*THE HOLLEN SERIES 03*
????????????EPISODE 33????????????
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*?? MORE THAN FRIENDS ??*
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Ethan Junior’s POV
I got to work extra early. Yesterday, I was not able to look over the proposal for a chain of restaurants in the south due to a long business meeting with my brother.
As I walked out the elevator, I adjusted my Gucci suit and strolled to my office.
I opened my organizer cabinets, took out the proposal and began re-ading throu-ghit.
After an hour, a knock came on my door. I @$$umed it was my brother at first judging by the early time but usually, Evan don’t knock. He always burst into my office because he owns the entire building, as he so rightfully would say.
“Come,” I ordered and the door opened slowly and in stepped Maria Kastle.
Maria Kastle and I went to the same high school and she was the captain of the cheer-leading squad which automatically made her the most popular girl at school.
I was the most popular guy, quarterback star of the football team and my surname reigned me my popularity and power.
Everyone thought that Maria and I were an item because at my high school, it was only wise for the popular guys to date the popular girls.
~
“EJ! It’s been too long,” she said and made big steps to my desk.
“Maria?” I still couldn’t believe it was her, “What are you doing here?”
“I work here, silly. I’m on the fourteenth level. Right un-derneath you.”
The way her words rolled off her tongue made me somewhat uncomfortable.
“I wasn’t aware of that,” I said and started my computer.
“I suspected, but I was on a medical leave for a month and I’ve just got back and I heard that you’re the new COO so I wanted to say hi so… Hi!”
She was cheerful as usual. You could take the girl out the cheer leading but you can’t take the cheer leading out the girl.
“Hi Maria, I must admit that it’s nice to see you again.”
“It’s nice to be seen, EJ.” She did a weird thing with her tongue which made her looked like a lizard at that moment.
“Well as you can see, I’m very busy. I’ve got a lot to do,” I tried to dismiss her.
“EJ, I wish to start something with you. Back at high school, everyone thought we were a couple so I think we can make it official now. We’re grown and got things figured out.”
“Maria, I’m going to have to stop you right there. I’m alre-ady in a relationship.”
“Is she making you happy?”
“Of course she’s making me happy.”
“Really? I bet I can make you happier.”
With another fl!¢k of her tongue, Maria started unbu-ttoning her blouse.
“Hey! What are you doing? Maria, don’t you dare take off your clothes in front of me. Are you crazy?”
“Yes, I’m crazy for you EJ.”
“Get Out Of My Office!”
“Not until you tell me how much you’ve always wanted me.” She threw her blouse at me and leaned over my desk to show her cleavage.
Nothing about her was attrac-tive, I had eyes for one girl and one girl only.
“I swear if you don’t get out of my office, I’ll report this behavior to my brother and you know the very low tolerance he has.”
Before she could draw herself off the desk, the door opened.
“Zenia!” I almost jumped out of my skin when my eyes landed on my girlfriend, now prese-nt in the room.
“Oh God,” Maria let out and scrambled to retrieve her top where it was laying on the floor behind my desk.
Tears flooded Zenia’s eyes and hurt screeched from them.
She quickly turned around and ran out the office and I ran after her. I caught her right before she was about the enter the parking lot.
“How could you do this to me?” she yelled as she slapped me across the face.
“Baby, I swear it’s not what it looks like,” I tried to @$$ure her that nothing happened between Maria and me.
“Bullshit! It’s always what it looks like. Some bit-ch was almost na-ked in front of you EJ! In your office!”
“Zenia, you nee-d to calm down.”
“Don’t tell me to calm down!” She yelled. “Oh, so is that the reason you’ve skipped breakfast this morning, huh? Because you were having that woman for your breakfast?”
“Zenia, I swear to you that I’ve never to-uched Maria. She came on to me!” I yelled back.
“I don’t want to hear it. If you weren’t entertaining her then that would have never happened.”
“Zen, I’m sorry. Maybe I said something that she took the wrong way and she came on to me.”
“What exactly did you say that she took the wrong way EJ!”
There was no calming her down.
“I can’t do this anymore EJ. This life isn’t for me. I’m not willing to compete with celebrities, models and movie stars over you. I want a normal life!”
“Baby, you’re not competing with anyone over me! I tell you that I love you every chance I get. I brou-ght you a house, a car and a ring and you’re still looking at me like if I’ll willfully hurt you.”
“Don’t turn this back on me. I wasn’t the one who had an almost na-ked person in my office. How would you react if that was me?”
I heaved a long sigh and she began to walk away. I held onto her arm, stopping her.
“Let me go EJ!”
“No! You’re going to listen to me.”
“I don’t want to listen to you. I hate you. I’ve never trusted your @$$ and I never will! I don’t want this relationship anymore, I don’t want the house, the car and I don’t want your damn ring!”
She pulled something off her fin-gerand threw it at me.
Damn it! She was wearing her engagement ring.
“Zenia, think about what you’re saying and doing. We’ve been down this road before and you’re letting angry cloud your judgement. I told you that nothing happened! Why is that so ha-rd for you to believe?”
