Destined hearts

Chapter XIV

"Aisha? " he said. "I... I had no idea you closed this late."

"Yeah it's just today." She said not looking at him. "Besides, you're not my boss. So I don't think you can know my schedule." She replied and flinch at how rude it came out.

He was quiet for a while before speaking. "You haven't pressed the button yet." He stated.

Her cheeks grew warm from embarrassment.  Why was she so clumsy now? "Oh." She uttered before pressing the button of the ground floor.

"I suppose you're going home. Do you need a ride? It's pretty late for you to walk alone." He offered.

"I can get a cab." She replied trying to stay calm.

Why is this damn thing so exceptionally slow now? and why am I so nervous from his presence? She panicked

"Look,  I ..." he started but she interrupted.

"Look, the fact that we decided to come to some sort of truce that night does mean things are fluid between us ok." She stated coldly.

"Is that why you're still so nervous when I'm around?" He asked calmly.

She let out a soft laugh. "Not everything's always about you Michael. get over yourself."

"Really? Is that why you can't face me or look at me in the eye while talking to me?" He asked.  Her hand that gripped the strap of her bag tightened.

She blinked a couple of times before speaking again. "Really? Because I won't look at you? Has it ever occurred to you that I'm just not interested in looking at your stupid face?" She spat and turned to face him but realized he had closed in on the space that was between them. She stood in place: her body ram-rod straight. "Happy? " she asked with an arched brow but she was trying so hard to hold her ground not to look away and to hold a straight face without staring into his eyes. His new grown beard did cover part of his face but gave an edge to his manly look. And his familiar intoxicating fragrance won't let up. It kept bringing memories of when she was in his arms. No you can't be thinking of that now.  He hurt you. She kept reminding herself.

"Do you still like me?" he asked out of the blue.

She let out a sardonic laugh. "Really Michael? We're doing this now?" she asked sarcastically but his expression showed he was very serious about the question. "In case you didn't realize, I have a fiancee." She replied waving her left hand with a ring on it.

"My question wasn't about him.  It was about how you feel about me..." he insisted.

"I don't ok." She burst out then sighed realizing she raised her voice. "Michael please can we not do this now.  I'm tired, and I just want to go home and rest with my man ok." She tried explaining in a softer tone. Why was she so short fused today?  "Look, I know you're hoping on us reconstructing what was of us. but there is no redeeming it. It's long gone for over three years now. I moved on and I'm happier now and I think you should too."

He lowered his head and she smiled glad that he had finally seen the end to this problem.  she looked at the display screen as it showed the floors they passed on their way down. Maybe he would finally let her be. 

"I can't." He said. Her smile instantly fell.

She frowned looking at him. "what?"

"I can't move on from you." He replied honestly.

"Oh JD." She groaned rubbing her face in frustration.

"I'm sorry but I can't. And it's not for lack of trying but I just can't. My mind won't let. So sorry but I still love you and I don't know how to stop. No, ... I don't want to stop. Because there is no button to stop it. You can't just ask me to move on as if what we had was nothing."

"But it's a painful memory of the past I had like to leave in the past Michael." She replied. "Have you ever thought of how hard it was for me before I could be like this. Before I could be happy again." She asked annoyed.

"That's not fair. We didn't share just painful memories. You can't ask me to just blow everything away because of one mistake. I love you." he reiterated.

"Well you have to move on for both of our sakes. Because it's pointless dragging this on." She said with finality. Looking straight ahead.  He turned away, his form trembling.

"Forgive me." He said.

"Huh?" But before she could register his  movement, he had her already pinned to the wall and his lips crashed on hers. Initially was the shock, then her body relaxed in his hold before her mind kicked in and she started struggling against him. It was ironic really.  She almost felt like it was an out of body experience.  Like her soul was trusted out in that moment when their lips connected then, her body giving into its desires; completely relaxing in his hold, the sweet memory of their kisses, the smiles,the warmth. Then came the memory of that horrible day and it jacked her soul right back and she started fighting back against his hold, his touch, his mouth. Like they were  scalding her body. Like he was some predator trying to suck out her life force.

Immediately he realized her struggling he break the kiss to look at her scared face. he had harm her but as soon as he released her,  her hand connected with his face. The force of the impact so much that his face turned to the side. When he finally turned to face her, fury she replied.

"Don't you ever dare pull that kind of stunt on me again or it's a restraining order coming your way." She spat and just then, the doors opened and she stormed out into the empty lobby. Strangely enough it made him think of the time when he had his entire security at the lobby stop her from exiting but now, he had no one to do so for him.

"Wait. " he tried  catching up to her but once he got out he couldn't find her anymore.

"The hell man?" Nathan exclaimed angrily. "What took you so long? I've been waiting out here for ages. You know my parents are gonna be pissed if we go late for this family dinner stuff. " he sputtered but Michael kept looking around frantically. "Hey. Are you even listening to me?"

"Where did she go?" He asked.

"Who?" Nate asked confused.

"Aisha. Where did she go? Have you seen her? She just left..." he spoke frantically.

"Dio mio." He exclaimed in Italian. "What did you do? And why is your face red?" He asked "ohh you engaged? I told you not to. dolce mamma maria. This man is going to drive me insane." He hissed holding his temple.

"I don't have time for your Italian banter Nate. I need to find her. "

"Why? To show her your other cheek so she finishes off her work? Just gather what's left of your dignity bro and let's go." He pleaded.

"Well that's the thing. I have nothing left if I don't have her."

He sighed. "Look, she's already out of commission and you saw it. You only going to make things worse for you if you keep pushing."

"But..."

"There's no buts to it. Just trust me on this. Look, you've worked so hard to get here and you can't risk relapsing again because then you'll definitely lose her. Do you understand? " he asked and he nodded. "If you want to be able to be in her life even within the possibility of not being with her then so be it but you can't continue like this if you want that to happen."

"I.. I know but I just miss her and I need her. I.. . I love her so damn much it drives me crazy. " he tried explaining amidst tears.

"I know man I know. Now breath. We need you back sane before reaching home." Nathan replied hugging him.

"Yeah." He replied as they got into the car and drove off.

He would get her back no matter what.  He would strive by all means he has to get her love back. That much he was sure of.