Alice's POV
After my number of refusals, I end up sitting next to him in his car. His driver started driving after asking me the address of my apartment building to enter in the GPS.
I'm looking out of the window, my eyes conserving the worth captivating scene of tiny drops that keep raining down in the moist, cool breeze. Geon Junho, on the opposite side of my picture, has his eyes on his phone. Probably going through the clerical documents.
Wait! Did I just mention him by this name? No way in hell! Frosty air entering my brain! Well, he is driving me to my shared apartment. Enough of respect he will ever expect from me in the coming days.
The unanticipated peace of my mind, in the presence of this rude shit, comes to halt when the driver informed me after applying brakes next to the building. He opens the door for me, unlike his boss; well mine as well now, who doesn't let any God damn thing of this world come in between his view on the screen.
"Thank you for giving me a ride, Mr Geon", not putting up with insincere gratitude. I'm honestly thankful to him for driving me in this stormy weather even though the ride wasn't much of my liking. I've learned to be thankful to those who do the least good to you, even the people you don't like fall in the same alley as yours. When he doesn't spare me his mighty look, I'm about to leave when his voice stops me from turning around.
"You don't have to put them on if you are uncomfortable wearing them. Trying to be square with the surroundings that you were never meant to be a part of leads you to fall down your way. Do what makes you grab the satisfaction and relaxation. You can find oodles of excuses for not following the excluded part."
Does he read books? Everything he just said implicates deep meanings either based on punctilious and thoughtful observation or personal experience. I snap back into reality with the rumbling sound of thunder. When did he drive away? Well, what was he supposed to say at the blank face of mine as I was lost in what he told me?
Shrugging off the thoughts, I walk over to the door. After unsuccessful tries of unlocking the door with shivering hands, I finally make it inside.
"Why the hell on earth you don't pick up your damn phone, Alice!", is this how you welcome when somebody enters the house? If yes, I'm sorry you lack the most basic manners. That's what I want to voice out at Feng's sudden outburst but hey, who's gonna save me from his long-a*s hissy fits?
"Fennie, I dozed off at the office and when I woke up, the night had fallen. Being alone in the deadly horrible building, I forgot to text you", I hope my reasoning is enough convincing to put a stop to his lashing out.
"You were all alone at this hour!", reaching towards me, he takes my soaked bag from my hands and put it on the stand next to the wall.
"No, Mr Geon happened to be there as well", after taking off my coat that is dripped in rain, he drops it over the bag.
"Geon Junho as in your boss?", he asks, gesturing me to sit on the vacant space on the stand.
"Yes. He also dropped me off", taking my heels off, he places them on the bottom maple layer of the shelf.
"He seems a nice person", only if he knew his irksome behaviour I've started loathing the most in this world.
"Never judge a book by its cover", I roll my eyes at his comment. Heading to the kitchen, I grab the cup from the cupboard and place it under the coffee machine spigot.
"You mean to say Geon Junho has a nice book cover to have anyone take his side in a few seconds?", oh, come on, Feng.
"You wouldn't be saying this if you had watched him acting like a pure a*shole in his office", I add three tablespoons of dark roast coffee powder to the paper filter. I need this bolder, chocolatey cup of coffee after a tiresome day. Well, dozing off on a chair ain't any better because my limbs are sore.
"Judging a book by its cover is clear evidence of pure stupidity", Feng adds nine ounces of cold water in the reservoir. I narrowed my brows at him, waiting for him to elucidate his previous statement.
"You've seen his one side yet. You can't jump to the conclusion without reading unread chapters of his life", after pressing the start button, he turns on his heels to grab another cup for himself. Is it only me or today every being on this earth is trying to overdo their efforts at giving me unwanted pieces of advice?
"Spill the beans already", I take my cup and walk to the couch. He also comes after positing his cup right under the brew head.
"What do you exactly want to say?", I ask as he sits next to me.
"I can't see my dumb-headed friend standing her ground, making false judgments only based on a single angle", my perception of that a*shole doesn't seem a fair verdict to him? Couldn't put a better stop at the end of the day!
"Now go and change, you brainless. Your wet clothes are damping the couch", he snatches the cup from my hold and places it on the table. I groan walking to my room. Picking up an argument with him is what I can't afford with an energyless body of mine.
Third Person's POV
The next morning, Alice woke up feeling drained and weary. With the aching head, she dragged her feet to the bathroom to do her morning routine. After getting ready, she made her way to the table that has breakfast over it.
"Morning", Feng smiled seeing the girl dressed in casual attire. He wasn't a morning person. He got used to early mornings when they got into the university and had to share the apartment. Alice would skip breakfast without having a second thought because most of her classes were requiring her morning presence.
Feng, on the other hand, had his lectures starting the one half of the day but mostly exact an hour before the other half of the day. So to stuff his friend's mouth with healthy food and want her to start her fresh day, he had to wake up for her sake without any effort. Sleep becomes unimportant when you've someone to give it up for.
"Morning", Alice replied in a somewhat flat voice.
"Eat up", Feng sat across her after checking for every necessary thing on the table.
"Is something up?", upon seeing Alice not eating actively, he asked putting his fork down. Alice shook her head gradually. Her face laced with exhaustion, the hand slowly taking the spoonful to the mouth had Feng jolt up from his chair and walked around the table to her side.
"Let me see", he turns Alice around to face him.
"You have a fever", he exclaimed in a worry laced voice. When his fingers touched the skin of her face, he felt as if her body was scorching.
"It's just a slight temperature", Alice shifted her gaze back to the plate next to her, wishing to abandon it nonetheless trying to finish it up for Feng letting him go to the office.
"Take an off today", Feng gave her an autocratic look that she shrugged off in an instant while getting up from her seat.
"No damn way, Feng. This is just my second day. Yesterday I showed up late. Today you want me to not show up at all. Tomorrow we both will celebrate me being fired", she paced up towards the door.
"That's why I'm asking you to inform your boss beforehand", Feng tried to convince but when he saw Alice making it halfway through the elevator, he decided to go for the other way, drag her inside.
"You won't like the outcomes of not listening to me this time, Alice", following her out, he said.
"Stop giving me the bossy look!", she shouted before running over to the elevator.
"And if I'm gonna sit at home just because of this slight fever, how am I supposed to work hard for my needs? How am I supposed to compete in this already competitive world?", she had always been like this. Once she made up her mind, it was like making the plant rotate on your own to have her change her decision.
"Take care!", before the elevator doors were closed, she shot Feng a delightful smile, hoping for him to buy that she was really fine and stop worrying his a*s about her.
"Stubborn brat", Feng sighed closing the door shut. It was indeed going to be a long day for Alice.