Chapter 8

It's been almost a week since I started working at Zachary's company.

I don't have much work. Because I have colleagues who sometimes help me.

But...

A big but!

Zach always orders me to make his black coffee.

I do it every day!

It's okay with me if it's only once a day. But in a day, I make three or four cups.

And I hate the smell. I just endure it. And if you don't follow his orders, he'll call you. That's why sometimes I try to stop myself from sneezing in front of him. When I leave his office, I go straight to the comfort room.

Sometimes I see him passing by or visiting, supposedly. But his gaze is on me!

Like now, he's calling again. I refused to make his coffee.

I didn't give him my cell phone number.

He just snatched my phone that day.

I just answered his call. He's been calling for a while now, it's kind of pitiful.

"Do you need something, sir?" Call me rude or whatever, but that's how I answer calls sometimes. Only sometimes, when I'm annoyed or bored.

"Make me black coffee! Right now! Elle!" It seems his demonic soul has awakened.

I shook my head softly as I thought of something to do to annoy him more.

"Excuse me, sir? But I'm not your secretary. I'm just your temporary employee, here." I said mockingly.

He's getting used to this!

"My black coffee! Elle!" Who do you think you are?

"Your black coffee is all yours, sir. I won't take it! And where's your secretary? It's always me!"

I heard his heavy sigh on the other line. He seems to be running out of patience, even though I can't see him, I bet he's rubbing his forehead.

"I'll go there!" he said menacingly.

I immediately stood up from my seat. I quickly walked towards the water dispenser.

"Okay, okay! You always get your way anyway!" I said frantically as I heard the door open and close on the other line. It seems he's really going to do it, when does he ever joke?

"Good,"

"I'll put the call on hold for a bit so I can make the coffee properly."

You're so tempting to poison!

"Don't!" he said coldly.

It's like I don't need a refrigerator in life anymore. He's already cold enough!

I had no choice but to put my phone in the cup holder.

While I was making the coffee, I kept a little distance.

By the way, I'm allergic to coffee. Any kind of coffee. Whether I smell it or just taste it.

It's not that dangerous. Sometimes when I smell it, I get a rash on my skin or a fever or a sneeze.

"Done," I said with a triumphant smile. "It smells so bad!"

I grabbed my phone and started walking.

The call is still connected.

"Here you go, sir! Your black coffee," I placed his coffee in front of him.

"You really like to annoy and tease me, don't you?!" he said sharply while sipping his coffee.

I took a step back.

The smell is really bad!

My nose is itchy. I feel like I'm going to sneeze now.

I raised an eyebrow at him. "You're just ugly in my eyes, sir. And I'M. NOT. YOUR. SECRETARY. SIR!" I emphasized "I'm not your secretary, sir" so he could feel it. "Did you forget?"

I gave a fake smile, making his aura even worse.

"So? I'm ugly to you?... Then what do I care if you're not my secretary? Do you have any complaints about me ordering you around?" he said expressionlessly.

He stood up and put his coffee back on his table. He walked towards me.

"Why is your face and neck red? Are you sick? Are you feeling unwell?" He even put his hand on my neck and forehead. "Are you, feeling well?" concern was evident in his voice.

"Ah, yes I'm okay!" I answered immediately.

He took a deep breath. He doesn't seem convinced by my answer.

"I'm going ahead! I still have a lot to do," I said goodbye.

I turned my back on him. But before I could take a step, he pulled my left hand. When I turned to face him, I immediately felt something soft on my forehead.

He hugged me. "Take care! Don't work too hard," I'm not just tired, I'm extremely tired!

"You can go, now!"

What else can I do? Go! He said so himself. Take the chance, because if that screw in his brain loosens and he changes his mind.

You'll really get sleepy inside his office, you can't do anything but sit and complain that he doesn't listen.

I've been feeling unwell since earlier. I'm a big liar when I said I'm okay. I couldn't even get out of his office properly before I sneezed.

Wrong timing, man!

"Take medicine if you're not feeling well. Lady!" he said from his seat.

Even though I was facing away from him, I nodded.

I immediately ran to the C.R.

I sneezed and sneezed inside the comfort room.

What a wrong timing! Why did I only feel the symptoms of my allergy now. After all the days I've been making coffee for him, it's only now that it reacted!

I'll just take half a day off today. I can't work while I'm sick.

"Sir, I'm going to be absent for a while. I'm not feeling well." I told our head.

"Okay. Did you finish everything I asked you to do?" I nodded immediately.

It's a good thing he's not in a bad mood today. His brain is on its period every day.

Zach must be his long lost brother! They both have something wrong with their brains! And I'm their favorite errand girl.

I wasn't born into this world to be their errand girl.

I wanted to say that, but not to those two. But maybe their brains will get offended and they'll give me more work to do.

I immediately hailed a taxi.

"Sir... Can you please turn off your air conditioner? I'm cold," I said in a soft voice.

He immediately turned off the aircon. So the coldness I was feeling subsided a bit. It's a good thing I brought a thick jacket.

