Crossed Lines

3.

Monday is a slow day. I get shown to my office, introduced to a few colleagues. I'm shown around the workplace. Rules and regulations are explained to me. I sign my last contact and I can finally say that I am a psychologist. I don't get a client today because I'm still 'new' to this place. I familiarize myself with the practice basically.

Tuesday is even slower. I meet my assistant Nina and a few more colleagues. I move into my office and set everything up. All I do today is get the files of my new clients, work them through and get up to speed. I spend the whole day in my office sorting files and doing some of my paperwork. This day couldn't have ended quick enough.

Wednesday is anything but slow. It is the first day I work with any client since starting to work here. I'm excited and nervous all at once. I came prepared for this day but what happens now, I couldn't have prepared for.

"Ms. Reed. Your client is here for her first consultation; may I send her in?" my assistant Nina asks through the phone.

"Yes you can. Thank you." I end the call and wait for my client to arrive. I take a deep breath as I prepare myself for my first client today. I move from behind my desk and I make my way to one of the couches in my office. But I never get the chance to sit down.

The door opens and I see a pretty young girl standing by the doorframe. She looks miserable to say the least. I hear a loud sigh, distracting me from the girl to the figure standing behind her. I almost have a heart attack when I see who it is. Standing behind her is the beautiful stranger I saw on Sunday afternoon in the café. He looks as handsome as ever in his snug black suit. He has a bit of stubble growing on his face and his eyes look more enchanting than they did the first time I saw them. This is first time I've seen him since Sunday, and I would be lying if I said I minded.

Stop staring like a creep again. I mentally yell at myself before walking over to them. I can't help the questions roaming my mind right now. Is he married? Is that his kid? What on earth is he doing here? Putting on a smile and being as professional as I'll ever be I hold out my hand to greet the young girl.

"Hi I'm Melony Reed. I am your new psychologist, as you should know." I feel his eyes on me the whole time I speak. It's unnerving. I try to ignore the feeling in the pit of my stomach again, but it's close to impossible.

"Yeah." she says, rolling her eyes, and ignoring my outstretched hand. She's looking everywhere but at me.

"Zo!" he scolds the her in a low, stern voice. He glares at the back of her head but she's too irritated to care as she rolls her eyes once more. She finally mumbles a "Zoe Malik" to me as she walks past me into my office. She sits on one the couches, ignoring us. Come right in won't you! I strongly resist the urge to roll my eyes back at her. Inwardly sighing, I turn to the Greek god standing in front of me.

"Melony Reed. I say holding out my hand, yet again with a professional looking smile. Well I hope it looks professional.

"Zayn Malik." He says in a low, sexy voice while holding my gaze. His takes my hand in his bigger one and shivers run through me. I really have to stop with this, I don't even know the man. "please excuse my sister's manners." He says apologetically. "I'll be here in an hour to pick her up. Enjoy your day miss Reed." He says politely.

"You too sir." I almost laugh at my use of the word sir. It somehow doesn't feel right saying it to him. He nods at me, gives Zoe one last warning look before turning around and leaving. I close the door and sit on the couch opposite from her.

"Okay Zo, how are you today?" I ask her.

"Please don't call me that. Only my family gets to call me that." She says in a monotone voice, rolling her eyes... again. At the rate she's going, they might as well fall out.

"Okay sorry." I apologize. "Before we get into the heavy stuff, how about you tell me more about yourself. Your likes, dislikes, personality and those sort of things."

"Okay. Do you really care about what a 17-year-old likes and or dislikes? No you don't. You're just asking me these things so that I can trust you and feel more comfortable right?" she puts the last words in air quotes. "All you really are doing is secretly judging me from behind that hideous desk of yours, making stupid remarks and comments on how messed up you really think I am." She's looking into my eyes for what seems like the first time since I've met her. "we both know I would never be comfortable with you so how about you drop the act and save us both some time and energy."

Ok wow.

"Okay Zoe. I'm sorry that you think that I don't care, but I really am interested in all of those things, everyone else might not have, but I do care. I can't help you in any way if I don't know the first thing about you."

"I never asked for anyone's help." she says resentfully. I decide to ignore her comment as I write on her chart. She's going to be a tough cookie to crack.

That's how the rest of the session was spent, in complete silence. She decided to ignore all my questions and I decided to not to ask her anything else for today. When it was time to leave she quickly escaped from my office, going to who I assume is Zayn waiting outside. After Zoe I have three more clients who are ten times easier to talk to. After the last person leaves I pack up all my things, ready to walk home.

"Melony" a familiar voice calls my name as I enter the lobby on my way to the elevator. I turn around to see Trevor jogging over to me. I smile as I wait for him to catch up to me. I take this opportunity to really look at him. Even a blind person could tell Trevor was attractive. He was wearing a grey suit which sits tightly on his muscular body. He looks about a head taller than me, built, light, beautiful brown skin, dark eyes, strong jawline. He is one of the most attractive black men I have ever seen.

"Hey, how are you doing?" He asks as he catches up and we make our way to the elevator.

"I'm good thanks and you?" I ask politely. He chuckles at me and I'm wondering why.

"You look beat, long day?" he asks.

"You have no idea." I say lazily. "I'm already anticipating the weekend. I just want to relax and catch up on me, you know?"

"Definitely, maybe we could, you know go for a drink Friday night. You can invite Cate but you don't have to if you don't want to. If you are coming that is but– "

"Sounds good to me." I cut him off, giggling as he stutters. He's cute. "Oh you know Cate?" I ask.

"Yeah, we've bumped into each other a few times in the building. She told me her friend just moved here so I figured it's you"

"Oh."

"Yeah so uh can I get your number, to make plans for Friday and all." He asks as I step out of the elevator. He holds the door open for me, he lives on the top floor. He hands me his phone and I save my number to his contacts. We say our goodbyes and I head to our flat.

"Hey" Cate greets as I step through the door. I greet her back. "Why are you smiling like a creep?" she asks. I'm not smiling am I?

"Just happy that it's almost weekend again." I lie smoothly. "Talking about weekends... cancel all your plans for Friday night. We're grabbing some drinks with Trevor, and you can't say no."

"I would never say no to drinks, especially if it's with a hunk like Trevor." She says, wiggling her eyebrows at me. "So Mel, you smiling like an idiot has nothing to do with um, I don't know... Trevor?

"No" I laugh as I sit on the couch. "Enough about hunks. You up for a movie and some pizza?"

"That's another thing I won't ever say no to." She stands up to order some pizza and after a few hours, we fall asleep on the couch with a romantic comedy playing in the background and empty pizza boxes on the floor.