The Imperishable Flame⎪✓

❨06❩

♀︎

Throwing on a dark blue pantsuit, I tuck the white shirt into the high-waisted pants. My nerves are out of this world, today is my first day at the clinic and my trial will officially begin. A week ago I met Mr. Franco, the owner of the clinic. Apparently, he is a 26-year-old man and surely is a sight for sore eyes, there is something about his aura that screams power and arrogance. His personality is not as appealing as his looks though, he basically ordered me into these clothes and told me he wouldn't accept anything but high heels and tight fitted clothing. 

A real pig, if you ask me.

Lucy hasn't been quiet about her opinions either, she finds him incredibly unprofessional and she thinks something is completely off with him. I have to agree with her, there is something that makes me seriously uncomfortable in his presence and it annoys me, I fear it will meddle with my soul searching and that is the last thing I need. He informed me that he won't be at the clinic my first couple of times, so today I have to unlock the doors with the set of keys he gave me. 

Another thing that makes me kind of anxious is that he refused to brief me on my client, not knowing anything frustrates me, but in his professional assessment he thinks it can be a great challenge for me. I told him how much I truly disagree with that statement, not that it made any difference. A part of me dreads going there today. 

Leaving a small note to Lucy saying bye and asking if she can water the flowers, I'm out the door. Driving through the town this early in the morning helps my mind a little, the nervousness in my stomach very prominent. There is something about this trial that feels off, but deep down it probably is the meeting I had with Mr. Franco. He isn't my type of person at all. 

Parking in the spot reserved for me, I hurry inside the clinic and find my designated room. Placing some water on the table and a little snack for my client, it's hard to know how to prepare for these sessions especially since I'm all alone in it. He really should have been here preparing me and giving me advice. 

Checking my phone I see that Lucy has texted me, she wishes me good luck and promises to take care of our flowers. She knows how much I love the flowers in our dorm, it isn't her preferred choice, but having her support and help with them means a lot to me. Flowers appeal to me in a way that no one else can, they give me a sense of peace. 

Typing out a reply, I decide to walk around the office afterward and take in everything I observe. Mr. Franco's office is right next to mine, the waiting area is incredibly sterile and some part of me wants to give it more life. Allowing the clients to feel more welcome, maybe I should talk to him about that. It seems off that they are here to talk about their hardships in life and he reciprocates with iciness and a completely white clinic. Not that I should meddle, but it feels weird. 

I rub my hands against my thighs, the action giving me some much-needed warmth. The nerves are definitely here, but it's not like I can walk around and be a nervous wreck. There is the annoyance of knowing absolutely nothing again, it honestly seems strange that I'm not allowed to have any knowledge on my client. Even though Mr. Franco believes it to be an important aspect of learning a lesson here. 

Looking at the time, my client should be here in about three minutes. Hopefully I know what to do and say, the worst-case scenario is if I shut down completely. That would lead to them crying and talking about some difficulties in their life and me staring at them like a dumb wall. I won't allow that to happen. 

Shaking my head to rid myself of the negative thoughts, I sit down on the chair assigned to me in my office. It's placed right across from the couch and this is where the session will happen in a matter of minutes. Of course, I can do this, I have studied these sessions and how to interpret people for years, this opportunity is what I have been waiting for. 

The bell goes off in the waiting room, informing me of the door opening. I stand up and smooth down by dark blue pantsuit, making sure that the shirt is tucked safely away inside the pants. My black heels are strapped to perfection and I walk towards the door, readying myself to meet the person on the other side. This is it, I have to be professional from this point forward. 

Opening the door, I straighten my back and turn the corner, a smile eases onto my lips. "Hello, I'm Ms. Moore-"

My feet stop moving in an instant, exactly like my body screams for me to breathe for oxygen. The stabbing in my gut makes it truly difficult to process anything, it tortures me, feeling as if rough hands are rearranging my organs. Desperately grabbing my stomach, I look at the man standing in front of me. His green eyes are playing tricks on my mind, they have entered my dreams so many times and now here he is. His frame has changed, the muscles stretch against his black dress shirt and somehow he appears to be bigger. 

My eyes trace every inch of him before I can stop myself, tattoos peek out from under his formal clothes and I'm dangerously tempted to trace them. My fingers burn from the need to touch him again. His face is rougher, the light stubble compliments him so well. I spot a lot of small scars that weren't there in high school, it hurts me to know that he has been in pain like that. 

"Love," He breathes and rough shivers punish me. His hoarse voice is all I can focus on, the familiarity he holds makes it hard for me to focus. I have missed him so much and having him here meddles with my priorities. 

"Elijah," I whisper, afraid that my voice will make him disappear again, proving he is only a fucked up part of my imagination. It shouldn't be the first time I imagined having him next to me which is so pathetic, but it's also the truth.