02| down town

Claudia

"No, no, no, no no! Mal this cannot be my life!" I pace back and fourth. "Can you calm down for a sec?"

"Calm down?" I gave her a crazed look and she sighs. "Right. Just sit down and calm your tits." I grimaced at that. "No," sitting anyways. "Mal you don't understand," I tug my short hair, dreadfully. "Then can you help me understand Claud? Gosh." She rolls her eyes as she examines some papers before dropping them. Curiosity in her teal orbs.

I knew she wouldn't be able to resist.

"Okay so, Luciano," she hums.  "Dimante,"  I take another pause, to say his full name. "Rivera,"

"Is the same guy I was checking out in the elevator. It's just.. goddamnit I thought he could see me. Luckily, no. Okay, that  sounded wrong. But he felt my presence -- he felt my eyes, on him. He said it himself."I don't like being stared at" I just wanted to shrink. Now that I know that I'm basically responsible for him and all that.. What if, what if something bad happens to me? What if I lose my job for some type of unknown harassment? He knows what I sound like. Oh m-"

"Gee, shut up." Malika cuts me off. "Look, slowly inhale and exhale." I did as she said, repeating my actions as I felt my body ease a bit. Feeling a bit more calmer, I sigh and rest my back on the cushion. "I just - I don't know. The poor man is blind. I've looked up some more information and his a successful businessman, owning his own company that is worth billions. He lives alone, and has only had one girl friend in his 27-- almost 28 years of living. His pretty good looking that's for sure. His gorgeous. He wasn't born blind or anything, in fact, he was involved in a car accident at his early ages and he went all blind. Now he covers those beautiful silver orbs with sunglasses most of the time. He doesn't carry a stick like other blind patients do. He has this customized wrist watch that I noticed this morning in the elevator." I finished off.

"Wow. That's a lot of research, " Mal said pretending to look over some papers. I made my legs comfortable on her sofa and snapped my eyes shut.

Three months I was on vacation and not even a day that I'm back something embarrassing happens? My life was surely one of the most chaotic. Mama would surely be laughing with Mal on her side. I mean, I'm now obligated to stay with a 27 year old man for six months. I never had a problem with it but Luciano Rivera was an important person. I couldn't risk  making one mistake and just being fired -- my entire career ending. That would be something I'd expect one day but certainly not what I want for myself and my future. "I'm surprised." El speaks up again.

I peel my eyes open and turned to look at her. "What?" I arch my brow. "You knowing every single detail about this man."

"Isn't it normal?" I asked. "Yes, but still." She trailed off. "Still what?" I tilted my head to the side, now sitting upright on her couch.  She smiled and simply answered with, "Oh, nothing,"

"This is so crazy,"

"Hey, Claud,  don't worry about it. He doesn't  know what you look like. I'm  respectfully  saying this, you know me. He can't possibly know what you're like. The only thing he knows is your name. Or is there something I don't know?" I shake my head. "There's  your answer,"

I sigh once again, she was right. He doesn't know  it was me.

As much as I wanted to be content  with that- I somehow  wasn't.

***

The rest of the day goes by fast and before I know it, people were leaving and the night  shift people  were soon coming in. After reading over a few papers, signing some, drafting and throwing others, I could get out of here.

My phone buzzes  and my screen lights up. It was a text. I pick up my phone so I could answer  back.

"Nothing like a woman smiling at something on her phone," I jump, the voice startling me. I look up to see it is Diane standing by the door. "Jeez, you scared me," I sink into my chair again, tilting my head, taking a breather. "Lo siento, Mami. But anyways, wanna hit the bar to celebrate?" [I'm sorry]

"Celebrate  what?"

"What do you mean, what? Today you just came back and we all know it's been a hectic ride," I nod in agreement. She was right. Those 6 months that I was gone from this place were all bittersweet. "And besides, your patient is a billionaire. Luciano Rivera. Come on, you deserve it,"

"I don't know if I'm excited for these 6 months as much as you are,"

"Oh why wouldn't you be? Luciano-- his hot, he has money- "

"And I have a man,"

"Which one?"

"Diane," I give her the look and she raises both her hands in mock defense. "Okay,"

"I still don't know why you're with him," She states.

"Right?" I hear another voice and I don't even have to look up because I already know who it is. Her heels click on the floor as she enters my office.  "Chica, [Guys] stop." I glare  at both  of them.

"You deserve better,"

"He loves me," I say. "So? just because  you love each other does not mean you belong together,"

"¡Chica!"

"Are you still up for the bar? Please, Mami,"

"I can't with you guys, let's go,"

"Woo! Finally! You want liquor?"

"LET'S  GO GET SOME!" We all say in unison.

