'The good comes with the bad'
"Mom, is she really serious? She doesn't want to come with us?" I roll my eyes for the hundredth time since mom, Sav and Simmons dropped by the embassy to say goodbye to me and dad because they are going away for a week or so on a vacation to tour the country and learn more about it.
We are sending them off and Sav seems to be clingy that I go with them but I've set my mind on not having fun in this country and touring the best side of it won't be obligated on my mission.
"Mom, tell her, please. I just want to be here, you guys go on and have fun." My mother nods. She walks to me and takes me in a hug which I return.
"Take care of your father and yourself sweetheart." I nod and kiss her on the cheek.
I appreciate her for considering my choice, I turn to my sister and take her in my arms but she is not looking at me and she doesn't hug me back.
"What is it Sav?" I ask before I pull away and she keeps her gaze to the side not saying a word to me.
"What is it? Please look at me at least." She ignores that as she steps to the side and walks to the car that will be taking them and gets in.
"Ouch, trouble in paradise?" I turn to glare at my brother. 'Can't he be serious for once'.
"Please don't Simmons. And hey can you talk to her for me?" He nods and I walk into his open arms sighing.
"But before I do that for you, remind me again why you don't want to come with us?" I pull away and look up at him not understanding what is going on with them.
"What is it with you guys? If I don't want to go then that's it. I don't want to, Okay what about this? Why don't you also drop the tour plan and come to volunteer here at the embassy?"
He moves a little backwards from me raising his arms in the air. "So much of being so defensive, chill out a lit bit." he chuckles and I glare at him. "Okay, there baboon. Enjoy your miserable life as an ambassador." I roll my eyes at him.
"Yeah, same to you with your fucked up life." He walks to the car too and gets in the passenger seat. I look at Sav in the back seat but she looks away from me not wanting to look at me and I sigh as I walk back to my parents.
"I really don't feel at peace leaving you two here alone, why can't you come for a few days and at least come back later?" I look at my mother whining at my father and I find myself laughing out loud at her.
'The hell she is saying she is worried about leaving us two alone as if we are two toddlers being left home without a babysitter.'
"Mom, just go don't make others wait for you longer than it is supposed to be." She hugs my father and she hugs me for the second time. We watch as she walks to the car and sits beside Sav, they wave at us but Mom still looks worried and I feel like laughing again.
"Dad, is mom alright?" He looks at me and shakes his head.
"It's just her being a woman Lily Samantha. Stop laughing at her for caring." This time I shake my head unbelievably. 'Her being a woman'.
"Okay, daddy." I wave him with two fingers more like I salute as I walk away with a smile on my face still thinking about the statement that my dad just said. 'Her being a woman'
I walk back to the staff changing room and get back in the cleaning clothes but unfortunately for me, am met with my manager.
"Miss Adams, Where have you been? Next time you decide to give yourself a break remember that you are no longer a free teen anymore and that you have responsibilities now." I pull my head down, I thought I would go to send my family off and be back to work without anyone noticing but there goes my luck level.
"Am sorry I just went out to send my family off on their trip." He stands there looking at me not saying anything and I do the same to him.
Minutes pass with him only staring but when I break the eye contact, he clears his throat, and when I look back at him. I find him looking ahead in the hallway.
"I suggest you report to Mr Trenton Royal." 'Dang.' I forgot all about that.
I guess I thought about him so much last night then in the morning I got caught up in my family leaving that I never remembered about him.
"Yes sir!" He turns around and walks back to his office and I stay there wondering what problems he has.
Am left cursing at the disappearing figure of my manager and am annoyed by being talked to by him so that I don't instantly go back to work.
I give myself another pause and walk to the backyard of the embassy to get some fresh air.
I walk a little further and take a seat on one of the benches set in the garden at the most furthermore.
It's in August, the time of summer break but this country. I don't even know how they name their climate because to me the weather seems like it's spring break not summer at all.
Thinking about the difference I remember my friends back in America. I reach for my phone that I have put beside me on the bench chair am sitting on.
I take it and I dial my friends but when I realize the time difference I hang up because they could be sleeping and I don't want to disturb their peaceful night.
It's not like I've been here for long; it's just three days but not wanting to leave a missed call notification, I send them messages and I settle back comfortably in my seat.
I lean back and close my eyes not wanting to be disturbed in a break am rewarding myself after being scolded but I open my eyes again when I hear someone coughing to get my attention behind me.
I turn to look at who just scared the shit out of me but suddenly I find myself relieving a sigh.
"That was scary I tell you, Leila, right?" She nods her head with a smile as she walks to stand in front of me.
