BullsEye

Chapter Nine

Days to the FIRMFAIR drew closer and closer as Brenda and Ross alongside Valerie and the rest of the staffs prepared tirelessly towards it.

"Could you explain to me why your clothes are all packed in my suitcase?" Brenda asked barging into Alexa's room with a handful of Alexa's clothes she held together in both hands.

"What does it look like? I'm coming with you" Alexa replied camly getting into her bathing robe.

"Alexa...." Brenda sighed.

"You can't tag along this time, this is a serious business trip and I need to be focused and not have my attention divided worrying about you in the middle of my presentation. Atleast I know you'll be safe here and you might just get bored over there. Stay back at home..... Please" Brenda gently explained sitting by the edge of the bed dropping the clothes on the well laid bed.

"I have made up my mind, I'm coming with you, I'll sit on the wing of the plane if I have to." Alexa replied with serious determination.

"C'mon Alexa" Brenda pleaded sinking her face into the pillow that now sat on her lap.

"C'mon Brie, I'll behave, I just want to be there to support you, I won't get in your way, you won't even know I'm there" Alexa pleaded back squatting down to her knees and taking Brenda's face in her hands.

"I promise" She added when Brenda didn't respond.

"Fine.... But pack your own suitcase!" Brenda agreed gently hitting her with the fluffy pillow.

"And please take out that shimmering jacket! And pack up something more uhhh corporate. It's a business trip not some disco vacation" Brenda added eyeing the glimmering pink jacket that stood out amongst her pile of clothes.

"Hey! I'm Nineteen for crying out loud, you don't expect me to possibly own any of your kind of Granny coats" Alexa retorted shielding her pink coat behind her back.

"You did not just call my expensive leather Jacket a Granny coat" Brenda bit back

"Yes I did and I don't own any of those" Alexa replied giggling.

"Well, I could probably stop by at the boutique after work today and get you one or two or perhaps you could just pick one from my closet, I have alot of them" Brenda informed her.

"I'll just pick one from your closet." Alexa concluded after momentarily weighing the two options.

"It's all good then" Brenda replied nodding.

"Is Valerie coming too?" Alexa asked rising to her feet from her crouched down position and tying up her hair into a high messy ponytail.

"Yes" Brenda replied simply.

"Oh my God!! It's going to be so much fun!" Alexa screamed.

"No fun, Business!. Oh and yeah?.... Ross is coming too" Brenda said as she stood up to leave.

"Who's Ross?" Alexa asked looking in her direction.

"You'll see" Brenda replied with a shrug as she glided out through the door.

"I'm going to get ready for work, I'm running late....... Again" Brenda added on top of her voice as she walked towards her own room.

She had a quick shower, got dressed and left her room for Alexa's.

"I'm leaving!" Brenda announced as she popped her head into Alexa's room.

"Where'd she go?" Brenda wondered to herself as she looked round the empty room before closing the door and heading downstairs.

"Do you perhaps have a few minutes to spare for breakfast honey" Mrs Cruz called out to her as she held the knob of the front door about to fling it open.

"A quick bite wouldn't hurt" Brenda replied grinning as she checked her wristwatch.

Brenda hopped over to where Mrs Cruz stood beckoning her to come over before they both went into the kitchen and Brenda had a nice breakfast of toasted bread and scotched egg.

"Where's Alexa?" Brenda asked putting the last piece of egg in her mouth.

"I don't know honey, she was in the living room about five minutes ago, she's probably outside." Mrs Cruz replied as she stirred something cooking in the tiny pot on fire.

"Alright I'll be leaving now, I'll see y'all when I get back, bye" Brenda said now exiting the kitchen.

"Bye, have a great day at work" Mrs Cruz replied smiling softly.

"Good Morning ma'am" Tyler greeted as she stepped out of the house.

"Morning" Brenda replied with a bright smile at him as he held open the door for her.

"What are you doing here?" Brenda asked as she got into the car and found Alexa already seated in the car all decked up.

"Uhhh.... I'm going to see Susan" Alexa replied after a long period of silence.

"Who's Susan?" Brenda asked searching her mind for anyone named Susan.

"The girl from the office, you know, the one who took me round on a tour when y'all were on your meeting" Alexa narrated.

"Oh" Brenda said finally remembering.

"And why are you going to see Susan?" Brenda asked looking at her with a raised brow.

"Uhhh.... We haven't quite finished out Tour" Alexa replied sharply.

"You just wanna come with me to the office don't you?" Brenda replied smirking at her sister.

"Quit whining and strap on your seatbelt will ya" Brenda added as Alexa tried to say alot of things in her defense.

"Hey Valeria" Alexa greeted as they got to the office to meet Valerie packing up some files on her desk.

"It's Valerie for heaven's sake" Brenda bit back rolling her eyes.

"I still don't see the difference" Alexa defended still waving before running off into Brenda's office ahead of her.

"Good Morning" Valerie greeted chuckling as she approached Brenda for a brief hug.

After six months of working with Valerie, Brenda concluded it was safe to say Valerie wasn't just her Personal Assistant but also a friend as she didn't really have much friends growing up unlike Alexa who had tons of em.

"You look radiant as always, you all set for our trip?" Brenda asked Valerie.

"Yeah I'm all set." Valerie replied nodding vigorously.

