𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐀𝐋 |𝟏𝟖+|

𝐅 𝐎 𝐔 𝐑 𝐓 𝐄 𝐄 𝐍

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

✼ N E V A E H ✼　

If you didn't draw the conclusion from my previous statement about my indecisiveness, I changed my mind. Damn, huge shocker, I know. But by the time I sat down in front of the devil himself, it was enough for me to rethink the answer and the whole conversation I had in mind.

No because, every time I plan out a conversation in my head it literally ends up being everything I didn't want it to be. I arrived at his office late, on purpose of course, just because I didn't want him to think I was planning on following every instruction he gave me.

I was stalling and stalling is an action which means I was doing something. See? I'm not completely useless after all. I sat right in front of him, legs crossed and eyes directly on his which looked like he would kill me right now if given the chance. And he's frowning. Again. At this point I'm convinced there's never a time when he isn't frowning.

"It seems to me that you're not very practical on your time, Dr. Mariano," Atticus said, his voice a deep rasp but different from his normal tone. Why did it sound . . . attractive? Ugh yuck. It's hoarse, as if he's just woken up. He didn't look like he'd just woken up. In fact he looks well put together for someone who recently woke up.

Was he like this when he walked into my room this morning?

"I am very practical with my time actually, I just didn't want to be here," I inform, matching his tired and annoyed energy that he was giving me.

It was the truth. I really, truly didn't want to be here. There was a whole list of things I'd rather be doing then being here, sitting in front of a man like him.

He cleared his throat and went into the same drawer as he did yesterday and retrieved the same file. "Frankly, I don't have the time or the patience for incompetent 20 something year olds who like to behave like children," Atticus placed the folder in front of me once again. "I want an answer. Now."

Chile.

There was something intimidating about the way he said those last words, it scared me, but everything scares me. It wasn't like a super duper scary horror movie, no, it was scary in the sense of what he could do to me if I didn't comply. 

It was like he already made up my mind for me, not giving me the chance to think everything through the way I wanted to. So instead of giving my original strong willed answer and my precisely meticulous and thought of escape plan, I went with Plan B- agree.

Sike.

"Give me your offer first," I argue.

"No." He loosens his tie and unbuttons an additional button on his shirt. "You walk into those doors, it's my territory, so you do as I say or things aren't going to end well for you, yeah?"

No.

I heaved out a sigh and handed the file back to him. "Fine." I complied, with my breath shaking and heart beating so fast I thought it would run out of my chest and leave me to die alone, without a heart. I wanted it to. At least in my next life I wouldn't be forced to literally make a deal with the devil.

Atticus' thick dark brows shot up in surprise, "What?" He asked, his voice and his expression in complete and obvious shock.

He better not rub this in.

"Are you deaf? I know someone who can prescribe you some hearing aids." My voice was much stronger and more confident than before because this time, I knew what I was doing. "I said fine, I'll be your doctor but I want some things in return."