The Promise

6) Omer

She’s here.
  Not here exactly, but in London and I don’t know where the hell    did she reach and that also, is making me lose my mind slowly.
Two months passed and I never thought about someone this frequently, she’s been the person living within my mind neighboring my thoughts.
I’m trying to control myself every day, but all in vain. I thought I was only attracted due to the lack of the other gender in my life, but it was not like that.
If I checked my screen time; I’d find it all spent in her simple yet warm account.
She does not upload a lot, she uploads when necessary; her friends’ birthdays, outings with her two best friends: Kira and Nour, and another stuff that interests her.
I knew that she likes reading books and she seeks academic validation. I just knew that, I’m not stalking her or something from the corp. account, I guess.
I never liked someone’s company, but her presence in my head made me less lonely.
I look at my phone waiting for Dionne to pick up the line, but she doesn’t fucking pick up; it’s 9 am and she had a night shift yesterday which means she got home at 5 am, but still.
After 17 calls that went missing, she picked up her voice filled with sleep “hello? What happened?”
“Can you wake up and focus with me” I demand,
I hear shuffling then “Fuck what happened, did something happen at the company, I swear I left and everything was normal!” she rushes,
“Nothing happened in the company, but it’s company related; Dionne just wake up and tell me” I decline before waiting for her response.
I am really in trouble.
I push my hair out of my face irritated waiting, when the bell to my penthouse rings and I stand to get it;
“What the hell happened?!” Dionne asks disheveled, her hair messy and wearing 2 different slippers,
“Come in, you have your phone?” I ask,
“I do” she says rushing after me trying to pick up with my long legs,
I sit on the couch as she stands before me waiting,
“Did you call the candidates to know where did they go?” I ask,
“Huh? What candidates?”
“The interns arrive today” I state,
“Yes, I know that we’ll meet them the day after tomorrow at the foundation” she says puzzled trying to remember if she forgot anything,
“Do you know where they’ll settle?” I ask,
“There’s this youth hostel and some small apartments, Mughrabi why are you asking this?”
“Where are these places?” I ignore her question,
“I don’t know, but I have the e-mail that has where each intern will live”
“Send me this e-mail” I order,
She looks at me still puzzled “I will right now” she says before fidgeting in her phone as I try to calm the outrage of thoughts in my head,
“There I sent it; can I sleep please?”
I scan the e-mail looking for her name when I find it next to the youth hostel; in North Greenwich; 7 miles far from Chelsea; an hour drive approximately.
“Call her”
“What? Who?”
“You were talking about having a roommate, right?”
“Yes, I would love to, but where? Call who, Mughrabi you are really confusing me”
“Aurora” I say tasting her name on my mouth.
“Who’s Auro-yes! That’s my intern! You know her?” she asks confused,
“Call her to move in with you next door” I say,
“How could I do that, I don’t know her, what if she’s a bad person or something ?!” Dionne rushes,
“She’s not”
“You know her?!”
“Dionne, you wanted a roommate and she’s a girl like you wanted; she’ll live in Greenwich which is an hour drive from the company and the interns are due at 8 am everyday” I try to sound nonchalant,
“Yes, poor girl I wouldn’t want that and the youth hostels are usually bad; but still we can’t get her alone to live here there are other interns; it’s a youth hostel as you said” she pushes,
“they’re men” I deadpan,
“You have a point there” she says giving up, “I’ll call her”,
“Here”
“What?”
“Call her here, now” she senses the order in my tone so she doesn’t argue and picks up her phone,
I look elsewhere waiting as I wish for her to pick up-
“Hello?”
I hear that voice and I am angry even more now,
because this voice will become my favorite melody.
“Hi! How are you?” Dionne chirps,
“I’m fine, who is it?” she asks slowly,
“Oh, I’m Dionne, one of the mentors in NV Valley, did you reach London safe and sound?”
“Yes, it’s a pleasure, thank you” she says voice still cautious,
“The pleasure’s all mine, sweetie; are you okay? did you reach your apartment yet?” Dionne comforts her as she feels her hesitance as well,
“Yes, I did” she says her answers clipped,
“Good, I called to tell you that your place of residence has changed; you should move in to Chelsea so, you’ll be next to the corporation” Dionne explains,
“I didn’t know about that “she says voice lowering confusion laced in her voice,
“Yes, I know, but our manager made some changes in the morning and I wanted to tell you” Dionne says glancing at me sideways,
“you’ll be in Chelsea in a penthouse and you’ll have a beautiful roommate; she’s a girl though” Dionne continues,
“it’d be a pleasure, but I’m afraid I can’t; I just arrived and you know I’m a student so, I only can afford the rent of the room in the youth hostel” Aurora says firmly,
“I really get you, but I’m afraid you’ll agree anyways because it’s an order from the manager” Dionne states,
“Fuck him”
I snap my head at what she she muttered under her breath, but I heard her and Dionne did from the look on her face as she looks at me holding her smile,
“So, I can’t live where I am and, in the place, I can afford because the manager ordered?” she asks calmly,
“I’m afraid so” Dionne quips,
I gesture for her with my hand mouthing “Mute”,
She mutes looking at me, I tell her “The rent will stay the same”,
She widens her eyes and I raise my brow nodding towards the phone,
“How much does the rent cost?” Aurora asks,
“It’ll be the same as the youth hostel” Dionne says,
“What? How so? How much, excuse me?” she asks surprised,
“you’ll have a roommate, you’ll split the rent” Dionne states looking at me for help muting the call,
“HOW FUCKING MUCH?!” she whisper yells,
“a thousand” I state,
“Wha-!” she unmutes answering Aurora,
“it’ll be a thousand”
She pauses for a moment then says “Are you sure? A penthouse? In Chelsea? And the rent is just a thousand” she says sarcasm in her voice, this girl.
“Yes!”
“Then send me a proof for that” she says nonchalantly,
Dionne widens her eyes muting the call looking at me “Fuck she is smart”
“What do we do solve what you did!” she panics,
“Then send her proof” I shrug,
“From fucking where?!”
“Unmute and tell her you’ll send”
“Ugh, fine” she unmutes “I will send you right now”
“I’m waiting” Aurora says as amusement fills my mind as I send Dionne a rent bill to send her,
I send Dionne and nod at her then she tells the girl “I did, I sent it”,
There’s a moment of silence then “Fine”.