Chapter 121

121 Worries and Rain

The waiter placed a large plate of steak in front of me and I knew instinctively that Ace had over ordered for me. There was no way that I could eat this much meat all in one meal.

“Thank you...” I thanked the waiter politely and he offered me a friendly smile in return.

We discontinued our conversation until we were left alone again. I didn’t intend to look down, but I guess my efforts to look perky didn’t lead to a successful result.

“What are you worried about?” Ace asked.

Everything. That was my honest answer. Everything from my own guilt to worrying about losing my job to not being able to send money home to my mother. I was worried about everything and from so many different angles. However, it wasn’t like I could tell Ace all of that. I knew well enough that Ace was doing his best to help me. I mean, he could have fired on the spot after I outright confessed that I was the source of the leak, intentionally or not.

“Many things, but it is what it is. We all have to learn to live with reality, right?” I replied while trying to sound brave.

When I put a small piece of steak into my mouth, I realized that the good and expensive meat was wasted on me. With my current state of mind, I could hardly taste anything at all.

“I’m sure that you know this already but just be honest when you talk to the disciplinary board. They’re a bunch of old people but they’re not unfair,” Ace advised.

“I fully intend to. It’s just as I told you before, I’m not going to make any excuses for myself. It was my fault, and they have the right to punish me however they see fit...” I replied.

.....

Maybe moving back to live with my mother and finding a job nearby to home might not be too bad. With the experience that I have working at such a large and well-known company, some small company around there might take me in even if I had a tainted employment history. I could discount on my current salary if they couldn’t afford to hire me. Living with my mother would help me save on the rent and it would probably compensate each other.

“What are you thinking about? It looks like your mind is everywhere but here,” Ace asked with an amused smile on his lips.

“Sorry. I’m...very distracted with my own thoughts...” I replied truthfully.

“I think I know how you feel, and this might sound like I’m not taking your side but...” Ace began saying before he paused to think of the right words.

“What?” I urged him as my curiosity started taking over.

“Never mind. It’s nothing. I’ll tell you when the timing is right...” Ace replied before attacking the steak in front of him.

I let it slide by without asking him any further questions on that matter. There was probably a right time for everything.

...

'

Of all the days that it had to storm, it had to be today. After finishing our dinner, I took up Ace’s offer to drive me back to my place. I was too tired and too depressed to even protest or suggest that I take the cab. In the end, I just let him do whatever that he wanted to do.

Luck was partly on our side in the sense that it didn’t start raining before we got into the car. However, less than 5 minutes after we were on the road, it started to rain. The light shower of rain quickly turned into a full-on storm. The sound of large rain drops beating down on the car echoed quite loudly in the car. The wind and the rain made it hard to see as well.

Does it usually rain this time of year? Is this an off-season typhoon?

“Guess this is what we get for not checking the weather forecast,” Ace said with a small chuckle.

“What’s the point of checking it if we can’t change the weather...” I muttered in response.

The rain made me feel worst about my situation and, most of all, myself.

“Stop sounding so grumpy and sad,” Ace teased as he reached out his hand and patted the top of my head.

“I’m sorry...” I whispered.

“There’s nothing for you to be sorry for. I just don’t want you to stress unnecessarily,” Ace replied lightly.

“Yeah...” I murmured.

Although I tried my best to smile back at him, my inner thoughts were dark and disturbed. If Ace wasn’t with me right now, I had no idea what I would be doing. Drinking alone at some random bar to drown my sorrows, probably. I felt even worst and more lost than when Kyle randomly dumped me out of nowhere. Nothing could ever compare to the pain, anger, frustration, and guilt that I felt right at that moment.

Because of the rain, it took much longer than normal for us to arrive at my apartment building. Thankfully, there were some free parking spaces in front of the building. However, that meant that we had to run into the building in the rain.

“You can send me off here. It’s raining so...” I began saying.

“Why do you think I’m scared of some rain? I’m not a cat, you know...” Ace replied back teasingly.

Before I could stop him, he opened the door and got out of the car.

“Ace...” I murmured his name as my eyes widened in shock.

Ace quickly came to my side of the car and then the door at my side opened.

“Get out. Don’t just sit there while I get wet...” Ace continued teasing me as he offered me his large hand.

“T-Thank you...” I managed to say before placing my hand in his.

Together we ran into the building. With the heavy rain, our clothes were both quite wet by the time that we made it into the building. Ace shook his head from side to side and ran his fingers through his wet hair. He looks a little...like a dog...

–To be continued...