Chapter One

Olivia

 

"It'll be nice if for once you'll loosen up and come with us, Liv." Hannah moan sprawls over my bed. The two of them are knocking on my door nearly taking it off its hinge just to try to pick me up.

College life had just ended a couple of months ago, and the duo has been spamming me with texts to hang out. Having enough, they drop by my apartment hoping to drag me out of my apartment.

I feel bad for turning them down all the time and making all this effort just to ask me to go out with them is a problem.

Projecting my most sincere voice, I tell her, "I can't, Hannah. I've got an interview today, and it's a huge one."

"And here we are hoping that we can steal you." Jen chimes in.

"I swear you'll kill yourself too early with your workaholic obsession,"

If anything, Jen knows when I really cannot go with them. She may be annoyed that I keep declining, but she understands. It's not like Hannah doesn't, but she's more persuasive and doesn't know the word give-up.

Jen got to her feet, pulling Hannah onto her feet as well. "We both know that Livvy won't budge so we might as well save our energy, Hannah."

Hannah pouts like a kid who doesn't get her way making Jen roll her eyes at their friend.

The two look almost like twins. Jen is a petite woman while Hannah is leaning more on a slim body. They're both tall with sun kissed skin, and sea salt blond hair. They are almost identical in height. Everyone mistakes them for twins but Jen has a greyish tone in her blue eyes where Hannah is leaning more on cornflour. I'm the outcast from the three of us. Small, curvy, with reddish brown hair and my fair complexion. I look like a cuddly bear with my matching soft curls. So much further than my two model looking friends.

"If you promise to treat us if you get a job, I won't hold a grudge against you, Liv." Hannah bargains, certainly not one to leave without a fight.

"I've not accepted yet." I point out.

Hannah frowns, "That's precisely the reason. And it's not like it'll be hard for you to get in."

I sigh, "I hope so."

"All the best to you, Liv." They chorus despite having to go without me.

I got a message from them five minutes after they left.

I hope you have fun with your summer, Liv.

There's a bitter note at the end of Jen's statement, and I can't blame her for it.

Getting ready, I head towards the shower, letting the warm water beat softly on my back helping my tense muscles loosen up.

I take a long relaxing shower, and after I'm done, I wrap the fluffy towel around my body. Barefoot, I pad towards my connecting room, heading straight to my closet.

I pick a white floral polo shirt along with my smart black pants. Then I settle in front of my old vanity mirror and start with a natural look I always go for at events like this. I don't fuss with my hair much, letting it tumble over my shoulder as it dries naturally.

With a pair of green eyes smiling back at me, I give myself a pep talk before making my way towards the house key hanging at the back door of my room.

On my haste, I run into a wall or so it seems.

I stumble on my feet, but a pair of hands steady me before I fall right on my butt and make a fool out of myself.

"Woah. Are you okay?" a deep baritone asks.

My eyes slowly raise up from a pair of hands that catch me to the stranger's blue eyes looking into mine.

He's wearing a simple shirt and wash out denim jeans that compliment his powerfully built body. He's not wearing something extravagant, and yet somehow, he makes it look like it's branded clothes he's sporting. It doesn't help that his midnight black hair is messy but in a good way. It's like he just woke up.

Remembering myself, I mumble, "I'm sorry, I wasn't looking."

Those eyes study me as if searching for the truth in my words. Then his stormy blue eyes brighten up I swear it's abnormal.

"If my gram finds out I'm not looking to my surrounding, she will chaste me with a baton and heat me with to death."

A laugh escapes my lips, surprising myself.

"And you know what's worse? She doesn't care who's around!"

I laugh harder, easing the stomping elephant in my stomach and making me forget about the big boss I will have to face later in the interview.

I frown, "I'm the one at fault." I point out.

"That's beside the point. She doesn't see it that way." he smiles, winking at me.

For some reason, I feel at ease with him making me smile without me knowing.

Catching a glimpse of my watch, I look at the time.

Shoot, I'm running late.

All of a sudden, his hands drop, making me miss the warmth that's there a second ago.

