CATHEDRAL
" I wanted your help for drawing the finalized report on the VC project" Xavier said and gestured me to take a seat. It's been two weeks since I submitted the reports from my side, and also three weeks since I and Jason had a proper talk. He has been extremely busy dealing with the Japanese investors as well as some work from Greece. He may even need to go to Greece for a week or two.
" I already did that Sir." I answered him. I too had a lot on my plate, finalising the VC project and working on the finance and new terms of employment, I had never worked on such subjects and it took me a while to understand things.
" I know that, you are going to help me do it." He commanded keeping his hands on the table and smirking.
" I think you forgot a 'will you' and 'please' while asking." I said arrogantly and stood up collecting my files, why was I leaving anyway?
TWO WEEKS AGO
I had been noticing that I was getting emotional quite often. Since the day of the meeting when I came out of Jason's cabin totally embarrassed. I saw Rachel sniffing at the very corner of the room and no one had seemed to notice. I rushed to her, fishing out handkerchief from my purse.
" Hey, are you okay? Here." I forwarded her the handkerchief. She stopped for a moment and her eyes travelled from the handkerchief to my face and her demeanor changed. The hate was visible in her eyes. Her perfectly caked face was a mess. She took the handkerchief out of my hand and threw it and pushed me. I was taken back by her behaviour. I hit the wall and my back ached.
" You, always find a way to ruin my life." She shouted dragging everyone's attention to us. I looked around and ushered her into the washroom ignoring my aching back and her loud protests.
She had stopped crying when I made her stand in front of the mirror.She looked intensely at her reflection and washed her face in a panic.
" I am sorry Rachel, My words were powered by my rage and it was so mean of me to say that. What you do doesn't really matter, what matters is how crazy you are for it." I said to her and noticed that my eyes had teared too, why am I being so emotional ?
" Why do you have to be so perfect? Why did Jason choose you over me? Why did my da-" The tears had started to flow from both of our eyes.
" Rachel, don't. Don't do this to yourself, I am so sorry, I am so sorry. I am not at all perfect, look at me, I can't even dress proper, and look at you, you are so beautiful an-" I could not complete as I had broken down completely!
" Cathedral I am sorry too, for saying things I shouldn't have." She hugged me tightly. I calmed myself, suddenly I felt under the weather, there was an uncomfortable churn in my stomach.
" Friends?" She broke the hug and gave her hand to me. I took it and smiled at her and nodded.
" Hey I really have to go, otherwise I would have stayed and talked." She smiled brightly.
" I understand" I said as she took her exit. I was losing my calm as the feeling in my stomach intensified. I could not breathe and rushed to the nearest stall to throw up. I felt better after barfing my guts out and felt a bit dizzy, it must have been because of the stress I had been taking. I still remember, in colleges when I had my examinations, I would often come up with a temperature.
I took a moment to myself and went back to work and finish my day. I did not feel the need to tell Jason, he would be worried in vein.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
" Cathedral stop." Xavier said angrily. I did not stop and my hand reached the doorknob.
" Cathedral please, can you help me ?" He said whining like a five year old, yet he sounded irritated. I swear I will whoop his arrogant arse someday.
" How kind of you to ask Mr Knight!" I exclaimed sarcastically and shot him a plastic smile. He let out a deep sigh and gestured me to sit, again. We had been working on the file for a few hours now and decided to take a break. I took out my phone to see if I got a call or a text from Jason. I had texted him asking him to come on a date with me, but I had seen no replies. I sighed in disappointment. I had to talk to him, was he mad or something? Or maybe I am overthinking, he is just busy.
" Coffee, caffeine monster?" I heard Xavier call me and I turned my head towards him and shot him a WTF glare.
" No thanks,how did y-" I asked him but he answered without even listening to my question.
" Cathedral, everyone in your office knows how much of a caffeine freak you are! Jason tells that you dri-" He was finding this so amusing !
" So you and Jason are what? Buddies forever?" I asked him, for my record Jason wasn't very fond of Xavier.
" No, we hung out a couple of times at many business parties. So greece, huh? Are you going too?" He asked me and I was shocked, Jason never tells anyone about his business or related information. Secondly, the part of actually going to Greece was in the maybe pile, and if not why wasn't I aware.
" What?" The only thing that could come out of my mouth while my mind did somersaults processing the data.
" He didn't tell you? Well he is going to Greece tomorrow. I'm surprised of how you are completely clueless on this matter." He was faking seriousness and enjoying every moment of it.
" It may have slipped his mind, he has been quite busy recently." I advocated Jason.
" Anyways, let's get back to work." He spoke and looked at the file again. I had finished with the paperwork and just needed paper clips to hold them.
" May I know where the paper clips are?" I asked him setting the stack of paper properly, which were ready to be clipped.
" Bottom right cupboard next to the conference table." He said without looking up from his file. I moved from the chair to the cupboard. I opened the bottom cupboard and rummaged through the stuff. I found the paper clips in a box .While cleaning the mess I had made, I found a paintbrush.
" Impossible" I uttered, shocked at the sight of what I had found. It can't be, there exists only one paintbrush like that and here I had found another one, like they were twins!
" What? Did you get the paper clips?" He asked and got up from his seat and stood where I was, holding the paintbrush.
" How do you have this?" I asked him holding up the paintbrush. His eyes scanned the paintbrush and I saw some emotions glisten in his eyes but it was quickly hidden. I looked at the brush and twirled it to see some letters emboldened on it.
" Due anime " I read it. " What does it mean?" I asked him and he looked at it intensely.
" It translates to two souls, why are you surprised at the sight of the paintbrush?" He asked me, looking at me.
" It's not an ordinary paintbrush, it's an heirloom. To my knowledge, only one paintbrush made of pure platinum like this exists and only I have it and now I found it's exact replica? I will be surprised!" I said to him, my head was spinning, it had the initials as XK which obviously stood for his name. The one I had has initials AK.
" Wait, you have one too?" He turned towards me.
" Yes, it has initials too, AK written in the same handwriting. It's our family heirloom, my dad gave that to me." I explained .
" It's not your family heirloom, It's our, I mean mine, the K in it stands for Knight." He said looking at me.
I looked at him briefly, this is messing with my head so much!!
" I think I should leave, we have completed the report, so I'll see you soon goodnight," I said quickly and picked up my bag and left.