CHAPTER 10: HAY-DACHE

Hayden looked at Jessica sheepishly. “I came to apologise,” he muttered.

Jessica snorted. “Huh! I’m not the one you should be apologising to,” she remarked as she gestured towards the direction Flora went.

He forced a smile at her and excused himself.

Jessica silently wished him luck as she saw him go after Flora.

Hayden knocked on Flora’s door nervously. Flora pretended to continue with whatever she was doing, ignoring him. Sighing, he knocked again. Not bothering to look up or at the direction of the door, Flora picked up her phone and dialed Jessica’s number instead.

“Hello,” Jessica answered.

“Arggghhhhh!”

“Flora?”

“He’s outside my door. Make him go away,” Flora moaned into the phone.

Jessica burst out laughing. “He’s only there to apologise,” she told her friend.

“I don’t want him to apologise. I want him off the face of this earth,” Flora growled.

“Give the poor guy a break,” laughed Jessica.

“Oohh...I’d like to give him a break all right. I’d like to break every bone in his body,” Flora grumbled.

“Good, good. Why don’t you do that,” Jessica chuckled.

“Oh shit!” Flora exclaimed and slammed the phone back onto the hook.

“What?!” Jessica asked but all she got was a dead tone.

“How long have you been standing here?” she glared at the figure in front of her.

“Sorry. I just wanted to come in and say I was sorry,” mumbled an equally distressed Hayden.

“I asked, how long have you been standing here,” Flora repeated sternly.

“Err...” he looked down at his feet to avoid Flora’s penetrating stare.

Flora pretended to follow his gaze. “Something interesting down there, is there?” she asked scornfully.

Hayden looked back up to meet her eyes. “Look, I came to apologise for all the trouble I’ve caused you. My friend was the one who made the report.”

Flora shook her head. “Sexual harrassment. I can’t believe you sued me for sexual harrassment.”

“But I’ve drop all charges...” he protested.

“But you still DID sue me for sexual harrassment!”

“I’m sorry,” he apologised again. “My friend...”

“Your friend, your friend,” Flora interrupted. “Well, I hope this friend of yours is going to support you for the rest of your life ‘cos you’re finished in this industry, you hear me? F-i-n-i-s-h-e-d. Finished.”

“Please Flora, please. I’m really, really sorry,” pleaded a close to tears Hayden. “I’d do anything. Anything. Just please don’t kill my career.”

Flora eyed him devilishly. “Hmm? What was that you said?”

“I said I was sorry,” replied the poor confused boy.

“No...there was something else you said.”

“Err...What did I say?” he asked. “Ohhh...” realisation suddenly dawned upon him.

Flora smiled evilly at him.

“Anything. Anything at all...” whispered a totally defeated Hayden. “Ermm...Flora...” he continued hesitantly.

Flora shrugged. “Hey, it’s your choice. You decide.”

He nodded listlessly and walked out of Flora’s room like an aimless zombie. Flora grinned to herself. She had him by the balls.

As soon as Hayden had left, Jessica burst into Flora’s room. “What happened? What happened?” she asked excitedly.

Flora chuckled as she lifted her hand and slowly brought her fingers together in a fist. “I’ve got him where I want him.”

Jessica shook her head. “Poor guy. Now I feel sorry for him. Remind me never to get into your bad books.”

Flora grinned at her friend. “C’mon, let’s get out of this place. I’m dying for a drink.”

“Well?” Steven asked Hayden as he got into the car.

Hayden just shook his head gloomily.

Steven sighed. “Don’t worry, we’ll think of something,” he said as he ran his finger across Hayden’s forehead to flick away an imaginary wisp of hair.

“Oh my god! I don't believe it! Would you take a look at that!” Jessica exclaimed.

“Hmm?” Flora mumbled.

“Your nine o’clock.”

Flora turned to her left, just in time to see Hayden behaving a tad too intimate towards his guy friend sitting next to him in the car.

“It figures,” Flora sighed disdainfully.