"Very well then, I have news for ya" Brenda said in a low voice.

"What news?" Valerie asked wearing a confused face.

"Alexa's coming with us" Brenda informed her placing two fingers over her head and another over her temple.

"It'll be so much fun" Valerie squealed giggling at the thoughts of it.

Valerie eyes were now the size of a doughnut as she brought up various ideas "We could go swimming, shopping or perhaps go watch a movie or maybe we could-"

"We are going on a BUSINESS TRIP! This is not some kind of vacation" Brenda replied cutting her off.

"But we could stay a day or two after the whole business thingy, just the three of us right?" Alexa asked appearing from behind Brenda.

"Who's gonna finish all the work pilled up in my office if we both are away partying on some mini vacation" Brenda asked Valerie.

"C'mon Brie, a day off won't hurt" Alexa replied trying to convince her while Valerie nodded firmly in support.

"Well, it sure does sound like fun though" Brenda replied considering the idea.

"Is that a yes?" Alexa asked wriggling her well carved eyebrows.

"Fine" Brenda agreed rolling her eyes as Alexa and Valerie exchanged high five's and made silly noises doing what they both tagged as their "victory dance".

"Oh and you probably shouldn't do that in public, you both look ridiculous." Brenda told them pointing at the unnecessary movements they made with their feet.

"Excuse me Ladies" A deep male voice called out from behind their trio.

Brenda immediately froze with instant recognition of the voice that replayed through her mind all week.

She suddenly felt weird as both Valerie and Alexa now stood properly facing him and she still had her back to him.

She finally found her senses and slowly turned to face him like a remote controlled doll.

"Hi" he whispered revealing his dimple and perfectly arranged white set of teeth as he smiled nervously with all his attention fully on her.

"Hi" She replied back feeling suddenly awkward as she silently hoped her voice was audible enough for him.

"We should definitely head out for some pizza, right Alexa?" Valerie asked Alexa holding out her hand towards her.

"Yes definitely. Pizza. Sounds perfect" Alexa replied nodding and taking Valerie's stretched out hand fully understanding her cue to give them some privacy.

"Bloody ass Betrayals"Brenda thought to herself as she listened to their hurried footsteps till the sound of their heels faded away.

"Who even goes out for pizza first thing after coming to work?" Brenda said to herself sending glares at the door they both disappeared through leaving her all alone with this fine young man "oh yes... He's still here" Brenda reminded herself pulling her eyes away from the door and resting them upon his Hazel pair.

"I'm sorry I interrupted you guys, maybe I should've come another time" Randy apologized scratching the back of his head.

"No it's fine" Brenda assured bravely moving closer to him covering the outrageous gap between them.

"I was wondering perhaps we could both go out on a date when you return from your trip you know, to celebrate your victory on a...... dinner night? with just the two of us" Randy asked with both hands in his pockets rocking back and forth on his heels undoubtedly nervous.

"Why are you asking me now if the date isn't until next week when I return" Brenda spat out instantly regretting her choice of words.

"Well because I wouldn't want some Mr Fancy Pants sweeping you off your feet over there before you return back sooooo...." Randy explained calmly looking anywhere but her face as she blushed at his response.

"So what if I don't win? The date still on?" Brenda innocently asked

"Certainly, but I'm very well sure you'll bag the title. You are amazingly intelligent, a fast learner and your determination is on another level." Randy replied now looking a bit relaxed as he stretched forth his hands and took hers in them.

"I'm so going to melt right now" Brenda internally screamed as she looked down at their intertwined fingers.

"So, what do you say, Friday okay with you?" Randy asked stopping their slow steps and looking into her eyes as he now directly stood in front of her still holding her hand.

"Friday is great" She replied momentarily going over her schedule in her head.

"Perfect. I'll be looking forward to it" Randy replied softly smiling down at her now taking her second hand in his.

"We could both go out for coffee right now if you're not busy" Randy offered.

"I would love to, but I have a meeting with Ross to finalize our arrangements" Brenda replied feeling sorry for declining and inwardly smacking herself for scheduling her meeting with Ross this early.

"Alright, Friday it is" Randy concluded letting go of her hands.

"Friday" Brenda repeated already missing the warmth of his hands on hers.

And with that Randy pulled her in for a hug, it was really brief but not brief enough for her not to notice his hard muscles that sent a jolt of electricity down her spine.

"Have a safe trip" Randy whispered before releasing her from his hug while she only just nodded in response trying to recover from the vibrations his thunderous voice sent to her body.

"Thanks" She simply replied standing upright as she realized she was probably shaking like a Jellyfish.

She stood there watching him as he turned to leave, moving with so much ease and charisma as his broad shoulders moved in proportional movement with his legs.

"Aww, they looked so cute together" Alexa Cooed pulling Brenda back from her interesting imaginations.

"You both should definitely get married" Valerie advised fan girling them both.

"And you both should definitely name your first daughter Brandy" Alexa added giggling with Valerie proudly after successful mixing their names while Brenda's cheeks burned a deep red as she blushed at the thought of having a daughter with Randy.

"She's blushing"

"She's blushing"

They both chorused giggling even louder as Brenda fisted a piece of paper she snatched from a nearby cabinet and sent the paper ball flying in their direction.

"It's time for my meeting with Ross" Brenda informed them waving her hand dryly as she turned to leave.