“What’s going on here?” another voice asked from behind us. I turned around and saw Jasmine.
“Jasmine, I’m sorry for yelling at your sister but can you please talk some se-nse into her? I’ve got to get back to my office.”
“Yeah, run back to that who-re you’ve got waiting inside there!” Zenia yelled as I walked away.
It hurts that she never trusted me.
____________________
Zenia’s POV
“What the hell did you do!” my sister yelled at me as we got back into the car.
“I caught him with another woman Jas.”
“You caught him with another woman or you saw another woman with him? Was his di-ckinside of her?”
“No.”
“Exactly! You had no F-ing right to p@$$ judgement like that Zenia when you didn’t know what happened. You’re going to lose him for good one day and you’ll have nob©dy to blame but yourself. Look at the mess I’ve created between Evan and I before. Haven’t you learnt anything from my mistakes?”
She stepped on the accelerator and pulled out the parking lot with an angry face. She wasn’t speaking anymore, she was more focused on the road. Her anger never flattened and when she dropped me off at home, she left right after. Usually, she would stick around, have something to eat or drink and have our girl-chat.
_____________
That afternoon, I waited in the be-droom for EJ. I nee-ded to apologize to him and for doubting him, p@$$ing judgement, slapping him and throwing the ring at him.
I had taken a long shower, let down my hair with some bouncing curls to it. I put on my white lace Victoria Secret Lingerie, lit several scented candles and la-id down on the be-d, waiting for his arrival.
After twenty minutes, I began fl-ipping throu-gha magazine. He was late.
Where the hell could he be?
He better not be with that little bit-ch at the office!!
Calm down Zenia. Just calm down.
I took slow breaths as I calmed myself. Shortly after, the room door unlocked and he walked in, looking drained.
“EJ, I’m sorry for what I did today. I acted like a fool and you didn’t deserve that.” I got off the be-d and held onto the lapels of his jacket but he brushed my hands away.
“EJ,” I softly pleaded as he walked across the room.
He was silent. Avoided talking and avoided looking in my direction. It was like I didn’t exist in the same room.
I flaunt my b©dy on the be-d, trying to get his attention but he continued to ignore.
“Damn it EJ! At least talk to me and tell me where I stand!” I yelled.
He scoffed then chuckled.
“I’m re-ady for us to get engage.” I would say about anything to let him speak to me.
I hated the silent treatment.
“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking,” he calmly spoke as he got undressed. “And I’ve realized that we’re better off as friends.”
My heart busted throu-ghmy rib cage, sank to my stomach, slowly went down to my toes then quickly traveled up my b©dy before exploding in my head.
“I’ve alre-ady called my father to have the house back on the market. I’ll have the car taken away and I will bring back the ring to Diamond Mine. I can’t do this anymore.”
“EJ. Don’t do this. I said I was sorry.”
“Sorry doesn’t cut it for me anymore. You don’t trust me, you don’t appreciate anything I’ve done for you! Does this relationship make any se-nse?
Every time I try to do right by you, it’s still not enough. I don’t know what else you want from me Zenia. I’m not going to give you my soul. It’s over. Jasmine would come to get you tomorrow!”
He gra-bbe-d a few of his clothes, stuffed it into his bag and walked out the door. I ran after him.
“Where are you going? EJ, please don’t leave! I’m sorry! EJ, don’t go!”
I ran after him, down the stairs and throu-ghthe living rooms.
“I’m going back to my parents,” he said as he got into his car.
He drove away and left me drowning with internal tears.
*THE HOLLEN SERIES 03*
????????????EPISODE 34????????????
??????????
*?? MORE THAN FRIENDS ??*
??????????
??????????
Zenia’s POV
Two Weeks Later
“Zenia, get your @$$ up and get out of that be-d right now!” my sister yelled as she drew the curtains open. The rays of sunlight hit my face instantly. I rolled to the other side of the be-d with a growl.
“Leave me alone.”
“Girl, I’m not pla-ying with you. You’ve been groveling in your misery for days with the same clothes on. You look like a hobo! Get up, clean yourself up and go do something with your life!”
She pulled me out the be-d and pushed me into the bathroom. She turned the shower on me and I hooted like an injured owl as the cold water washed over me. I quickly switched the water temperature and glared at her. She did that on purpose.
“Have a nice bath,” she said before she left.
~
After my for-ced shower, I felt somewhat better. I had been crying for days. I ate nothing. I did nothing. I stayed locked up in the be-droom, in be-d, crying my eyes out over him and feeling sorry for myself.
Why I had to be such a damn fool?
Why I pushed away the guy who loved me dearly?
Why I always let my anger get the best side of me?
“Zenia, dress nicely. EJ is here,” Jasmine said softly as she came back into the be-droom.
“What?” My heart skipped several beats.
“He’s outside in the living room with Evan.”
“Thanks for the hint.” I rampaged throu-ghmy closet, looking for something capturing and s-xy to wear. If I was to get him back, I nee-ded his attention.
