My entire body froze in shock. I gawked at him owlishly. This was so not how I planned to meet him. I was not prepared. I looked a mess.
"Are you alright?"
His baritone voice barely penetrated my panicking mind. My heart was not only racing in my chest, it was pounding loudly in my ear.
"Hey!" He spoke a little loudly to get my attention.
"Yes," I croaked blinking rapidly at him.
"I asked if you are alright?" He slowly muttered as if trying to jog my retarded mind.
I nodded.
"Good. Then I can set you back on your feet," he smiled at me.
His smile made me realize two things: How freakishly handsome he is. No surprise there. I mean look at his wife. His beach blonde hair was cut to perfection with no strand out of place, his blonde brows carved, his pale grey eyes that makes one feel like they are staring into a mirror, and his smooth square jaw.
And the other thing was the position we were in. He caught me bent backwards and staring at the sky, or rather his handsome face as he was slightly leaned above me.
I nodded still unable to coordinate my lips to produce a word.
He gently straightened us both and I flew out of his hands like it was hot.
"Thank you," I whispered staring to the ground. This was turning out to be the most awkward situation I have ever been, and judging from my line of work that is saying something.
"You are welcome. So where was the fire?" a teasing light gleamed in his grey eyes that made me blushed hotly on my face.
I opened my mouth to say something when I saw my file scattered on the floor. It was the documents Amelia wanted me to take along with me to the interview.
They must have fallen out of my hand when I crashed into him.
"Excuse me," I said and bent down to pick the documents up. He surprised me when he bent to help.
As we were picking up the papers our hands reached out at the same time to grab the same paper, and mine arrived a second too late, falling on top of his.
My entire system froze for a second at the hot contact between our flesh. I quickly withdrew my hand as if scalded and apologized hotly without looking at him.
"It is okay. I don't mind such a soft hand on top of mine," he flirted with a twinkle in his eyes, that brought a hot feeling to my cheeks.
We stood at once and then his eyes looked down at the document in his hand and then lingered when he realized what he was looking at. He raised his eyes to me, a look of slight surprise, and pleasure in his eyes. "You are here to interview for the position of my secretary?"
"Yes, and I am late. Sorry," I took the document from his hand and raced off.
I ran through the revolving door, to the lift and pressed the numbers with great sense of urgency, a look of agitation on my face.
This was going terribly wrong, I muttered to myself worriedly. I was visibly panicking. Staring up at the lift anxiously like that will make it come down faster. I smacked the buttons again harshly hoping to get it to move its lazy ass.
Nothing was working. It was still stuck up there.
"Arg!" I hissed in frustration and then looked around for the stairs.
I found it few distance away on my right and I raced off in that direction. I was going to the second floor, the HR floor. I figured I could make it without my heart given out on me.
Big mistake.
By the time I got to the third flight of stairs I was panting like a zebra, and I still had two more to go to reach my destination.
The song, I am survivor I am gonna make it, fleeted through my mind giving me the courage to forge ahead.
Finally I got to the floor and I nearly collapsed from exhaustion. This the most I have ever strained myself physically.
Shit! My heart was pounding like a war drum in my chest. I gave myself few minutes to recover and then made my way towards the waiting room.
I had just arrived when I saw a group of people heading towards me. They were all formerly dressed, wearing a confused angry look on their faces. From their dresses and age range I presumed them to be the interview group though I wondered where they were all going.
I looked closely at everyone heading in my direction trying to pick out a friendly face I could ask what was going on.
My eyes fell on an almost albino guy wearing glasses. He had a geeky appearance and was walked apart from the pack.
He will make a comfortable target.
I stepped aside as the pack passed by me, but then got the attention of the almost albino guy.
"Hey, excuse me."
He turned in my direction, looked at me and then looked behind him as if checking to see who I was talking to.
"I am talking to you," I said politely.
"Oh," he sounded surprised as if not used to girls talking to him. "How can I help you?"
"What is going on?" I gestured with my eyes in the direction they have just come.
"You are here for the interview, as well?"
There was a slight inflation to his voice as if interviews aren't meant for people like me.
"Yes," I answered curtly, my displeasure at the insinuation in his voice obvious in my tone.
"I am sorry, I didn't mean to be rude. Just that you look like an actress than someone wanting to be a secretary," he stammered nervously.
He looked honestly afraid that he had offended me with his words which pacified me, and secondly he just paid me a compliment so that gives him a pass.
"No, I am not actress, but thank you though for thinking that," I smiled at him to put him at ease.
He smiled back shyly, before answering my question.
"The interview was cancelled."
His words sounded like he just dropped a bomb.
"Excuse me," I looked at him in disbelief hoping that I misheard him.
He nodded his head wearing a confused look on his face as if he too was perplexed with whatever happened.
"Why was it cancelled?" I demanded sounding like a maniac. Inside me I started to panic wondering what I was going to tell Amelia.
The guy gave me a worried look and then answered. "I don't know. No explanation was given to us. They just came out and told us to go home that the CEO has found a secretary."
Shit, my face paled, as my knees grew weak.
"Are you alright?"
I looked at the guy and nodded. "Yeah. Thank you," I muttered through a forced cheer.
"Happy to help, and don't worry another job will come along," he said kindly and walked off.
"Yeah, and I will be attending the interview from the grave," I mumbled to myself and followed after him.
We both entered the lift together.
As we rode down the guy kept sneaking look at me like he wanted to say something.
"Is there a problem?" I politely enquired forcefully stopping myself from snapping at him. I was not in the mood to be gawked at in a creepy fashion.
He shook his head. But still his expression was like someone who had something on their mind.
"Will you please spit out," I finally snapped.
"Will you have coffee with me?" the guy blurted out in a rush.
His words surprised me, which reflected in my expression.
"Excuse me!"
His expression went down. "Never mind. A girl like you will never go out with someone like me," he mumbled to himself.
I shook my head at him and felt pity for him.
"I will have coffee with you," I muttered in a soft tone. It is not as if I have anything to do afterwards, and I don't want to be alone with my thoughts.
"Really!" he looked at me with excitement and shock.
I forced a smile in his direction and nodded my head.
We both found a cafe to relax and talk, and boi can he talk.
As soon as we got our coffee and sat down he kicked off and told me everything about him. His family, his school, and how he has never had a girl friend.
In the middle of his tirade a call came in into my phone. It was Amelia calling.
My heart summersaulted into my stomach. I didn't want to pick it but she was the perfect excuse to escape this nightmare I brought upon myself.
"Excuse me, I have got to take this," I got up from the table parked my stuff and hurried out of the cafe.
I felt a little bad for ditching him. He will survive, but my sanity wouldn't had I spent a second more having to listen to his boring chatter.
Amelia kept calling all through my drive home, and I ignored all of them.
When I get home I will call her back, I told myself ignoring another call that came as I drove into my building parking lot.
I opened my apartment and walked in. When I turned on the lights I screamed at the sight of Amelia sitting calmly on my sofa with a glass of wine in her hand.