Throughout the night, Hazel couldn't stop thinking about how she would face him after she accepted the job. He was the high and mighty Logan Bart- CEO of the Bart advertising company and the entire Bart's group at large. In the entire country F, the Bart group still comes second to none in everything,both influence and affluence and regardless who it was,they could step on anyone's toes and still be apologized to. While on the other hand,she was a single mom, a nobody when it came to power and the sort.
She was suddenly taken aback.
What does it take to live in a life of affluence? Of course,it was working. She had to work and forget the goddamn Logan Bart. As long as she worked,she would be able to earn money and live cozy and support her child. If she had a choice,she would not have considered the Bart advertisement company in the first place but she had to stick with the bird in hand. Due to racism and other factors,she might not get an even job in the next one year or so. It was her decision. To live and let go... She couldn't let this opportunity slip off her fingers merely because there was a CEO she disgusted. Afterall,he might never recognize her again. Not just about her face,too much has changed that he just might never realize it was the same Hazel Anderson from three years ago.
***
The next morning appeared without warning. Hazel had slept a little late and as a result, she overslept. She quickly dressed up and hailed a taxi. After arriving at the office,she was introduced to Sara. Sara was the lady she met yesterday with a pair of foxy eyes and pointed nose. She was such a beautiful lady but with surprisingly rude temper.
" Ms. Hawkers,this is Ms. Hazel Anderson and she is the new intern at your department. Please,take care of her and ensure she has a good work environment." Mr Lawson Gunter introduced Hazel to his niece with a smile plastered on his face.
" Ms. Anderson, you are still new here. Ms. Hawkers is your head. If you need guidance on anything, don't hesitate to ask her and I'm sure she will be more than happy to help. "
Hazel nodded and stretched out her hand towards Sara for a handshake. " Ms. Hawkers, please teach me more in the future." She smiled. Sara sized her up and sneered without taking her hand.
" Please follow me."
In a few minutes,they arrived the marketing department. Sara called the attention of everyone and said with quiet empathy," Everyone,we have a new intern in our midst. Please teach her more in the future."
There was whispers amongst the other employees as Sara walked into her office leaving Hazel standing all by herself. No matter how she thought about it,this Ms. Hawkers just seems to have something against her. And that,she couldn't exactly pinpoint. After she helped herself to her desk,she was assigned to so much workloads that she couldn't even have time for lunch. The most amazing part was the way everyone looked down on her but didn't stop piling so much work for her to do.
At the end of the day,she was not just tired but also famished. She arrived home and found Casper waiting for her at the door. He seemed to have seen when she arrived too." For real,I thought you were going to sleep at the office. It's pretty late you know.." Casper implied as he followed behind Hazel while she opened the door.
" I'm exhausted and famished at the same time. I really can't talk to you now." Hazel brushed it off and sat down to remove her heels.
" Take your bathe, I'll be here waiting. We're going out to eat. My treat!" Casper incited.
" Okay. " Hazel agreed. Infact,she was too tired and couldn't think of what to make so she just wanted to take chances. If it's going to be his treat,why refute?
In a jiffy, Hazel has come down. She wore a grey tank top over a blue straight jeans. Her blonde hair was a shade darker as the moonlight night casted a gentle glow over her already pretty face, Casper was forced to compliment her once more.
" I didn't expect you to be prettier in the dark."
" You sure know how to be petty, don't you?" They had their hands interlocked as they walked down the street.
" I'm not always like this... I don't compliment women. It's just-" Hazel interrupted him with a quiet chuckle, "what? I'm a man? And you compliment men?"
" Casper was dumbfounded. He locked eyes with Hazel and for a split second,he wanted to be intimate with her but she just broke it off as she cleared her throat noisily.
" We're walking a straight ten kilometers,is it? Why aren't we getting there yet?" They were walking slowly but Hazel was already fatigued. She had already had a stressful day at work.
