by Layla Arts
Hadrian: “I do not deny that, West.”
Vicky: “I can come twenty minutes early, maybe.”
Hadrian: “Sounds good to me.”
Vicky: “See you tomorrow then. x”
I wanted to place my phone away, but I saw that Hadrian messaged me back quickly.
Hadrian: “Can I tell you something?”
Vicky: “Of course.”
I stared at my screen, but there wasn't a new message coming back from Hadrian. I felt my eyes getting heavier as I waited with the bright light of the phone shining into my eyes. I rubbed my eyes so that I could keep them open for a bit longer.
Then, finally, I got the message Hadrian wanted to tell me. Happiness surged through my body when I read the words he had sent me. Maybe I was feeling something for Hadrian, developing a small crush on my own boss. It didn't matter because work and private life could be combined. For me, it was just Hadrian, and not someone else. He was the cheekiest man I had met in a long time, and he changed. He changed for me, and that was clear. I had no idea what would develop between the two of us, but I was determined to see it through.
As my eyes caught the text again, I could feel my cheeks turn a light shade of pink again.
Hadrian: “You make me happy.”
***
I tied my apron around myself and pulled my hair into a quick ponytail. I had the spirit to work hard today because that meant time would pass by faster. I was determined to get to the club in time to see Hadrian. The message he had sent me last night was still floating through my mind.
“You make me happy.”
I just wished I could've kissed him at that moment, but he wasn't there in person. I loved that he was so open with me, it was a sweet gesture after all. I knew that I was smiling like a dork while I was working my shift at V's Café.
“Am I allowed to hear the reason behind that beautiful smile?”
“Hi, Veronica,” I greeted her nicely.
“A woman never smiles that bright if there isn't someone special in her life,” she pointed out determinedly. I felt myself blushing at her words, and she already knew what was going on. “Now I am curious, Vicky,” she said excitedly.
“Just a man.” I shrugged nonchalantly.
“Well, it definitely isn't just a man, when he makes you smile like that,” Veronica beamed before she walked away, back to the kitchen.
I brought new supplies to the ice cream maker, and I washed my hands when I was done putting the ice cream in different bowls. Clarity had joined me this shift at the café, and I was insanely happy that it wasn't Kent.
“Why are you so sad, Clarity?” I asked.
She had looked disappointed since the moment I stepped inside the café to work today. I shoved the tray with milkshakes closer to her, but she was downright moody at this point. I leaned over the counter, and I tapped on her shoulder impatiently.
“Tell me what is going on in your mind,” I told her demandingly.
“I am not the employee of the month.” She sighed irritatingly.
I wasn't sure why she would feel so terrible about not being the best employee of the month. I just came here to work and deliver quality, but I am not out to be the employee of the month, but I knew Clarity worked here for a longer time, and she surely was irritated by not being chosen by Veronica.
“Why would you feel sad about it?” I questioned her. “If you know you deliver great work, you don't need to let it affect your mood.” I was hoping that would cheer her up enough to pull her out of her sour mood, but it wasn't. “Clarity,” I spoke with pressure.
“Because Kent is the employee of the month, and he doesn't work his ass off,” she whined while leaning her head in the palm of her hand. “I mean, he is nice, and all, but I work so much more than him,” she told me, clearly annoyed.
Clarity worked in the café a lot, more than Kent and I. So I understood where she was coming from, but that didn't say she was a better employee than him.
“Maybe Veronica is having a crush on Kent,” I joked around.
“Please, that old lady.” Clarity huffed. “I am determined to get the title next month because I deserve it. For now, I will just find peace with the decision she made, and just be happy for Kent,” she spoke the words, but I knew she didn't mean any of it. She had a severe hate-on for Kent at the moment.
“That's the spirit!” I applauded her.
“Whatever,” she muttered, and she took the tray. “I will go further with being the normal employee.”
I saw her walking away with the tray I had given her so I could go ahead with the other orders. I opened the little refrigerator that was hidden in the corner beneath the bar. I took the strawberries out for the sorbets I needed to make. The ice was already standing on the counter, next to the glasses. The radio was on in the café, and I mumbled along to the song that was playing.
I added the strawberries and some chocolate syrup over it. I took two long spoons, and I put them in the ice cream. I placed them on a new tray, and I saw Clarity returning from the tables she had visited to take new orders. She gave me the order by handing me the papers. The empty tray was placed back on its earlier spot.
“Have you seen Kent's name on the photo frame?” Clarity asked me with a laugh.
“No, what is so funny about it?” I asked her curiously, I wanted to laugh along with her.
“He has the strangest last name, it's hilarious,” Clarity beamed.
“Tell me,” I instructed Clarity excitedly. I wanted to give her the new tray, but I decided against it; so I took the two glasses filled with ice, and I walked over to her slowly, I didn't want to drop my wonderful and edible creation.
“It's Purdy, Kent Purdy,” Clarity spat out, followed by a loud laugh, but I couldn't laugh. I hadn't realized I'd dropped my sorbets until I heard the glass shatter on the hard floor.
