STAGED AFFECTION
(Episode 16)
That night, after I finished bathing, I came out of the bathroom to find Nichelle already on the bed, her eyes fixed intently on me. She watched me as I applied cream to my body, her gaze following my every move.
As I went to lay on the floor, she spoke up, her voice soft and gentle. “You can sleep on the bed if you want,” she said, her words surprising me.
I paused, looking at her in shock. “I’m fine laying on the floor,” I said, trying to sound nonchalant.
But Nichelle persisted. “Please come on the bed,” she said, her voice laced with concern.
I refused, shaking my head. “I’m good on the floor,” I said, trying to reassure her. “That’s what the contract said.”
Nichelle sighed, her expression frustrated. “I know, but you can’t keep laying on the floor. What if you catch a cold?”
I shrugged, feeling a sense of detachment. “That’s what you should have thought about before asking me to sleep on the floor,” I said, my voice firm.
Nichelle was speechless, her eyes fixed on me in surprise. I lay down on the floor, avoiding her gaze, my mind focused on one thing – seeing the end of the contract.
As I settled in for the night, Nichelle stared at me, her eyes searching for answers. But I refused to engage with her, my heart set on surviving the remaining days of the contract.
The silence between us was palpable, the tension thick in the air. But I didn’t care, my mind numb to Nichelle’s games. I just wanted to make it to the end of the contract, to be free from this toxic relationship.
*****************
Just as I was laying down, Lizy’s call came in, and I answered, trying to sound cheerful. “Hey, how’s it going?” I asked, trying to make small talk.
Lizy was excited, her voice bubbly. “Oh, it’s going great! How about you? How was your day?”
I shrugged, trying to downplay the drama with Nichelle. “It was fine, thanks. Just busy with work and stuff.”
Nichelle was now closely watching me, her eyes fixed intently on me as I talked to Lizy. I tried to ignore her, focusing on the conversation.
Lizy asked me if I would be free tomorrow, and I paused, calculating my schedules before responding. But before I could answer, Nichelle snatched the phone from me, her movements swift and unexpected.
“Hi Lizy, how are you?” Nichelle said, her voice sugary sweet.
I was taken aback, surprised by her sudden intervention. There was a pause on the other end of the line, and then Lizy responded, her voice polite. “Oh, Nichelle, I’m fine, thanks. How’s work doing?”
Nichelle replied, her voice dripping with fake enthusiasm. “Work is fine, thanks for asking.”
Lizy was brief, wrapping up the conversation quickly. “Okay, great. I should go now. Bye, Nichelle.”
I took my phone back from Nichelle, my expression stern. “What was the meaning of what you just did?” I asked, my voice firm.
But before she could respond, I cut her off. “Never try that again with me,” I warned, my eyes flashing with anger.
Nichelle looked taken aback, her expression sheepish. But I didn’t care, my mind still reeling from her sudden intervention. I lay back down, trying to process what had just happened.
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The next morning, as I slowly opened my eyes, I was greeted by the sight of breakfast already laid out before me. I looked around, trying to process who could have brought it, and that’s when I saw Nichelle sitting on the bed, her eyes fixed intently on me.
“I needed to make sure I was awake to serve you,” she said, her voice soft and gentle. “I didn’t want you to leave again today without seeing me.”
I paused for a moment, taken aback by her words. I stood up, trying to shake off the sleep, and told her, “I’m not hungry.”
Nichelle looked at me, concern etched on her face. “But it’s still morning,” she said. “You haven’t eaten anything anywhere. You need to eat something.”
I shrugged, feeling a sense of detachment. “I don’t have an appetite for what you made,” I said, trying to sound firm.
Nichelle stood up, her eyes searching mine. “What do you want, then?” she asked. “I can make it for you.”
I looked at her, my expression unyielding. “I don’t want anything that comes from you,” I said, my voice firm. “We both should maintain our lanes for a few more days until all this is over.”
Nichelle was quiet, her eyes fixed on me without speaking for several minutes. The silence was palpable, the tension thick in the air. Finally, she spoke up, her voice barely above a whisper. “Okay.”
She quietly carried the food away, leaving me alone in the room. I watched her go, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. I knew I had to keep my distance from her, no matter how hard she tried to reel me back in.
To be continued…
