Loving Nicolas

Chapter 6

"Bonjour!" Veronic walked into my office just as I was ending a call.

I placed the receiver in the cradle of the phone and glanced at her. She looks worse for wear this morning. The night before I left a dinner party earlier than usual claiming a headache leaving Veronic with a group of our friends. What had happened after I left? And where they went? I had no idea.

"Bonjour." I murmur as I move from the desk to the drawing table. I had been sketching ceaselessly since I left London two months ago. I had a theme, an inspiration for my Fashion Week collection, and I was running out of time because we had only few months to prepare for it where other designers had been preparing and probably finished doing so months ago. It wasn't only this collection which occupied my mind, but also the launch of our summer collection which will happen in one month on our online store. Then there is the boutique we have to finalize the design this week. I wanted it open and running as soon as possible.

Yeah, my work life is chaotic, and I welcomed it. It kept my mind busy and far away from a certain person I didn't want to think about.

"I can hardly walk on my legs this morning." Veronic begins and stops watching me as I lift one of my drawing pens.

"Mmmm..." I say absentmindedly not looking in her direction. The office grows quiet and I completely forget about her.

"Ok! What's going on with you?!" Veronic snaps behind me. She startles me and I knock out the cup which holds my pens.

"Damn it Veronic! I thought you left the room!" I huff and bend down to collect the scattered pens.

"You haven't been yourself since you got back from London. Don't tell me the English have sucked out your sense of humor!" She folds her arms under her breasts. She is quiet a sight, my best friend with her long auburn hair falling in waves behind her back and her eyes smoldered dark with kohl and scarlet lips. As her usual, she is wearing black on black, Jeans and long sleeve sweater. Gold chains around her neck. She glares at me waiting for me to speak.

"Nothing is wrong Veronic." I assure her, feeling the numbness settling back again, as I set the cup of pens back in its place on my drawing table. I gave her my usual excuse. "We just have so much to do and little time to do it."

"Ne ment pas! We've been in this situation before, Leah. Tell me what's wrong." She comes to my side puts her hand on my shoulder.

I still, taking a deep breath. That constricting pain in my chest back. I felt weak, ready to burst in tears. So much is wrong and I don't know where to start.

"Nothing is wrong." My voice sounded hallow to my ears. I swallow and turn away from her setting the pens back in the cup.

"It isn't like you to pass on a party. It isn't like you to leave a club before we spent an hour at least." She shook her head. "At least tell me no one had hurt you."

I shook my head feeling dumbfounded by her words. I didn't realize how perceptive and worried she had been about me. Leah you mean mean girl!

"I promise nothing is wrong and no one had hurt me." Liar! Liar! Pants on fire!

She narrowed her light brown eyes for second. I can see the hurt in them.

"You're a bad liar Leah. I'll have it out of you one way or the other." She turns and leaves the office.

I sigh slumping against the drawing table, staring blindly at the sketch I've been working on. I had never kept anything from her before. We shared everything, every little detail about our lives. We spent the weekends clubbing together after a grueling week of work. I still go clubbing with her, especially on the first two weekends since I returned from London. Then one evening I returned back to my apartment totally plastered, and stumbled to my bedroom. When I hit the pillow in my clothes, I felt the dam that had been holding my emotions since my return shatter and I began to cry unstoppably. I cried until I passed out. I woke up the next morning, still in my clothes, a crank in my neck and my makeup smeared on my face and all over the pillow case. I laid on my back for hours thinking. I can't go on like this. The hurt I felt, was deep. I thought I'd get over it sooner, but I wasn't going anywhere with it. It will take time, I have heard.