Play this song as you read 'Growing pains' by Alessia Cara.

                ************

Kong! Kong!

A knock on the door woke me up from my deep sleep. Thinking it was my bed I stretched my hands only to see my phone landing on the floor.

Shit!

That must have crushed. I realized I was asleep in my office.  This day is getting longer and longer not forgetting how boring it was either. I struggled bending my ass and took my phone back checking the time. It was few minutes to four and I immediately knew who was at the door.

My sister of course , coming to pick me so that we can go to the damn hospital. I'm I ready for this ? What will I tell her if she wakes up to see me there ? What if her family knows about this ?

Another knock and I was forced to shout a welcome while my eyes were shut. I know she will enter and start yelling and screaming at me.

The door was opened and the most last person I wanted to see entered.

Vera...Vera James....my fiancé.

I pressed my lips into a thin tight line angrily. I just looked at her as she walked and stood right next to me.

"What do you want Vera ?" I snap.

"I even don't know. I mean..."

"Someone forced you here, " I said curtly.

"Not really but I wanted us to talk."

"Talk ?"

"Yes."

"About what ?"

"Us, " she said finding interest on her well styled nails. I could see that she was nervous thus I stood and walked to the window thinking. I just don't know how to handle anything right now, maybe until Huddah is out of that hospital. If she gets well maybe I can jumble the thousand shit and try to handle them.

"I'm tired of 'us' , and you know it, " I said trying not to sound rude to which I managed.

"I know I've done....."

"Enough shit, " I finished the sentence for her and I realized if we go on talking here then I will obviously overreact and throw her out. I've done it severally and it won't be awkward anyway.

"I don't know what to do Jamal , " she said placing her bag on my table and I unconsciously gave her a grudging look. I hate everything about her and honestly I don't like to see anything belonging to her in my office. I mean she should hold it until we're done with this conversation.

Ops! I'm not a man.

"You know what to do Vera." I looked at her and she was frightened by my angry voice. I pierced my sharp angry eyes at her." You should leave, " I say firmly.

"Let's talk Jamal, " she begged walking towards me and you know what ? I walked to another corner.

His manager was here in the morning and I wonder if they had planned to come and bother me the same day. Both of them should leave me the hell alone.

"We have done enough of the talking Vera. Why did you fucking kissed my brother ?" I asked trying to get the answer. It's not like I cared anyway but she should have kissed someone else. Not my brother.

"I don't know," she said embarrassed. Where do you take such shitty messed up ladies like her ?

"I know you were not much drunk that time, " I said feeling more hatred come out of the cage.

"I was mad at you. You lied to me that you're going to the restroom but you stayed longer."

"Oh really ? You're kidding, right ?"

"I'm serious Jamal."

"Of course you are serious. I mean you brought Larry while you clearly knew that I don't like to see the two of you together and you expected me to rub it off just like that ?"

"I didn't invite him, he came alone and he left before the party was over."

"I don't care Vera, but you should know that there is nothing like 'us' ever again, " I screamed the words out and went back to my chair.

"I'm sorry to kiss your brother, " she mumbled and I felt like slapping her.

"You're fucking sorry for kissing my brother ? Do you hear the words coming from your mouth ? Kissing my brother ,really ?"

I hate yelling, it makes me more mad.

"I'm sorry Jamal."

"How many times will I remind you that you're always sorry Vera James ? Enough of your faking shit. I want someone real, with something real of course. Not a girl who is always sorry after doing shitty messed up things, " I said looking at her making sure that the words are fucking sinking in that of her stupid head.

"You got another better girl ?"

I got her , a thousand times better than you.

I wanted to shout it aloud but remembering the mess ahead of me I just decided to think of something else better to say.

"I will find someone else, it's not like I will forever get stuck with you, " I said hurting her more but today was different. I didn't feel bad about it. She has given me thousands reasons not to feel sorry for whatever shit I say to her.

"You're serious about what you just said ?"

"Damn serious, " I confidently said with this attitude.

"So you hate me more than you did before ?"

"Maybe I do ," I was not believing the words I was saying. Is this real ?

"Jamal!"

"Vera.....My fiancé, " I smirked at her. She is really good at faking. I mean she expected me to get mad at her but the pretence she has right now.......Oh! She is really hurt. As if whatever I'm saying is really hurting her.

Damn her.

"You're not the same guy I knew few months ago Jamal."

