OFFICE ENEMIES : I HATE YOU EDAN (Workplace Enemies Series)

CHAPTER ONE

THE BIRTHDAY THAT BROKE US

Imogen’s POV

I kept juggling the key which was already stuck in the lock on the third floor of Edan’s building.

Pushing the door open with my shoulder, there were gold and white balloons which were sagging a little against the ceiling fan with a banner stretching across the kitchen archway. The letters read; “Happy Birthday Edan.”

I had carefully cut out the letters myself at two am in the morning because the print shop almost disappointed me by not printing out the orders and I refused to let that ruin the surprise I had planned out for my boyfriend.

“Edan” I called out whilst smiling because I couldn’t help giggling about the whole event.

Just then, I started hearing sounds of soft laughter coming from his room. It was low and loose just like he would be if he had too much to drink.

I rolled my eyes fondly as I kicked the door shut behind me.

“You’re supposed to be at the bar until nine because I paid Keon fifty bucks to keep you there.” I said but no answer was forthcoming.

I had to set the cupcakes on the counter coupled with the chocolate-salted caramel which was his favorite. The apartment was smelling of his cologne which he always over-sprays after shower.

Everywhere was looking exactly the way I had left it that morning after I had earlier snuck out of the office in order to finish the decorations. The only difference was the soft yellow light spilling from under his bedroom door and the low murmur of voices.

I was surprised at the sound of the voices because he never mentioned anything to me about bringing in visitors as he already agreed that he had no plans for his birthday.

I walked down the short hallway as the floorboards were creaking under my sneakers the way they always did. I was about to knock on the door but I stopped abruptly when I heard another floating laughter, it was softer like that of a lady.

Without wasting any time I pushed the door open, the room was dim as the only light there was coming from the small lamp on the nightstand.

Edan on the other hand was on the bed, half-sitting against the headboard with his shirt open and his hair was a mess. To my greatest surprise, a lady was sitting next to him, naked and clutching the duvet to her chest probably to look modest. I looked at her fast intently, only to see that it was Bella.

Bella has always been a bully who made my four years in school really tough and hurtful for me. She made sure that every hallway felt like a trap. I could vividly remember how spill her juice on my homework in highschool and claimed that it was accidental.

She also started the rumor in college that I slept with the professor for a better grade.

For a second I was standing perplexed as my brain was still trying to rearrange the scene before me into what it wasn’t, I had to think that maybe I just walked into the wrong apartment or Edan was trying to pull a prank on me.

But I noticed that Bella’s mouth was curved into the same small satisfying smile she used to wear when a teacher believed her over me.

“Imogen, you are early. We were not expecting you this early.” she said, like we were old friends trying to catch up.

Edan blinked at me unfocused as his eyes were glassy like the way they usually get after he has had three drinks or more.

What hurt me the most was that he didn’t scramble to even fake a composure, rather he was staring at me like I was the one who didn’t belong here.

“Babe? What are you doing here?” His words landed like a slap.

I opened my mouth to maybe yell but nothing came out. My pulse was so loud I could hear it in my ears. The cupcakes were still sitting on the kitchen counter and that banner was still hanging by the archway.

Bella shifted, letting the sheet slip just enough to make it clear she wasn’t wearing anything underneath

“We were celebrating his birthday and you know how it is,” Bella said lightly, shifting and letting the duvet slip just enough to make it clear to me that she wasn’t wearing anything.

“Get out of this house right now.” I yelled as my voice didn’t sound like mine as it was too quiet.

“Imogen, wait, it’s not what you think it is. I can explain this.” Edan frowned, looking confused, like the room was tilting for him too.

“Don’t you dare say it’s not what it looks like. It looks exactly like what it is.” I held up a hand with my fingers shaking.

“I think you are overreacting, we were just…”

He pushed himself up higher against the headboard, his movement was clumsy as he was almost tipping sideways.

“Just what?. Just naked in bed together on your birthday while I was out buying cupcakes and hanging balloons for you?” The volume of my voice finally cracked in a sober way.

I saw Bella laughing under her breath in a delighted manner. The same sound of laughter that used to follow me down the hallway after every rumor she started.

Edan rubbed his face with both hands. When he looked at me again, his expression was still too calm like the guilt has not reached him yet.

“You’re being dramatic, it’s not that serious,” he said. The words came out slurred at the edges.

My mind immediately flashed back to four years of late-night phone calls, of him showing up at my dorm with coffee after every exam, him telling me Bella was just jealous and that I was the only one who mattered. And now he was sitting there, half-dressed and telling me that the scenario in front of me was not that serious.

My stomach twisted as I could feel that my legs were disconnected from the rest of me. I turned and walked back down the hallway, passing the sagging balloons, the banner with the letters I had earlier cut out by hand. The cupcakes were sitting on the counter like an accusation.

Behind me I could hear the bed creak with Edan’s thick voice.

“Imogen. Come on. Don’t be like this.” He said but I didn’t answer.

I pulled the front door open as the hallway outside was empty and too bright.

Just before the door closed, I heard Bella’s voice floating after me.

“Happy birthday to him, by the way.” She mocked and the door latch clicked shut.

I was standing in the hallway for three full seconds, staring at the scuffed paint on the opposite wall before I started walking down the stairs, thinking about how August has been unfair to me.

My phone started buzzing in my pocket interrupting my thoughts, I didn’t look because I already knew who the caller was.

And I already knew I was never answering him again.