EPISODE 2

The next morning, I didn't offer her to have breakfast with me as I was already very embarrassed.

After breakfast, Ziana and I went to the office. She drove her Kawasaki Ninja H2R to the office.

She parked the bike. We came in and I saw going towards the stairs. Will she climb all 8 floors? I thought.

''Shouldn't we use the lift?''.

She gave an informal look to me and then entered the lift after me.

It was just less than a minute when the lift got stopped.

''What happened? Why isn't it working Jay?'' Ziana asked fearfully, watching me.

I've never seen such an expression on any girl's face before.

''Ziana! There's nothing to be scared of, it just got stuck" I said trying to console her.

She held my hand and said, "It'll work very soon huh?". I bet she didn't know she was holding my hand.

I was feeling happy when she held my hand but I felt something strange when I saw the fear in her eyes.

She was tightening her grip around my hand slowly. I put my hand over her hand, trying to free my other hand from her grip which she had tightened a lot.

''It'll just'' I was gonna complete my sentence when the lights went out and the lift filled with darkness.

''Jay'' she said and approximately hugged me.

''I'm begging you, ask them to make it work. Jay please'' said Ziana, I felt her tears, coming out of her eyes.

I folded my arms around her loosely and said "It's just a bit of darkness, just wait for some little time".

She hugged me tightly and said ''Why don't you understand?''.

Something was hitting her tone, fear or sorrow or something else, I don't know but her tone wasn't familiar anymore.

Is she this afraid of darkness? I thought and her villa came into my mind quickly.

Her villa was full of lights and daytime technology. There wasn't even a single place in her house, where I found a bit of low light.

She was crying with fear, I knew that but I didn't ask because I didn't wanna make her feel bad. This wasn't her natural fear, I could bet that.

Many people get scared of something after any type of accident happened to them. Probably, Ziana's one of them.

Her grip was still tight around me and I also had tightened my arms around her.

The lift started working just in a few moments but Ziana was still hugging me tightly.

On reaching the 8th floor, she actually took the stairs to go back. She wasn't feeling well I knew, so I didn't stop her and she went back to her home

I saw her driving the Ninja as fast as she could. Clearing the road with the noise of Ninja and advancing speedily, I was watching it from the window.

''Jay! Where's Ziana? I heard that she took you to her house'' Lessie asked when she reached the office.

''Yeah! I know Joseph told ya that'' I said dully, thinking about Ziana.

''And where's Ziana?'' Lessie asked coming towards me, standing beside me and watching outside the window just as I was doing.

''I-I came with her but then she left. I think she's not feeling well'' I said and didn't explain much because I didn't want Lessie to know that her female ideal girl is afraid of darkness.

''Don't tell me she came to drop ya'' said Lessie giving me a doubtful look.

''Of course not, I mean- I mean I don't know I just came with her and then she left'' I said confusingly.

''You sure, she didn't just drop ya here'' Lessie asked, actually she demanded the truth.

''Yeah! 100%'' I said trying to be confident.

I and Lessie worked on the chapters she gave us yesterday. I took the photos as per instructions.

Should I go to her house? I thought.

''No-No-No I can't let anyone enter in my life so easily!'' I said loudly, shaking my head. Luckily, Lessie wasn't there.

''But she's super cool. Perfect Tomboy and sassy n savage'' I said making my mind to visit her ''But I'm not perfect for her'' I added.

''She'll find herself someone far good one" Joseph said entering the room. I think he heard my sentences that day.

I quickly turned back to see.

''Who are you talking about Jay! Ziana or Lessie? If you're thinking about Lessie then just shut your thoughts and if Ziana! Then take a step closer to her" he said watching me and then offering me coffee, he brought.

I knew Joseph had feelings for Lessie but he never felt enough power to tell her.

I, Lessie and Joseph had worked together once but then Joseph got a Male Author.

Now when Ziana was finding a photographer, an editor and a spare co-author, Joseph was the one who introduced Ziana to us.

''Lessie's my bestie'' I replied taking the coffee and forgetting that the next and only person left was Ziana in the choice.

''Great! You'll look good with that tomboy'' Joseph chuckled and took a sip of his coffee.

My eyes widened and I took his eyes.

''No-No I wasn't talking about... Oh, leave it'' I said and pretended to drink my coffee.

''Oh, please don't I know you and her as well, she just wants you to step forward'' Joseph said and gave me a look full of hope.

''No! You're not understanding I didn't mean that'' I said denying that I actually have feelings for her.

''Don't lie to me I even know she's interested in you too. She took you to her own house, why would a girl, who don't even talk in a good way, take a guy she doesn't know well, to her house? Use your mind I know she's interested in you'' Joseph said and winked.

