Chapter 30: "Critical Hit, Finish Him !!"

The hour was 6AM, and the second I opened my eyes to the alarm all I could think about was Ezra.

I'm still too embarrassed.

I listened to the powerful purring flushed against the side of my head. As strange as it was, a little feline's unconditional love did pull me out of my despair for a minute. It should have aided me in getting up, but I was still lacking motivation.

Stuck on everything that happened over twelve hours ago, I couldn't stop wondering how I thought Ezra and I were going to work? Well, when I let nothing else come into the view, I thought I could see it. But reality wasn't ever going to let itself be forgotten.

He was my boss, I was his intern, and we were a bad mix.

Then again, I couldn't wonder if I was pointing the blame in the wrong direction. First, I blamed myself again and again for letting Ezra think I was ready for something like that. Then, I blamed myself for what I did on Saturday. And after that, I blamed myself for staying at the job.

Outside of Chris and Renee's comfort, it's been nothing but a whirlwind since I started. I couldn't take this back and forth anymore.

But was I going to do this again? Was I going to open up the job finder and apply to a slew of jobs to see where my application would stick? The thought was exhausting, so I closed my computer and sat on the edge of the bed.

Just relax. Don't do anything asinine like you normally would.

My first reaction rarely served in my favor, and I had to learn from the mistakes at some point. Unfortunately, it took me almost sleeping with my boss to have a wake up call. But when Ezra's came into view again, I had to think hard on what was I waking up from?

If what I was asking was truly a mystery, then there had to be clues to solve it.

One clue was still on the floor, instantly reminding me of what happened the day before.

It was... amazing.

What lasted of it, that is. Saturday was the first time I told myself I really liked him. As much as I wanted to deny it, I couldn't. So, if I went with my gut when I saw him for the first time after the weekend, what was there to regret?

"God, I really messed up," I admitted to myself.

I kept telling myself to smile, but as I remembered my last moments with Ezra, I started to give in to the emotions. I just wanted to see him. Trying to admit to myself that I was starting to fall hard for him was nearly impossible when I was sure I had hit the ground a while ago.

I was halfway to the shower when, I stopped dead in my tracks at the sound of soft knocks. It took me a moment to try and process which emotion would be appropriate depending on who was outside of my apartment.

Maybe it's him!

Excited, I hurried to the door and unlocked it. There was no one there, at least no one standing in front of my door. I looked out toward the elevator, and a random man with a stack of papers and tape entered the parting elevator doors.

A piece of paper was stuck onto each residents door, and I glanced to the back of my door to see mine.

I muttered as I read, "New deadbolt installations to be implemented on every tenant's door, maintenance to begin tomorrow at 7AM. All concerns and questions can be addressed with superintendence during office hours."

I read the three signatures from management. Of course, one of them was familiar.

I was tempted to pick up my phone and contact him, but apologies over the phone weren't appropriate in my book. Plus, I wasn't sure if he was still angry, and the thought of how he couldn't look at me before he left made me pause.

But then I remembered how my old habits put me into the rut I was in.

So, I texted him. "Ezra. I really need to speak to you about yesterday."

Less than a minute later I received a reply."I will not be in the office today. Tomorrow will be the appropriate time to speak. I have scheduled to have a meeting with you and your manager at 2:30PM."

*

The stress from the morning was still on my mind, when I zoomed into the entrance of the park. That cold response from Ezra was running in my head all morning. The distance and the dismissal of it felt like my heart was ripped out of my chest. I was a stalking flurry of sadness, rage, and confusion.

I was going to be let go for real this time, and it was so obvious in that text despite Chris acting completely normal all morning. I had to take Ezra's message for what it was, and I didn't have to let my nerves settle when I had to wait until the next day to be fired.

He's so angry that he doesn't even want my dismissal to be a surprise. Shit!

Less than a minute into the main trail, I found the next clue to my mystery. He was hunched over with his elbows on his knees as he scrolled through his phone, until my fast approach pulled his attention from the device.

"I'm glad you finally returned my message," Andre smiled, before he stood to his feet.

It was sad to see him in scrubs for the first time, yet my arms were crossed and my face shielded in defiance. His open-armed invitation fell flat as I shifted my weight and narrowed my eyes to him.

He let out an angry sigh, "Why are you always mad when you see me?"

"I'm not mad. I'm angry as hell," I corrected.

Utter fury.

He snapped back, "Girl, I don't know where you ever are or what you're doing. How is me being concerned for you a problem?"

I didn't beat around the bush. "Because your abrupt concern has conveniently messed with my life."

