Chapter 9 smiling between those pain

“Noah, should I kick your butt to make you spell it out?” not being able to hold back anymore, I rumbled in rage.

"I... I am so sorry. I shouldn't have..." Noah stammered with a smile plastered on his face.

"What shouldn't have? This is giving me the vibe of you being behind him not showing up."

As I stared at him with my wide eyes, he suddenly burst into laughter. "Oh! Christopher, Oh! how could you be that foolish? You and I were best friends, he knew that clearly, right? He also has seen how much we used to exasperate each other by pulling pranks. I really had no idea he would take it seriously."

"Take seriously, what?" Curiosity grew more within me.

"Um, I..." he stammered, scratching the corner of his forehead.

"Noah..." I rumbled, folding my arms and tapping my feet waiting for his answer.

"Well the morning when you and he were supposed to go on a date, I kidded with him saying that you are lesbian. But I had no idea he would take it seriously. I am really sorry..."

With anger simmering inside me gradually, I gazed at him with my wide eyes. As he stepped back, I stepped towards him.

“I didn't think this would cause this big fuss. Please forgive me, Quynh,” apologizing he was trying to stay away from me.

All those years thinking why he didn’t show up, I had hardly moved on. The pain of my best friend abandoning me and my crush vanishing had made me vulnerable and with difficulty, I was able to get back to my normal life.

And now when the truth was finally uncovered and I came to know why that happened, I was losing it all. His apologies echoed in my heart, but it brought no difference in me. His words were like rain to the rock which would drench it but cannot break it.

Grabbing his wrist, I twisted it back in rage.

"Ahhh! Quynh, it's hurting. Please, please I am really sorry..." he kept on apologizing but I turned deaf to his words.

"How dare you, Noah? You were well aware how much I liked him still you did that? How could you do that?” I twisted his hand more.

He cried out in agony but I didn’t let him go. “After all these years now you are suddenly showing up and telling me the truth, I am definitely not letting you go. No one can save you from me."

When twisting his hand didn’t give me relief, I kicked his butt with my knee.

"Boss..." suddenly the door flung open wide and Nicky entered.

I hurriedly shoved him away and stood as nothing happened. As I was quick in doing it, Nicky didn’t get a chance to witness anything and he ended up passing a surprising gaze.

"Is everything alright, boss?" he inquired, scratching his head.

Noah glanced at me, but I twitched my lips to the side passing a meaningful smile. Knowing that he wouldn’t spill a bean, I was at ease.

Stretching his arms, Noah replied, “yeah, everything is fine. Why?”

"Okay!” he mumbled in a tone that reflected that he was still having doubts.

“Why are you here?” Noah diverted the topic.

“I came to see if Miss Hemsworth would join us from today or not.”

"She will," replied Noah shortly.

"No, I won't," I gave him a shock which made his jaw drop and I totally enjoyed it.

"What? Why?"

“I won't work with you. I am taking my leave," I replied with a badass attitude and marched out of his office.

Stepping in the elevator with full confidence that Noah would come and convince me, I leaned on the wall waiting for him. But the time passed he didn’t show up. The door slowly began to close still there was no sign of him. Standing on my feet with a desperation I scanned around the bustling hall but there was no sight of him.

The elevator started to descend and gradually my heart started to feel heavy. Lots of thoughts crossed my mind as I got caught up with the sudden presence of my best friend.

‘Don't he want me to work with him? Maybe yes or maybe no. I think he doesn't want this poor best friend of his to be around him. Why would he? After all, he is a CEO of a reputable company now. He can have everything he wants and in this condition, there is no chance of him clinging to his old ragged friend. For a great person like him, it is better not to have a distressed friend like me. His standard doesn't match mine.’

Once again I found myself looking down on myself, like in the past when seeing Joe with Emma. Even though I convinced myself that I had nothing to do with my CEO friend, deep down I was feeling low not because he ruined my date with my crush, but because he didn't follow me like in the past.

As the past memories of him coming after me to persuade me after our every nasty fight, crossed my mind, I found myself smiling between those pain.

But things seem to change in no time. And there was no place for me to blame Noah. He now has his life and his way is totally different from mine. So in this condition, all I could do was to wish him luck.

‘Ding!’ with the sound the elevator door opened and as I stepped out, I flinched when suddenly a person collided with me.