Chapter 2
1146 Words
The storm raged outside the luxurious condominium. Incense burned that ventilated the room with a musky scent of warm vanilla that lulled her to sleep. She was having a terrible nightmare. A well-endowed figure of a lady was in her silk nightgown and was sleeping on her side. Her body was twisting and turning, both hands gripped the sheets till her knuckles turned white. Her eyes squeezed shut as she tries to sleep. Heavy rain poured violently as a roar of thunder struck. The girl sat up, stunned by the clash that ringed in her ears. Her face in horror like she saw a ghost. She wasn't afraid of the lightning, but she feared the nightmare she had. Beads of sweat on her head that made her red locks wet. She was panting in exhaustion. She took a few breaths and reminded herself that it was just a dream.
'The same dream again. Same face that I don't recognize...'
Her head turned to look at her window. It was still dark. But she refused to return to bed.
She looked at her reflection in her vanity. She looked like a mess with her dishevelled red hair and her blue nightgown strap slipping from her shoulder. She sat and fixed her appearance. She slipped on her night-robe atop her nightwear that hung on her wardrobe to warm her cause it was a chilly night. She exited her bedroom. Her feet light on the ground, not making a sound. The neighbors were still sleeping.
She went to the kitchen to prepare grilled cheese sandwich and her orange pulp juice from the fridge. It was the weekend, but she still has work today. She bathed, smelling like lavender and dressed in a pencil skirt and a blush colored puffed long-sleeve that emphasized her curves, and blow-dried her damp hair.
'Time for work.'
She turned her keys to start the engine and drove to work. Caught in traffic. The traffic-light switched to green, but the cars in front of her didn't move. She honked repeatedly. a phone rang in her purse.
"Hello?"
"Tab, where are you?" Her colleague Amy shouted, her voice in panic.
"I'm stuck in traffic, Amy!" she replied in a defeated tone
"Hurry! The meeting will start any moment!"
"I thought the meeting was this the afternoon?" She asked her, hoping the early meeting was a mistake.
"David changed his mind." she answered
'God, why now? Why?'
She bumped her head at the steering wheel.
The phone beeped with a notification pop-up. a text.
[MOM]
[Come home. Let's talk.]
She turned the wheel, her car bypassed the obstruction and arrived at the XIA building. A tap on the glass door. It was Tabitha. She pulled down her skirt that was riding up, exposing her inner thigh. David put a gentle smile at his face and opened the door, letting her enter.
"Glad you could join us, Ms. Clawford."
"We are just starting,"
A massive relief as she let go of the breath she was holding. She sat next to the empty seat to Amy. They were both was an enormous asset at the company, both her and Amy.
A few hours in, the meeting ended. Tabitha settled to the front counter with Amy. Both had their work cutout for them.
David called Tabitha to his office.
"Come in." he called out as she entered, hugging the clipboard in her chest.
David was working with his black-rimmed glasses on. He was typing. He looked at her for a second.
"Tabitha, can you please clear up my schedule for today?" He requested, still looking at the screen of his laptop.
She nodded and exited his office, started doing phonecalls and rescheduling his appointments.
Amy stretched her arms and looked at Tabitha
"Tab, wanna grab go for a quick bite at the cafe?"
She checks her wristwatch. It was 1:56pm.
"Sure! Lemme just save this." with a few clicks, she closed her laptop and went with Amy.
"Sooo.. What's new?"
"What do you mean?"
"You know? News about you that, I should know about?"
"Nothing much."
"Hm, really?"
"Really."
"If you say so."
"How about we talk about the new guy in our team,"
"Huh? what new guy?" she baffled
"Huh? you don't know?" He's the guy undressing you with his eyes during the meeting."
Tabitha tries to recall the guy Amy's talking about. Then a guy with a long-sleeve polo pants and loafers pass by them.
Amy went quiet and nudged her elbow to point out the guy.
"That's him."
The guy was a tanned, handsome, robust man with a trimmed beard. Blonde hair slicked in a man-bun. He went to the counter to order. Amy was gooey-eyed, hawking him like a predator. Tabitha didn't get how Amy could easily captivated by the man's attractiveness. She sipped on her milk tea and took a bite of her blueberry cheesecake.
"You have a boyfriend, you know?"
"Shush! Don't ruin the fun!"
"Doesn't this count as, you know? cheating?"
"If it is, then won't we all be cheaters in our dreams?"
"You have a point."
They laughed with glee at the rationality of the joke.Their lunch break had ended and both of them went back to the office. David called Amy to his office.
While Tabitha was working. A gentleman came close to the registry counter to talk to her. It was the guy at the café that she and Amy were gossiping about. But she didn't notice him coming.
She was still busy. She slightly tilt her head and massaged her shoulder to relieve her backache. He stood there amused. Then he went around her to the back counter and massaged her.
"Ah, that's the spot. Thanks!" she assumed it was Amy that was massaging her.
"Feel better?" A husky deep sexy voice came out. She jolted and turned around to find out who that voice belong to.
"You."
"Hi, there." He flashed a smile that would make any girl swoon. She blushed at the gesture but she distracted herself by coughing intentionally.
"How can I help you" She replied trying to maintain her composer.
"I just thought I should introduce myself properly since I'm new here."
"I'm Leo Khan." He said reaching out for a handshake.
"Tabitha Qweensland. Nice to meet you, Leo,"
She shook his hand. He then pressed his lips to her palm greeting her like a lady. She knew he was flirting but she dismissed his advances.
"I should get back to work." She said politely.
He nodded his head at went back to his station. Amy witness a part of the scene and looked at her with a smirk.
She smiled at her and rolled her eyes playfully.
"Tell me later?"
"Later." She responded promising details of the scene to Amy after work.
- Writer