"Here's the fare," I handed him my fare.

"Thank you, daughter!" I smiled.

I hadn't even reached the entrance when I saw Zain near the guard. They seemed to be joking because they were laughing.

He hangs out here with the guards almost every day. I see him in the morning and when I get home from work.

His reason is that he wants to say goodbye before going to work and wait for me to go home so he can take me to the condo.

I told him he didn't need to do that. But he's stubborn, he even said that if his sister was here, he would do the same.

So, I just let it be. Maybe he just misses his sister.

So, I just let it be. Maybe he just misses his sister.

He looked over here by the side of the road. Right where I was standing. "Okay, I'll go ahead first, the one I'm waiting for is here!" he said goodbye to the guard.

He went straight to me. I'm not surprised anymore, every time he waits for me here, he greets me with a tight hug.

"I missed you!" he kissed my forehead.

He took my bag. As always!

"You're not working? It's still noon!" I asked in surprise.

He was working earlier when he called. Because while I was still in the taxi, he called. It's like I have a strict manager because he always monitors what I do, even eating has to be at the right time.

"Absent," he said.

Isn't he getting fired from his job? He only seems to go to work a few days. He's absent more often.

"Why are you so pale? Are you feeling unwell?" he put his hand on my forehead like Zach did earlier.

"You're so hot!" he said worriedly. "Come on! Let's go to the condo. I'll take care of you while you're still sick."

He's panicking. A fever is not fatal.

As soon as we got inside, he immediately made me sit on the sofa. He didn't bother to turn on the air conditioner.

"Wait for me here. I'll just get a small basin and a washcloth from the kitchen." He ran towards the kitchen.

When he came back, he was carrying a small basin with warm water and a washcloth.

He put the basin on the table first. Then he went behind me.

I was wondering what he was going to do. "What are you going to do?"

I was about to turn around when I felt him touch my hair and gather it all.

I immediately got an idea of what he was going to do.

"Where did you get a hair tie?" His hair isn't long; it looks like he just got a haircut.

"I found it in the kitchen." He took off my jacket. I took off my long-sleeved shirt while he squeezed the washcloth. It's a good thing he was facing away.

"Your hair will get wet. It's so long and thick."

I was wearing a black sleeveless top and a black pencil skirt in front of him.

He started wiping me down. From my forehead, neck, and both arms.

"I'll cook you some porridge. Just wait a few minutes, okay!" This is the first time I've heard him speak in a more formal, almost affected way.

It seems he can't handle speaking Tagalog anymore.

Just as he was out of my sight, my phone rang.

I lay down on the sofa before checking who was calling.

I answered the call.

"You're not there! You're supposed to be home? Zenneth said you're not feeling well." Zach asked from the other line.

"Hmm, I have a fever." I said softly.

I felt sleepy.

"Rest. Take some medicine." were the last words I heard before sleep took over.

I woke up feeling a hand on my forehead. I saw Zain, his hand on my forehead.

He was surprised to see I was awake. "Oh. I'm sorry, did I disturb your sleep?" I just shook my head.

"Your fever hasn't gone down. What did you do to get a fever? Are you very tired from work?" he asked, one question after another.

"No, it's just an allergy. I get fevers sometimes when I have allergies."

"Did you eat something you're allergic to?" I shook my head again.

"The coffee, the boss made me make it, and I smelled the coffee. I thought I was just going to sneeze earlier." I said hoarsely.

"Next time, don't agree if you're asked to make coffee again!" he lectured me.

I just pouted. I thought I'd only get lectures from my mom? Apparently, from others too!

"It's my fault too!" I can't complain because that beast is coming for me!

He shook his head before picking up the porridge from the table.

"Here, eat this. I just reheated it. Because you fell asleep earlier." He handed me the porridge.

I don't know if the name is right. I only heard it from our neighbor. I think it's arroz caldo, or whatever, I always eat it but I don't know what it's called.

"You know how to cook. I thought you only ate fast food." I teased him.

"You know what? You're talking too much, it's better if you finish that so I can wash your dishes."

Well, he's a good cook.

"Is there more? I want to eat again!" He took the bowl from my hand.

"I'll get it," before he walked away.

"Thank you for taking care of me." He smiled and patted my head like a cat.

"Let me comb your hair..." He was holding a hairbrush in his right hand.

I went to him. And sat on the chair facing the vanity mirror.

"Did you get a rebond?" I looked at him in the mirror.

"No. I prefer my natural hair. And my hair is straight anyway, why would I get a rebond?"

"Seriously, you've never had a rebond?" I nodded.

"Mom and Dad didn't want me to get a rebond,"

"Okay, rest there, I'll be back at seven o'clock." He helped me lie down and covered me with a blanket.

I closed my eyes when he kissed my forehead.

"Sleep well,"

I hope I have a brother like him. He's exactly my ideal type of brother. He has it all.

I used to envy my classmates. They have brothers and sisters, while I don't.