Fake (A Pretty Pill) (14 page)

The one time when he explained they could just be friends with benefits saw me getting really angry, and I pushed the fire alarm beside the door where
I was hiding.  It did the trick and I got rid of him.  I know it’s not
really
jealousy I’m feeling; Isi’s just my friend after all, right?  I just can’t stomach that guy touching her.  He’s a fucking serious whack job.

Isi just pleads with me to let it b
e.  She’s had to calm me down from going after him on no less than half a dozen occasions.  The only reason I don’t jump out and punch him when he appears is because I don’t want her to see me really hurt him and I mightn’t be able to stop once I begin.  It might scare her away.

We’re in my room at the
moment and I’m making my bed while she’s vacuuming the vertical blinds.

I bend over to tuck one of the sides in and the next thing I know is I’ve got a vacuum stuck to my ass.  It makes me jerk forward
.  A little more to the left and she would’ve been sucking between the cheeks with that thing (if you know what I mean).

“Fuck.”  I cry out.

She’s giggling.

“Oh, you’ve asked for it.” I warn.

She’s really laughing now; she’s bent at the waist and laughing down at the floor with the vacuum still in hand.  I go to grab her, intent on tickling her and she whips that vacuum up quickly and begins sucking my shirt into it.

“Get th
at thing off me.” I laugh, pulling my shirt back out of the damn nozzle.  She’s absolutely cackling now.  I can hear her throat making that wet clucking noise you get when you are out-of-control laughing.

I’m chuckling myself, but I’m intent on getting to her. 
So, I make my move by pushing the offending tube out of the way and then grabbing her by the waist and trying to tickle her along her ribs.  She squirms a bit, but when my hands slip to her stomach she manages to inform me she’s not ticklish on the stomach.  So I knock the vacuum wand out of her hand and pick her up.  I then turn and tackle her onto my bed on her back, where I proceed to tickle torture her till she’s screaming with laughter.

“EXCUSE ME
.” Ethan screams over the din we’re making.  The vacuum continues to rumble behind us.

I’m
horrified.  We were only having a bit of fun; but we weren’t being very careful, damn.  I stop and look up; both Isi and I have stopped dead still.

He’s absolutely seething.  His face is red.

“What’s going on here?” he shouts.

I look back down at Isi.  Fro
m where I’m situated prostrate over her, between her legs and with her hands on my forearms; it could be construed as, well, it kind of looks like we were getting busy.  But anyone walking in would’ve heard the laughter and the frantic shouts for release. Oh shit, maybe it looks like I was intent on assaulting her.  She was battling me back, fuck.

“Nothing.  She vacuumed my ass so I was tickle torturing her.” I explain.
  I mean the vacuum is still on behind me for God’s sake.

A couple of security guards have just rocked up.  He’s pressed a duress alarm.

Isi twists her head to look.  For some reason, our bodies are still in the same position.

“Guys, guys.  It’s seriously nothing
.  We’re friends and we were just monkeying around.” she explains.

“That’
s not what it looks like from here.  He looks like he was trying to rape you.” Ethan replies snidely.

Shit
… rape?  What the fuck?  No way, and if that’s so why hasn’t he come in and tried to get me off?  I’d understand if he truly thought that and then clocked me one over the skull; I’d do it if I was in his place.  But he obviously doesn’t think that at all and the whole situation makes me so angry, I want to jump across the bed and lay him out.

“Well, despite what it looks like t
o you, it is exactly what it is, mucking around.”  I respond caustically.

We still haven’t moved and neither have they.
  The vacuum continues its droning noise behind us and I wonder if the security guys think the same as Ethan, and if they’ll back up his claims.  It makes me sick and now I just can’t move properly at all.  I’m momentarily frozen to the spot, frozen in fear that I’ll be formally accused of attempting to rape my friend.

“Pete, go and get Dr Jensen.”  Ethan demands.

And now I go to move.  I want to reason with them, but Isi grabs my arm.  I look at her to see her shaking her head slightly, her eyes are wild.

“Don’t fucking move
.” Ethan shouts.

“What?” I ask
, looking back up at him.

“We’ll see what the doctor has to say.” he explains.

Fuck, the only thing I can be glad about in this moment is that I have told the doctor for the last two weeks that I’ve made a close friend, a close female friend.  But I had always refused to tell her who.  Maybe, just maybe she’ll believe us.

“This is fucking stupid.” I growl.

He just gives me a look that demands supernatural intervention.  I can see his immense disapproval and seething anger bubbling underneath his carefully constructed façade.

I look back to Isi.

She’s fearful, but she’s calm.

“I’m so sorry.” I say.

“It’s okay.  It’s not your fault.  I shouldn’t have vacuumed your ass.” she says, and despite the predicament she begins to chuckle.

“Don’t you dare start to laugh.” I warn.

“Did I nearly get your poop hole?” she spurts forth a laugh into my face.

“How old are you?” I chuckle.

“Right now I’m channeling a ten year old boy.”  She giggles.

“Hence the poop joke.” I laugh.

I know Ethan is saying something to us, but we’re out of reach of him at the moment, with the vacuum still droning on and both of being stuck in that bubble she’s told me about.  I like it in here with her.  We can pretend that the outside world just bounces off, leaving us to talk and laugh by ourselves.

She’s giggling about the way I jerked forward when she vacuum sucked my ass, and I’m threatening to drop a luegy on her face if she doesn’t shut the fuck up, when I see the wizened hand on the bedspread.

I look up slowly to see Dr. Jensen’s slightly disappointed look.  I peripherally notice Isi move her head underneath me to look at her also.

