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He frowns at me, sighing again. “She shouldn’t have to pay. You should’ve asked,” he points out.
He’s right, I should have. But if I had, he would’ve said no, then Val would’ve tell me I should’ve just paid. It’s a never-ending cycle. Either way I’m displeasing someone. However, displeasing Elias is easier because it’s money he can pay back. Displeasing Val will cause her too many things she doesn’t need to deal with.
“Well, it’s already done, now it’s up to you to talk to Violet about,” I tell him. That reminds me, she isn’t here. He’s probably wondering where she is. “Also, she apologizes for not being here. She really wanted to stay, but there was an emergency, and the doctor was taking forever,” I explain. His expression softens, and I think he realizes her absence.
“Why, is anything wrong?” he asks, genuinely.
“It was work, don’t worry,” I assure him.
It’s become regular for her to have a lot of work, especially suddenly. I don’t know why, the music industry is verycomplicated, but I know it’s giving Val a lot of stress, and little time to rest. “If you’re going to be upset about her leaving, I was the one who told her to go. She was stressing out, and the doctor didn’t look like he was going to give us an update anytime soon. So, if you’re going to be offended by anyone, let that person be me.”
“Don’t worry, it’s fine. I just hope no one saw her there, I don’t need Dad making another spectacle out of it.” He drops his head. There’s a sad tone in his voice. Of course Roland would do that. He’d probably try to sue her or something, even though he really can’t sue anyone but the school. I think the guy thinks sideways.
“He won’t, don’t worry. Even if he does, he can’t do anything about it.”
“How are you so sure about that?” He looks up and narrows his eyes.
“Don’t worry about that. If he does find out, you’ll end up knowing anyway,” I tell him, grinning at the end. He presses his lips into a thin line.
Roland can’t do anything to Val even if he wanted to. He would need Elias’s confirmation even if he wanted to try, which he won’t get. Val is also protected, and has things on Roland himself. I’m sure he wouldn’t want to deal with her. It honestly all depends on how he chooses to take action. If he decides the hard way, he won’t get away with it easily, that’s for sure.
I remember that Val is in a meeting now. I get it, she doesn’t want to lose the job. This means more to her than others might comprehend. I was with her when it started and the video went viral, and before the millions of worries that she was reminded of, she was thrilled. Happy. I hadn’t seen her happy for a long time then. I know it means more than I’ll ever think. But her job is stressing her now, scaring her. She shouldn’t have to be afraid to miss one meeting because of an incident. What if she hadactually been under the ladder? As much as Oliver infuriates me, I know he would’ve let it go due to the circumstances. Val just needs to talk to him. They both need to talk.
I really hope today is the day they do.
Chapter 48 – Trentasette
Val
I hate being late. I don’t know whether it’s because I worry too much about the time, or because I’m worried of what the consequence of it would be. Being late feels like a crime to me. Doing so means I’m neglecting my schedule, and in turn, a request. That never goes well. I can’t be late, and I almost never am. Today is one of the days that fits into the ‘almost’ category.
I don’t work well with stress. Not work stress, I’m okay with that. Personal stress, guilt. Worry. Things I don’t really take lightly. Combine them with this sudden meeting, me having to leave without knowing how Elias is, and being late is the cherry on top. I might as well quit the rest of the day now before I fall apart.
I get up to the office and open the door two minutes late. Oliver’s standing there, at the entrance. I barely got to do anything before coming here. I took my wig off in the car, as well as my contacts, and tried to calm down my natural hairwith water. I haven’t changed, and I’m still wearing the same short jeans and full sleeved lavender crew neck I wore to school. If anyone from that school were to see me, I’d be done for. But that’s the last thing on my mind.
I have many things on my mind right now.
“I am so sorry I’m late. I came as fast as I could. I only saw your message half an hour ago, and I was still at school. I tried my best to get here on time,” I explain, words leaving my mouth without second thought. My face is tense, and my skin is cold.
It’s sunny outside. Such a weird thing. I’m never cold yet I am when it’s sunny.
“Come in, it was only two minutes. Although, I expect you to pay more attention to your messages,” Oliver tells me, moving aside to let me in. I hear disappointment in his voice, sending a cold shudder through my body. I shouldn’t have been late. I really should’ve looked at my phone. I was so busy stressing about Elias, I forgot about this. How could I do that? I should’ve been more careful. I know Oliver is annoyed right now.
Elias. I wonder if he’s okay. He’ll probably be just as annoyed that I left. I caused his injury, and I couldn’t even stay and check on him. What if the injury is bad? What if it’ll take a long time to heal? I messed up, and he’ll never forgive me. My heart lurches, for more than one reason. I seem to be annoying a lot of people today.
I walk into the office and take my seat, overlapping my arms around my stomach. I raise my legs and cross them before looking back at Oliver. I need to focus. It’s the least I can do. My face is hot, and my whole body feels tight. Pressured. My chest aches from it.
“So, we have some things we need to catch up on, and some more items we need to update. I know this meeting was late notice, but the schedule is tight as well, and we need some more time,” Oliver starts talking, his voice serious and neutral.
I nod my head, I barely got anything done, and this is probably what this meeting is about. My throat begins closing up on itself, tighter and tighter. This is about this week’s work. Him calling me makes me feel like I’ve done something wrong sometimes.
“First of all, I want to ask about the event. Have you found a second winner, yet?” he asks. A winner. Shit. The event is in almost two weeks, and I still haven’t found a second. I close my eyes in humiliation, biting my bottom lip.
“No, I don’t. I’ve been really stressed and I forgot, but I’ll get one. I’ll find someone as fast as possible. I have options,” I lie. I have no options. I had the idea of choosing one of Aurora’s friends, but that won’t work anymore, now that I know she hasn’t got many friends. I tried talking to some of the other kids, but not many of them fit the category I’m looking for. Not many people really want to be friends. Now I have no choices. I can’t use Lorenzo because that would look bad. I could possibly choose Elias, if he doesn’t hate me after today. Would he even go? He doesn’t know Val. Plus, Roland would cause a million problems.
What if he does end up hating me because I left him at the nurse’s office? How insensitive am I? Do I even have any other choice but to choose him as a winner? I owe him, at the very least. Is he even okay? Lorenzo hasn’t texted me with an update, yet. What if it’s bad? It’s my fault. The ladder should’ve hit me. I was the one under it. He’s going to hate me. He’s going to despise me. He’s probably in so much pain.
Oliver’s expression drops slightly. “Val, there’s two weeks left before the announcement, we need a winner.”
