The Choice

41) Joe

" Tarik? Seriously, Joe?" Aurora asks from her spot at Omer's desk holding my papers, I press my lips into a thin line. "What?! It just came up, belle."

She frowns again looking down at the papers, she shakes her head "I can't believe we didn't see it was you. Joe, Omer didn't even notice can you believe that?!"

I puff my chest, "what can I say, I guess I'm sneaky enough."

I forged not only my name and passport and all the papers, but I also forged a whole account and cv applying into NV Valley as an intern. It's the marketing internship that does not require me to be a student not like the one Aurora applied at and I got accepted due to the qualifications, I even applied as a resigned surgeon.

She blinks at the papers again, "I'll have to make you another interview with another cv and file with your real info although all the information are real, it's just your name and age and... Hometown, great!"

I laugh at her frustration and she throws me daggers before standing to her feet and striding for her office. I head after her, Dionne is there on the phone talking to I don't know whom. Aurora sits at her desk tapping furiously on the keyboard. I sit at the chair in front of Aurora's desk looking her over grabbing her hand playing with her bracelet as she types on the keyboard.

Dionne declines and huffs turning towards Aurora, "let me tell you, your boyfriend is a busy body." Aurora glances sideways at her, "nothing that I don't know of. His brother too, is a real pain in the ass."

Dionne snorts muttering under her breath, "ass."

I ignore her and focus on Aurora, "what did I do now, belle?" she widens her eyes, "what didn't you do?! You broke into the firm's policy, Yusef!"

"Yusef! It's no big deal, belle. Relax, I'll fix it again." I say and she waves a hand in my face, "do not do anything else, I'll see what we can do. Prepare yourself we have an event in two days, I guess Omer will declare who are you in it with the new name and leading group announcement."

Dionne looks at her, "he didn't tell you anything?" Aurora shrugs, "he told me about the name, but the leading group is a mystery till now. It says 'group', will he pick people to lead under him?"

Dionne shakes her head at that, "don't expect something from Mughrabi, he's unpredictable at all. Wait till he says it himself."

I frown, "why do you all call him Mughrabi, here?"

Dionne rolls her eyes then says not taking her eyes off of the pc in front of her, "it is a rule of his; that he made when he started NV Valley. We asked about his name and he just said Mughrabi, he uses Omer in signing only. That's how we knew that Mughrabi is not his name."

"and he didn't say the reason? Like I can see only belle here can call him that. And me." I ask and she says with a sweet smile mocking me, "Aurora is the only one allowed. You soon will say Mughrabi only."

Aurora sighs, "this is up to Omer, I call him that because he's my partner apparently."

Dionne grins, "no, sweetie. Dareen did not dare use the" Omer". He forbid it. To every one. "

Aurora looks at her warily then looks back to her screen. She clearly doesn't like this Dareen, every time her name is mentioned her aura changes and she becomes more stiff.

She stands gathering the papers before telling me," I'm having a meeting now. Stay here and I had a new file made, fill it in with your real information till I come back. It won't be long, okay?" I nod and she leaves me alone with Dionne.

"who's Dareen?" I ask and she scoffs, "none of your business."

"Well, it's related to Aurora. I'm not interfering in your business anyways ." I say shrugging and she spins facing me, "one, it is my business too. Two, you should ask Aurora, I will not say something related to her in her absence."

Loyal. Wow.

"I'm not telling you to tell me about her sex life." I deadpan and she throws up her hands frustrated, "why are you damn annoying?!"

I laugh, "you're just freaky."

She curls her lips looking adorably dangerous then looks back to her pc.

After about an hour Omer comes into the office telling Dionne something about a campaign and she vanishes leaving me with him. He jerks his head towards his office and I follow him there. He starts talking, but I beat him to it "who's Dareen?"

He frowns, "a client at the company." He clips, but I push further, I saw the look on Aurora's face. Twice, she cannot be just a client "just a client?"

He lets out an exhale, "she was my ex-...girlfriend." He trailed off in the middle as he if he's thinking what to call her. I step towards him, "did she upset belle?"

He perks up at that, "why? Did something happen when I wasn't there?"

I shake my head, "no, but Aurora always becomes off whenever her name is mentioned. I was concerned."

He studies me warily, his jaw hard, but then he rubs his eyes clearly exhausted, "she's not the best person."

"quit with the clipped answers and treating me like a total stranger, Omer." I lose my patience, it's enough.

He snaps, "who are you then?"

I blink, "for real?!"

"I'm not asking who are you to me, I'm asking who are you to her? Why too much questions?" he asks cold anger slicing his voice and exterior.

Jealous.

But no, if Omer was ice, I was fire.

"Well, you should ask who is she to me" I shoot back, "what did she do to me, to us. Aurora was the only person to treat me like I'm not a burden or a problem when all you did is act like you disposed me and my presence!"

"No one asked you to come here" he throws, but the door opened and Aurora got in wide eyed, "what the fuck is going on? , your voices is heard in the hallway!"

I pass by her, "ask your boyfriend. He seems to have a problem with everything on earth." I say storming out of the office passing by Dionne.

"Joe!" she calls from the hallway and I stop, I hear her steps approaching.

"A-are you okay?" she asks eyes taking me in. I look her over, and raise a mocking brow "what do you care?" I throw and she blinks.

"I heard your voices, I wanted to make sure you're- I mean you and Mughrabi are..." she trails off at loss for words. I narrow my eyes at her then take a step towards her, she looks up at me. Tiny and petite, she looks so small now.

"Do you want to come with me?" I ask and she opens her mouth then speaks, "where?"

"Anywhere. Away."

She hesitates and looks at Omer's office then her desk behind her. I nod starting to leave, "wait!" she says then nods at her desk, "I'll grab my purse."

I smile and nod as I watch her get her purse and we leave together.