Few minutes later
"Oh, that's your cubicle if you don't remember," Josh said as we walked into the hundred-and-fourth floor of Trivia.
The elevator opened up on a majestic common hall, styled with black and white interiors. A large teak table occupied the center of the room, surrounded by chairs and bean bags. In the corner was an espresso machine and a long queue of people who can't seem to jerk off the sleep. From my own experiences as a coffee person, I don't judge my fellow coffee addict mates because caffeine is a legit fundamental element for survival after oxygen and water. There are things that only and only a cup of coffee can do!
On the side opposite to the wide array of glass windows was a plain, white wall with an enormous bookshelf leaning against it. Ten rows of colored spines in all sizes were stacked next to each other as they filled ten feet length of the bookshelf. The mere sight of the bookshelf fills me with nostalgia. Wasn't this my dream? To be surrounded by books forever and ever is a fantasy that only a few people can cherish.
Back in Seattle, Martha, my mom's youngest sister, and I frequently visited the Seattle Public Library. It merely started as a way to distract me when all the other kids from school went clubbing. Later on, it became a ritual. Martha had this group of nerds like me, and we formed our book club- 'Bookstas'- not an original one, but it necessarily explained what we all collectively loved. How long had it been since I last talked with Martha? My memory was a dead giveaway.
"Eva. In case you need anything, give me a knock next door." He winked and flashed his always compassionate smile.
"Eva, I am glad you're back." Josh said, and went to his cubicle, although I had no idea what part of marketing he was handling. I was happy to know that Josh felt that way about me. However, was he always this kind to me, or was it the accident? I could feel my heart melt away at this rate. Why did I not fall in love with this guy already? As my memory serves me, I remember to have always liked him, like a lot.
At least I had a happy thought that I could work with today. Who knows if Josh's smile turns out to be something more? My head fantasized with the thought. No more dying single.
When I was out of the bubble, reality hit me. What was my work again? I mindlessly knocked at Josh's, hoping he was not busy and still smile at me.
" How am I supposed to know what to do after three or maybe four months of binge-watching Netflix at home?" I said pleadingly, and he broke into a peal of snorting laughter.
"I am your knight in shining armor, then!" He said as his eyes smiled from his cheeks. He had freaking dimples, and it wanted to stare at him longer.
"Please be my savior, good sir!" I mimicked it in my best possible Disney princess voice I could. It didn't come out as funny as that time in theatre.
"Come, we need to check in with Amanda."Josh said I followed him out.
Was this Amanda the same one who had mood swings on the bus? Poor lady. I wonder what part of Bexley's she handled. Was she a senior editor? That would explain her lavish handbag.
"Josh, I know this is annoying, but who's Amanda again?" I asked to affirm my suspicions.
"A great person and your next best friend at Bexley's," Josh said, and I saw a faint red make its way to his cheeks.
"Oh, okay. Anything else I should know?" I asked hesitantly.
"She'll tell you when she sees you," Josh said as we stood in front of a glass door, walking down the common hall.
The carving in black paint read- 'Amanda Richards, Head of HR' as we neared the door. Okay, so Amanda the Rich was Amanda Richards, and she was Fucking head of HR ?
A video embossed in my memory played itself. I had told her that HR was stupid enough to make the employees look like they were part of a funeral. It wasn't going well. I looked at Josh, who seemed happy to assist when he knocked twice, and a sharp voice replied.
"Come in, please." We entered. Josh was a blushing mess, and his smile could barely go unnoticed. I didn't seem to like where it was all going.
"Mr. Harris, I have been expecting you. Miss Mellon, what a joy to see you here!" Amanda said in a heavy British accent.
The slight relief from the fact that I knew who Amanda was, vanished. She didn't seem pretty and nice to me anymore.
"Well, I have been waiting for you for a long time, Miss Richards," Josh said with one of his charming smiles.
He was low-key flirting with the Head of HR.
I couldn't reprimand how, all of a sudden, I was 'Miss Mellon' and she clearly doesn't show a faint hint of remembering me from the morning. We met thirty minutes ago on a bus, and Amanda was doing an Oscar-worthy act of not knowing me. To make it worse, Josh was flirting with her, and I felt like a cheap third wheel.
"Oh, Eva wanted your precious guidance on how to proceed with her work duties," Josh added, beaming at Amanda.
Precious guidance, my ass. I don't need pointers from a woman who barely remembers a friend from a morning bus ride, has frequent mood swings, and acts like she should get cast in Jane Austen's novel remakes.
"Miss Mellon, please go, and wait for Mr. Turner in his office. Mr. Harris, please take a seat. "
"Who's Mr. Turner, again?" I asked, and Josh answered in her stead.
"Why, Mr. Turner is the CEO, of course! You will find him in his office. That's the last door on the right from here." He said, too busy staring at Amanda.
Maybe it was in my head, but even Josh sounded like Amanda. The helpful, handsome face I longed for was shifted for Amanda to stare.
What a load of bullshit! I didn't like how things were turning out to be, but one thing I was sure of was that Amanda Richards was a bitch, and I must be a desperate person to have made friends with her at the time. Was I drugged to call her my friend? I scoffed at the possibility. Now all I had to do was find this Mr. CEO-Turner-whatever guy and get all the details from him.
I found myself facing a wide glass door.
'William Emmanuel Turner, CEO Bexley's Publishing.' it read, and I knocked on the door. I got no response. Was this CEO sleeping at this hour? That's pretty delirious for someone in his position. How does he operate for a publishing chain spread across 50+ countries?
"Is every other senior subordinate at Bexley's a useless piece of trash?" I said, thinking- out loud when I felt someone breathing down my neck.
I could feel the warmth of the person standing behind me radiating. The scent of his cologne seeped into the air, and a familiarity sparked in. It's the same scent from the morning. I turned around to find myself facing a man with dark grey eyes.
His right eyebrow had a faint scar, and his eyes were cold. His golden-brown locks were now tousled, compared to his perfectly gelled hair in the morning. He had unbuttoned his collar button, and the grey tie hung loosely against it. His lips were pressed in a thin line when he inched closer.
"I have been expecting you, Mellon." He said.
"And you are..." He interrupted me mid-sentence and extended his right arm for a shake.
"I am Will Turner."He said, and no sooner than I went on to shake hands with him than I felt a spark simmering in the air.
The guy who heard me cuss was the CEO of Bexley's. Of course, that's why people flock around him, and my tiny brain couldn't figure out just that! I should have known. How else would he know me by my first name? Why couldn't I think of it earlier? Because I was way too busy figuring out Amanda-bitchy-Richards. Oh, that's why. I hate that woman now, more than ever. Her and her bloody sweet talks. What if I get fired way before I start working here? Heaven's sake! I was in hot water before I knew what was happening. I pray he hasn't heard what I said.
I closed my eyes to remember a holy sermon when he knelt down, and reached near my feet. When he stood up, he had a foil packet.
"I think this is yours." He said, placing the condom sachet in my hand. He glared, and I was preparing myself to run for the hills.
"You don't plan to stand here all day in that hideous pencil skirt. Do you?" He smirked.
Oh, lord! He remembered.
I followed him quietly. It wasn't like I had any other choice!
After half an hour, my sweet illusion burst into a cloud of grey bubbles. Josh was not my dream boy, a friend but not the 'one'. Amanda 'the friend' was Amanda 'the bitch'. The worst of them all was, the handsome hotshot with expensive shades was none other than Will- CEO- Turner.
Well, everything was coming back to ground zero.