Chapter 18: Forgetting something?

"I knew it!" Emilee shouted, standing up from the couch, "I knew something will go down at the party!"

Seven rolled his eyes, feeling the water drip from his hair and fall on his pale cheek. He fixed his suit as he rushed down the staircase, seeing Sam and Emilee waiting in the living room. Seven's legs were still weak and his buttocks were aching, still sore. Though, rushing to the office, he didn't pay mind to it.

Sam stood up from the couch, his arms crossed, "So... you slept with your boss?" he asked, a bit of doubt in his tone. Seven had explained the situation rather quickly when getting dressed over the balcony.

On the way back, Emilee was nagging and asking about why he had slept over Nicolas' house party. Serene didn't say much since he was still trying to remember the exact details. When taking a shower, he had recalled almost every point and scene and line that occurred and exchanged on the night of the party.

Serene nodded at Samuel, going to the coffee table, throwing his suitcase over the flat surface, checking if he had all his work papers and equipment ready for work. He was going to be late, but he'd rather be late for work and prepared than forget something and be late. Something kept ringing behind his head, making him doubt that he had everything he needed, but he couldn't pinpoint what exactly it was.
"I'm hoping he won't remember." Seven spoke softly, closing the briefcase.

"If he drank a lot then he probably won't remember..." Samuel replied, letting out a sigh of exhaustion, "Though, you started work an hour ago, no? You're already late. I think you should be worried about that instead."

Seven shook his head. He only hoped Nicolas wouldn't bring it up. Seven was hardly drunk, and he felt nervous at the thought that Nicolas meant it when he said he was doing it sober, "Thanks for the feedback." Seven muttered, gripping the handle on the briefcase and pulling it off the table while grabbing the keys to his apartment that were sat on the couch. His shoulders were tensed, and his cheeks were red, hurrying his way out the door as the two siblings followed.
"Loosen up, Seven!" Emilee jeered as she walked out of the apartment followed by Sam, feeling the fresh breeze hit her cheek.

Hearing that, Seven could only wish it would be that easy. His overthinking got the best of him and only caused him to blame himself for what had happened last night.
....

Saying his goodbyes to his friend, Seven rode a taxi to his work, leaning his head onto the window, thinking about what Nicolas could say to him. And he hated it. He hated how his mind brought up different situations and possibilities and how negative the results always were.
*I'm going to get fired.
I'm going to get yelled at.
I'm going to be given a lecture.
I'm not going to be trusted anymore.
I'm going to be demoted.
I fucked up our relationship.
He hates me for leaving. *

Showing up to his workplace, already two hours late, his heart raced. It was like going to school the next day after telling your crush your feelings for them. Though, this time, Seven felt embarrassed. He expected more of himself and he knew Nicolas expected it too. Entering the building, an employee had approached the assistant, notifying him that Nicolas hadn't arrived yet, and hearing this lifted a weight off of his shoulders walking to the lunchroom and making both their coffees.

He gripped the cups for his dear life as he stepped into the elevator, his stomach aching more than usual like something was burning. He walked down the hall, people rushing down and up the hall like it was a normal day... and it was.
What was he so nervous about?
He's an adult and should act like one.
That's what he thought.

He walked into the office's waiting room, taking a seat, letting out a soft sigh. Again, he gripped the hot coffee cups in his hands. He gazed up at the ceiling, picturing everything that had happened last night. His heart raced and his stomach danced like he was doing flips on a trampoline. He closed his eyes slowly, feeling everything - hearing everything that had happened that night. Nicolas' voice... his moans... his soft and warm touches against his skin. His right leg was bouncing rapidly like a pleased dog being scratched, only this time the assistant was more a nervous wreck than a happy dog.

"Stupid," he mumbled to himself seconds before he heard the door open, making him jump on his feet and stay still as if he was caught doing something he wasn't supposed to be doing.

The door opened, Nicolas stepping in, his eyes looking up and meeting with Seven's eyes. The CEO squinted as if trying to see who was standing in front of him. His blue eyes were dark, and the skin under his skin was puffy with dark circles.

For a moment, Serene didn't know what to do. The two stood there, staring at each other. Nicolas' hair was licked back as usual, but also strands were a bit wet giving off the fact that he had just got out the shower. The assistant so dearly wanted to know what the man standing in front of him was thinking. His appearance and dress gave off the fact that it was a normal day and his reaction to seeing his assistant was as dull as ever.
Like nothing happened.
Though... the CEO's facial expressions and the dark bags and puffy skin under his eyes were obvious and contradicted the professionalism that he was supposed to be showing.

