'Noni, you are going to be late. You are going to be late. I told you not to watch late night movies. I warned you, now look, you are screwed'
I flew up the stairs of the Oil City Police HQ, scolding myself for being tardy for my promotional interview. I couldn't wait for the elevator, and now I was running up those flights of stairs to reach the 10th floor.
"Man, this is a lot more time-consuming than taking an elevator." I realized, stopping to catch my breath.
'Too late now, I've already started, I might as well continue to the end'.
I scratched my feet on the ground, like a bull getting ready to attack.
*Huff*
Steam coming out of my nose and ears…
'I think… emm, nonetheless- BLAST OFF!'
I zoomed up the stairs, moving as fast as I could towards the tenth floor.
'Floor five… Six… Seven… Eight… Nine… Oh, God, I'm almost there'.
I looked at my watch in that slit second, two more minutes, I can still make it. I can…
He opened the door and stepped into the stairway. I saw him but I couldn't stop. I was too close. He wasn't moving. His eyes were glued to the screen of his cellphone.
"Get out of the way!!" I yelled at him.
He looked up, but he didn't react in time….
I crashed into him, his lips brushed mine. We smashed into the ground.
Two minutes passed into three, still none of us were getting up. The collision was so hard that I blacked out for a moment. The whole stairway was covered in the papers I was carrying and his phone, nowhere to be found.
He didn't seem to be so much affected by the hit because he got up at the third minute, dusted himself and started down the stairs, his eyes peering all over the place, probably searching for his phone.
"Bastard," I muttered under my breath. He is the reason for this, and yet he left me without even bothering to come and give me a hand, or maybe say 'sorry' at the very least.
Never mind, this is not the time to be upset by a fool, Noni. You still have an interview to meet…
I dragged my sorry self off the floor, picked up my papers and continued my journey up the stairs. But I wasn't running.
'The DPO can yell all day for all I care, I'm not running anymore'
With that resolve stapled to my heart, I walked into his office fearlessly. Immediately he saw me, his lips parted to release what could possibly be the SCOLD OF THE CENTURY but…. No words came.
He closed his mouth and looked away, then. Then he blushed.
I was stupefied.
'What in God's name?'
Wait, am I that attractive? I reek of the corn pie that I ate yesterday. I'm too short for my age. I still have obvious marks of chickenpox on my face. I suck at makeup and today, I wore the same clothes I wore last week and I don't remember washing them.
What in hell did he see that made him blush? Does he have x-ray vision? None of the clothes I am wearing are made of lead, so…
Eh!!!
I screamed in my head.
'Pedophi… I mean pervert!'
Unconsciously, I took a step back. We were in his office, alone. What if he tries something?
Many thoughts were running through my head all at the same time. I was so distracted that I didn't notice him standing up until he cleared his throat, drawing me back to reality.
My gaze fixed on him, waiting to know his next move. He spoke.
"I guess this job is so tiring for you because I can't think of another reason why a decent lady like you would come to work so tattered and half nakedly dressed."
"Huh?" I quirked my face, utterly confused.
'Half what?'
His words came out so oddly that I couldn't interpret it instantly. Then it came to me.
'Half naked?'
I looked down.
'Unholy SHIT!!!'
I covered my chest immediately.
Three buttons, Three freaking buttons had disappeared from my shirt, I was practically naked.
'And I was walking into his office… and I was all around the place like…''
The shame weighed on me. Instantly, I felt like Christian in Pilgrim's Progress, but unlike him, I had enough stamina to zoom out of his office.
****
"Thank you so much Marie, You are a lifesaver," I said to her from behind the toilet door.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever, just get dressed up so you can get back to your interview," she replied.
Her voice sounded a little distant, so I took a quick guess; she must be by the bathroom door. When I stepped out, I was fully clad in her bogeous white t-shirt.
Funny really, because she was quite skinny, yet she wore clothes three times her size.
Marie smiled at me with her thumbs up.
"Sexy."
I let out a scoff.
"Stop, okay, we both know that's not true."
I increased my pace and got to her. She opened the bathroom door and we both left the place.
Where her office was, was on the same floor as D.P.O's so I had no reason to stop following her. We walked a little until we got to the elevator. She pressed the button, the door opened and we both got on the elevator. Immediately, the door closed, she broke the silence.
"Come back home. My apartment has never been the same since you left."
Her initial whispering voice increased.
"And I already broke up with that bastard!"
Then it fell into a whisper again.
"Even told the police about his drug deals. He was arrested last week."
A painful smile graced my lips.
"How can I go back there after everything that happened there?"
"N, I…"
"Don't worry"
I turned to meet her gaze, a big booming pretentious smile on my face.
"I'm fine. It was high time I learned to live on my own anyway."
*Ting*
The elevator opened, we stepped out.
"See you at lunch."
I ran off immediately. Racing towards the D.P.O's office. In my heart, I was so full of anger.
'Prison, that's too good for him. He should burn in hell'
I got to D.P.O's door and stopped.
'Noni, calm down, you can't change your mood because of him. He is not worth it. He is worthless.'
I opened the door, walked in and closed it behind me. He was sitting opposite his usual position when I came in. Someone was sitting in his spot.
The D.P.O stood up and turned to me.
"Noni, the interview will be postponed till further notice."
"Oh really?"
A look of disappointment spread across my face but, in my mind, I was literally leaping for joy.
"Okay Sir." I bowed, every bit of my expression, hiding my true feelings.
"Then, see you another time Sir."
I left the room.
(Events that occurred in my absence)
"Who is She?" the man asked the D.P.O.
"Her name is Noni Drew. She is the Head of the Infiltration Department."
"And the interview?" He asked again.
"We are considering making her head of forensics for now until we get a replacement. She has showed great intellect in that aspect through out the time she worked here."
"Oh so she will be working directly under me," he lifted his hand and touched his lips… How troublesome.