My eyes connected with a pair of hazel-colored eyes. Blonde hair falling on his forehead with a sharp chiseled jaw and muscles beneath the blue indigo-colored suit.
"What is going on here?" That unfamiliar man once again repeated his question. He looked quite well built and handsome but not as handsome as Norman.
Wait. Why am I even comparing him to Norman? Wait did I just called him Norman instead of Mr. Blackford? Well, it's not a problem because I called him by his name in my mind and not out loud. Well coming back to the situation.
For a few minutes, none of us opened our mouths. My mind was still composing a complete explanation and by the time I was ready with my speech someone already beat me to it.
"Let me tell you what happened here." the receptionist said to that unknown man, giving him a seductive look all the while pushing her chest to his face. I mean literally to his face. She then turned to me and gave me a wicked grin.
"You see Daniel, this mutt over here, is here to Mr. Blackford. She just simply doesn't understand that Mr. Blackford isn't interested in little girls. He always chooses well-experienced women to keep his bed warm." she said all the while giving me a malicious look.
The 'Daniel' guy gave her a disapproving look and then turned to face me. At first, he gave me a questioning look and then a look of realization crossed his face. "Are you Miss Melissa Davis?" he asked me and I simply nodded my head in response.
"Come with me." he motioned me to follow him. I slowly walked behind him but then he suddenly stopped and whirled around to face the 'fake' receptionist. Yeah, that's what I'm going to call her from now on.
"And Lena, please try to be polite to our visitors from now on. You definitely don't wanna face Mr. Blackford's wrath, now do you?" he said with a rough voice and accent. British.... maybe.
"Yes, sir." she squeaked out with a scared voice.
He then turned towards me and gave me a mind-blowing smile and gestured me to walk. He led us to an elevator and pressed the button. We waited for a few seconds for the elevator to arrive. The doors opened and 'Daniel' gestured me to follow him. He walked in after me and the elevator doors closed behind us. He then pressed the 60th-floor button. He then turned towards me and gave me small smile and said "I am Daniel Thomas, I'm Mr. Blackford's personal assistant."
I gave him a small smile and after a few seconds, we arrived at the top floor which also happens to be Mr. Blackford's floor. Daniel walked out and followed his suit. He stopped in front of a big wooden door and then turned to face me.
"Miss Davis, Mr. Blackford will see you now," he said and pushed open the doors. He entered the office I followed behind him timidly.
His office was huge, literally huge. There was a big mahogany desk with a single plush leather moving chair on one side of the desk and two other simple chairs on the opposite side. There was a laptop on his desk with some files and work materials. Everything on his table was so.... organized. From the small pencil to the files, every single thing was arranged neatly in a pattern. Maybe he is a neat freak or something or maybe he has OCD. On one side of his cabin is a big bookshelf which different types of files and on the other side is a Long L-shaped cream-colored leather couch was situated with a large coffee table on which some magazines were scattered. The entire back wall of his cabin is made up of glass which looked down upon the whole of New York. But where is Mr. Blackford? I scanned the whole room once again and finally found a figure near the glass walls looking down upon the streets of New York. The figure looked like a complete work of art. How could I miss such a wonderful piece of art?
Wait for art? What is going on with you Mel? You should not fancy him. He is way out of your league. He does not look like the guy who will date any ordinary girl. He belongs with a supermodel or something. Moreover, you're only 17 and he is way much older than you. He looks like 23 or 24. Focus Mel, focus. Just talk to him and walk out of the office. Sounds quite simple, isn't it? Easy to say than done.
"Mr. Blackford, Miss Davis is here," Daniel said to Norman and I finally broke out from my reverie. Then Norman slowly turned towards me. You know in the movies when the male lead slowly turns to face the female lead and her mind gets all haywire. Yeah, that's how I am feeling right now. He would even surpass those drop-dead gorgeous male models and Hollywood actors. He stared at me intensely and I didn't even realize that I was looking down at my shoes the entire time. They suddenly became very interesting. Daniel nudged me lightly to gain my attention. I averted my eyes from my shoes and my eyes finally met those pairs of mocha eyes and he gave me a heart-warming smile and I gave him a small smile in return.
"Melissa." He breathed out my name and my breath hitched and I swore that my heart was going to beat out of its place, judging by the speed it was racing, I felt shivers ran down my whole body. "May I be dismissed, Sir," Daniel asked with a monotone voice. His voice was totally different from earlier when he was speaking to me. All the playfulness was gone, replaced with a blank and emotionless one. Mr. Blackford gave him a curt node in response. Daniel slightly bowed and left the cabin. My eyes followed him as he disappeared behind those huge wooden doors. I finally directed my gaze to Mr. Blackford who was standing in front of me. He was giving me a look of.... is it adoration that I see? I'm thinking too much.
