My Boss

Chapter Forty Eight

Chapter Forty Eight: Brooke.

Franco had already made his way down, while I stay frozen at the top.

Franco sees that I am not following and faces me.
"Brooke? Are you okay sweetheart?" He asks quietly.

I can already tell that I'm going to be in so much pain later. My body is already throbbing in pain.
Especially my ribs.

"Y-yeah, er. Give me a second." I lie. I was nowhere near okay. In fact, I didn't feel comfortable at all.
I wanted to go home, and just sleep and maybe even feel sorry for myself in the process.

I know I sound like a whinny selfish bitch, but I'm scared.

What if his parents don't like me? What if they treat me different? What if they look down their nose at me...

Well, if the look down on me, I've got two fists, go from there.

Why does my life have to be so complicated ?!?!

I take a deep breath and start walking down the stairs.
Franco has already downstairs, probably talking with Sam.

The sound of my white heels echo throughout Sam's apartment. The soft whispering of the two men could be heard.

When I reach the bottom, I don't - can't - stop walking in fear that I'll loose my confident and go home.
Their voices grow louder and louder the closer I approach them.

I'm stood at the entrance to the foyer, and Sam's back is to me. But Franco's face lights up when he catches sight of me.
Conversation forgotten, Sam turns around and catches sight of me.
He mimicks a fish, with his mouth opening and closing.

He doesn't know what to say...
Am I that bad??

"You look..." Sam trails off. Please don't say it. Anything but- "perfect."

Really?! That word again!
That's a lie! I can practically hear the strain in his voice.

"Thanks." I say, giving him a fake smile. I turn my attention to Franco, who continues to stare awestruck at me.
"Thanks again, Franco. I don't know what I'd have done without you today." I thank, genuinely.

"Tut, it was nothing, you look fabulous. Oh! And before I forget, whenever you need me, I programmed my number into your phone. So just give me a call when you need dressing up for a special occasion." Franco says, "for anything, Brooke." He repeats, emphasising anything.

He's on about my bruises, I just know it!

I try not to show my shock and just smile, "thanks." I repeat, not really knowing what else to say.

"You ready to go, Sam?" I ask, changing the subject, but Sam seems to be in a world of his own.
"Sam?" I repeat. This brings him out of his thoughts.

"Yeah?"

"You ready to go now?" I say, watching him in amusement.

"Y-yeah, sure. Let's go." Sam stutters, clearly something on his mind.

We say our goodbyes to Franco and we make our way over to his mothers.

* * *

Neither of us have said a word since we left Franco, and the awkwardness is too much to cope with. And to make matters worse, he's deliberately turned the radio off.