LET ME HATE YOU

Meeting

With last night's incident still fresh in her mind, Asmaira was acutely aware of her surroundings the next day. No matter how many times she was forced to make coffee, she did so with unwavering focus. She remained silent when Talia vented her frustration at her. She said nothing when Amaan mocked her phobia. She kept her gaze downcast even when Talia tossed her meticulously drafted file into the trash.

Swallowing her hurt, she worked tirelessly under Amaan's relentless demands. Unable to sleep due to the previous night's terror and unable to eat because of a nagging sore throat, Asmaira felt lethargic. Still, she gave her full effort to every task Amaan assigned.

Feeling her breathing become heavy and her body unusually hot, she closed her eyes and leaned against the wall.

"I have a meeting at 2:30 p.m. with the project team. Get them coffee," he instructed, walking swiftly past her.

"Yes, Sir," she replied.

"Not from the pantry. There will also be a delegation from Saunders. Talia will give you the list of what to order." He said this without looking back and continued to his destination.

She sighed and rubbed her forehead, which was throbbing with a severe headache. Based on her two days of experience, Amaan would not give her a simple task like fetching coffee. Her assumption proved true when she was faced with a long list of unfamiliar coffee names, making the task feel overwhelming.

Her gaze fell on the time, and she sighed again. With no time to spare, she hurried to the elevator bank. Finding them crowded with people leaving for lunch, she took the staircase instead. Fortunately, she managed to hail a taxi quickly. She kept glancing at her watch, urging the driver to speed up.

The complexity of the list wasn't the main problem. It was the specific, distant location from which he insisted she procure the coffee. Accustomed to his deliberate torment, she knew better than to complain.

Meanwhile, in the office,

When Amaan said, "Tell Asmaira to get my lunch as well," Talia replied, confused, "I'm sorry, but we don't have her number."

"Why didn't you ask for it?"

"Firstly, because I've never needed to, and secondly, I've never seen her with a phone," Talia explained, causing Amaan to frown.

"Give her a company-provided one then. How are we supposed to reach her when we need her?"

On the other side of town, Asmaira balanced the disposable coffee cups in one hand while frantically trying to call another taxi. Her anxiety intensified with every passing second she failed to secure a ride. The busy street made it difficult to stand in one place and prevent the coffees from spilling.

Noticing her distress, an elderly gentleman offered his help and, after a few unsuccessful attempts, managed to get her a cab. Genuinely grateful, she bowed her head and whispered, "Thank you."

But her brief relief was shattered when an abrupt drizzle began. Rolling up the door's glass, she protected the coffee from getting soaked. She silently prayed for time to stop so she could reach the office before the meeting commenced.

"Please be a little faster," she pleaded.

"Look at the traffic. I'm doing my best to get through," the cab driver responded, looking at her through the rearview mirror.

"I kn—" Her sentence was cut short when the cab suddenly jerked.

Prioritizing the coffee, she instinctively reached out to steady it. The hot liquid splashed onto her hand, making her wince. Grabbing a tissue from her purse, she dabbed her scalding skin and the cup. Luckily, only one cup spilled, and the rest were saved.