The Intern (BWWM)

Chapter 26

The pair stood in front of her foolishly. This was the worst ambush she could have ever experienced.

Leilani gave Sally a vicious look. The kind of look that could burn through Sally's soul.

This was outrageous and Leilani was raging.

Although Zach nor Sally knew about her relationship with Carter, this was insanely disrespectful. Leilani told Sally a dozen times that she had someone and wanted nothing to do with Zach.

"Sally, I told you," Leilani tried to keep it cool, however Sally cut her off.

"You told me nothing," Sally defended herself, playing a little dumb.

The two women were completely ignoring Zach. They weren't even facing his direction.

"I told you that I wasn't interested."

"Zach's a sweet guy. And you've been ignoring him for some mystery man. He serves a chance." Sally gestured towards Zach.

DESERVESSSSSSS?

Leilani looked over at him. Zach wore a plaid shirt, denim shorts, and a pair of converse.

Absolutely not.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. He's cute, he intelligent. And I told you," Sally tried to say but she cut her off and Leilani beat Sally to her own words. Words she'd heard her say before.

"He sings, he dances. He writes music. He loves his mother." Leilani mocked. "I don't care. I have someone."

How could Sally pull something like this? Sally was twice her and Zach's age. Why was she meddling?

"You have no one." Sally held up a finger, like she knew this for a fact.

Leilani scoffed, "Okay." Leilani went along with Sally's words. "And I still don't want him!" She yelled, pointing in Zach's direction.

Now, completely and utterly offended, Zach clapped his hands together loudly. "Well, this is certainly embarrassing. You don't want me, but you'll sleep with our boss." He blurted out.

This definitely caught the attention of the two women.

Leilani eyes shot at him. Sally's head bobbed back and forth between the young adults. She really couldn't believe what she just heard.

"You don't know what you're talking about." Leilani was trying to protect her relationship. She looked away.

"Um, yoohoo." Sally did the one finger in the air thing again, chuckling nervously. 

By Sally's voice, Leilani could tell that this was the last thing she had expected to hear. Sally was incredibly blown away, absolutely flabbergasted at the accusation. 

"Zach, care to explain?" She truly was baffled.

"They were holding hands two days ago in the office. I saw them."

Sally's jaw dropped.

"Oh. My. God." Sally gasped. "This explains so much."

"It's n-not true." Leilani stuttered out. She wasn't the best at lying. "This is such a load of crap." She stormed off, leaving Zach and Sally to their shenanigans.

Noelle never refilled the pitcher. She stood by the door watching and listening. And when Leilani damn near bolted back inside the bar-cade, she was ready to go outside and slap Sally silly.

Leilani headed straight to the bathroom. She needed to get herself together before guilt washed her face.

Zach knew. He'd now told Sally.

Sally knows.

Now, who would Sally tell?

Leilani had tried her best to protect herself and Carter and their relationship. Sadly, she had failed. 

What was this going to do to his image? Both professionally and romantically?

Carter had never asked Leilani to keep them a secret but to her, she felt that she had broken his trust.

Leilani wiped away the tears that were beginning to run a river down her face. This wasn't good. She needed to get out of here.

With Noelle already being up to date with the nonsense, she held her and Leilani's belongings by the entrance.

As she walked towards her friend, who had noticed Leilani's wet face, she grew hot with rage. The criminals were leaving the scene of the crime and now entering the bar-cade.

Zach entered first, passing by Noelle with Sally two feet behind him. Noelle stuck out her foot, sending Sally flying face first to the checkerboard tile.

Take that!

Noelle had no remorse. And honestly, she wanted to pour the rest of the beer pitcher on Sally's head. She figured her revenge against Zach was him being out with an older woman who's face had reflected the drama she had caused. Oh, well.

Leilani, too embarrassed to react or have any empathy for Sally, headed out of the establishment with Noelle. She knew Noelle was crazy but not crazy enough to trip a white lady out in public.

The girls didn't rush back to the house. They decided to take a walk through their childhood park. Leilani's mind raced terribly. She also didn't want to talk about everything in the house with her mother in the house. Her mother was a nosy woman.

"I would tell him about all of this."

"Noelle, what if he dumps me or something?"

Noelle gave Leilani a questionable look. "I'm not sure how you two are going to end but this is just another one of the possible reasons."

The possible ways... Going across the country for college in six weeks... Having a huge age gap... Their relationship leaking throughout the office... Leilani's mother never accepting their relationship... The age gap...

"We won't look right to society." Leilani let out her thoughts.

"You think?"

Leilani's phone vibrated.

Carter: Can I call soon?

Noelle looked down at Leilani's phone with her. "This is your first real experience with love. Enjoy the fling now but remember what has to happen later, girl."

Leilani chose not send a text back so soon. Instead, she enjoyed the walk and kept quiet.

Later on that night while Noelle slept on the living room sofa, Leilani cleaned up their mess to avoid doing it in the morning knowing Noelle wouldn't really help.

They left the kitchen in complete disarray after cooking. Noelle was the chef of the friendship. She'd made seafood Alfredo for the two of them with garlic bread. There was also a delicious pan of blondies left in the oven.

Leilani's phone attacked her jacket pocket with its buzzing.

Incoming call: Carter

It was two in morning. He never called this late. This made her worry.

Leilani finished up and crept upstairs to her bedroom to take his call.