Chapter 12 - Not Welcome

When Shenise finished the report on the case study regarding an abandoned victim who is now under the care of an orphanage, she found her mind wandering back to that irritating person who had not been showing himself or even calling her for a week now.

She scowled upon remembering that person.

So what if the person don't want to call? So what if he didn't want to show himself? Yeah, she did not care.

Shenise stood up from her office swivel chair and stretched slightly while walking around her office. But she stopped after a while.

She breathed deeply.

What is the problem of that guy? She had not done anything bad for him to avoid her, right?

She tilted her head before sitting on her desk. She took the sandwich that had been on her table and started eating it, but then, she put it back down after a huge bite.

Strange. That's the first time that everything she eats taste like rubber.

Argh.. this is all that guy's fault. Thanks to that dickhead, her system was upset thinking that maybe, she really did something wrong to him to make him not want to see her.

She gulped from the bottle of mineral water that's also on her table. It was a good thing that the wound on her head is a shallow one and doesn’t need stitches. After three days, she could already move about without a bandage around her head.

"Did I really do something wrong to upset him?" Shenise asked herself again after a couple of seconds.

In the short span of time that she's known Gaville, she's somehow confident to say that Gaville's not the type of guy who suddenly gets mad without any reason. If anything, Gaville was the most rational person she had ever met. He was very business-like, there's always a reason behind the guy's actions. That's why she's sure that there's a reason as to why Gaville was mad at her. But what is it?

Shenise sighed. It would be too shallow if the reason was because she saved him. To completely ignore her like this was just too much!

For the nth time, she sighed again. Does she need to apologize?

Her cellphone rang. It was already past twelve and as to what she remembered, there's only one person she knows that has no care to disturb and call her that late. She quickly answered the phone.

"Yes?" There was excitement in her voice.

"Hey, it's me, Cara."

"Oh... Cara." Disappointment was obviously heard in her voice.

The girl talked to her for a few minutes about the last minute details of the small gathering with her high school classmates. Then someone knocked on her door, so she ended the call.

"Shen, are you done? Everyone's already at the function hall. They're packing already." Ryleigh said as he peaked his head inside her office.

"Yes, I'm done. Are you on your way there? I'll go with you." Shenise fixed some of the documents on the table.

"That's why I'm here."

"Thanks Ry." Shenise smiled as she went out of her office and walked with Ryleigh towards the function hall.

*****

Shenise was talking and laughing at Ryleigh's jokes as they walked down the corridor toward the function hall when her eyes caught a familiar figure.

She smiled widely when she finally made sure that it's really Gaville that El had been talking to. Gaville had that business smile while talking to her friend and Shenise thought it was a good thing. At least Gaville's in a good mood.

"Hey, Gav. It's..."

Shenise trailed off when Gaville turned his head towards her. She clearly saw how Gaville's smile disappeared when he looked at Ryleigh before their gazes met.

The smile froze on Shenise's lips. So, Gaville was not happy to see her after all... So much for wishful thinking, huh.

"What are you doing here?" Shenise asked wearily.

Gaville's expression hardened. "Why? Am I not welcome here?" His tone was accusing, but Shenise did not pay attention to that. She was not in the mood to argue.

"What do you need?" Shenise asked flatly.

"Your father is worried sick about you. So I'm here to pick you up." Gaville's voice is void of emotion.

So it was only because of her father, huh? What does she expect?

"I'll stay here. There are still a lot to do here. I'll just call Dad. You can go. Ry or El can take me home." She said without looking at Gaville's eyes, not seeing how Gaville's eyes became deadly sharp at the mention of Ryleigh's name.

"I'm staying too." Her gaze went straight to Gaville. "Elein said that you lack volunteers, so I'll stay and help with the packing."

All of them are busy for their annual operation to different orphanages and they need help with packing different things to be brought to the orphanages as gifts to the children. It's true that they lack people. Yet, she found herself unwilling to let Gaville help.

"You can't..." She tried to say but Gaville already went inside the function hall.

"Shen, it's okay. He's an additional manpower. Besides, he'll just pack some things." El said, shrugging her shoulders, then entered the function hall too.

Shenise could not believe it. Had Gaville already charmed El, too? To think that she already explained their situation to her that night of her birthday.

"She's right, Shen. We really need a hand here. Just let him do it. Besides, it seems harmless." Ryleigh's second the motion.

"But..."

"Shenise," One their officemates called from the other end of the corridor. "Can you give me a hand here? I'm finishing the logistics for our operation next week."

Ryleigh tapped her shoulder and hugged her from behind as he kissed her cheek. "Go." He said before entering the function hall.

Shenise annoyingly threw a glance inside the function hall. That Gaville person is already feeling at home, laughing with her co-workers. After a few seconds of death glare towards the man, she irritatingly turned back and walked towards their other officemate.

*****

"Ehem." Shenise cleared her throat when she saw Gaville laughing with a group of volunteers who she remembered to be one of her co-worker's cousin.

They're already done with the packing and is about to go home.

"Shen, ready to go home?" Gaville casually asked her.

"Me, yes. I don't know about you though." She said drily.

Gaville subconsciously reached out to touch Shenise's hand but stopped short. Shenise did not noticed that she was already glaring at Gaville. They said their goodbyes then walked towards the building's exit.

"Hey, are you okay? You don't look good."

Gaville placed his hand on Shenise's forehead. Shenise avoided him like she was burnt. But Gaville held her shoulder and repeatedly felt her forehead amidst her protests.

"You have a fever." Gaville said with a voice and face laced with concern. "Do you have medicine with you? Have you eaten already?"

"I'm not hungry." But that's when her stomach growled.

Gaville scowled. "Are you eating properly? Are you sleeping well? You really don't look good, Shen."

"I'm okay. I don't need your concern." She quickly walked towards Gaville's car.

"You're not okay. What time was your last meal? And what did it consist?" He continuously quizzed her.

"I said I'm okay." Shenise snapped as she went inside Gaville's car.

"What is your problem? Stop acting like a kid." Gaville told her when he's settled in the driver's seat. Gaville started the car.

Shenise answered with silence.