A Fiend as a Friend

Chapter 6

After I had gone through my schedule, I went out to look for Michael. Not like I was ready to look at him after what he'd told me. I was still dazed, but that didn't mean that I would have to stay in that room for years.

I found him talking to someone and so, I waited until he was done. He wasn't smiling at the person like the way he'd been smiling with me. So, what did that mean? Before I could think of an answer to that, he was already standing in front of me, smiling widely.

"You're done? "

"Yes. There's one part I didn't quite get, though. The part where I am to meet Someday magazine."

"Show me, Felicity."

I swallowed hard and with shaky hands, I gave him the paper. Maybe I was just cold. He collected the paper from my hand and moved close to me. See, when I say close, I mean that our bodies were almost touching.

"Here", I pointed with shaky hands.

"Oh! I forgot to tell you about that. That magazine requested to have an interview with you."

"Oh."

"Yes. Let's leave for the dorm now." He handed the paper over to me and I collected it, avoiding his stare.

"Felicity?" he called with the softest voice in the world.

I gulped hard and looked at him slowly. "Y-yeah?" I was stuttering!

"You okay?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"You look anxious. See", he put his hand on my right shoulder. "this job is the easiest and you should be happy you got it."

I rubbed my sweaty palm on my dress. If I didn't tell this guy about all the words and smiles, I would just die of anxiety. "Huh, Michael, I have something to tell you."

He removed his hand from my shoulder and his face turned serious for once. Good, that was enough to keep me thinking for that moment.
"I don't need you to be nice to me because I'm a lady. Just treat me normally like you do others. I really appreciate your kind gestures though."

He frowned a little and folded his arms across his chest. Okay, call this awkward. "What kind gestures, Felicity?"

He didn't know? How did he expect me to tell him that all the names he was calling me were making me feel uncomfortable? "You know, smiling at me all the time and-"

"I shouldn't smile I at you? See, I don't get your point. Do you want me frowning?" His look scared me a great deal now. It made me feel stupid. Maybe I misunderstood him.

"See, never mind, Michael. Let's go to the dorm." I was feeling so stupid already, but that feeling I got around him didn't stop. He stared at me for a moment and then, shook his head. He didn't say anything again though. He just walked away without waiting for me.

What had I done?

****
The ride to the dorm was very quiet in an awkward way. He didn't smile at me or talk. He just drove. I left my car at the hall since he offered to drive me.

I racked my brain for a subject to bring up, but I couldn't come up with anything sensible. At last, when we got to the dorm, he stopped by the gate and said a few words to the guards before driving on.

I almost screamed when I saw the dorm. The building in front of me was no dorm. It was an edifice. The thought of living there with four or even more guys scared the hell out of me.

I couldn't wait for my parents to see this anyway. They were so against this job, okay that isn't news anymore. Maybe this building, no, edifice would make them accept this job. The building was made of glass. One could as well call it a glass house.

"We're there", he said coldly. I nodded and got down from the car. I waited for him to lock the door and then, when he was done, he just walked away, probably expecting me to follow him. I thought of apologizing, but I couldn't think of anything that I did wrong.

When we entered the building, I almost fainted. Okay, let me describe it, but really I doubt that my descriptions will be anything close to what I saw. There was an opening in the roof that allowed rays from the sun to be cast on a large swimming pool in the middle of the room. Then, the walls were made of glass- shining glass at that. The tiled floors were shining so much that I could see my reflection on them.

"Aren't you coming?" Michael asked, frowning at me. He was already climbing the stairs that probably led to the main house.

"Sorry. This place is just so beautiful." He smiled for a little while, but then, the frown returned in no time.

I ran up to him and held his hand. "Look, I'm really sorry about what I said earlier. I guess I misunderstood you and your intentions."

He looked at our connected hands and then back at me as if he didn't understand what I was saying. I sighed deeply. "Can't you just go back to the smiling Michael? Today's my first day and I don't want to fight anyone.

He removed his hand from mine. "I'll just show you to your room, Felicity."

Okay, I really liked the way he pronounced my name. "Okay." He nodded and climbed the rest stairs. I sighed and followed him. I had tried enough. I didn't just understand his behavior.

When we got to the door leading to my room, he paused and turned to look at me. "Are you hungry?" I didn't know whether that meant I had been forgiven of a sin I just didn't know how I committed.

"No. Thanks though. I already had breakfast at home." I said as quickly as possible. I didn't like the way he was staring at me.

He nodded and turned the door handle. "This is your room, pretty."

I gulped and gave him a 'have you forgotten' look. He didn't seem to get as he continued. "I hope you really enjoy your room. In case you need anything, you can just call me over. "

I nodded again and then, looked around the room. I had been so carried away by his talk to concentrate on the beauty of the room. God, I loved this room. It was as big as my house. The walls were painted pink. They probably wanted to make the room as girly as possible. The giant sized bed had pink coverings and if not for Michael, I would have jumped right on that bed.

"I... my things...I have to get them."

He pursed his lips for a while and then, nodded. "Okay. I will get someone to bring your car over here."

Before I could reply, someone barged into the room, slamming the door hard behind him. I jumped. As expected, it was Mike. His face was red and his breathing was irregular and heavy. I looked at Micheal for a while before looking back at Mike.
"Hey."

"You know what? Keep your greetings to yourself. Right now, I need you to follow me somewhere, little elf."

I blinked repeatedly at the name he called me. Who did he think he was to call me that? "What did you just call me?"

He scoffed. "Little elf. See, I don't have the-"

"Yeah. You don't have the time and luxury to talk to me. I get it already, okay? Also, if you are here to apologize, you can just stop, okay?"

He laughed. "Wow. You're just so funny. Don't you think you made a mistake coming here in the first place? You should go audition in comical stuff. Maybe you'll help relieve some hypertensive patients."

Suddenly, Micheal grabbed Mike by the collar of his shirt. "Talk that way to her again and I'll show you why people like you suck."

Mike frowned deep. "I think someone is losing his mind over a little elf. Michael, are you okay? "

I walked towards Michael and glared at Mike. "Why not shut up? You're just embarrassing yourself."

He scoffed again and removed Michael's hand off his shirt before pulling me out of the room. Then, just like hours ago, I followed him without saying a word.