Seven pressed his lips together, eager for a response from his boss. Nicolas turned his eyes towards the door to his office, holding the key in his right hand and opening the door. Entering the office now, the two still hadn't exchanged anything except for glances. Ochoa's hands began to sweat, and he didn't know if it was because of the two cups of hot coffee that he gripped for his dear life or if it was because he was trembling and worried of what Nicolas' first lines will be on the script.

Anderson let out a deep sigh, throwing his keys on the office desk and placing his palms on the table, leaning onto it, his back to Seven. Nicolas rubbed the bridge of his nose, feeling the needles of pain poke into the center of his forehead.
"Are you going to hand me my coffee, Ochoa, or are you just going to stand there looking stupid?"

Seven gazed down at the coffee he held in one of his hands and swallowed down his anxiety, walking towards the CEO's desk and setting the cup next to his left palm, "Sorry, sir. Uh- good morning."

"Morning, Ochoa," he responded, turning around now. His left hand held the coffee, moving it towards his mouth. He was now facing the assistant, his back leaning onto the desk, "How was your night?" he asked casually before taking a sip.

The bags under Nicolas' eyes could tell anybody that he was not in a good mood. He was tired, exhausted and it was as if Nicolas did not have a good night. Seven stood in front of him, holding his coffee and gazing at it, avoiding eye contact with the CEO, "It was a good night, sir."

Nicolas kept his stare on the shorter male, raising an eyebrow as he held the coffee away from his lips, swallowing the warm beverage, "I hope so," he smiled, placing the cup on his desk. Nicolas kept the smile on his face, reaching into his pocket, "You left this next to my shoes, Serene." Anderson pulled out a blue navy tie, looking at it in his palm, folding it carefully, "If you're going to leave before I even wake up, you should've remembered to pack your full outfit," he commented casually, handing the folded tie to his assistant, now staring at him.

Seven's eyes moved to the folded tie in the CEO's tanned palms in front of him. He felt his cheeks burn, gulping, "Yes, sir." he muttered almost shakey. He grabbed the tie from his boss's hand and shoved it into the pocket of his pants. He kept his eyes away from meeting Nicolas'. The assistant gazed at the black lid of his coffee, feeling the hard stare from the man in front of him whose arms crossed.

It was silent for a good minute, nothing but honks coming from the traffic outside the building. Seven's heart raced, not knowing what else to say. He had only hoped that something work-related could be brought up.
And surely something did.

The door opened harshly, slamming against the wall of the office, making both men jump and move their attention towards the sudden bang, "Nicolas!" a harsh tone broke the silence.

"Morning, Sir," Anderson responded calmly as if the chairman hadn't just barged into the office like an animal. Seven's tension dropped, straightening himself and turning to meet the chairman whos face was boiling, his fists clenched.

Seeing the chairman, Seven had recalled the drinking game he and his CEO had played. Remembering what Nicolas' had said about his mother and what happened during the night of her death. The assistant swallowed, not knowing whether he should see the chairman differently or just forget everything that was told to him that night.

"Where were you at the party?" the chairman asked, his eyebrows furrowing.

"At the kitchen-"

"No, you weren't Nick. Web Baze was at the party and was looking for you and your assistant." He stepped close to his son, shooting him a hard scowl, "Where were you?"

The CEO didn't respond. His eyes were narrowed, obviously not comprehending what was being said to him. Though, even then, Nicolas was slouched a bit, almost like he was being shouted to the ground. Seven saw this. He saw how vulnerable and weak Nicolas got when his father started shouting at him. He also saw how hungover his boss was.
Seven knew that the CEO didn't know what to say. He wasn't in the right mindset to think straight and he also wasn't in the right position to be yelling back at the chairman.

The brown-haired assistant cleared his throat, stealing the chairman's attention, "Mr. Anderson," he started, staring deeply into the older's males eyes, his posture straight, "It was my fault."

Nicolas' eyes widened, staring at Ochoa. The chairman turned his body towards the assistant and crossed his arms, shooting him a confused look, signaling Seven to continue his excuse.
"I tend to throw up whenever I'm at social events. I needed to be led outside for some fresh air. I thought it wasn't a big deal until I passed out in your front yard. Nicolas, luckily, was there to keep my company and made sure to take care of me." Serene's eyes gazed at the chairman's, keeping his professionalism.

Joseph, Nicolas' dad, squinted his eyes at Serene, "You persuaded them to show up, right?"

"Yes, sir," Serene answered.

"Convince them again." He demanded, turning away from his son and Serene, walking straight to the door. Serene's eyes followed him out, "Convince them to do what, sir?"

"Convince them to meet up with your boss at a dinner party of four."

The door closed and the room went silent again. Seven sighed, losing his professionalism again as his shoulders dropped to the floor. He turned back to the CEO, seeing him completely worn out, grabbing his cup of coffee and taking a sip from it.