...Call me Mr. Josh

charming

"Zaya, one day, my knight in shining armor and my prince like Prince Arthur or Lancelot will come in a horse amidst a raging battle and take me away to Mother's cottage."

She smiled dreamily, tucking Zaya, her teddy, closer to her chest. She seemed to want to live her life waiting for her knight in shining armor.

It was a bright Monday morning, judging from the bright light that beamed through her thin pink window curtain. Pink was her favorite color; her room wall was painted light pink from the subtle white color it initially had. This was evident in the rough painting carried out since Mr. Josh, her father, would not waste a dime on a painter, and she had little money for it too.

The topmost wall to the ceiling still retained its white painting since her hands could not reach it. With the double color and linings of brushes, it looked like a painter's palette. However, she did not mind.

She turned around and laid on her back facing the ceiling with a little smile on her round, dimpled cheek – the only part, aside from her round eyes, that radiated beauty. Her nose seemed too small for her face and her mouth was a little large. Regardless, anyone can be consumed with her alluring eyes and dimpled smile.

"Adreenaline!"

She ignored the call.

"Adreeenaline!" The voice came again, this time louder than the first.

"Yes, Mr. Josh," she replied with a feigned sleepy voice.

"Isn't it time to do something worthwhile with your life today? The whole of California is awake already."

That has been Mr. Josh's early morning verse and routine for the last twenty-one years. Andrenaline always needed someone to wake her up; otherwise, she didn't mind remaining in bed the whole day.

She left the bed and went over to the wall mirror beside the door.

"Gosh! How messy."

She frowned at the state of her long blonde hair and wondered why it didn't stay all relaxed whenever she woke up like those actresses. Do they have a hair routine that keeps their hair in place even after waking up? She thought.

She climbed down the wooden stairs into the small living room that also serves as Mr. Josh's study.

Mr. Josh sat beside his table, smoking a pipe.

"Finally, Guinevere is awake," he remarked when he saw her.

"Mr. Josh, firstly, do not call me Adrenaline. There is an N before the D. Secondly..."

"What's the difference? I don't know why your mum gave you such a weird name. It is a hormone for...er..."

"Emotions, yes. But it's not it. Come to think of it, that could be the reason why I emit different emotions."

She lazily walked to the kitchen to get a cup of milk.

"Young lady, there are no more groceries in the kitchen. You have to get dressed and go over to the mall. I already called his assistant to report, so someone will be waiting at the mall for you to pay for your shopping."

"Dad!"

"I prefer it when you call me Mr. Josh. It's more civilized." He remarked, looking away from her pouty face and looking around for the TV remote.

She had no choice but to do as told, or else they would go hungry for the rest of the day. She just doesn't understand the fact that he prefers not to work but live off some rich dude whom she has never seen.

With the way he spends, even her meager salary from working as an office messenger at Zinn's media house can not keep up.

"I have work to go to." She retorted.

"I already called in sick for you, so..."

"Dad!" She couldn't believe the extent he could go. Not that it was surprising, but she expected change.

"Mr. Josh, please" he cut off nonchalantly, "besides, you don't like working. So I'm doing you a favor."

She studded disappointedly upstairs.

***

It was a 50-mile journey from her part of Santa Rosa to Oakland, where she would meet her supposed shopping assistant. Though she hated going on these lowly errands, she was grateful for the opportunity to visit Oakland and its business.

She would have preferred cycling her cute pink bicycle, but would probably have spent the whole day and would be so worn out by the time she had arrived at the mall. Therefore, the bus was better.

"I think it's high time I got a car," she said standing in front of the busy mall looking at teenagers driving in with fancy cars.

"It's moments like this that I wish we were rich and had all the luxuries,"

She sighed.

What does my dad do with all the money parcels he receives from the mystery man? She was so much engrossed in her thoughts that she bumped into a teenage boy giggling hands in hands with his girlfriend.

"Hey! Miss, watch where you're going." He shouted angrily.

"urm...erm... Sorry, I guess" she said almost nonchalantly.

"You guess?" he asked, looking at her like she was crazy.

"Oh hello?" she started, "would you want me to bow to you? If you weren't giggling so much and losing focus, you would have seen me in time to divert. But no, your interest was somewhere else just like mine. So I don't see why I should be the only one apologizing" she shrugged.

"Looking at you, I can see you're filth. Go get a life, will you." He spoke into her face.

"Oh come on! Your spit is all over my face. How stinky! I think you need to check your brain too."

The last statement provoked the boy who was almost walking away. He turned around for a comeback but was held back by his girlfriend.

"Let it go, Ryan."

"Yes, Ryan! Listen to your girlfriend and be a good boy." She shouted after him.

At that moment, their banter had attracted attention as people stared at them. The boy made to come back as he was visibly irritated, but...

"Hello, miss Andrenaline"

A polished gentleman in a black suit who should be in his late twenties greeted her calmly. Caught by surprise, she stammered as she tried to control her emotions that were riled up by the banter.

"oh, erm, ohh...hi"

She stretched out her hands hastily for a handshake, but he refused to take it.

"Oh, I see." She said feeling embarrassed.

"Your father informed me that you would be here one hour ago. I've been waiting for you."

There was a tint of disappointment in his voice, but his demeanor remained as calm as it was.

Would I be scolded by him? She thought to herself not knowing what to say. Since she was not about to say anything, he cut to the chase wondering what kind of girl she was to create an unnecessary scene at a mall.

"Since you've wasted a great deal of my time, I advise you to hurry up with your shopping. I need to report back as soon as possible."

That was not the first time she had met him. He has always been in charge of their shopping whether with her or her father, which was at least once a month. After each shopping trip, he was responsible for driving her back home. A murderous journey filled with silence and unease. He always had the 'business only' attitude and did not waste his time on chitchat.

"Do you have a name?"

She once asked him while driving home because the silence was killing her.

No response.

"Mr. Can you hear me? Are you wired to only talk when necessary?"

No response. His eyes were intent on the road as if even a slide nod would cause an accident.

Hmmm, I give up. She sank back to her seat.

She made her way to begin shopping as he followed her behind like a bodyguard. It was putting her off so she had to speak out.

"Mr. Can you wait for me here while I shop? You don't have to keep following me inside the mall like a puppy, you know."

Her statement affected him as his countenance quickly switched from calmness to irritation. She could see his brows knit in anger. However, his reaction made her smile.

"I beg your pardon miss." He bit down on his lower lip hard to avoid another episode of banter with her.

"Okay. Make it snappy then."

"Yes," she raised her hands in imitation of a child who got his favorite snack.