“Your very dear friend happens to be a member of staff.  That’s why you wouldn’t tell me who she was.”  She sighs.

I nod.

“From here it looks like he was forcing himself on her.” Ethan spits.

Dr. Jensen sits down on the edge of the bed and sighs.

“Can I move now?” I ask.

“Of course.” she says looking at me quizzically.

“Ethan told us we had to stay the way he found us.” I reason.

She gives him a look.

“I wanted you to see what I came upon.” He grumbles.

“Was the door open?” she asks.

Both Isi and I say yes immediately
; as she sits up and I sit next to her; we both turn to face Dr. Jensen.  Ethan takes his time to reply, but he says yes eventually.

“Well at least that’s something.” she says.

“This is highly unprofessional at the very least.” Ethan starts a new tactic.  He’s now focusing his fight on Isi.

Dr. Jensen begins to rub her temples.

“Shit, I’m so sorry.  It’s not Isi’s fault.  She kept telling me she’d get into trouble if I hung around her, but I just ignored her.  I mean I really like her, I wanted to hang with her.  You know what I’m like when it comes to friends Dr. Jensen.” I argue.

“Are you two engaged in a sexual relationship?” she asks.

“No.” we both say.

She raises her eyebrows, but she nods.

Ethan feels the need to offer up his beliefs on mine and Isi’s situation, regardless of whether or not we want to hear them.

“
That’s not what it looks like to me, and he’s a kid.  He’s a horny kid and she should know better than to fraternize with kids.  She’s 25 years old for crying out loud.  She’s 6 years older than him.” He sounds out his disgust.

O
nce again I’m gobsmacked.  I don’t even see the age thing myself and if I wanted to date Isi, that would be the last issue I’d consider.  Actually, as it stands, the only thing that has prevented me from entertaining more with Isi is the fact that Shae walked out on me only sixteen weeks ago; although it now seems like a lifetime ago.  But I must admit that because of this woman, I’m the happiest I’ve been in six months.

“You’re 32 and it doesn’t stop you offering to fuck me in a friend with benefits
type of arrangement.” Isi contests.

Well done Isi,
you fucking tell the asshole.

“It’s natural for the guy to be older
.” he returns.

“Bullshit
.” Dr. Jensen states, getting up to turn the damn vacuum off finally.

We all stare at her.  She sighs
and shakes her head.  “This is not optimal.  Isobelle is contracted not to fraternize with the patients in an emotional or sexual attachment.  I’m sorry to say that this attachment, if not sexual, is definitely an emotional violation.” she explains.

“But it’s not her fault
.” I argue.

“She’s the one with the power in this situation.  It’s about protecting your vulnerability.” she explains.

I’m starting to breathe fast and I’m shaking, “Please don’t do this.” I plead.

“I’m going back to my
office; I want to see you both there in two minutes.  Ethan, off you go; I’ll have your report and talk to you later.” she says.

Ethan smiles broadly and turns and leaves with the security guards.

Dr Jensen turns to us, I’m still shaking.

“Stop stressing Silas.” Isi says, placing a hand on my arm.

“Yes, stop stressing out so much.” Dr. Jensen suggests.

“But your work Isi,
I’m so sorry.”

“You two,
one minute now and then I expect the two of you will be at my office door pronto.”  Dr. Jensen advises, and then turns around and leaves.

“Isi?”

“Please Silas, it’s just not worth it.” she says softly, lowering her hand till she’s holding my hand.

“I don’t want to lose you;
I really can’t lose someone else this soon.  I’ll seriously do something fucking stupid.”

“You’re not going to lose me
.  I’m your friend.  You’re stuck with me for life.”

“Are you making a promise, or are you just saying that to make me feel better.”

“You’re an insecure moron sometimes.” she says, ruffling my hair with her other hand. “You can’t get rid of me now.  I need you to make me laugh.  It’ll be bloody lonely in my bubble without your visits from time to time.” she smiles.  She stands and pulls me up.  “Come on; let’s see what the good doctor wants to say about me getting the sack.”

“Shit
.”

“Settle Silas
.”  She says, reaching up to readjust her ponytail that has come loose from our
‘fraternizing’
.

***

“Sit down both of you and close the door Silas.”  Dr. Jensen demands.

I close the door and take the seat beside Isi.  There’s a desk between us and Dr. Jensen.

“Now, this is a unique situation.” She begins.

“I’m sorry.
I’m just so, so sorry.”  I lament.

“Silas,
if you can’t shut up, I’ll tape your mouth shut.” Dr. Jensen stresses.

I nod.

“Now Isobelle is unique, she’s here as a cleaner yes, but she’s also a war veteran on a pension if I’m not mistaken.” she states.

“Yes.” Isi confirms.

“Which means she has some issues of her own.”  She offers.

“Yes.” Isi agrees
quietly.

“Post traumatic stress if I’m not mistaken.  I’ve watched you over the last 12 months.  I know it’s true.”

Isi just nods.

“So,
it’s hardly likely that you were trying to abuse a power, because you were equally powerless, in my opinion.”  She says.

I’m excited,
“So she won’t lose her job?”

“I’m afraid that’s going to have to happen.” she reasons.

“Why?” I ask.

“Because I hardly think that Isobelle wants her private business bandied around.  Isn’t that right Isobelle?”

“Yes, I’d rather the staff not know about my own mental health issues.”

“Well if this goes any further – the board of directors will be involved and looking into Isobelle’s background, and yours
Silas, before they decide her fate.” Dr. Jensen explains.

“This is so fucked
.” I growl.

“I have a proposition though.”  Dr. Jensen begins.