He stood up and growled, "Listen, I'm going to get straight to the point... are you fucking your boss?"

I circled away on my heels and covered my smile with my fist. "That... girl."

"Are you?!" Andre demanded, stepping back into my view.

My smile never faded. "So you... so you talked to Greta, huh?"

"I had to when you fuckin' ignored me for days," he spat. "Now, let's talk!"

I had to stop and collect my thoughts because Greta was truly a piece of work. "Next time you see her, you let her know that she better hope that we don't cross paths again because I can't promise that I won't be tempted to snatch her bald."

He brushed me off again. "You bein' real petty right now. How you gonna talk about your friend like that?"

I stomped, "She's not my friend! She emotionally left me, before I even knew. People who give a shit about you don't do that. In fact, they would have tried to at least contact me once since I was kicked out!"

He rolled his eyes. "She didn't kick you out-"

"Is that what her triflin' ass told you? Did she tell you how she was having a conversation with George on the couch, discussing when it would be best for him to move into my room? Did she tell you how she needed me to have the check on the counter before the end of the month?" My hands were on my hips, ready for his attempt at a rebuttal.

However, Andre was quiet, so I continued, "Have I shocked you? Or did my questions just remind you about all of the other times I used to complain about her antics over the years?"

He skirted over my questions and demanded, "Explain the boss shit then."

"What needs to be explained is how she had the unmitigated gall to open her mouth about moi." I pointed close to his face. "I have not slept with my boss."

Not to my surprise, Andre did not believe me. "Greta's not the most reliable, but she's not smart enough to make up a story-"

"I'm not done speaking..." I cut in, and he smacked his teeth at my interruption. "From this day forth, you and Greta will mind your own damn business."

Andre crossed his arms. "You done?"

I mocked his gesture. "No. Is that a problem for you?"

"Yeah cause you bein' a bitch," he scoffed with disgust.

Andre thought he was slick, so I scoffed with humor, "Well this bitch built a pedestal for you before she got dropped in the most disrespectful way fathomable."

"But you not goin' anywhere with your life Ada!" he finally confessed with outrage.

"Ah, there it is," I chuckled. "Wow. But is that supposed to hurt?"

"You're an intern at twenty-five! Nothing to do with what you studied in school! Nothing! All that scholarship money you rode by on, what the fuck was it for then?!"

I looked up to the sky and proposed, "Instead of there being a problem with being an intern at twenty-five... do you mean, why am I- Ada Young- an intern at twenty-five?"

How is he still stuck on this same lame ass excuse?

"Yes! Your life decisions make no sense to me," he exclaimed with his hands up.

I pinched my chin and feigned bewilderment. "Umm, first considering that I was with you for so long, true. Second, it's my life, they don't have to make sense to you. Isn't that precisely why you dumped me?"

"Can you blame me?" he jeered.

I shrugged. "I guess not, not when you've had someone to work as your pillar for eight years."

His silence was telling again. "Admit it, Andre. You feel guilty that your interpersonal relationship skills are lacking. You either dumped me to send a message to get my life together so I can be worthy of your time, or you're being the crippled man that is mad at the thought of his crutch trying to go somewhere without them."

He tried to say his next words with kindness. "I'm happy that you're finally doing something with your life, but-"

"I've always been doing something with my life, you just couldn't ever see that when I was always behind keeping your ass propped up. You know, it used to hurt to know that you thought so little of me, despite how much I wanted to see you succeed. Yet, now I know just how much I'm capable of because not only do I know it, but also I have people behind me who don't see me as a failure when I don't know what to do."

He kicked his head back, "Ada..."

Waving my hand at him, I reassured. "But don't worry, Andre. After all of the shit I went through with you, you can rest your head well at night knowing you still got me messed up when you're not around."

And, sooner than later, I'll have nothing to show for it because of you.

"Listen, I'm sorry!"

"You're not sorry yet. So, you listen... this should be easy to get through your thick brain since you work in neurology. I don't want you to interfere with my life anymore. I refuse to become your burden again, and I sure as hell won't let you be mine anymore. Don't contact me- or anyone you think I care about- with your fake ass concern ever again."

His anger wasn't enough to mask his shock. My hardened eyes dared him to say another word in a stare down he had no chance in. When I was tired of winning, I took my twisted face with me, as I stormed out of the park.

The weight of that gigantic issue didn't take long to swoop back into focus. If Andre was the only problem I could have checked off my list, the day would have been perfect. Nope. I had to return back to the job that didn't feel so secure anymore.

Dammit, I need a snack!