PART OF ME
PHILLIP
Emily has been a vibrant and intelligent woman I have ever crossed paths with. Her petite frame, sparkling blue eyes, and infectious smile made it impossible for me to ignore her. The moment we crossed paths, was when Emily joined my company as a fresh-faced graduate. I felt a deep connection from the moment we met that ignited a fire within me. I spent more time with Emily, and I discovered some qualities hidden beneath her professional facade which intrigued me. I am her boss but I have treated her with respect and kindness, and our professional relationship grew into friendship. Emily took me as a best friend as she took Mia. I gave her time to see things the way I see it but she kept making everything too complicated. Everything about her relationships, she will always confide in me, which hurts me so deeply because I loved her more than everything. To think she doesn't see it in my eyes when we talk hurts me deeply. Emily's witty and sharp intellectual character made it matched my own. I had longed for something more than friendship... I had yearned for Emily in ways that went beyond a professional connection. Emily is irresistible, even with her being married, I could feel her laughter echoing through my mind day and night. It's not obsession, it's love. I have kept this feeling locked away because I feared destroying the precious bond we had formed. But now I'm being hurt...
Hearing Emily cry over her marriage issues made me feel for her but on the other hand, I don't want to intrude on her personal life. But I couldn't watch her go into pain because she brought joy to my life when I felt sad.
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Phillip had been there standing and staring at Emily for the past few minutes before she realized that someone was there watching her from behind.
"Emily, for the past few days, I have realized that you have been so quiet and boring" he paced around, watching how uneasy she felt. "Emily, what happened to your office that you have left everywhere unattended? Your team has brought a lot of bad reports on your head why?" Phillip moved closer to her and sat on the chair meant for visitors waiting for her to reply.
"uhmmmm..... Mr Phillip, I'm--- I'm fine" she stuttered, picking and arranging some unattended files "Sorry sir that is what I'm doing right away."
"Oh now you want to keep it professional" Phillip was hurt already." Do you want to tell me or do you want me to believe that all these that I just witnessed, that it's just nothing?" Phillip asked.
" I said that I'm fine Phillip! Do you want to make everything worse?" Emily fired back, trying to exhaust all her pain within seconds on Phillip.
"Oh.... okay take it back." he paused trying to rearrange his words." I wanted to know how you're coping these days. You have been acting so terrible, Emily. Is it that bad that you don't want me to interfere?"
"You want to meddle now? You want to know what has been going on with me? You want to know why I have been so terrible these days? "Her lips trembled while tears rolled down her eyes. " Since a few months ago I got married, have you been in the picture? You were avoiding me like I was some plague, remember."Emily had a splash of light as she recalled the memories of the past when things were different.
Phillip, her dear friend, was now a distant figure in her life. It all started after she got married to Frank, her long-dated boyfriend. Somehow, Phillip had taken a step back, avoiding her at work and deliberately keeping their interactions to a minimum.
Feeling a mixture of frustration and longing, Emily decided it was time to confront Phillip. If she kept everything inside, it would eat every bone inside of her.
"You got married, and----and." Phillip stuttered trying to get back his voice
"Leave my office, Phillip," she said with a forced firmness, trying to conceal the emotions bubbling within her. "I don't need your sympathy."
Phillip looked at her, surprise flickering in his eyes, and opened his mouth to speak, but Emily interrupted him before any words could escape.
"You've been avoiding me ever since I got married," she continued, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and hurt. "I've tried reaching out, trying to understand why you're behaving this way, but you always locked me out. I never thought our friendship would come to this. Now you want to know my problem? Phillip, I'm fine"
Phillip not moving an inch from where he sat, went dumb, his gaze shifting uncomfortably. He had never intended to hurt Emily. Seeing Emily get hurt due to his decision got him pained. He had fallen in love with her, the Time she stepped into the company, but had chosen to bury those emotions deep within himself when she announced her engagement to Frank.
"I never wanted to hurt you, Em," Phillip finally spoke, his voice laced with regret. "But seeing you married to Frank... I decided to stay very far away from you Emily. You know I asked myself a question when you got married. What would people say when they see us together? So I avoid staining your prestige, I decided to steer clear from you, at least to enjoy your marriage with Frank very well."
Confusion, shock, and a tinge of sadness settled in as Phillip's words sank in. She had never suspected that her closest friend harbored such in himself. To think he would harboured such thinking within himself pulled her off balance. Their friendship had always been unbreakable so why would her getting married bring them apart?
Regaining her composure, Emily took a deep breath and made a decision. She couldn't erase the beautiful moment she had with him.
"Phillip," she said, her voice softer now. "I had no idea you had this in you. You have been a great friend to me, so why would marriage bring separation in us? It's not done that way, Phillip."