Inside the car, nobody said a word. It was silent for some minutes. I decided to break the silence after a few moments.
“Thanks for the food, I appreciate it.”
He didn’t reply.
Minutes later, a quarter of the way to my house, he finally spoke.
“How did your parents die?”
I looked at him, but he wasn’t even looking at me, just facing the front view.
“At sixteen, I had a similar dream to the last one, but that time it was a plane crash. My parents were going for their wedding anniversary vacation. I was supposed to leave school the next day. I had the dream, and it was so frightening. I told them about it. They said it was just a dream, that nothing would happen. I reminded them about how the dream I had before manifested, but my parents never took me seriously. They hugged me and kissed me, saying maybe it was just because I would miss them and was scared of being home alone…” I stopped, sobbing, then continued.
“I didn’t try my best to stop them. I should’ve done something to their car, or locked them in, just to save them. They left and never came back. They were the best parents. The real love I felt. They taught me what real love is all about. When I heard about the plane crash, I almost took my life mourning.”
This time, I broke down crying. He didn’t say a word as he stopped the car. I looked around, still sobbing. We had reached my place.
“I asked you a question, not for you to tell me your life story,” he said harshly.
How can someone be so heartless? Pardon me for sharing my story with you. I angrily got out of the car, crying, struggling to get the keys out of my bag with my left hand. Sobbing uncontrollably.
I heard his car door slam.
“Valerie!” he called.
I played deaf. Whenever I cry, I totally ignore any side comments.
“Valerie!” I could hear his fast steps catching up with mine. I tried to hurry, but my tiny feet couldn’t outrun his long strides.
“Val.”
To my surprise, he gently caught me by the left arm and pulled me back to him, hugging me.
“I’m sorry, Val. I was rude to make that statement.”
Now I cried even more hearing that. My fingers dug into his back as I hugged him tighter, letting my pain pour out.
From my parents to my best friend and Luke… everyone I ever loved ended up hurting me in one way or another. I cried harder.
“Val…” Prince muttered slowly. He pulled me out of the hug, watching me sob uncontrollably. I looked down, ashamed of myself, with my arms still on him.
Then he pinched my chin up so I could look at him. His blue eyes stared into my soul before I could even understand what was happening.
His lips met mine, and I froze in shock. I forgot how to cry.
I felt my breath catch in my throat as the intoxicating scent of his perfume filled my nostrils. I was about to give in to the temptation of returning the kiss when I heard him give a low groan as the kiss deepened.
His tongue swept into the heat of my mouth. Isn’t this harassment?
Finally, he pulled back, using his thumb to wipe the last tear from my left eye.
“See? You’re not crying anymore,” he smiled softly at me.
He was right. I felt better after the kiss. I kept staring at him, then, as if I had been transported back to reality—what just happened?
I pulled back sharply, nervous. He, too, reacted awkwardly. He tucked his hands in his pockets, glancing at anything around me but not looking at my face.
He must regret his actions now. I noticed the tears and mucus on his shirt from where I had cried. I felt so embarrassed. I quickly pulled out a handkerchief to clean it.
“I’m so sorry about…”
He stopped me, using his hand towel to clean it instead, then looked up at me.
“Take care.”
“You too, sir,” I replied, my cheeks pink and my heart racing.
I started walking toward my house slowly. I didn’t know why I expected more than just “take care.” Who goes around kissing people like that?
“One more thing,” he called, and I stopped, turning around but not looking up at his face. I couldn’t—if I did, I would fall apart.
“It’s Prince outside the company. What happens outside the office stays outside the office. As soon as you resume work, know your place. That’s if you like your job.”
I nodded in agreement, then watched him get back into his car. I waited for him to drive off, but he didn’t.
I went inside my house, then, as if he wanted to make sure I went in and turned the lights on, he started the engine. I looked through the window and watched him drive off.
Slowly, I touched my lips with my thumb. I could still feel his kiss. I leaned my back against the wall and slid down to the floor, my eyes closed and lips parted, a hand on my racing heart.
How will I survive this?
I might have a heart attack if my heart keeps beating this way.