Her first crush

7

"You're stupid", Pascal said to Leona. "You are so irritating. You disgust me and I try to avoid you but you get in my way. Are you so dumb that you can't see that I dislike you? "He was mad with rage.
Leona was scared. She knew she was at fault, but she couldn't bear being lashed at in front of Nelly. She was embarrassed.
"I'm so............ s..... s...... sorry, I'll clean
...... "She was trying to tell him how sorry she was but he interrupted her.
"Shut the fuck up"
"I think I'll just leave", Nelly said to both of them.
"I don't ever wanna see you near my room, don't sit next to me in class, I don't want to see you anywhere near the basketball court whenever I'm around, you're a disaster. I don't want to see your face again, okay? "
Leona nodded and stood rooted to the spot.
Pascal picked up his guitar, "what are you still waiting for? Get the hell outta my room! "

                   *    *    *
"You're not deaf, are you? "Mrs Brown narrowed her eyes as she looked at her secretary.
"No ma'am". Adela was shuddering. She had always known her boss to be kindhearted, but she could be ruthless whenever she was angry.
"I'll do it right away, ma'am".
"Good".
Adela turned to walk out of her boss's office when she stopped her.
"Wait! "Mrs Brown raised her left hand.
"Yes ma'am", Adela turned back to look at her boss.
"Type Kally's dismissal letter". She grinned mischievously. "Make it grand and beautiful ".
"Y-y e e s s ma'am". Adela stammered and left.

   As soon as her secretary left, Mrs Brown lifted her cup of coffee from the table and sipped it gently. Shortly after, her phone rang.
"Let her in". She picked it up and spoke even before her secretary could say a word.
  Almost immediately, Kally's entered into the office.
"I'm done with it, ma'am". She bowed.
"Good! "Mrs Brown rapped her fingers on the table. She picked up the phone and dialed her secretary.
"Please, tell the two assistant managers to see me in my office now", she hung up.
"So Kally, since when have you been 'mistakenly' increasing the prices of gold chains? "
"Ohh....... Just last week", Kally was shaking.
"Good, this is against the rules of the company and you know it".
"Y- yes ma'am"
"Good! I was also told that you've not been giving the profits made to the accountant ".
"That was a m... mistake ma'am".
"Good! "
Her phone rang again and she spoke before Adela did, "let them in".
Soon, two young men entered her office.
"Good morning, ma'am", they greeted.
"Good morning, Mr Edmund, morning to you, Mr Charles". She responded.
"Give me a second please". She swerved her chair and dialed her secretary.
"Have you typed what I asked you to? "She paused and continued, "bring it into my office". She licked her lips and dropped the phone before turning to face the three people in her office.
    

      Adela came in with a blue envelope that had a touch of silver. She handed it over to Mrs Brown.
"Are you sure this is grand enough?"She asked Adela.
"Yes ma'am".
Mrs Brown turned to Kally. "This is for you", she smiled sweetly.
Kally looked at her hesitantly before looking at the envelope.
"C'mon, don't be shy.......... you can have it, it's yours ". She said again.
Kally collected the envelope. As soon as she did that, she wanted to tear it open, but was stopped by her boss.
"No....... no.... you can open it quietly when you get home ", Mrs Brown said. "What I wanted to tell you is in that envelope ".
"Its a dismissal letter". Mrs Brown blurted out.
"Ma'am? "She shook her head in disbelief.
"Your service is no longer needed here". Mrs Brown crossed her legs. "You're fired! "
Kally went down on her knees. "Please ma'am, it was a mistake ".
"I don't joke with my company ", she pouted and looked at Adela. "Show her the way out and help her move her things ".
"Yes ma'am", came the reply.
"Kally? "Mrs Brown called and she hoped she was going to forgive her.
"Yes ma'am".
"You're forgetting something ", she nodded as she spoke. "Kindly drop the swipe card with you on my desk".
She obeyed dejectedly and left the office.
"Now, over to you two", she smiled at the assistant managers in front of her.

                     *   *    *
Arthur walked together with Leona as they approached the football pitch.
"So why did you come here? "He asked her.
"Mom had a transfer again".
"Must have been awful"
"yeah, really", she replied.
"You know, I......... "He continued then stopped abruptly. "Wrath of Lucifer! "
     Matilda and Bennie approached them and Arthur stepped back, scared.
"Hey girl"
Leona wondered what Matilda was up to and she stepped back.
"Scared, huh? "Bennie said and giggled.
Matilda wasn't amused at all. "I don't have any business with you", she started. "Why will I have business with a bitch like you, anyway", she moved nearer to Leona and cocked her eyebrows. "I only have one problem with you", she said seriously. "And that's Pascal. We are dating and I don't want to see you anywhere near him. Or else, you will have to leave this school. My aunt owns the school and it would be a pleasure to watch you kicked out. Be warned! "She walked off and Bennie followed her.

     For a moment, Leona couldn't breathe. She didn't notice when Arthur came to her side.
"Are you okay?"
"Y..........yeah, am... am fine,"she breathed.
"Nope..... Not at all"
"You are crushing on him?"
   Leona tried to tell him it wasn't true, but as she opened her mouth, words refused to proceed from it. Arthur got the message.
"Oh! I understand. You're in love with..............."
"No...... no don't get it wrong. I'm...... I'm.......... I'm just his seat partner. Nothing m....... more", she stammered through her sentence.
   Authur nodded. "What ever you feel for him, I guess it's good to forget it. Matilda is ruthless when it comes to punishing people who cross her path. Avoid Pascal for now".
"L...... Look said l....... I....... am....."
   He interrupted her this time by placing a hand on his lips, I understand how you feel".