Gate 24

Chapter Thirteen

She’s super jealous.

She’s called a little meeting with me; I’m not doing anything tonight because they have a certain guest act in town, so I’m free to do as I please. Originally, I planned to sleep away the fatigue of the past five days. That isn’t the case anymore; Lisa called a little meeting with me to discuss my relationship with Frankie. What’s the point? Can’t someone just believe that I’m not dating my lesbian colleague?

Knocking on the door, I await for the blonde’s appearance. Normally, I’m nervous to see Lisa because I think she’s amazing. Now I’m nervous because I’m sure that she’s on fire, fuming with me because I’m friendly with the girl that the staff loves to hate. It isn’t exactly fair on Frankie. Barlow described the staff as a family; I’ve noticed most families like to single out one child and pick on them because of some differentiation.

After a while, Lisa pulls back the fire door and glares at me. “I’m here,” I say, looking into her cold eyes. Usually, the blue orbs are shining and shimmering with happiness. Now, jealousy and angst fill them; it isn’t something I enjoy looking at. She only glares at me more as my words echo and dwindle into the air around me. “You said you wanted to talk. Here I am. I have a free night tonight, so I thought I’d come and see you.” She doesn’t look pleased, but she lets me enter without an objection.

“I can see that you’re here, Raymond,” she snaps, closing the door behind her. Her voice is cold, her tone is harsh. It pains me to see her like this; however, I didn’t do anything to upset her. Her mind is convinced that something is going on. She then softens up slightly. “I am glad that you’ve come here to apologise though.” Apologising for what though? Looking at her with utter confusion spreading through my veins, I take a seat – she gestured me to a certain chair – and wait for any other words. Nothing happens though, so I interject.

“What is actually going on though?” I question, trying to work out what makes Lisa think that Frankie is the spawn of Satan. “I’ve come here to hear your thought and I want to explain the actual situation afterwards.” She looks at me with cold, harsh eyes before she bows her head and stares at the drink next to her. “I don’t even get why you’re acting like this.” That statement probably could’ve been avoided, but I need to know the answer as to why she’s jealous of her colleague having a friendship with a guy she’s known for a week.

“What do you mean by acting? I’m actually sad, you know!” Lisa’s exclamation isn’t necessary and only backs up my point when I say that she’s got some feelings towards Frankie or me. “Do you want a drink?” The statement is blunt, and I don’t want to make the situation by rejecting her offer. So I reply and ask for a coffee with two sugars and milk. In my opinion, any hot beverage without milk tastes like liquefied cardboard; it’s an abomination to drinks. I’d rather drink most other liquids than beverages such as coffee without milk.

“Okay, you’re sad. Explain what you think is going on.” She turns to the kettle as I say this and flicks it on so that the noise of the boiling water can overtake my words. “I swear that nothing is going on other than the fact that I rescued the girl from the pool.” It’s a true statement, for I haven’t actually done anything that could be considered bad. Well, I caught her doing something in the hut, but I wasn’t properly involved in that – for all Frankie knows, it’s Orion that saw the majority of the scene.

Lisa turns to me with a clean cup in her hand; she then picks up her used cup and leaves it on the side for a refill. “I think that you and Frankie are seeing each other. Frankie is a bad person and I’m sure that many people have attempted to keep you away from her, but as per usual, men don’t listen when they should,” Lisa scoffs, picking up the jar containing the granules of coffee. “Frankie has been involved in some bad things back in the UK. Theft, fraud, drug carrying etcetera.” Lisa puts a spoon of coffee into both cups and turns to me. “Are you seeing her?”