more date. You can give me your response then. For now just try to drink that thing without choking. She couldn't help but laugh at his words. She had to admit, he was quite okay.
*****
"It's been about three hours since we've been sitting here, maybe you should call your boss and tell him the parcel hasn't arrived yet" Ivan suggested.
"No, no I can't call him for irrelevant things. It's in the rules. I'll just have to wait. You've kept me company enough, you should get going now. She was sincerely sorry for the trouble she was causing him. First she ruined their date, and now she made him wait with her for hours.
"How is you waiting for hours irrelevant. Maybe the order got canceled and it's not coming today again. It means you've waited in vain.
" still I have to wait a little longer. But seriously I think you should get going. You've really been of great help to me. I don't want to stress you any longer.
" stop saying that, it's not like you tied me down on the spot, I chose to stay on my own. And I'm not... He was still talking when he got a text. He checked the message and a black cloud swept over his face.
Isla noticed this, and maybe he got an urgent message and was thinking of what to do. He was probably thinking of how he would tell her he had to leave.
" you should really go. It seems urgent. She said pointing at his phone.
" are you really going to continue waiting here without calling him? He really felt bad leaving her here alone, but the thing was that he really had to go.
"I'll just wait a little longer so stop worrying and go do your business.
" I'm really sorry for leaving like this, it's just that I really have to go. But, if you need me to come pick you up, just call me and I'll come running back I promise.
"Don't worry, I'm fine just go. She flashed him a reassuring smile to show that she was really okay.
" okay then. I guess I'll get going now. Seriously if you wait for like thirty more minutes and the dude still doesn't show up, pick up your bag and go home.
" just get going already. She said laughing.
"okay, I'll call you. Bye. He said walking away. Bye, she replied and he still turned around to look at her, she then waved at him and said a silent Go again, before he finally turned and walked away.
******
It was already 7:09 in the evening and the so-called order was yet to come. Now she stood outside waiting, with nowhere to seat for even Jackson's had closed for the day.
Some times she'd squat, sometimes she stood, sometimes she just stayed in an unrecognizable manner. A part of her knew that the order was not coming again, and another part felt like there was no order in the first place and that he just wanted to punish her.
It was now 8 o'clock. She decided to call him.
"What? He said immediately he picked up the call.
"hmm, I just wanted to ask you if the order was still coming, because I've been waiting since and it's yet to arrive.
The man was already in his own home, he just even finished taking a shower when her call came in.
" I thought I told you, they couldn't send it today again. You can go. Was that really all he had to say to her, she'd been standing out here for hours and he just told her nothing and as usual he hung up.
She promised herself she wasn't going to cry, so she just dragged her weary legs and successfully flagged down a taxi.
*****
"Wow young lady, it's already past nine and you're just coming in. Was your date really that great.? Jerry who had nervously been waiting for her since. He'd really put in a lot of effort to stop himself from calling her.
" Yes, it was a blast, it was perfect. It was beyond wonderful, you know what I had so much fun today that I was feeling bad I left you at home. She grinned, walking past the grumpy man and into her room.
Immediately in the confinement of her room, the fake grin she had on was washed off and a shadowy cloud took over.
She immediately sat on the floor, resting her back on her bed. hoping that for once, sleep would come to her when she needed it the most. Because staying awake will only make her think of the whole incident of today, and that would only make her cry. She'd really love to lie on her bed, but she knew sleep on her bed was impossible.
God was on her side for just a few minutes after she sat down, she feel asleep.
*****
" Why are you still here Ivan? I thought I told you to go back to Canada.
"That's why you texted me that you wanted to see me? He scoffs out of disbelief. And here I was thinking you probably just wanted to talk to your little brother.
" Well I'm sorry Henry, but like I told you I have a date. And I'm planning on making that one date turn to more dates. So I don't think I'm going anywhere yet.
" Yeah, about that, I was told she was very pretty.
"What? You had someone follow me? How could he be so petty sending someone to follow him.
" So if you don't want to see that pretty face of hers all bashed up, you better get the hell out of here before the end of this week, or else you'll be sorry.
"you can't do this to me Henry, you just can't. Ivan spoke tears rolling down his eyes, but it was not like it mattered to his brother.
"You don't tell me what I can and cannot do.. The man bellowed angrily. I tell you what to do. I state your fate, and I've made my decision. I'm giving you this week to sort out things with the b*tch and then I don't want to see your miserable self here again. Or else I'll stick my fifty thousand dollars shoes down her throat.
****
As usual, her sleep was just for a while, but it was long enough. She woke up around past twelve, her back aching from the position she slept in. She took off her cloths wrapped her towel and headed for the bathroom.
After cooling herself down a bit she sat in front of the television to watch something. Jerry was already fast asleep so she'd be watching her movie alone.
About thirty minutes into the movie, there was a scene were the two leads were texting each other happily and it reminded her of when she used to text with him.
"God why can't I do anything without bringing him into it. Why is he in every single thing I do. She said frustrated. But the thought of texting him like that again filled her head. That she found herself picking up her phone and thinking should I do it, should I text him, what if it got her into more trouble. What if he punished her more. The thought of him being even more mean to her because of her mistakes made her drop the phone back.
But how am I going to change him if I don't try anything. I have a month and one week is already out of that month. I have to try something, I have to find a way to make him see I'm really sorry.
How the thought of him brought water to her eyes so easily was baffling. She just cried whenever he talked to her, and now just thinking of him made her cry.
She picks up the phone again, her fingers trembled as she typed...
Hi Damon. She typed, but was too scared to hit the send button. She was viciously biting on her nails, thinking whether to send it or not, and mustering all the courage in her, she hit the send button.
****
He wasn't asleep, he was, but maybe he turned on the heater too high but the night was hot, so he got up to take another shower. He just got out of the bathroom when his phone beeped. He picked it up wondering what kind of message gets delivered in the middle of the night.
He didn't save her name, but he already knew the number, so when he saw it was from her, he didn't open it and just read what it said from the homepage then slides it away.
"has she lost her mind. It was my fault for calling her with my number." he said, turning on his TV and crossing his legs in front of him.
Then it beeped again. He was reluctant to pick it up, but he did. He still didn't open the message and just read it from the homepage and slides it away. And focus back on the TV
It's Isla. This one had said.
The phone beeped again, and it was starting to piss him off.
How have you been? She must be really mad asking him that question. He thought to himself. This time, he turns off the sound of the phone. It was starting to irritate him.
But then it vibrates, and he decides to just ignore it, but then again, and again, and again. And like three more messages before he finally picks it up out of anger, and was going to turn the damn thing off, but one of the texts caught his eye. And he didn't know why, but for a split minute, maybe even just a second, or maybe a millisecond, but for that short time he felt the whole hate and anger in him just wash off.
And what did the message say?
"I Miss You.