She is the girl that we met on the night of the gala, I still remember her because am not the type that forgets easily. She is wearing a dark red dress suit with light brown heels, she looks hot and so beautiful.
"Sorry about that but I guess I owed it to you given our first-time meeting." I slowly chuckle at that. Not believing that someone would be funny looking like she is doing right now.
"You want to sit down?" She nods again as she takes a seat where my phone is but I take it in my hands to make room for her on the bench.
"So, how has Rwanda been treating you American girl?" I look at her with begging eyes to not call me that again.
"You could say that am slowly finding my way here." She nods looking deep in thought.
"Give it time Samantha, you will surely come around and Fall in love with the place." I shake my head at that because I can't, I won't and I don't want to.
Things can't play around with one party. Each game requires at least the presence of two parties to start the game and for my game, there is only one party which is the place, and the second of me who doesn't want to come to any terms of negotiations with the other party.
"How did you find me?"
"I saw someone being scolded and I looked closer to check if the familiar figure was the one that I knew and surprisingly, it was the one and only girl from America."
"Please stop calling me that," I say and she smiles. "How are you in the cleaning crew here?" I look at her and also smile. "True honesty?" I ask her and she nods.
I look ahead of me thinking about how I express myself. "Last time when I was in here I loved the feeling I got from this building, it felt like I was back in America or more like I never left. I asked my father to get me something to do here and his secretary told us there wasn't a temporary job so I got myself this one and nobody knows except you."
"Wow," Leila says and I look at her waiting for more but she says no more so I ask.
"Aren't you going to say anything?"
She turns to look at me and says to me looking right in my eyes.
"You need to stop asking people their opinion on what you do with your life because it's yours and always gonna be, keep that in your mind." She says and I can feel the weight of her words as much as I can feel them penetrating me.
I look at her and smile at her. "Yes ma'am." We chuckle together and I find myself enjoying and appreciating her being here with me.
We sit in silence appreciating the silence in between us which is good because it's not the type of awkward one.
"So?" She says and I turn my head to look at her while straightening my arms on the bench we are sitting on.
"What?"
She pulses her lips before smiling at me, "Tonight, I am going out with my friends after work. Do you think you could join us?" I am surprised by the offer but it settles well with me.
I look at her not knowing how to form words to accept the offer.
"We just hang out in a restaurant and that is it. And it's alright if you don't want to come."
"No, gosh no! It's not that I don't want to go. Am just surprised by the offer. I mean look at you, you now want to hang with a teen girl like me." She chuckles at my reaction.
"It's no problem and I know my friends will surely love you too." I nod while smiling.
"I can't wait to meet them then," she stands up.
"Okay, am going to head back in, we still have a few more hours of work. I will meet you at five and we can go." I nod while standing up too.
"Yeah let's walk back in together. I bet my boss is looking for me for something and if he did am dead for sure."
We start working back in the building together.
"Be a good employee then?" I roll my eyes at it because it's not like am not trying.
"Wait," I say when I remember something and she stops and looks at me wondering what got into me.
"What?"
"Who is Mr Trenton Royal?" She looks at me and then starts walking again and I follow her waiting for her answer.
"Mr Royal is the hottest, handsome guy in this building. I mean he's got every girl's heart in this building without even trying. Tell me rumor got to you too." I frown because I wasn't expecting that at all.
'How hot could that guy be? Is he hot like the chauffeur that drove me on the gala night, if not then I don't see what made all those go crazy. What would they do if they saw my chauffeur?'
"Samantha?" I turn to Leila and I realize I zoned out. "Hmm, what?"
"Why are you asking about Mr Royal?" I nod coming back to our conversation.
"My boss told me he is looking at me, I was wondering if you would show me to his office." She cheers squealing at me and I look at her like she is going crazy.
"How lucky of you to get to meet him." I roll my eyes again at this exaggeration.
"Let's go I will take you there."
We walked the same way I walked yesterday and as we get closer to the office it starts drowning on me that maybe the person she was talking about is the same as who I was thinking about.
'Am Trenton Kai Royal from Toronto.' I remember the words in my head and a gasp comes from my mouth before I stop walking and hold my hands over my mouth.
"Impossible."
"What's impossible?"
I turn to Leila and I know by now I look like a ghost. "Kai, is he the Trenton Royal or is there another one." She looks at me warily.
"I think that's the one and here is his office." She looks at me and I purse my lips not knowing what to do.
"Am going to head back to my post." I nod and she walks away from me.
I stand right there for some time thinking what this would be about but not getting to anything at all I stop and laugh to myself. 'What worse could things get to.'
I pull my hand on the door and knock, I receive a come on in and I go ahead and push the door open.
