The next day at work, Amber was asking a question. She was at least ten feet apart.
"Sorry, I can't hear you. What did you say?" Ajax had to ask again.
"I was only asking about the promotional–" Amber cleared her throat. "You know what? I'll just forward you an email. Please check your email in the next ten minutes."
Ajax just stood there with total shock in his eyes. He nearly roared out in laughter, but he kept his composure and just walked out of her office.
"I wonder what has gotten to her. None of her bubbly attitude again, huh? Did someone say anything to her?" Ajax pondered on these thoughts in his office.
But what really did surprise him was that she had been avoiding any form of physical touch since. Maybe she had learnt the truth of his pathetic life and had joined the other, running away from him like the freak that he was.
Even when he made attempts to lightly brush her skin by pretending it was an accident, Amber would jump and hurry back, nearly tripping.
It was nearly the closing hour now and Ajax was on his way to his office when Tania, one of his part-time staff hurried forward, still keeping her distance too.
Amber was outside of her office too.
"There's going to be a staff dinner night. We'll be heading to La Madrico for the restaurant's grilled lobster. Anyone interested, I'll be more than happy to put down your name on the list." Tania announced. She waited for Ajax's reply but he shook his head and turned to walk away.
No one would ever expect him to join with his condition anyway.
"Amber? What about you?" Tania called out. "It's your second week here and it's a Friday, so…"
He didn't know what came over him. Before she could reply, Ajax said. "Amber is working late tonight. She's busy with a task I assigned to her. Have you forgotten?"
Amber blinked twice. She could not hide the surprise in her eyes.
"Oh, is that true, Amber?" Tania asked.
Amber forced what resembled a smile on her face. "Uh, yes. It's true." She brought her gaze to meet Ajax, but he frowned and averted it instantly.
What is wrong with you, Ajax! He cursed silently.
"Okay, cool. We'll see you at the next dinner night then." Tania said.
After the staff had all left, Ajax invited Amber to his office.
'Don't act like a freak, Ajax. Just be cool.' He muttered to himself. 'And if she asks why you asked her to stay…well, just give a sweet lie. But what lie?..."
"Hi, I'm here." Amber said as she stepped in. The doors were opened.
Ajax sat up straight. "Or do you wish to go with them?" He blinked as soon as the words left his mouth.
Amber swallowed. He wondered what was going on in her mind now.
"Actually, I would like to go home. But if you have work for me then–"
"Home?" He scoffed. Why would she want to go home and not spend time with him?
Geez Ajax, you're going crazy!
"Fine. Go home if you want." Ajax snapped. He was angry that she had been avoiding him! Even if he was a freak, why did she have to start avoiding him too, like everyone else!
Amber did not leave. "If you need me with anything, really I can–"
"--no. That will be all, you can leave." Ajax said again.
It took a while but Amber finally left. A sigh of relief escaped his lips.
"You know at this rate, fire smoke will start to pop out from your head if you don't learn to control your anger." Ava said as she strode in.
Ajax did not believe his eyes. "If I had known you would just show up like this, I would have put on my SpongeBob happy face." Ajax said, and got up to hug his sister. He'd been needing a big hug from his sis.
Just a few paces apart, and Ajax's chest tightened as a burning pain overwhelmed him. As if there was a clenched fist in the chest.
His throat swelled and his eyes became Itchy and teary. Rashes spread around his body, itching and burning as he groaned in pain. He was struggling to breath because it felt like all the air had left the room.
Ava noticed and quickly rushed back, far away from him.
Slowly, he began to regain consciousness of his body again. His eyes met with Ava and she was nearly on the brink of tears.
"It's getting worse again. Even I can't get close to you." Her voice was sounding like she was already crying.
Ajax just stood still, trying to catch his breaths.
"Ajax! Did you use your drugs??" She asked.
Ajax nodded. "Never skip a day." He managed to say.
Unknowingly to them, Amber was behind them, overhearing their conversation. She had witnessed the whole scene, and she cried bitterly thinking Ajax was about to die.
Ajax raised his head up and saw her standing behind, crying like a baby.
Ava turned back to see Amber. She quickly wiped her tears and was about to console Amber, but Amber turned to look at her and a smile formed on her face.
Then she took a step forward, and another one.
And another one, till she was standing in front of Ajax. Ava wanted to scream but she noticed Ajax never developed any symptoms.
For some reason, Ajax couldn't help but to be mad at Amber's presence. "I thought I told you to go home." He said.
Amber sniffed in a tear. She was standing so close she could take in his cologne. It smelled nice. She smiled as soon as she realized she had been staring at Ajax like he was her long lost lover.
"Can't you hear me? Leave already! Get out of here!" Ajax said again, making his tone more authoritative.
With another smile, Amber reached forward to rest her hand on Ajax' hair. He wanted to slap her hands away. For some reason, he couldn't stop but stared in surprise.
Ava's eyes shone bright as she watched them both.
"You'll be fine." Amber said, her voice soft and comforting. Then, gently, she stood on her toes till she could reach his tall height, and began to pat his hair, not taking her eyes off him. "You'll be fine."
"You've done a good job. Living everyday like a brave man, I know you don't have a lot of people to commend you besides Ava. But I'm here to comfort you, Ajax. Good job." She did not take her eyes off him, or her hand from his hair.
Ajax felt his body numb. Relaxed…happy. He felt happy that he was so scared it was all a dream and he would be forced to wake up from it.