GAZE

A Suitable Boy

4 months later...

It was my father’s Annual General Meeting of the company. So all the employees from various departments were invited over there. My father has expanded his business in various fields so it was a huge gathering.

My parents were mingling with all the guests. And what about me? I was sitting on the barstool chugging my wine, alone, lost in my world.

“Does the pain after a break up is that severe?” I was swirling my glass and asking myself and starting at the countertop.

In this huge gathering, I was least bothered to meet anyone. It was not like that, I was unknown, but I had no happy feeling for me. I was still mourning for that jerk.

I just completed my graduation and looking for some post-graduation course.

“Why a beautiful girl like you is sitting alone here?” A voice came from my side.

I turned to my side to look at the owner of that melodious voice.

A handsome guy was standing at my side and staring at me with his deep blue eyes.

“f**k off, I am not in the mood to talk any s**t right now,” I answered in an exasperated way and turned back my face again and concentrated on my glass.

I was moving my figures of the right hand in circles on the tabletop while holding my glass with my left hand.

“Easy girl, I was just passing from here and found you lost in deep thoughts in this lively party. I found it little weird so. I was just concern for it. Don’t mind. I didn’t have any other intentions.” That man purred and raised his both hands in surrender.

I muddle my forehead with my closed fist. Scarlett, what you have done now? He was genuinely asking you and you behaved like a nincompoop.

“I am sorry, I didn’t mean that. I was just not in the mood to talk to anybody.” I apologise to him while gulping down my remaining wine.

“But I am impressed with the way you said hello to me.” He winked at me.

“Hi, I am Gavin, Gavin Stockholms. I am working with the company for three years.” He extended his hand towards me with pursed lips.

I looked at him from top to bottom. He was not very handsome but his appearance was pleasantly attractive. Silky black hair and whitish skin and well-built physique were making him the most desirable man on the earth.

I shook my right hand with him, “Scarlett Livingston. Nice to meet you.” I was smiling and he was looking at me with jaw-dropping expression. As he has seen any ghost or alien.

“Am I looking horrible? Stop staring at me like that.” I was looking at him with a disgusted smiling face.

“Oh, so you are the beautiful daughter of the business giant. I am sorry. I did not recognise you.” He moved his lips in ‘o’. His voice was filled with apology.

“But I never saw you in parties earlier. This is the first time we met here. I never left any party unattended which is organised by the company.” He was blabbering continuously.

“To drink free and hang around,” I thought in my mind.

“Hello, Youngman. I guess I don’t need to introduce both of them with each other.” A voice came behind from us. We both turned to look at who was saying that.

He was my father. “Hello, Sir, nice to meet you here.” Gavin extended his hands towards my father for a handshake.

“Scarlett, he is a senior manager in our company and very passionate about his work. You both should meet sometimes.” My father praised him and I was listening to him with closed ears.

“We will look into it later, OK Dad,” I told my father with a dark look in my eyes. I was pissed now.

“Ok, my love” he taped on my back of the head slightly. Then he left the place.

He was aware of that after breaking up with Jaxon I was not ready to start any new relationship with anyone. So without saying much he went back.

“Can we meet for some outing? It depends on you. What do you say? It will give us some chance to know about each other.” Gavin gave the suggestion but he was little hesitating for saying that.

I thought for a while that I can give it a try. Till when I will mourning on my broken relationship. I have the rights to live happily and enjoy my life for the fullest. When Jaxon had moved in his life so why not me? So I accepted his offer.

“OK, then we will meet in this weekend. What about a full day outing? It will give us more time to know each other.” I accepted his offer. He was looking at me mesmerizingly.

I extended my hand to him, “ Friends!”

“Friends” he shook my hand while nodding towards me.

Then we collided our glass with each other and squealed in unison, “Cheers.”

It improved my mood a lot and we enjoyed the party together for the whole night.

That week passed very quickly and here came the Saturday for which we both were waiting eagerly. Before going out we both have talked on the phone one or two times to discuss the outing plan.

So he was going to pick me at 11 o'clock and then we will go for lunch. From where we had a plan for a movie and it will be followed by dinner.

I got up early and after doing my daily the routine I came down from my room.

“Hey, Mom. Today I am going to meet Gavin. May be will come late. We just made a plan so thought to tell you.” I informed my mom while chugging the water from the glass.

“Gavin,” she frowned while saying the name.

“Oh, he is the senior manager in Dad's company and we just met at the party. Dad himself told us to go for some casual meeting.” I clarified her doubt.

“Ok, until you feel comfortable with this I have no problem with at all.” She said while passing me my breakfast in front of me.

I completed my breakfast and came back to my room to get ready. I wore black jeans and pick a pink coloured crop top with the off-shoulder neck. Then put on minimal makeup as like natural beauty. I don’t love to wear heavy makeup every time like other cakey girls.

I was waiting for him in my living room. Suddenly the doorbell rang and I rushed towards it.

With a pleasant smile, Gavin entered the living area. He handed me the bouquet.

“Oh, thank you so much, Gavin, but what is the need to do it?” I took it but I was blushing under his gaze.

"Beautiful flowers for the beautiful girl." He said to me and grinning widely. I took it and kept the bouquet on the side table near the TV unit. I introduced him to my mom. My mom was also happy after meeting with him.

“Shall we go?” he asked my while extending his palm in front of me.

“Yes”, I said in excitement. Then I bid goodbye to my Mom and left with Gavin.

After driving for fifteen minutes he stopped his vehicle in the parking area of Cineworld Multiplex.

We enjoyed the movie. It was a romantic kind of movie. But it gave me some old memories when me and Jaxon we’re together. I had some dreams of our marriage and having a family but they shattered soon before I could knit my nest.

Gavin was a good companion during the movie. I was crying on some stupid emotional scenes and he gave me his shoulder and sometimes his handkerchief too. The movie finally ended and we came out of the building and headed towards the parking lot.

We were busy discussing something but suddenly we heard the sound of firing bullet in the crowd. We were among the crowd. We started running but I suddenly bumped in the hard rock chest.

I looked up but before I could react he swirled me around and point the gun on my head. I looked at my side to find Gavin. He was too struggling to get free from the clutches of those gunmen.

Suddenly he bit on the gunman's arm and punched him in his stomach very hard. He kicked on his face with his knees when that man was beating forward to subside his pain in his stomach.

He ran towards me to save me from that gunman who has pointed the gun on my head.

“You man, stay away otherwise, this girl will be out of this world.” He gave him the warning and tightened his grip around my neck and pressed the mouth of the gun so hard on my head.

“Stay away, I said Stay away otherwise I will kill her. I am warning you last time.” That person screeched dangerously.

But Gavin didn’t stop on his track. That gunman was about to press the trigger before it Gavin jumped on him on time and I felt on the left of them. Gavin's one hand was on his neck and another one was on the hand which was holding the gun.

And the trigger pressed in their scramble. I was standing with a blank expression on my face. My heart stopped after looking at the scene in front of me.