He looks up at me and offers me a smile which ignites something in me but I try hard to ignore it.
He gets on his feet and signs for me to walk to him which I do and get to take a closer and clearer look at his office.
He has a big office that's for sure, there is a bookshelf behind his desk and a big window on his right which brings in a lot of sunlight as it is mid-hours of the afternoon but I can tell in its setting, that it shines its shade up to Kai.
The office floor is hard and smooth at the same time on the left beside the door office there are located two couches one facing the door and the other facing the right wall with a coffee table located in front of each.
Am still busy learning his office setting when I hear him clear his throat.
"How are you doing Samantha?"
'How am I doing really?' I scoff inwardly because I don't want to think he called me here for him and me to talk about whether or how each one is doing. I would hate to break it to him but he and I aren't close at all.
I raise my eyes to his and ask. "Is that what you called me for?" I ask and he smiles.
Last time we talked he sure had no this carefree attitude radiating from him but something about this attitude of him being in the office it's fishy.
He nods his head and takes a seat in his office chair. "Yesterday I happened to meet your father and I was surprised to learn he knew nothing of you working here as a cleaner." I raise my eyebrow in questioning.
But the expression doesn't do me right the annoyance mixed with anger is starting to rise in me.
"What does that get to do with you, Mr Royal?" I look at him and I don't think am mistaken but he looks like he wants to smile at my question.
"If you don't have anything to say then you have to excuse me," I say getting on my feet ready to walk out because I really am so annoyed to the core and the last thing I want is to deal with this stranger.
"Wait..." I stop and turn to look at him as he stands up again.
"Wait Samantha, I think I didn't tell you what I wanted you here for."
"Please sit back down, it will be really quick." I sighed and walked back down to where I was sitting and looked up at him.
He sits and folds his hand on his desk in front of me. "Am sorry if my comment just a moment ago made you sad because that was not my intention at all."
I stir a little in my seat not quite following. "Am not getting what you mean at all?" He nods leaning back in his seat.
"I intend to offer a job if you are willing." I quirk my eyebrows again. "A nice job at the top of that."
I shake my head at him. "Am not looking for one. Am sorry!" He smiles at me and am starting to find it annoying more than anything.
"Yesterday I talked to your father and he is more worried about you. I know am a nobody to him or you but am doing this for the trust he had in me to confine me. Samantha, I know you know if he finds out you are doing cleaning chores here what it will do to him." I bite my lip guiltily because I know my dad won't like what am doing but what choices did he leave me with?
I look at Kai and bite my lip harder, am afraid it will draw blood but my guilt is killing me more than that.
"What are you offering." I don't have to look up to know he could be smirking at me. Any sane person would be smirking that's for sure.
"I don't want to ask why you intend on working here but be my secretary, I don't usually need one but your ambition tells me you are what the world needs for a change." I look up at him and scoff.
"Just like that?" I ask and he repeats.
"Just like that."
I look away hating that he is taking advantage to play on my desperation but I think it wouldn't hurt to bow down and get to terms with him.
I think this would be better than cleaning toilets, offices and each angle of this building.
"What do I do?" I ask and he doesn't seem to be fazed by my question.
He just stands and walks to his bookshelf and brings a file filled with tons of papers.
"I want a copy of each of these and each arranged in order in two different files." I look at him and try so hard to bite my tongue.
"Yes," I say getting on my feet and opening my arms to scoop the file in my arms but he takes them away. I look up at him and he smirks.
"Yes, what?" He asks and I frown so I ask in utter confusion too. "Yes, what what?"
He raises one eyebrow in question. "Am your friend or something Miss Adams?" I bite my tongue and swallow my annoyance as I realize what he wants.
"No sir and yes, I will get the work done by tomorrow…..Siir." The word comes out of me as hard as an apology but he pushes the file back to me looking satisfied with himself.
I take them and turn to walk out but stop when he says again. "And I want them by 7 tonight not tomorrow."
I turn and smile at him. "Yes, Mr Royal." I think two can play the game.
I walk out and get busy finding a copying machine before I get busy with it, am lucky I know how it works as I learnt how it works back then from my father's copying machine at home.
Time flies quickly and before I know it, I feel my phone beeping in my cleaning attire that am still wearing. It startled me as my mind was miles away from here.
I find Leila's name right on my phone screen calling me.
"Girl hello?"
"Hey!"
"Where you at, it's five past working hours?" I pull my phone away from my ear and look at the time to find it 06:05 pm as she just said.
'Damn it, I forgot all about her inviting me to dine with her friends.'
"Am sorry Leila but I don't think I will be making it tonight, am so sorry."
"No don't be, please. We will try another time."
