To New Beginnings. Sequel -(On Hold)

Chapter 10

Candice

I wasn't sure if I was seeing correctly or my eyes were deceiving me. Previously, my eyes were planted on my cell-phone, as I protested with Cleo about a date she had arranged without my knowledge, until, I heard my name abruptly being called...

My jaw almost detached from the rest of my face. My head was angled around an older woman, who practically blocked my view. Had she not been standing in my peripherals, then I would've made direct eye contact with him. I blinked, utterly loss for words, but my body remained firmly sandwiched in the overly crowded elevator. The doors began to slide shut, heightening the climax, that was our brief exchange.

They were inches from sealing our reunion and I sensed deep down in my gut, there were hints of animosity in the air, along with the quick flash of anger on his face to make sure of it.  Just as the doors finally unfied to a large barrier of cold steel, the past reawakened in the span of a few seconds. A past I only wanted to bury so deep that it would fade and gradually be erased from every corner of my mind.

At the beginning of my college journey, I rebelled and sought out failure in hopes that my father would change his mind and ship me back to my mother, but those plans quickly derailed and jumpstarted his persistency. The first level was bribery and sweet talk. A new car, proposal for a bigger apartment, allowance increase, the list went on... Then, when I figured his confidence was subsiding, I shouted victory, which was short lived. Initially, I thought he would go down the, 'my house, my rules' route and force me, but it took a complete three-sixty, when he gave me the 'guilt and disappointment' speech.

Never in a million years did I think that I would fall for such an act, but I had to hand it to him; he pulled it off pretty well. He knew my weaknesses and used it to his advantage. He'd managed to manipulate me and convinced me that my temporary high-school flame would fade overtime- his words exactly- and he only wanted what was best.

Top that with the biggest puppy dog eyes and I caved. I knew as much as I tried to deny it, that he was right and I couldn't throw away my future or any potential dreams for something that would inevitably fail.

I convinced myself everyday that, 'it was simply a phase', 'It would've never lasted', 'we were drifting apart anyway', Irregardless whether it was true or not. I repeated it as my mantra, to stay grounded and that the emotions were merely a hindrance. Progressively, I began to believe it, ultimately making it easier to maintain a detachment.

Unfortunately, the lack of balance resulted in loneliness and void that subsequently drove everyone away. Leaving behind a trail of guilt and what ifs...

I eyed the elevator doors, forcing myself into a daze, to avoid the uncomfortable glares of random people surrounding me who witnessed the ordeal.

Ding!

Music to my ears. I shoved pass the swarm, forcing my way out the door, amid the protests of people who refused to get out of my way. Relief washed over me once I made it through. Not bothering to look back, I sped down the halls to my destination, my head hanging low.

I froze at the tall glass doors, that revealed the set up, for a shoot. I pressed the bell at the side, whilst waiting in a
miserable silence. Left to face the flashbacks from five minutes ago. His eyes hadn't lost their charm but the way he matured into such a hands-

"Well if it isn't the business babe herself..." My eyes rushed to him.

"Kerry, what did I say about calling me that?" I scolded the handsy Reporter, who's eyes made its way down my body, leaving me to counteract with disgust. Kerry was known by many names in his industry. For women, he was a sleazy horn dog, in his career, a hungry dog. As for me... He was an all around dog and if it wasn't for him being cleo's stepbrother, I would've kicked his ass a long time ago.

Cleo kept a distance when it came to her family, whom mainly resided back in Jersey. She revealed to me later in our friendship, that she moved to the city in hopes that she could finally breath from all the suffocation she had experienced at the hand of her parents. Elaborating that her stepmother woefully nagged her about settling down and her father consistently condemning her for not being like her two other siblings, excluding Kerry, whom was rejected from the family for his career choice, deeming him the disappoint of the bunch.

Her oldest biological brother Ardrian, was an anesthesiologist and was married with twin girls. Her youngest half sister, Josie, attended a gifted school and was already taking college prep at fifteen years old. She kept in contact her siblings on occasion, but if it meant hear from her parents, then she would take two steps back into isolation. She mentioned her mother dying at her birth and her never getting a chance to meet her, feeling deep down that her father blamed and resented her for it.

I consoled her whenever she went to her dark place. Consistently reminding her that it wasn't fault and her mom wouldn't have wanted her to take in this burden... I could only imagine how much pain she felt. The idea of not ever meeting her mother and constantly having to be reminded about it, by her loved ones...

"Whoa, no need to be so hostile." Kerry beamed, disregarding the seriousness in my tone.

"Oh you haven't witnessed hostile yet!" I pushed pass him to get inside the room that echoed the sounds of slow lounge music. Before I could further my way in, hands gripped my wrist, rotating me back to crash chest first into Kerry. As much as I believed that he was a gross pervert, there was no denying his charm and he also wasn't very bad to look at. No wonder women fell prey to those sharp green eyes. He almost had me the first time we met, if he hadn't started to show his true colors.

"Do you remember the night we almost..." He lowered his head and seduction weaved through his voice. It was happening all over again. The side he used to hook in women. "I mean, if you had simply allowed me to take care of your body and touch you in ways that I know you yearned for." He flicked a tongue to his bottom lip. My breathing hitched and all I wanted was to pull away, but the Velvety traces in his tone. He never had to work too hard to get his way or maybe it was just the year and a half of celibacy on my end.

I knew it wasn't that long of a period for sex, but I was only human. I had needs as well. Why did I need to be so modest? Why did I cling to the never-ending demands of being a good girl? Why couldn't I just give in?

A throat cleared behind me, wiping away the spell. I flew back in shame, breaking Kerry's hold on me, turning to lock eyes with, a blue eyed, tanned skin, diva. Arms folded and feet tapping impatiently.

"Who's your friend, Jake?" Her pink glossed lips mouthed with sass. Jake? I mumbled to myself, puzzled.

And then it hit me.

"Isn't Jake your bos-" his rushed his hand over my mouth. Muffling my words before I could finish.

Asshole!  Why did I think for one split second he was decent.

The woman, scrunched her face in disapproval and I couldn't help but to elbow Kerry with so much force to his gut. He slouched over in pain, clutching his stomach, bellowing out several curse words. She gasped in surprise, hands to covering her mouth.

She jogged over to Kerry's side, touching him tenderly, attempting to ease his pain with a million questions about his stomach. I rolled my eyes in annoyance and waited for the two to cease their apparent overreaction.

"Kerry, I did not get you that hard. You can stop being dramatic now." I eyed his overly red face intently, reassured that he was acting

"Kerry?" The mysterious woman  directed to him.

Oops! My eyes went over her slim figure. Her breast being the focal point about her. Then I managed to catch a glimpse of the huge rock on her ring finger. My eyebrows furrowed with discontent.

A married woman Kerry, really? I stormed off to the studio, leaving the two behind.