"Guys, the cameras," I mention and right after I say that, Malika raises her middle finger up to the  camera.

"RUN!"

We giggle all the way down the first floor and that's when I look down and realize what we're  dressed in

***

"Aren't we like, not dressed for a night at a bar?"

"Look at the little  whore  in you speaking," Diane  says. "Oh, shut up." I playfully roll my eyes. "I actually think we're  dressed like hoes in disguise,"

"Talk about making  my ears bleed with such vulgar language," Though she wasn't  wrong, Diane  wore a white crop shirt and black leather pants, her blonde curls bounced  gracefully every time she took a step. Mal wore a burgundy red flare pants that shaped her hips and ass perfectly. A black corset  top  and a blazer that matched her pants - hung off her shoulders. Her black afro that was usually up, was tied sleekly to the back.

Today was probably one of the very  few days we had to dress the way we did. For example, our hair always has to be tied up or down. Or it could be braided. We had plain white uniform, like Angels, almost. Instead of heels, it would usually be sneakers. Only events such as today,  could we dress up and not be in our scrubs.

"Can we all go inside now? I'm in desperate need of a shot,"

"One of us has to stay  sober  or we're  taking an uber," I  say, knowing  very well I was going to drink tonight.

"Uber," They both said.

"Someone share their location,"

"Done," Diane says. "Ok let's  go-"

"Wait," Diane says. "We don't leave without  each other, no fucking hookups cause it's Mami's night,"

"I love us,"

***

"I haven't  been inside a bar for agess  you know?"

"Are you new here?" The bartender  asks. "No, I actually just got back to work after a much  needed leave. That's  why my friends and I are here celebrating, wee!" He chuckles, showcasing his sharp  white teeth.

"Hey, I know I'm soooo drunk," Diane says to the bartender then looks back to me. "but mami we have to  leave,"

"Whyy?" I almost cry. "We have a long day ready for us at the hospital  for us, Mami. Come  on,"

"I was just having a nice nice  talk with Ruben over hereee," My arms loosely  gestured towards the bartender  and he waves at Diane. "I know, Mami,"

"Are you ladies going to be safe out there?"

"Yes, the uber is waiting for us outside. Now, we gotta go. See ya,"

"Byeee," I wave. A big grin on my face.

Before I leave, a figure catches my eye. Turning my neck to the side, I see his dark hair through the lights. Something told me it was him, I wasn't  familiar with him yet but I couldn't take my eyes off him. My head slightly  jerks back when I see him sucking another blondes face. She caresses him and he grabs her hair. He slightly pushes her  away from him and our eyes lock.

My heart stops.

Seeing his stormy  grey eyes - it was so surreal that  we made eye contact. It may or may have not been my tipsy state, but I could see a shade of black in his eyes. I tear my gaze away and push  the door open.

The cold air meets my bare chest and I pull my blazer closer to my and meet Mal who was outside. "Finally,"

We quickly  make our way to the uber and I was beyond grateful that he waited. Any other uber guy would've just drove off.

We got into the car and Diane decided to take the front seat. "What's wrong?" Mal frowns. "Nothing," I wave her off and stare out the window.

Hoping it'd  be a peaceful ride until I got home.

***

I drop the keys off the counter as well as my purse. I remove my blazer and sink into the sofa. "Finally,"

My heart skips a beat. "Liam, what the hell, you scared me. I thought you were sleeping," I sigh, throwing my head back. "Yeah, I waited for you all night  and you come back at 12 am?"

"Liam, I am not in the mood," I begin massaging my temple, feeling an ache in the area. "Of course  you're  not. You're  drunk, you reek of alcohol,"

"I can't  with you  right now," I mutter, grabbing my clutch as I get up. "I went out, only had 3 drinks and you're  on my ass about it, piss off!" My heels click on the wooden floor as I walk into my room. I sit down to remove the heels that were killing my feet.

"Besides," I kick my heels off standing  at my normal height, looking up to him. "It's not like I was out there sleeping with another man,"

He opens  his mouth but I beat him right to it. "Disrepect me, dare disrespect me," I glare. "Or what?" he glares back. I shake my head, not having the energy to do this and  walk away. I feel his hand tug at my wrist and twirl me around. His hand tightens by the second and I try to shake my wrist out of his hold.

"You're hurting me," I grit my teeth. His eyes that were filled with anger- never leave mine as I try to fight him off. "Liam, Liam, you. are. hurting. me," Then he finally let's go. The anger that was storming in his eyes had now turned to guilt.

I slightly  give in when he buries  his head in his hands.

"Can we just sleep? I'm tired," He hugs me tightly. Engulfing me in a hug that  almost felt like he didn't want to let me go.

"I'm sorry,"