Black & White (Colorful Sequel | H.S)|✔️

25

Sometimes, when the night is silent - oddly silent for a busy part of the city  - I allow myself to stray to my guilty pleasures. Only on rare occasions.

I lie in bed, staring up at the graying ceiling with my arms crossed over my stomach. There's a disturbingly brown spot in the corner but I pretend not to focus on it. I think about the past four years and how torturous it was. I allow myself the painful pleasure of thinking about Harry.

The blame often switches from one person to another, depending on the mood. When I'm more than content in life, I assure myself that it was his fault it happened. He's the reason we drifted.

When I'm in the lowest of lows, I blame myself.

On most days, I simply believe it was a mutual thing.

It's exactly why I enjoy busying myself in my work. When I do, I don't focus on the annoying thoughts. I don't allow myself to stray to the 'what ifs' and blame game. It's why I put up with such a bitchy boss.

When I wake up in the morning, so annoyingly early that the sun isn't even shining yet, I drop all thoughts of him.

Even after four years, it hurt to know it all went down the drain.

But like I said, I don't allow myself to think of him too often.

~~~

A cup of coffee is placed on my desk but I'm too focused to pry my eyes away. I'm in the middle of writing up some documents for Daffodil. Right before this, I edited some of her material and organized her planner for the next week.

The coffee is pushed until it's right in the middle of my desk and I'm forced to stop my typing. My eyes snap up to the giver.

"How long have you been here?" Danny asks softly as he nudges to steaming cup in my direction.

I let out a whoosh of air as I lean back in my chair. "Since seven o'clock–"

"Oh, so eight hours, that's not bad."

"–yesterday."

Daniel's eyes widen in shock. "You haven't left since yesterday?!"

I make a sheepish expression before turning back toward my monitor. Before I know it, Daniel's finger shoots out and turns off the screen. "Danny!"

"Ellie, I hope you don't take this to offense, but you look horrid."

My jaw drops and I narrow my eyes at him. I'm not really mad at him because I can tell he's concerned and he wouldn't be mean if he didn't mean it, but I pretend that I am. "Ouch! You might as well rip my heart out and eat it in front of me."

His face softens. "I just mean you should go home and sleep."

"Why should I sleep if I have this delicious cup of coffee?" I flash him a charming grin as my hands wrap around the paper cup. If possible, he softens even more. "Seriously Danny, I'm fine. Besides, it's not like I can just leave now. Medusa would never let me."

"Elizabeth, Daniel, get in here!"

"Speak of the devil," I mumble, grabbing my coffee and heading over to the conference room. I sit at the large table with Daniel sitting across from me. Daffodil's pacing near the head of the table, pausing to look out the window. I clear my throat to let her know we're here.

Her head snaps up like she didn't notice us coming in. "Oh. Good, you're here." She pauses and eyes the coffee cup in my hands. With a heavy sigh, I slide it over. She takes it immediately and drinks a whole mouthful before making a face. "This isn't my coffee."