Christmas break was the worst period of Kayla's life. It came so fast, yet every moment was so slow that she felt like she would die if the hands on the clock didn't move faster.
Louisa and the girls, after their meeting in the lounge, decided to go on a trip and Kayla agreed but at the last minute, she had to back out pissing everyone off.
Especially, Louisa who hadn't texted her since, only telling her to check her room for a gift she left for her for Christmas.
First, she couldn't afford the trip, secondly, she had other things she needed to do. The orders on the dark web have been so time-consuming that she rarely ate.
The only thing that kept her sane and alive was that every week, someone would ring her doorbell and deliver groceries to her. She knew the person was Oliver but he too hadn't contacted her these past weeks.
Well, she did tell him to fuck off but when had Oliver ever listened to her?
The most important reason she didn't go on the trip was her most recent trip to the doctor's office.
"I'm sorry, Kayla but we've done all we could but there seems to be no signs of improvement and your disease is very rare so we don't have much to work with." the doctor said, grimly.
"How long?" were the only things she could wheeze out.
"Given your recent symptoms, about a year or even less than that."
The doctor has advised her to not get involved in any strenuous activities but in reality, she had been using pills she got from the dark web to keep herself active. As for the side effects, she only saw one which was coughing out blood.
She should have stopped but that was the only way she could be normal. That no one would know. She didn't want them to know and get worried. What was the point of causing them pain? If they found out, it would be about their feelings, trying to help them get through whatever the fuck they were feeling.
All she wanted was to live in peace. She didn't even have enough time for that. The moment she was diagnosed, four years ago, she had accepted her fate. Death was inevitable and it would come for everyone sooner or later so why not just go now? That was the lie she told herself.
She checked her room to see if Oliver had deactivated the cameras and he did, just like he had promised.
Louisa had come back from the trip, happier than ever and she talked to Kay about everything after the latter prepared a scrumptious breakfast as an apology for bailing last minute.
Of course, Louisa was worried about her.
"Are you sure you're fine Kay? You can tell me anything! You have severe bags under your eyes and your skin doesn't look so good. Is this how you want to show up to your new job on Monday?" She frowned.
Monday, she would start working as an intern or as an employee at Oliver's company. She would have to see him again.
"I'm fine, Loui. You worry too much."
"If I don't worry about you, who will? You need to sleep better and take care of yourself or I'll do it for you! If anything happens to you…" she cracked and Kayla placed her hand on hers.
"Nothing is going to happen to me, Loui. We said we would be together forever and ever. It's you and me against the world! Louis and Kay, always and forever!" Kayla smiled reassuringly but who she was comforting was unclear. Herself or Loui?
It would all be fine. It would all make sense when it happened. Loui had lost Cole, so if she lost Kay, God only knew what would happen to her. She couldn't be the one to shatter her best friend and her sister.
They both ate, chatting about the handsome boys Loui saw and they decided to watch a Christmas movie, "The Princess Switch." Anything to take Kayla away from reality.
"You know what would be cool, Kay? To travel to an alternate dimension and live the lives of the other versions of ourselves!" Kayla sprawled on the couch, Loui sitting straight and actually watching the movie.
"And how do you know our other selves have it better than us?"
"Who knows? That's what we would be able to find out when we make the switch! It's a lot better than living in your dreams!" She poured, focusing back on the movie.
Living in a dream. Maybe all this was just a nightmare she was having when she was ten on a dark rainy night in Michigan.
One day, she would wake up and realize that everything was a weird fever dream. One day.
****
Monday arrived quicker than she would have liked. Her whole room was a fucking mess and she didn't know what to wear but she would be damned if the world knew the wreck that she was.
She would always dress to impress especially on her first day. She wore a coco rhinestone fringe earring that was gold, her hair in a high ponytail with the tail curly and two strands framing her beautiful face adorned with makeup.
She arrived at Wilde Corp, stepping out of her car. The White stilettoes she wore clicked against the floor, her white designer bag on her arm.
She wore a fitted black dress with stones lined vertically on both sides and the middle but the neckline was heart-shaped and a white long-sleeved voluminous, chiffon top was attached to it.
When she got to the reception, the receptionist eyed her from head to toe.
"How can I help you, Miss?" The young woman asked respectfully afraid of offending a big shot.
"I'm here as one of the new interns, Miss." Kayla flashed her signature smile.
"You're an intern?" She double-checked again. Kayla's aura screamed, 'look at me!' An aura that commanded attention so she was shocked.
The lobby of the twenty-storey building sky scrapper had white tiles and white walls, with a big logo of the company behind the receptionist. Her desk was brown and black and high.
Kayla nodded patiently. "Then, in that case, take the elevator to the last floor. The CEO has asked that all of you would have to work directly under him."
Her lips curved downwards, slightly. She would have to see him every time. It wasn't horrible but it wasn't safe. This was a bad idea. What was Oliver planning now? Well, she was in the elevator, about to find out.
The last floor was more packed with people and busier than usual. This was because there was another attack on their server.
People ran around, a man yelling orders calling them incompetent.
They were all dressed, normally. T-shirt and jeans with ID cards, even females didn't go all out but look at her, she was too over the top and eye-catching and this was her attempt at being low-key.
Then, the man shouting flicked his eyes towards her. "You! Do we need to roll out a red carpet before you get to work!?"
"Um… no… I'm an intern. I just arrived!" she explained quickly but the man scowled. "All the more reason we should give you your own entourage, isn't it?"
Kayla rushed over to the man. "We don't have time to explain. Over there," he pointed at a cubicle that four people would share, "is your seat! Now the CEO has asked for all the interns to be in the conference room with other employees thirty minutes ago but since you're late I doubt you'll be able to retain your position." He smiled cruelly.
Fuck! She could never be early for anything. Oliver would punish her, won't he? The word punishment made her insides squirm.
"What are you waiting for!? Get in there. Now!"
"Yes, sorry!" she dropped her bag, took her laptop a book, and pen, and hurried to the conference room. She pushed open the door and the minute she did, the first head that snapped up from the tense room, was Oliver's.
He smelled her. Lavender and roses. His Hastings. Punctual as usual. He leaned back into his seat, tapping on the circular glass table.
She spotted Jack and Rosa who grimaced at her entrance. Jack mouthed, 'dead.' Oliver had been angry all morning because of the attack and Kayla would be the one to get all the anger.
Reigna couldn't hide the grin on her witchy face. She didn't even need to do anything. Kayla would ruin it all by herself, with her two hands. This would be fun. If Kayla was vexed, she would do what she was known for, run away. That meant she would be out of the program.
Kayla gulped, whiskey eyes boring into her with so much vigor that it made her shiver involuntarily. It made her feel bare, naked under his gaze. The room felt small and very hot.
A smirk on his face as he said, "You're late, Hastings." And everyone knew the one thing Oliver hated the most was lateness.