" You're tired. Let me carry you." Casper bent over in front of Hazel. She chuckled loudly, " Are you not scared of passing out? I'm so grown and yet you want to carry me."
" Just get on before I change my mind." Casper sneered.
" Okay. Change your mind already,I won't call 911 when you faint,you know..." Hazel answered with a snide remark.
" You are just calling me weak. Even if you're two times this,I will still carry you on my back." Casper insisted as he pulled Hazel and she smiled ingratiatingly as he carried her on his back.
She quickly reminded him, " There's no ointment in my house."
" What's that? I didn't say I needed ointment. Besides, you don't have much of a weight. Eat more lately, you'll be losing a lot of weight now that you've started working." Casper uttered in a husky voice.
Hazel just hummed,a happy feeling engulfing her being. No one has ever cared for her and it felt so normal for her take care of everyone around her but now that Casper was being caring towards her,the kind of joy that surged in her was immeasurable.
In front of the restaurant, Casper finally stopped and Hazel came down.
"Wow,I have never being here before." Hazel confessed,as she admired the design of the western restaurant.
" I know. It's a new place." Casper smiled ingratiatingly.
" You know,newly done restaurants like this can be beautiful to sneak peek but their meals are always too expensive." Hazel retorted
" Hmm. I didn't know about that. We should probably look somewhere else." Casper smirked.
" You wouldn't have stopped here if you didn't have money to purchase something from them... I am already tired from walking, you know." Hazel complained with a perpetually tired voice.
" What do you mean? Have you forgotten you promised to treat me to dinner once you get a job,this is gonna be your treat. Well,now that we know the meals here could be expensive, why don't we leave? I know a dessert shop downtown,we can go there." Casper suggested in a rasping tone.
Hazel scoffed loudly.
" What? I'm actually considering you now." Casper highlighted.
Hazel took a deep breath. " We'll both go home and fix something to eat for dinner. Let's go now." Hazel frowned. Just then,a middle aged woman hurried out the door and smiled at the two of them.
" Such a beautiful couple." The woman complimented as she cupped her face.
"We're not a couple." Hazel protested.
"Madam,my wife says this restaurant's dishes are pretty unaffordable. We'll just go downtown." Casper chimed in from the side.
"Ah ha! Is that the case? You're are a new customer and new customers here have a discount to whatever meal they buy. Plus,there is also a discount for newlyweds." The woman giggled.
Casper and Hazel looked at each other. While Casper was grinning from ear to ear,Hazel fumed.
" Please come with me." The woman seized the opportunity and dragged them into the restaurant. She brought them to a large table and set it up with many different dishes that Hazel has never tried before. Hazel was so hungry and wanted to delve into eating,when Casper winked at her, " How much is in your purse?" He asked playfully.
" You brought me here so you'd better be prepared to pay for our meal or you can just take up a hobby to work here." Hazel mouthed as she first gulped down a glass of orange juice.
"Juicy." She commented and proceeded to cut the pizza into her mouth,she moved to the hollandaise sauce muffin, again she tried the chicken wings.
" Sumptuous!" She mouthed while everything seemed to go down her throat as though she hadn't eaten in days. Casper smiled as he watched her eat. She looked at him from the corner of her eyes and sneered, " I understand you are afraid of washing the dishes for them when we can't pay for all these. Well,you should try some,at least,to do work,you need just enough energy.."
" I am shocked the way all those food seem to find their way into your mouth. How many days did you go without food or water?" Casper twitched his brows as he scrutinized her.
" Nonsense! The dishes here are very tasty. You can try some,I promise I won't leave you here, we'll do the dishes together and get out of here." Hazel promised.
" I don't think we need to do dishes, didn't the lady just now say we could get a whole lot of discount as a couple?" Casper raised an eyebrow. Hazel choked on her food, coughing violently. How on earth did that just roll out his mouth freely. Hazel thought inwardly. However,she just shrugged off the thought,after all,this chapter of happiness was just opening for her and she didn't have the guts to continue being in the shadows.