My Boss

49

The dreadful breakfast was finally over, both Brian's and Alex's parents already left to go back to the city.

It was just us three on the table.

"So, Brian, did you even eat? Can't help but wonder, with all those talking, did you have the time to have this delicious breakfast." Alex mocked him while she took a spoonful of her acai bowl.

Before Brian could speak, I beat him to it first.

"Uhm, Alex, do you mind stepping out? I'd like to speak with Brian in private." I whispered to her.

"But I'm eating!" She complained.

"Please..."

"Fine!" It took a minute before she gave in but took the bowl with her.

I turned to Brian and sighed deeply before speaking.

"What was that, Bry?" I started.

"What was what?" He answered with a question.

"You, calling me Hon in front of your parents and Alex's, the gestures, the stories, what was that for?" I told him frankly.

I am actually annoyed and irritated, he's a great guy but he was making me uncomfortable the entire time we're having breakfast. It was like, he was trying to prove something.

"It was me telling them how great of a girl you are, what's wrong with that?" He said innocently.

"But why?"

"What do you mean why?"

Oh my god!!!

"It was not you who brought me to breakfast, it was Alex, who invited me, Brian. You completely disregard that. And have you ever thought that maybe, just maybe, you're making me feel uncomfortable by talking about me the entire time? This is the first time I sat with your parents and Alex's, Brian. Do you get what I'm trying to say here?" Even annoyed, I tried to speak calmly, I didn't raise my voice even though all I wanted to do was scream at him.

"You're making it seem that I was your girlfriend. You talk like I was your girlfriend. You act like I was your girlfriend. I am not, Brian, and you know I will never be." 

The pain in Brian's face was so visible I regretted what I said almost immediately. It was brutal and harsh and it was too late to take it back.

"Wow." He uttered.

As if by instinct, I reached out to hold his hand.

"Bry, that's not what I..."

"No, no, you're right, you're totally right. I just... I just thought we were still pretending, I was just playing my part to make Alex jealous, and I could tell that it worked by the look on her face during breakfast..."

There was silence.

"So you made up, that's why she invited you huh? When I heard about you joining us for breakfast, I didn't think of that, I was just, happy to see you, I guess? I don't know."

"Brian..."

"I hear you, Cara. I'm sorry, it won't happen again." Brian stood up and walked away.

I would've chased him if not for the people in the restaurant. Some were already looking at us and when he stood up, more eyes followed him.

With what happened this morning, I know it will be the talk in the office. Me joining the owners of the company for breakfast, of course, is a big deal.

"Hey, you okay?" Alex sat beside me, her hand gently caressing my back.

"Yeah, I guess."

"I saw Brian go out of the restaurant, he looked like he was about to cry, what happened?"

I shook my head.

"Let's get out of here."

Alex held my hand, instead of upstairs, she brought me to the shore.

We both removed our slippers and felt the sand on our feet while the wave washed them away.

"Is it because of me?" Alex said after a while.

My head is down looking at the sand as I make a footprint as I walk. I contemplated if I should tell her the plan I agreed on with Brian.

"If you don't want to tell me, it's fine. We can just walk till you feel better."

We walked until the sun was too much to bear.

As much as I wanted to spend time with Alex, I decided to come up to my room and sleep. I don't even feel like having lunch, and in the afternoon, there will be another team building but I don't feel like participating.

Brian has done so much for me. He was patient, he was kind, sweet, gentleman, he was perfect, and what did I give him in return? Just pain. Pure pain.

But you never love him the way he wanted you to.

I know, but did I have to hurt him like this? Rub in his nose that I will never love him like that?

"What happened to you?" I was greeted by Claire as soon as I entered our room.

"What?"

"You're frowning. Something happened at the breakfast?"

I sighed deeply as I threw my body onto the bed.

"Brian was at breakfast." I told her and shut my eyes closed.

"Really? That's weird, I saw him earlier and he didn't mention it." Claire joined me in the bed, lying beside me.

"We haven't seen him since yesterday so I didn't have the chance to tell him that Alex and I made up... So at breakfast, he acted like my boyfriend... In front of his parents and Alex's parents." 

"Hold up, what?" Claire sat up on the bed.

"Yeah... His parents were there too."

"Wait, what do you mean he acted like your boyfriend? What did he do?"

"Ohh, you know, served me food, talked about me, and talked about me, and talked about me, he didn't do anything but just talk about me, I was sitting right there and I could hear everything he was saying, so imagine me in front of the owners of the company with him talking about me!" I didn't mean to rant but it came out anyway.

"Did I mention he called me Hon in front of them?" I continued.

"Nooo way!" Claire exclaimed.

"I know right? And even if we are still pretending, he shouldn't have done that in front of their parents, I would get it if it was just Alex there, but their parents? They would get the wrong idea, you know what I mean?"

Claire nodded her head multiple times while listening.

"Did you talk to him after?"

"I did, and it's... he was, he was hurt, I felt guilty after talking to him about it."

Both of us fell silent. Claire is very close to Brian and I know she wouldn't want to say things that would affect his image, I mean, she was always siding with him every time we would talk about him trying to ask me out.

"Anyway, I just, I feel exhausted after that breakfast." 

Claire suddenly sat up.

"Speaking of exhausted, how was your night with Alex?" Claire's eyes held a hint of teasing as she searched for my eyes and completely forgot about Brian.

When I didn't answer her, she poked me on my waist causing me to startle and jump up the bed.

"Fine! Fine! I'll tell you!" I told her and she finally stopped.

"Do not leave any details!" Claire threatened me.

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