"Cause you're not the same girl I knew few months ago Vera, " I pasted her words smirking further.

"I made you all this ?"

"Yes, you made me change Vera. I now don't love you because you just keep lying to me. You go to an extent of kissing my brother."

"Give me the last chance Jamal," she begged tears brimming on her eyes. Ridiculous! I almost laughed at that but I pressed my lips to contain the laughter.

"You mean it this time ?" I asked inwardly smiling.

"I mean it Jamal, just this last chance, " she insisted.

"I'm so....."

"We are almost late bro, " I heard Noti shout entering. She saw the crying Vera and I saw her giggle. Noti can be really heartless. "I'm sorry to interrupt , should I give you like three more minutes ?" She asked faking a serious face.

"No , we should leave right now."
I stood shook her hand awkwardly as she just stared at me with 'don't be an ass' look.

The other girl just took her bag and removed her handkerchief wiping the tears away. Honestly I was becoming more asshole towards her and I didn't care about it.

"Why this ?" Noti whispered. I just looked at her and smiled as I saw her pout.

"Where are you guys going ?" Vera asked obviously directing the question to Noti.

"To visit his secretary at the hospital."

"I'm I allowed to join you ?"

"No, " I said harshly and I heard Noti pinch my wrist.

"Stop that, " she whispered and smiled at Vera. "If you're free, you can join us."

"Right now ?"

"Yeah, let's get going, " Noti said dragging me out of the office. She is obviously doing this on purpose. To punish me.

The ride on the escalator was  silent and awkward. Noti was ahead of us as Vera stood beside me. We were the nice rich couple people thought still existed.

We stood at the parking wondering which car to take.

"We can take mine then I will bring you Vera to take yours later." Noti said breaking the awkward silent.

"A good idea, " Vera beamed. She entered the passenger's seat.

"I will take mine, I've to get out of that place early. I got some things to take care of, " I lied going to my car. Noti followed me angrily.

"Don't be an ass bro."

"I don't want to be near her Noti, " I said.

"I know but you should not act this way, fake it for my sake."

"I'm doing this only today, " I said and left her going and opening the back seat throwing my tired body on the seat.

I miss Huddah, I just wish I would wake up to realize that this was all a dream. I just miss being with her, holding her hand as I drove to different few places we have visited.

Please baby come back, get well and join me in this frustrating world. I miss your hugs and embraces. Its you I want, not Vera nor that bitch. I want you to wake up so that I can explain all these things to you. I didn't cheat baby....

"Jamal, I'm talking to you, " Noti snapped me as she drove out of the gate.

"Leave me alone sis, I'm tired, " I complained shutting my eyes.

"I'm asking you if Larry showed up this morning ?"

"Yeah. Why do you ask ?" I asked shocked. How did she know ?

"Nothing, " she monotously answered.

"Vera, " I called making sure that her name was sounding tasteless.

"Yes. "

"You didn't tell your manager that Huddah is in the hospital ? " I was pissing her.

"He didn't ask me, " she said embarrassed.

"Did he ask you about her ?" Noti asked me interrupting our conversation intentionally.

"Yes, said he has some unfinished business with her. Obviously Vera  knows what he wanted from her ," I said trying to ask this question indirectly. I'm hurting but I still want to know anyway.

"He want her to join his music industry," she said and my heart sank. So he really was serious about this ? Fuck him.

"I knew his girlfriend knows everything, " I sarcastically said laughing but deep down in my heart I was disturbed by this shitty thing.

"Jamal!" Noti yelled still concentrating on the road.

"She knew, no hiding things."

"I just heard him ask her something like that during the party, and don't call me his girlfriend Jamal, " she said slightly pissed.

"Your fiancé doesn't satisfy you thus you have to get it from other sources, " I found my mouth talking gases. I mean I'm really something today. This is all because my sweet girl is not with me and somehow  I'm extremely stressed out.

"Geez Jamal!" Noti was freaking by now. "I don't want to know your private life bro, " she adds.

"Your brother is not romantic enough for the best model in this country Noti, " I shouted narrowing my eyes at her. She couldn't say anything because I was fully getting into her nerves.

"I said   I'm not interested Jamal."
Noti yelled.

"Whatever sis."

**********

People are literally mad at me for delaying. So I'm not gonna say anything.

It was a crappy boring chapter though. Oops!

😂😂