I stepped into a black and red mini dress and a pair of red heels. I flat ironed my hair and it fell beautifully down my back. I did a quick but neat makeup application then looked at myself in the b©dy mirror.
I left the be-droom and went into the living room. EJ and Evan were stuffing their faces with Pringles and sodas and talking loudly at movie.
“So wait, he’s the bad guy!”
“Nah, he only turned on them because the witch got his kid!”
“Check out that orange ride!”
“I’m getting the new Lamborghini Huracan tomorrow!” EJ yelled with happiness.
“Awesome!” Evan yelled and sounded similar to that wrestler, The Miz. They wasn’t aware that I was looking at them.
Without interrupting, I went back into my be-droom. I thought EJ would have looked unhappy but I was wrong. He was perfectly happy without me around and without me in his life. I was the only one wallowing over the ending of our relationship.
Just me.
_______
I threw myself down on the be-d and cried my eyes out again. Then a knock came on my door and Jasmine and Evan walked in, with EJ right behind them.
“Sit up,” Jasmine spoke.
I sat up immediately and dried my eyes with the back of my hands. They landed on EJ afterwards.
“I don’t like this one bit. You and EJ nee-d to talk and sort things out!” Evan commanded
Jasmine and Evan left. EJ looked at me, blew out a loud sigh and sat at the edge of the be-d.
“Zenia, they’re right. We do nee-d to talk.”
“I know,” I whispered.
“The way things ended were rou-ghbut I thought it was the best decision to make. You’re an incredible woman and I really want to be your friend.”
Just friends?
I want you back EJ. I promise I’ll trust you and hold onto you and never let you go. I love you.
“That sounds great,” I responded.
“Yeah. I think we moved too quickly. I brou-ght us a house, got you a ring. We’re still young and we should live our lives the way we actually want it. I un-derstand that you don’t want things handed to you and I never wanted you to lose your independence, but I just figured that I should spoil you. You’re different and I’ll always remember that about you.”
Tears welled up again.
“Zen, don’t cry.”
He was no longer calling me ‘baby’ or ‘doll face’ like he usually does.
“EJ, I miss you. I miss us.” The tears sl-ipped out my eyes.
“Zen, I think this is for the best. Our relationship wasn’t stable enough to put this behind us and start over.”
“No! Putting an end to it was the easy way out and a coward act on your path,” I laced at him.
“What you wanted me to do? Fight for you? How can I do that when you don’t even trust me?
Allow me to say this, trust is the key factor to a relationship. Without it, the relationship is nothing.”
“I know that EJ, and I do trust you. I just don’t want to get hurt again.”
“See, that’s the problem right there. You’re not re-ady for a serious relationship if you’re still affected by the past. I can’t change that for you.
I’m me, I’m Ethan Junior Hollen. I’m not that punk @$$ loser who hurt you and dumped you when you were in college. I’ve told you countless times that I loved you and I’ll never do anything to hurt you.”
“I know.. But when I saw you with her, my anger got the best of me and..”
He didn’t let me finish. “Look, I’ll be very honest with you. I still love you Zenia. I still think about what we had and everything we’ve been throu-ghbut we’re not compatible for being together.”
He got off the be-d and went for the door.
“EJ! Please don’t go!” I got off the be-d and gra-bbe-d him before he left. I held onto him ti-ghtly and cried. I didn’t care how pathetic I looked, I wanted my man back.
“Zenia, it’s for the best.”
“No! It’s not for the best. I want everything back to how it was. I want back the house, the car, the ring on my fin-gerand I want you back.”
“Zenia, let go of me.”
“No! I’m not letting go!”
He turned back to me and pushed me up against the door then claimed my l-ips with a fierce ki-ss he had never did to me before. I reacted immediately. My fin-gers went throu-ghhis lush hair then held onto his ne-ck as he lifted me up. My legs wrapped around his torso, his erection pressing firmly on me.
I heard the unbuckling of his belt and I felt the w£tness tingling its way my entrance, re-ady to accept and have him.
Shutting my eyes as he su-cked on my ne-ck, I felt him inside me. My wild hor-mones cheered when he thrus-t ha-rder and fas-ter. It felt like incredible make-up s-x and I was willing to do anything he wanted.
“Oh my EJ,” I mo-aned out when I felt my cli-max being reached. My eyes rolled to the back of my head, his mouth went to my opening and devoured my explosion. He threw me on the be-d and entered me again, ha-rder and more fas-ter he went. My nails sank into his gorgeous back as they went un-derneath his T-shirt. He ki-ssed me again and I loved every moment of it.
At the end, he got off me and fixed himself up.
“Wow. That was really amazing. Why did you do that? I thought you said you wanted us to be friends,” I said and wrapped my arms around his wa-ist.
He re-moved them then turned around to face me.
“I do want us to be friends but I nee-ded you one last time,” he answered.
“What?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I thought he had forgiven me and wanted me back.
“Bye Zenia.”
He left the room and again left me in tears.
TO BE CONTINUED….