18
Vicky West
If someone asked me how quickly I made it to the Empire that day, I couldn't answer them. I hadn't timed it, but I knew it was inhumanely quick. With my side still killing me, I couldn't get inside the club quick enough.
Seriously, I was sweating bullets right now, so I wouldn't be surprised if I passed out from exhaustion.
I needed to talk to Hadrian immediately, and there wouldn't be a better time than now. I stumbled inside, and I walked to the staircase. He had to be in his office since that's where he was most of the time.
I saw light peeking out from under the door, he had to be in there. I contemplated knocking, remembering that there could be so many consequences if I didn't, like catching him jerking off at the thought of me – again.
There was no way I was walking in on that again, so I knocked once – politely – before entering the office. Hadrian was sitting behind his desk, and he didn't take his glasses off, and I wondered if it was because I asked him not to last time. However, I wasn't there to think about how fucking sexy he looked in those glasses. I was here to talk about Kent Purdy.
Evidently a much less desirable topic.
God that didn't even sound normal.
“You're very early, Vicky,” Hadrian said, and I nodded my head in agreement. I was indeed very early, but I was sure there was a good reason for being here.
Maybe he thought I was a thirsty bitch who just wanted to get into his pants because I was definitely too early and the club was completely empty, but that wasn't the case – not today anyway.
“I know,” I agreed. “I'm sorry,” I apologized.
“No need to apologize,” Hadrian assured me. “But why are you looking so–”
“Sweaty?” I questioned him. He shrugged with his shoulders. “Well, I need to talk to you, like right now,” I demanded.
His eyes went wide, and I walked over to his desk. I stood in front of it, but I couldn't get a hold of my nerves, so I started to pace back and forth.
“Have I done something wrong?” Hadrian's eyes flashed with panic.
“No, there is nothing wro
ng with you. I mean you haven't done anything wrong,” I told Hadrian, and I watched his shoulders sag in relief. “Something happened at work, and I don't know how to feel about it, Hadrian.”
Hadrian got out of his chair, and he rushed over to me. He held me by my shoulders and tilted my chin to look him in the eye. Worry was written all over his stunning face, and I could see him searching my face for any sign as to what had happened. He was trying to find out what was wrong, but my face remained expressionless. I was trying to figure out how I could break the news to him. How was I going to tell him that Kent and William were probably related?
“Kent didn't fucking touch you, did he?” Hadrian asked me through gritted teeth, but I could see his fear behind the mask of anger. I could hear it in his voice, he was afraid.
I shook my head vehemently at his assumption, dismissing any thought that Kent would even get close enough to touch me. Hadrian's stone facial expression softened with my answer, and I could see confusion sinking into his features. He didn't have a clue about what was going on, and I really just needed to pluck up some balls and spit it out.
“Does William have a brother?” I asked Hadrian curiously. Every nerve in my body felt hot-wired, and the anxiety that coursed through me made me want to cry.
“Yes, he does,” Hadrian answered after a long silence.
“Kent is his brother, Hadrian,” I whispered almost inaudibly, hoping he wouldn't hear me. I could see his pupils dilate, his lips parted followed by a sharp inhale, and I knew that despite my best efforts: he had heard me.
“Kent cannot be his brother, he calls his brother Kenny,” Hadrian said, but as soon as the words left his mouth realization dawned on him. Kent was short for Kenny.
Hadrian ran a hand through his curls, and I could see the thoughts swirling behind the jade coloring of his eyes.
“You're serious?” Hadrian asked me for assurance.
I nodded.
“Fuck, fucking hell!” He screamed in frustration.
“Hadrian, it makes all sense now,” I told him. He looked up, bidding me to continue. “Kent knew about you and me.”
“How could he?” he questioned me.
“Because I told him,” I said.
“So you were talking about me?”
“God, Hadrian, I don't want to talk about that right now,” I stated, clearly annoyed with his untimely playfulness. “I told Kent about the day you wanted to undress me, and you made me understudy. I complained to Kent, and he told me that I needed to go to the police and get you arrested for sexual harassment,” I explained quickly. “He knows about what we did, and he is trying to stop me. He's using the friendship to try and keep me away from you.”
“He is manipulating you.”
“Yes! While I was telling him you were manipulating me, he was doing the exact same thing.” I breathed out the frustration inside of my body, unable to accept what was actually happening. “William surely told Kent about me dancing for you.”
“He is helping William,” Hadrian muttered.
“He is!” I agreed. “He doesn't know that I know his last name.”
“Why not?”
“Because my colleague told me, and he wasn't there,” I told Hadrian. “What are we going to do? They're clearly vindictive people, and we can't do nothing.”
“Vicks, it is impossible to stop William,” Hadrian said.
“Not if I talk to him,” I employed an idea, however irrational it might be.
“Not going to happen,” Hadrian protested.
“I can ju–”
“Vicky–”
“I simply go to–”
“Not going to happen, Vicky,” he spoke louder. “End of fucking discussion!”
The words seemed familiar, and I immediately remember him saying the same thing when I told him I needed to work at V's café too.
He treated me like a piece of shit back then, and his superiority complex is showing again.
