TWISTED OBSESSION

ASTRID

Today was one of those days.

Those days, you wake up with ill instincts and the anxiety that something is about to go wrong. That your life is about to take a drastic turn, nothing can salvage.

That was exactly how I woke up earlier, with an unshakable feeling in my guts that things were about to take a bad turn.

"Jay!" I screamed at the top of my lungs as I pulled open my bedroom door, the creaking sound following me until I closed the door behind me.

"I'm about to leave for work, Jay! Are you home yet?!"

My voice cracked as I entered the corridor, still calling out to Jay's name.

"Jaayy!"

No answer.

I sauntered to his bedroom door and knocked thrice, hoping he'd answer and open the door.

"Jay!"

No response still.

"Jay Martinez!"

This time, I knocked harder, a feeling of frustration and impatience rising in my throat.

Yet, there was no response. Not from inside the bedroom or anywhere else in the apartment.

Every corner of the apartment was quiet, which was quite unusual but pleasing.

No Coco's random barking or our next-door neighbour's loud music. The only sound I could hear inside was the humming of the refrigerator coming from the kitchen.

Something about the tranquillity of the atmosphere appealed to me, yet I was fretting about getting to work early.

Does it mean Jay hasn't returned home from his run, or did he forget about the promise he made me?

As I saunter into the living room, I call his name one more time, but the only response I got was silence, which melts whatever was left of my patience.

It was almost seven a.m. and I had to be at the office before eight a.m. Otherwise, it would be one of those days I regret working at Zimmerman & Associates.

Jay had promised he would chauffeur me to and fro the office today since he has a gig near my workplace, and I was really anticipating the free ride.

However, with his unusual lateness this morning, I will have to return to the usual bus ride so as not to get fired.

I couldn't call in late because Cheryl would bite my head off, and I'm certain she would derive so much pleasure in doing so.

She seems to be harbouring some kind of resentment towards me, although I have no explainable reason why, I try to avoid her as much as I can.

It hasn't been up to a month since I started working at the firm, but I can sense her animosity, and it's hostile. Had I not been swimming in unpaid student loans and bills, I would've quit on my first week and returned to the bookstore.

But, I couldn't.

I've always enjoyed working at the bookstore, but what I earn from there has never been enough to keep me afloat financially. I can not continue to depend on Jay's generosity, thus the importance of my job at the firm.

If I could evade Cheryl's hostility for a couple more months, she might get tired and stop being icy towards me. Until then, I have to endure and keep trying to please her because she is Mr. Zimmerman's favourite employee and I can not afford to be jobless.

After checking the kitchen and balcony to confirm Jay's absence in the apartment, I was disappointed to say the least.

I couldn't sit backwait for him to return, because that would surely delay me further.

I was about to go grab my purse from my bedroom, when the front door burst open suddenly, startling me on my tracks.

My heart skipped a thousand beats at once.

"Addie!"

It was Jay, soaked in sweats and panting heavily like he had just completed a marathon.

Coco, his Pomeranian fur baby, came in seconds later, filling the apartment with her barks.

Jay turned to my direction after kicking the door close behind him. He threw me an apologetic look, stopping to catch his breath.

"We... lost... track... of... time..." He was barely breathing as he excused his lateness.

Without waiting for him to finish, I hurried to the kitchen, returning with a bottle of water for him, while Coco continued to bark nonstop, jumping and wagging her tail.

It was pretty hard to tell whether she was concerned about her owner or just overly stimulated from their run.

The second I handed the bottle to Jay, he opened it swiftly, taking a generous gulp that left the bottle half empty in seconds. I was losing my patience, as I was running late for work, but the sight was amusing. He must be really thirsty to default his own teaching of etiquette.

While he recovered, I excused myself to go pick up my purse from my bedroom.

It was clear he wouldn't be chauffeuring me to work again like he'd promised.

By the time I came back to the living room, Jay wasn't sprawled on the floor anymore but was lying on the couch.

"I'm off to work." I told him, trying so much to keep sadness from hitting my voice.

"You should get some rest."

"Addie, wait!" He stopped me, getting up from the couch, "I'm driving you to work, remember?"

"But, you just returned home, and you're clearly in no state to drive–"

"No, Addie," he cut me off, "Give me a second to change into something else, and I'll drop you off."

As much as I wanted to reject his tempting offer, I couldn't. I needed that free ride.

"Jay, are you—"

"One minute at most!" He yelled, disappearing into the corridor. My lips carve into a thin smile, hearing his door close.

What could I've done without Jay?

He has been my best friend since I was in fourth grade, and although he was a year ahead, he had always watched out for me. It's more like the older brother that I never had.

Jay is a professional photographer and graduated from NYU a year before I did. I have been living off his generosity whilst trying to find my feet since after graduation.

He helped me secure the job at Zimmerman & Associates, and that is part of the reasons why I can not afford to lose the job.

People have mistook us for a couple several times because of our unusual proximity and the fact that we live together. But, we aren't.

Jay clearly doesn't even see me that way. And, I'm not interested in him like that.

Though, I might've had a crush on him in third and fourth grade, but I grew out of it after I learned of his sexual preferences.

Ever since then, I've seen him no different from an older brother.

We arrived at my office building in about twenty minutes, all thanks to Jay's crazy driving skills. He drives a Chevrolet Cruze that was gifted to him by one of his exes as a graduation present. Jay drives like a maniac with extra lives, and as much as it's scary, it comes in handy sometimes. Today was one of those times.

"Thanks for dropping me off, Jay. You're the absolute best." I blew him a kiss, opening the door to alight the car.

"Call me once you're done to come pick you up." He reminded me as I stepped out. "I'll stick around till evening."

I nodded, flashing him an appreciative smile before turning towards the building.

Maybe my instincts were wrong earlier about today.

I think to myself as I enter the lobby, stealing a glance at my worn and barely functioning wristwatch. It read seven forty a.m.

Maybe today wouldn't be so bad like I'd earlier predicted.

Halfway to the elevator, I remember that I've to bring coffee for Cheryl, and the realization made me panic.

How did I forget that?

I quickly made a U turn, leaving the building to the cafe that was two blocks away.

As I walked briskly, I prayed within myself that there wasn't a long queue when I arrived there because that would eat up my time and make me late.

But who was I kidding?

There was a queue at the cafe, and not just any queue, but a double-lined queue. Grumpy customers complained about delayed orders because the express machine has chosen today of all days to develop a fault.

My heart sank into the pit of my stomach at the sight.

Maybe I was too quick to nullify the bad vibes.

By the time I arrived at the office, it was nearly eight ten a.m., and Cheryl was waiting for me in the lobby, with a look on her face that spelled how much trouble I am in.

Fortunately, I wasn't fired like I earlier feared, but I wasn't saved from Cheryl's hostile threats either.

"This is your last strike. Such tardiness repeats itself, and it will be the last time you step foot inside this firm."

After my apologies, which she gave a cold shoulder to, she marched into Mr. Zimmerman's office, where her attention was summoned, and I went to my desk, saying a quick prayer of appreciation to God.

At least, I still have my head and my job.

For the rest of the morning, I kept to myself and busied myself with the spillover work from the day before. Of course, I had to run errands for Cheryl, delaying the completion of my work.

My attention was spread thin between work and errands, and I did not notice when Mr. Zimmerman left his office until he returned hours later, looking like he'd gone through a messy divorce. His return recalibrated the general mood of the office, leaving Cheryl as his unfortunate scapegoat.

Twice