Stay focused Mel, you are on a mission. You have to talk to him without stuttering. Mr. Blackford cleared his throat to get my attention and I snapped out of my conflicts. "Alexio told me that you wanted to see me, is there a problem amore, is someone causing troubles, or is it something with the apartment is it not good enough? If not, then we can always renovate it....." he continued blabbering," Mr. Blackford." I tried calling him a few times but he didn't seem to listen.
So I finally did the last thing that I am not supposed to do.....
"NORMAN" I shouted out his name with all the strength inside me. As my scream died, there was complete and utter silence. Not a single sound could be heard. Not even the continuous honking sound of the busy New York traffic below us. There was a pin drop silence. My heart was racing inside my chest with fear and anticipation. Oh My God!!! What did I do? Now he is definitely going to take away my scholarship and kick me out of the apartment. I had to go and pack everything now. I couldn't believe that I would be thrown out even before I started college. Mom, Dad, Ryan, and Mia, all will be so disappointed with me. How will I be able to face them? They all expected so much from me. How will I be able to fulfill the promise that I made to Ryan and Mia? OH God, what am I supposed to do?
"Melissa, love, Melissa..." I felt someone shaking me gently. I broke out of my depressing thoughts of mine and realized that, that someone was none other than Norman Blackford. "What happened? Why were you shaking me?" I asked quietly as I tried to pry his hands off of me. Please notice the keyword 'tried'. He had a death grip on me and it didn't seem like he would be letting go of it any soon.
"I was calling you for five minutes and you weren't even responding, you were just standing there like a statue." He said while loosening his grip on me slightly. His grip was still firm even after loosening it.
"Really?" I asked. Wow, Mel, now you can't even think of a better comeback. Foolish you.
He nodded his head in response. I just mumbled a quiet sorry and gave him an uneasy look. "No need to apologize, love, now let's take a seat so that we can discuss your situation." He said. Wait, did he just called me love. I guess he did but then again it must be a slip of tongue. I was brought out of my moment by Mr. Blackford placing his hand in the small of my back and gesturing me to move forward. I simply complied with his wishes and soon enough we were in our respective places/seats. He is on his plush leather boss chair and me sitting opposite him. "So what do you want to talk about love?" he asked while staring at me with... adoration? Must be something else. I quickly brushed off that thought and cleared my throat. "Well, I want to talk about the apartment." I started off but again he cut me off. "What's the matter? Is it something with the lighting, furniture, plumbing....."
'"Stop Norman." I said while shaking his shoulders. Wait when did my hands go to his shoulders. He is so going to kill me now or worse take away my scholarship. "Melissa are you okay?" I was brought out of my reverie once again by Norman shaking me gently. "Yeah." Now I realized that he was not in his seat anymore and he was kneeling in front of me the entire time with my small hands clasped tightly in his big and warm hands. "What do you want love? Don't be scared to ask." He said while slightly increasing his grip. Not tight enough to hurt me but also not loose enough to escape. "Shouldn't you be on your seat instead of kneeling in front of me?" I asked him. "Yeah right." He said and slowly got up and sat down on his seat behind the desk.
"Actually, you see the apartment which is allotted to me is quite big for a single person." I stopped and stole a glance from him and he gestured me to continue. "And my friends need a place as they are having some problems in their dorms, so I thought that maybe they can live in my apartment for a while, only if it's okay with you," I said nervously. "Okay love. As long as you are comfortable, I have no objection with it?" he said. "You're okay with it?" I asked him with a dumbfounded expression. "Yeah, lo- I mean Melissa, anything for the comfort of you scholars. I know all of you are going to achieve great things and I have great expectations from you guys, especially you Melissa." He said with a look of admiration. "Me?" I questioned him. "Yes, you Melissa, and I hope that one day you will work for my company, only if you want though." He said. "I think we have to wait for a while to see that happen," I said and slowly got up from my seat and he mimicked my actions. "Well, I should get going now," I said and crept my hands into my jean pockets to check for my keys and phone, and luckily they were still there. I always kept my house keys and my phone in my pockets even if I carry my purse.
"Let me escort you till the elevator." He said. I nodded and he started to lead me out of his cabin. We pretty soon reached the elevator but this one was a little different than the other, the one in which I came. When the elevator arrived I stepped in and turned to face Norman.
"Bye Melissa." He said
"Bye Mr. Blackford," I replied with a wide grin.
And then the last thing I saw was a beautiful smile on Norman's face before the elevator doors closed....