Capturing Memories

°•°Chapter 15°•°

"None of us knows what might happen even the next minute, yet still we go forward. Because we trust. Because we have Faith."
― Paulo Coelho.

Zach's POV.

"Fine dad. I'll be there, but I'm not okay with this. I'm coming back only because it's mom's birthday," I tell him pinching the bridge of my nose sighing, "You'll have to agree to this, Zachary. Think about it,"

Rolling my eyes at my dad's annoying voice ringing in my head I finally speak up, "Whatever dad, my decision is not going to change. I've got work to get to, bye,"

I hang up without waiting for an answer and bang my phone against the table in frustration before running a hand through my hair. Whatever the fuck my dad pulls me into, he should know I don't nod to everything he asks me to do.

The knock on my door interrupts my series of thoughts, "Come in," I said regaining my posture. Ethan steps in making me mentally roll my eyes, he wasn't bad but it pissed me off that he kept flirting with Chloe every single time she's here. Which again is almost everyday cause it now became a normal thing to have lunch together and Dan joins us sometimes.

"Is there something I can help you with Mr. Maxwell?" I ask him keeping my voice stern, "There's a woman named Anise who's been waiting to meet you," he informs in an equally stern tone, sure he hated me just as much. He was replacing Mr. Phillips for a few days and he isn't doing a bad job but I wish he wasn't the guy my best friend almost had sex with.

"Why is she here?" I ask him mentally slapping myself for making out with her at Lance's party three weeks ago now. Sure we didn't end the relationship very well but it was never serious, I was never in a serious relationship because someone's already got my heart. As sappy as it sounds, that's the truth.

"She just said that she needs to meet you,"

"Let her in," I say finally giving in, it's about time I clear the air between us. The woman is clingy and literally has no feelings for me as she claims. Ethan walks out and I button up the few buttons on my shirt quickly before Anise walked in. Her blonde hair pushed back into a ponytail while wearing a revealing short black dress that stopped way above her knees. I try not cringing and return the smile she's flashing me.

"Hey, you wanted to talk?" I ask her as she stops at the chair opposite me but just to drop her handbag on it and continues walking up to me, "Well, not just talk,"

I roll my eyes, "I'm not interested in you Anise, we were done two years ago," I tell her but she leans forward, connecting her lips with mine for a brief second before I held her by her arms and pushed her away.

"Zach..." I hear a familiar voice as my door clicked and I turn to look at Chloe who's wide-eyed as hurt flashes her eyes. Oh, no no damn it, "I'm sorry," she looks away before closing the door and I push Anise, "What the fuck, Anise?"

I stand up but she grabs my hand, "Fine, I'll leave. Your loss, you're settling for something like that," she says referring to Chloe and I turn around to face her with anger, "Don't fucking talk about her like that. Just get out and never cross paths with me again,"

Warning her, I leave her wide-eyed before rushing out of my office to follow Chloe, "Chloe!" I breathe out finally finding her waiting for the elevator. She gives me a quick glance but looks away making me sigh. I'm pretty sure when she walked in to see Anise and me, it looked bad. Really bad.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know she'd be here," she says still looking down at her feet, "Stop that, sugar. She was trying to rekindle something that never existed," I reason out trying to get her attention but she just never looks up, let alone meet my gaze.

"I've got work to get to, I'll meet you in the evening," she mumbles before stepping into the now open elevator and I follow her, making her finally look up in confusion before I hit the button to close the doors, "What are you doing?"

"Trying to make sure you're not getting it all wrong," I say stepping close her. She's dressed up in a pencil skirt and blue shirt, looking all too good to resist, "I'm not getting anything wrong?"

She says more like a question before letting out a sign, looking down at her feet again as her bangs fell on her eyes, "Well what did you deduce from what you saw then?"

"That Zach will always be Zach, the man-whore," my close my eyes chuckling at her idea of me, "Why don't you just believe what I said?"

"I never said, I didn't believe you and you needn't reason out your sex life to me," she finally meets my gaze with a clearly pissed off expression that she was trying to cover. The elevator dings making me roll my eyes, and I quickly punch the button to close the doors again before she walked away.

"If you don't care then why do you look so bothered?" my hand unintentionally makes it's way to her face to tuck strands of her hair behind her ear, something I loved to do, "I'm not,"

Her voice is barely a whisper while she looks at me trying to conceal the hurt clear in her eyes which could've fooled anyone but me, "Stop lying, sugar," my thumb traces her cheek making her breath heavy. Her brown orbs stare into mine making me want to kiss her.

"I need to go," she snaps us out of the moment when the elevator dinged off again making me groan as she walked out leaving me there. Of course, I couldn't leave work right now, stupid stupid fucking elevator. I bang the metal wall with my fist while the doors closed again.

Trying to control my racing heart, I steady myself as the door finally opened again on the floor of my office only to face Anise again, "Goodbye loser," she says making me roll my eyes as I walked past her. If I stood there any longer, I would've probably killed her by now for what she did. I'm exaggerating, of course.

This is fucked up. Right when Chloe started making her feeling obvious to me, this had to happen. Why did things have to go this way?!

~•~•~•

"Sugar, are you here?" I call out to her stepping inside the silent studio and Dan walks out of his office, "Hey,"

"She's not here," was all he said while glaring at me, "Where is she then? She's not taking my calls," I ask him as the panic I was feeling settles in, making me imagine the worst though part of me knew, she wouldn't just leave. I'm being unreasonable, at least I hope that's what it is. It is already 5 pm, she can't be out for so long and she's not even at home.

"I don't know, she said she needed some time alone cause clearly someone got her upset," a sigh escapes my lips before I could think of where she probably is, "Thanks Dan,"

I thank him leaving him confused and glaring at me before walking out. I may just know where she's at right now and I needed her back in my arms, it's been a messy day for both of us already.

~•~•~•