I clenched my jaw, his expression mirroring mine. This wasn't the Hadrian I enjoyed being around, this wasn't the Hadrian I had slept with in this very room. This Hadrian was closed off and cold, and I wanted nothing more than to knock this arrogant asshole on his back.
“Don't speak to me like that! You can't tell me what to do, Hadrian. You don't own me.”
“I am not letting you see William.”
“If I want to then I will.” I made it clear to Hadrian. “I want this to end, and I want him to know that I don't appreciate what he is doing. If you want to let him continue using Kent, or Kenny, then that is fine by me. I am going to talk to him, whether you like it or not,” I pointed out. “I am quite old enough to make my own decisions.”
“But I am not encouraging you.”
“Who says I need your encouragement?” I questioned him, folding my arms against my chest. “I can do things on my own.”
Hadrian was definitely not agreeing with me at this point, but he needed to understand I was going to talk to William whether he liked it or not. I wasn't giving him what he wanted, it would only feed his ego, and I didn't want to be any part of that.
He needed to realize this was about more than just him, but for Hadrian, things were different. He had a hard time not getting what he wanted, and he tried to be okay with it sometimes, but when it came to William and I being in any sort of contact, there was no way I was getting what I wanted, nor William.
“Just go away, you smell,” Hadrian remarked.
I didn't need to think twice about leaving this man behind.
“You're a prick,” I called him out.
I slammed the door forcefully shut, and I walked down the stairs. I couldn't care about my wound or about every step I took that brought me away from him. That was so low of him, really. He didn't have to like my decision, and I would have accepted that he was mad at me. For him to say something so mean and harsh like that made me hate him instantly.
Where was the Hadrian that demanded I cuddle with him on the couch when it was raining?
When I turned the corner, I saw Red’s hair appearing in my view. Red was standing there with a younger guy, which I assumed worked with the cleaners, and she was definitely mad at him. Her facial expression was absolutely scary, and I wondered where the nice, and fearless Red was.
“There are two people allowed to touch my ass,” Red exclaimed furiously. “One: Dylan O'Brien, and secondly myself. So keep your hand off if you still want fingers when you leave, kapische?” Red asked the guy that was standing there stunned by her sudden outburst, while I tried to hold my laughter.
“Y-yeah,” he told her.
“Good, now clean whatever you need to clean.” Red waved him off, and he walked away from her.
When he was gone, and out of our sights, I walked over to Red while I clapped my hands. She saw me coming closer, and she bowed proudly. I grinned when I saw her behaving like this, but that made me like Red more and more.
“You have made a new friend I see,” I pointed out.
“Don't get too excited,” Red assured me. “We need to work on our bond, and definitely see a relationship-therapist very soon.”
Red was the type of person I needed solace from after Hadrian's outburst and Kent's family. I didn't ask Red for a hug, I just wrapped my arms around her. Luckily, she responded immediately by holding me tight in her arms.
“Is there something wrong, V?” she asked me softly.
“Can we get to your place for a while?” I sniffed against her shoulder.
“Absolutely.”
***
Red's house wasn't different than I expected it to be. It was colorful, yet organized. She lived a few blocks away from me, and that made me feel happier instantly. That meant I didn't have to travel 5 years to finally reach someone's house and have a proper chat with them.
My head snapped up when I heard Red entering the living room. She was holding two glasses, and it surely must've been alcohol. She handed me a glass, and I thanked her. I felt Red taking a
seat on the couch, and she folded her legs comfortably.
“I don't get him,” Red said, and she took a sip of the strong beverage. “You don't say those kind of things to anyone. The fact he told you, you smell, makes him come across as a four year old.”
Red was right, more than right. It was rude to be so mean to someone who just wanted to say what they thought about the whole situation.
“Couldn't he be more polite?” I asked out of frustration.
“He's a guy,” Red replied. “I guess I have really been clear.”
I laughed softly, and I brought the glass with liquor to my mouth.
“Look,” Red told me, and she laid her hand on my leg. “He is a massive dick for being so rude and not thinking twice about how pompous he was, but he cares about you. He doesn't mean it. Obviously, he just wanted to make you angry, because he was angry.” Red explained to me nicely.
“But you still don't say that.” I pointed out.
“Again, he's a guy.” Red shrugged. “You can stay in this position and wait for him to apologize to you, or you could grow some boobs and stand in front of his door tonight,” she informed me honestly, and this wasn't exactly awful advice.
“Grow some boobs?”
“I could hardly say that you needed to grow a pair of balls.” Red waved me off. “Forgetting the boobs and balls part, I just want you to do that. He will see that you will not tolerate the way he treated you, and that is very important.”
“And if he says something rude like that, again?”
“Then you just call me, because he won't dare after I'm finished with him,” Red told me.
“Red?” I asked her, and she looked at me nicely. “Have you ever been into this position? Probably not, because it obviously only needs to happen to me,” I muttered irritatingly.
“Well,” she started. “I am better known as Miss One-Night-Stand. I don't see anything good coming from me being in a relationship with someone. I am too strange to even be in a relationship with. I can be completely clingy, but I have days that I don't want to acknowledge you exist. I don't want to torture someone, that is why they only see one side of me for one night.”