"Thank you and yes bye."
"Bye."
We hang and I frown when I realize am left with little time when am not even in the middle of my assigned work.
I put the phone into a silent
mode and get serious with work as I increase my pace by the time am done coping and arranging in order in two different files it's 9:17 pm. I have many missed calls and texts from my father asking me about what happened and where I am.
I groan and frown as I curse the stupid handsome guy who is the cause of all this.
Yes, he saved me and a part of me knows that I should be grateful but the other part of me wants to run to wherever he is and skin his handsome tanned skin into shreds.
I pick the files into my arms and walk back to his office
I expected to find it empty but the devil himself was still sitting where I left him busy in his laptop.
I walk to his desk and relay the files on it.
"Here are the files as you requested them, Mr Royal."
He looks up at me and nods once before looking back at his laptop.
"I thought I told you I wanted them at 7?" I fold my hands and clear my throat.
"Am sorry."
"You may go home."
"Good night sir."
I say and walk out of his office with a scoff. 'You may go home my ass.'
I walk to the changing room and change back into my clothes.
I walk out and frown as I pull my side bag over my shoulder as I walk on the sidewalk wondering how am getting home when I don't even know the address that well.
I reach for my phone to call my father when a nice car pulls up beside me with the passenger window rolled down. "Get in Samantha, am in the wrong parking zone."
I want to protest but honestly, what other choice do I have?
I get in quickly and he also starts the car without wasting another second.
I put on the seat belt and turned to look at him.
"This is one beautiful ride you have over here, Mr Royal." I get a chuckle at my compliment and I hate how melodically and charming it sounds in my ear.
"Well thank you over there." I smile at that.
"Not wanting to be so overwhelming or what but you seriously have a nice car." He turns to look at me and I catch the glint in his eyes.
"And I appreciated the interest you seem to have in it and I also appreciate that it is good enough to make you comfortable." I laugh at that.
"Stop that, you make it sound as if am the daughter of the first family."
"To the building we are coming from, you are."
I purse my lips together not understanding where this is leading. "To the building, we are coming from, it's a building of America and last time I checked it had its own first family and it's not mine." He shrugs his shoulders.
He keeps on driving and he says nothing else and neither do I, I just look outside the window and keep on sneaking glances from here and there of him as am mesmerized by what I catch each time.
He is very handsome I guess it's a shame that he kept his looks to himself and didn't share them with the world.
He would easily become the first highly-paid male model if he decided to pursue a career in modeling. It's a shame because he would easily put to shame many other lame models.
He has the looks, well-shaped features starting from his short trimmed hair to his feet which I haven't seen but the way he walks, I could tell it's not a flat one.
But the worst thing is that I shouldn't be thinking or seeing any of this.
"Why didn't you go with your family? To the trip." Am surprised from where this came from and to where it is going.
I open my mouth to answer but only for me to close it back not having what to say. How do I tell him that I don't want to have fun here and that all I want is to go back home to America?
"It's complicated." We stop at the red light and he turns to look at me I do the same but I feel like punching myself when my eyes fall to his sharp Adam's apple that has my mind go somewhere else than what it is being asked to think about.
"Help me understand Samantha? And if am not being too nosy, you are allowed to not answer if you don't."
I look out of the window again for some time before I turn to look ahead and realize we are reaching my house.
"I don't want to say anything."
He stops the car and looks at me but I just stare at my fingernails that are on my lap as if they are the most sight-catching thing here.
"Then may I at least ask why you are working in the embassy? I know it's not because of money or boredom." This has me raising my head to look at him to make sure he is seriously asking me that.
"I mean duh! Am working to save up because I want to be independent by the time I will leave for college." He nods his head and I feel like high-fiving myself for the sweet white lie I just sold to his face.
"Fair enough but we will have to revisit this talk because I feel like there is more to it and I..." the rest of his words are flown in the air when we see my dad opening the door and standing at the porch.
I clear my throat and turn to look at Kai. "Thank you again for the ride, I didn't know how I was going to get home so appreciate the ride. Goodnight. I will see you tomorrow."
"Goodnight." I get out of the car but so does he. I look at him to ask him 'What the hell he is doing?' but he is already walking to my father so I do the same.
He stands in front of my father and they engage in a small chat I hear him excusing himself for why we got late and how it won't happen again before he goes back to his car and takes off.
I walked into the house with my father excitedly to jump into my sister's room so we could gossip the whole night but only to be crashed when I remembered that they wouldn't be back.
I let my father be and take the food he cooked to my room excusing myself that I am tired when all I want to do is to sit and think about a certain ash blonde guy that I know I shouldn't be thinking of.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~