Lessie entered the room, at the moment.

''Josh!'' she said and went near to hug Joseph.

Joseph's happiness could be seen clearly over his face.

I passed a smile for his expressions and drank my coffee.

After our work, all three of us went to have dinner together.

''You know what I kinda found someone for Jay!'' said Lessie while cutting her steak.

''Really? Lemme know who is she?'' Joseph asked excitedly although he knew the answer.

''Ziana!'' said Lessie watching me happily.

I spit the water out of my mouth on hearing this.

Well, I'll say it was an accident, it just uncontrollably came out.

I coughed and my hand reached for a tissue.

Joseph patted my back and started laughing.

''I bet he's in love with her'' Joseph said and laughed. Lessie also laughed after him.

I threw his hand back from my arm and sat straight quickly.

''It's not like that'' I tried to explain them. ''I-I just'' I was about to say ADMIRE A LITTLE but Lessie didn't let me complete my sentence and said ''Like her!''.

Both Joseph and Lessie started laughing hard.

I who was enjoying from inside pretended that I wasn't happy with their jokes.

Suddenly when Lessie put her hand over Joseph's just randomly, he stopped and acted like a statue for a second.

I watched his face and smiled evilly.

After our dinner, Joseph asked Lessie to walk her to her home, she agreed and both left for their homes.

I who was now sitting alone was gonna go back home but immediately I decided to go to Ziana's place. I don't know why but I went there.

Ziana opened the door. She was looking perfectly normal.

''Yes?'' her very first word after opening the door was.

''He-Hello Ziana'' I said trying to control myself.

''Hello,'' she said expressionlessly.

''Won't you invite me inside'' I asked.

''Should I?'' she asked folding her arms at the front and then opening them and moving them to the right side to indicate me to come in.

I passed a smile and went in. She closed the door and started walking towards her living room.

The living room was fully lit with lights as it was the last time, I saw it.

''So, what brought you here?'' she asked as she sat down.

I was very confused about what to say.

''I-I-I just thought of visiting ya'' I said trying to cover my confusion.

''May I ask why?'' she said and started watching me expressionlessly.

''Well, you weren't feeling well so'' I said trying to sound fluent.

Ziana gave me an unusual look and stood up came near me, put her hand over the couch's side, bent to have a clear look of mine. The distance between her and me was small at that moment.

She looked into my eyes and asked ''Do you think I even need your care? Huh?''.

I was totally speechless.

Then she stood straight. She was about to leave when I held her wrist and stood up and said ''Ziana!''.

I know the expression she had given that time was Aggressive.

I realised the sensitivity of the moment and let go of her wrist. She turned around and faced me.

''It's my wrist, not your play toy'' she asked in her normal aggressive tone.

''Then may I ask why did you hug me today? You should have handled your condition by yourself'' I said aggressively. I was out of mind for a few moments.

I don't know what I was thinking at that time but I'll say it was my second time when I talked to her this much confidently.

''So, you want to settle the score?'' Ziana asked watching into my eyes.

''Huh?'' I said uncontrollably.

''I know you wanted to tell me something else'' she said and gave me a hopeful look.

I who was trying to say something was totally numb at that time.

Ziana advanced towards me. She moved her face closer to mine. I closed my eyes and was ready for what was gonna happen.

''You shouldn't hide your emotions, perhaps it's difficult for the next one to express hers'' she whispered in my ear and spread her arms around her lightly.

Coming to know that I was wrong, I opened my eyes and felt her face close to mine. I started listening to her carefully.

''Just let your emotions be exposed perhaps the next one's had been drowned'' she said slowly.

''Never think a girl's weak in case of letting you know her feelings, no! She isn't but sometimes this cruel world becomes the cause of her silence. Don't judge her, just love her especially when she's thirsty for it. And if you can't then waste her time. If you cannot handle her then don't make her suffer for it'' she said and I also folded my arms around her.

I wasn't ready to let go of her. What I wanted at that time was Ziana. I wanted her to be with me.

I was trying to mark her words.

Does she also have feelings for me? Or just I'm the one who's losing control, I thought.

She freed herself and watched me ''Now leave, will see ya in the morning'' she said and moved her hand in the exit's direction.

This girl changes colour like a chameleon, a few moments ago she was hugging me and now is asking to leave, I thought.

I bowed to her and started walking out of the room.

''Mark my words, Jay! And don't ask why I hugged ya again. Remember you hugged me'' she said and stood there expressionlessly.

Once again, I was feeling embarrassed.

''Did I just hug her back'' I asked myself in a whisper while coming outside.

I shook my head and left the villa.

Her words had shaken my mind, I thought.