You know that feeling when you feel you're being watched?

Well, that was me the entire trip home. I tried to brush it off; I told myself that I was probably still paranoid from the whole Caroline thing that had occurred a couple of weeks ago.

I now stood in front of my apartment, my keys fumbling in my hands as I tried to insert it into the slot, all the while looking around me. The key turned in the lock and I instantly opened the door, closing it and locking it quickly. I breathed out a sigh of relief once inside my apartment.

My phone began ringing, and I took it out of my pocket, instantly smiling once I saw who was calling.

"Amanda, I've missed you! What's up?" I placed my work bag on the floor next to my door and began walking towards my room.

The line was silent.

"Amanda, are you there?"

"Hey Muna, there's um... there's something I need to tell you."

Amanda's voice was serious, and I instantly began panicking.

"Amanda, are you okay? Did something happen to you?" I felt myself already imagining the worst, and my heart-race instantly quickened.

"Muna, I'm fine. I'm perfect." Amanda quickly said sensing my panic, "I'm doing amazing, stop worrying."

I let out a breath of relief as I flopped down unto my bed. Just as long as Amanda was okay, how bad could whatever she needed to tell me really be?

"I got an unexpected call today." Amanda said.

"Um.. okay," I replied confused, "and... what did the call say?"

Amanda suddenly went silent on the other end of the line, I tapped my fingers against my legs impatiently.

I heard Amanda sigh before speaking again. "It's your father, he's really sick. And he wants to see you."

I think I stopped breathing then. Everything started spinning, and I had to lean against the wall for support. Amanda was talking some more, but I really couldn't hear much anymore. All that I was remembering the last time I had seen my father, him avoiding my gaze whilst my mother told me to get out of the house. I was basically fatherless these past few years. I had not heard from him since I was kicked out of the house. The father that I had known ages ago, before I came out, was now gone. My head was spinning so badly.

Why would my father want to see me? Why the hell would he want to see me?

"Hey Amanda, I've got to go." My voice was hard, emotionless.

"Muna-"

I hung up the phone. My breathing became labored, I was sweating profusely and my heart was beating extremely fast.

Life cannot just give me a fucking break, huh?

I did not want to deal with anything right now. I didn't even want to have to think about anything right now. My head started spinning, I needed a glass of water. I stood up from my bed; I had not made it very far before my leg gave way. Even before I hit the floor, I was gone.

I sat up slowly. My apartment was completely dark, the only light being from outside, shining through my open window. I had heard something; I was sure of it. I was still in the same position that I had passed out on. I had a pounding headache, and I was certain that I was bruised somewhere. I had heard something, or someone. But now, sitting in the darkness, everything seemed quiet. How long had I been out for? I glanced down at my phone. The time was now 8pm. I slowly got to my feet, clutching my head as I felt around for a light switch before drawing the curtains closed.

There was a sudden beep on my phone and I glanced down to see a text from Miss Rose:

Company-wide meeting first thing tomorrow morning in the boardroom.

It was followed by another one:

I hope you're doing okay, baby. Sorry I couldn't spend as much time as I wanted with you today, it has all been so hectic.

I instantly felt myself relax as I read Miss Rose's text. I was safe, everything was alright. Everything would be alright.

I wondered if it was obvious that I had little sleep last night. I now walked into the boardroom, iPad in hand and in heels that seemed especially painful today. I didn't tie my braids back as I normally did; I wanted to mask my face as much as I could. I had an enormous bruise on my head from when I'd collapsed last night. I took my seat at the head of the table beside Miss Rose. She was talking to a man on the other side of her, and I was thankful that I could at least avoid her intense gaze for the time being.

Everyone slowly began filing into the room and began settling down in seats all around the table. Miss Rose suddenly cleared her throat and the boardroom that had been filled with people talking instantly went pin-drop silence.

Each day, I was amazed by the power she held. I just stared at her in complete awe.

"Okay," Miss Rose announced, "lets begin."

Today she was dressed in light brown pants and had her matching blazer slung over her seat. Now she just wore a white blouse, her tattoos on full display. She stood up from her seat and began pacing the room as she talked.

"It's reaching the end-of-year and company records are going to be published soon. Everybody is rushing to gather last minute profits, tensions are very high; every company is doing whatever they can to find dirt on other companies in an attempt to get an edge over each other. That being said, security is going to be heightened. Avoid all contact with the media. Avoid doing anything that could reflect badly on the company."

Miss Rose went on talking for a while everybody sat in silence and listened. Last night's events played over in my head and I could feel a headache coming up. I tried to push it down and instead solely focus on what was being said by Miss Rose. Afterwards, the Chief of Security came and began talking about some new security protocols. This whole thing was a lot more serious than I could have ever imagined. I instantly felt my headache intensifying, and I clutched my head and put my hands in my laps.

The meeting finally drew to a close and everybody slowly began to shuffle out of their seats and head for the door. There was a lot of chatter and anticipation. Miss Rose slowly came over and took a seat next to me.

"Good morning, Muna", she said, turning to face me.

"Good morning, Miss Rose." I replied, pretending to be typing something out on my iPad in order to avoid her gaze.

There was a moment of silence and I could feel Miss Rose studying my face, "are you alright?"

I nodded my head quickly, not bothering to look at her.

"You know it's pretty rude not to look at your boss when she's speaking to you." Miss Rose said. She had a teasing tone in her voice.

I groaned inwardly and suddenly turned to face Miss Rose who had a mischievous grin on her face which instantly disappeared the second she got a full view of my face.

"Muna, what the fuck happened to you?" Miss Rose instantly reached out and grabbed my face to get a closer look at the bruise on my head. "Who did this to you?" Her second hand reached up and grabbed my face. She was now cradling it in her hands, "what the fuck happened to you, Muna?"

Her eyes were boring really hard into mine and I felt my heartbeat quicken.

"It's not what you think." I said slowly, "I did this to myself."

Miss Rose stared at me in confusion.

"No no, not in that way." I said.

Miss Rose looked at me in silence, waiting for me to talk.

"I, um. I kind of passed out last night. I think I got the bruise when my head hit the floor."

Miss Rose stared at me in shock for a while. We were now the only ones left in the Boardroom. The pounding in my head was getting more and more intense.

"Muna," Miss Rose said really softly, "why didn't you call me afterwards? What if you got seriously hurt? What if you got a concussion?"

"I didn't want to bother you." I said looking down at my hands in my lap, "I know you're probably stressed out right now with everything going on-"

"Muna." Miss Rose suddenly said, grabbing my hands in hers, "you are my priority. You come before everything. Everything."

I gulped as I looked at her. There was so much emotion in her eyes and I knew she meant what she said.

"Muna." Miss Rose said softly as she placed her hand gently on the side of my face, "please tell me what's going on, baby."

I was quiet for a while, just staring at her. I slowly felt my eyes begin to sting, and I took a deep breath as I looked at her. "It's my dad. He's dying." Saying it out loud hit me painfully, "he wants to see me."

Miss Rose was silent for a while.

"Do you want to see him?"

This is the question I had been asking myself for a while. He had watched as my mother kicked me out and had never spoken to me again. Everyday, I felt hurt just thinking about his rejection. But I knew that deep down I still loved him. Deep down I would never forgive myself if I never got a chance to even say goodbye.

I nodded my head as a lone tear rolled down my cheek.

"Okay baby," Miss Rose whispered into my ear, "then that's exactly what's going to happen."