Faking Love

CHAPTER 3

NEHA

I give a nervous chuckle, cheeks on fire. "Um, okay?"

Um, okay? What is wrong with me! Why can't I deal well with men like 'these' without acting or sounding nervous?

Suddenly, he sobers up. "Sorry, er, please pardon me. Forget I even said that."

My mouth forms an 'O'. Well, that was easy.

"Do you work here?" I ask the man. I wouldn't exactly call him a man, but he could be counted as one.

He wore a white polo shirt with Bermudas and Adidas Superstars. I had to stretch my neck in order to look at his face. His blonde hair were gelled to perfection, his forehead gleaming in the sun. He had a real 'Wow' worthy skin. And his eyes. . . I had never actually seen eyes like those in real life. They were the lightest shade of blue, like the colour of a book I owned. The eyes lashes are so think and naturally curled that I feel my lips forming a pout.

I want those eyelashes!

He tilts his head, and his eyes brow rises a notch. "You're pouting," he states the obvious.

I clear my throat, swallowing the jealousy. "I think my lips are naturally like that."

He looks at me funny. "My brother could help you tell what's the nature of your lips."

Huh? "I beg your pardon?"

He shakes his head, smiling. "Are you here to shop? I can guide you since there's a possibility you might get lost in this building. It's a huge one."

I couldn't agree more with him.

"Do you guide the customers, by the way?" If he really did, I bet women just came here to enjoy his company and good looks instead of actually shopping because oh boy, he is really handsome.

He throws his head back on a husky laugh. "God, no. I know the Boss here. He is actually my best friend so I usually spend my time here."

Just then, a very angry lady storms out of the automatic front doors, her heels striking against the clean marble. My head snaps down. Marble? The floor is marble! How rich is the owner of this boutique!

"She looks not in a good mood," I cringe away from her when she passes us, hoping like mad she doesn't hit us with her purse.

The man/guy sighs heavily. "This man is going to get us in trouble," he mutters to himself.

Something behind him catches my eyes. 9:25. Time. OH! That's a clock, warning me I have 5 minutes to get myself in there!

And suddenly, I am panicking.

"I was here for the interview!" I shriek. "Can you please guide me to whoever has to take it? Please?" I think I was actually gonna fall to my knees if he hadn't nodded and asked me to follow him.

"Just act cool around him, will ya?" he winks, making me laugh.

The elevator doors open. My jaw falls on the floor in utter shock. This floor is straight out of a fairytale. Fairy lights are lined on the floor, creating a path to walk towards. . .

"Yep, that's my best friend," Danial chuckles wickedly beside me.

Standing some feet away is a man and believe me when I say a man. His hand has frozen midway folding his cuffs, eyes glued to me.

Wrong, a voice echoes in my head. It is wrong to check him out. Stop staring at him.

I dart my eyes away, looking anywhere and everywhere except at him. Although I didn't let myself gape at him for longer, the little contact of eyes was enough to tell how out of this world he was.

His hair were a deep shade of brown, looking almost bronze underneath the lights. His eyes are gray- ish, but one could be mistaken for the lightest shade of blue. His nose perfect, and he even had a scruff worth a few days.

We began walking in his direction. I felt clumsy, like I'd just fall flat on my face anytime.

"Assalamoalaikum," he cleared his throat before greeting me. We exchanged greetings and then I didn't know what to do with my hands.

I always don't know what to do with my hands when I'm nervous.

So, when Danial spoke on my behalf, I heaved a sigh of relief, closed my eyes and looked down.

"She is here for the interview. Should I show her the way to your office?" he asked the Boss whose name I don't even know.

"No, you can do that. I have more important business to attend," his heavy voice muttered.

I dared to look up at him, catching him frowning at me. I think it's the dress or the head scarf that bothers him. Maybe both. At this point, I really don't know.

"But—"

Boss cut him off by holding up a hand. "No buts, alright? Just keep in mind, if she stays," his eyes give me a once over, "this dressing leave."

Of course. Of course he had to have an issue with my dressing.

I gritted my teeth in annoying, trying to surpass my anger.

"Ilyas," came a warning sign from Danial.

"What? I thought I made things clear by adding the requirements about the dress as well," Ilyas narrowed his eyes at me.

At this moment, I was seething. And he knew that, because his eyes were dancing with delight, although his lips were pressed tightly.

"Do whatever you were going to do before we interrupted," Danial waved a dismissive hand in the air. "I'll just interview her on my own. And must I say," he stepped closer to Ilyas, "if she tops my expectations, she stays."

Ilyas looked at Danial in shock. Obviously, his best friend just defended me and damaged his ego. I want to pump my fists in the air, but I really needed this job and Danial to help me get it.

After all, Ilyas was still the boss here.

He scoffed at Danial. "Whatever, dude. You're lucky I consider you my brother, or otherwise you wouldn't have been standing right here. And neither would have she," he pointed a finger at me.

I wanted to twist it into nothing.

What an arrogant prick.

As he left the floor, I loosened up, and blew out a breath I didn't realise I had been holding for all this time.