He scratches the back of his head, causing his biceps to flex.

Without knowing why, I let him know that I have an interview today.

His brows raise up. "That's good news. Well, good luck!"

I smile. "Thank you. I need that."

He says that he just lives around the corner and that maybe some time we can have a proper introducing each other. I agree despite knowing that there's a fat chance that our path won't meet again.

*

Luke

 

I am thinking of a way to deal with my father when I see him a little later when I crash into someone. To be exact a woman. My hands reach out right away to catch her, catching her by the waist.

"Woah, are you okay?" I immediately ask.

A pair of emerald green eyes meets blue ones, taking me aback. Those almond shaped green eyes blink at me in confusion, frowning. For a moment, I thought that she would bite my head off for nearly crushing her. But I am momentarily surprised when she says...

"I'm sorry, I wasn't looking." a small voice mumble.

She's shorter than most women I'm always with and far curvier. But she seems bigger than her size with the way she carries herself. Her head held high, her eyes meeting mine directly. Defiance burns in those eyes, yet she balances it with politeness.

My brain stops working for a second that I just say whatever nonsense I can think of.

"If my gram finds out that I'm not paying attention to my surrounding, she'll kill chaste me with her baton."

A chiming bell escapes her lips, the corner of her eyes crinkling with a smile.

I repeat something stupid just so I can hear her laugh once more, finding myself anticipating to see the laughter in those eyes.

Unconsciously, she looks at her watch as if she needs to be somewhere really important.

I drop my hands, remembering myself.

Scratching the back of my head, I once again apologize for the incidence.

"I have an interview to be right now," she says, nibbling on the bottom of her lips. She does it thoughtfully not realizing the things she's doing to me.

Clearing my throat, I say, "Well, good luck."

I watch as her figure fades out, only then I move out of my spot. Those emerald green eyes memorize me; she captures my interest the very moment those small pink lips open.

"Well, Luke. You have an interview to conduct yourself so get your sorry ass moving." I tell myself, standing on one spot like an idiot.

I'm pretty sure that paparazzi will like a glimpse of me looking like a lunatic staring out into space. It's something they like to make a big deal of in the news these days, giving my father small waves of a heart attack each time.

 

*

Olivia

 

 

I end up taking a taxi instead of a bus. It makes my wallet cry, but at least, I will get to Hemmington early.

 

Looking out the window, I watch as the trees roll by in a blur until skyscrapers replace the trees.

 

Ahead of us, the Hemmington building can be seen even from far away. Only in that moment have I feel the reality.

 

This is it...

 

Butterfly’s fluttering inside my tummy. I'm both excited and nervous.

 

I had always dreamed of to be a part of an organization to share ideas with. I love collaborating with new people and learn something new from them each time. That's what I’ve been doing all my college life.

 

I know deep inside; I have what it got inside me, but I can't help but feel nervous. This is far more serious than the part-time jobs I've worked in the past which only consists of waiting tables and other small jobs.

 

Not realizing that we're already there, the taxi driver snaps me out of my thoughts.

 

"Ma'am?" he looks at me through the visor mirror expectantly.

 

Quickly searching through my bag, I hand him a fifty note.

 

I linger inside for a couple of seconds, torn between heading towards the building or turning back home.

 

The driver follows my gaze, looking back at me.

 

"First day of work?" he asks, motioning towards Hemmington company.

 

eyes sweep to him. "I have an interview."

 

He nods slowly. "I heard that the owner's son would be taking over soon. Everyone despises him." The driver has a disappointed look in his eyes, shaking his head.

 

I choose not to say anything. The CEO's family is not what I come here for, and I better be thinking of what I will say before meeting the big boss.

 

Thanking Mr. driver, I got out, watching the taxi fades in the distance.

 

Taking a deep breath, I follow along a sea of businessmen rushing to get to their rightful place. I take note how everyone seems to be on their phones or too busy with their thoughts to notice people around them.

 

This is the life I have to get accustomed if by chance I get to work in Hemmington group. There's nothing like the lively, West Virginia I grow up to where everyone knows everyone.