Getting myself back

I need to do an internship?

"Arianna!"

The raven-haired sixteen-year-old snapped her head up quickly. She blinked continuously, adjusting her eyes to the bright light. Laughter erupted around her, but she ignored it like she always did, already knowing they were laughing at her. In front of her desk stood her teacher, Ms Melissa, or Missy as Arianna commonly called her.

"Is it totally necessary for you to fall asleep every day, especially in my class?" Melissa rubbed her head. "I thought your uncle talked to you. Should I call your parents?"

“Miss, she falls asleep in every class. She is a total freak, just a spoilt brat.” Justin snickered from behind her.

Arianna scoffed mentally. “Well, go to hell.” She thought.

“Hush, Justin. You are not supposed to talk ill about your own classmate. Be nice to her” Melissa scolded the other student.

Justin just rolled his eyes.

Arianna scoffed, looking out the window beside her desk. She ignored the stares from everyone else in the room, wishing they would look away. Her uncle's talks were never serious. He bought her an ice-cream cone and just told her not to do it daily, and to keep her good grades. And her parents were always too 'busy' to pay her any attention.

Melissa let out a sigh, turning to walk up to the front. "Well, since you're up, I can discuss the big project for this school year."

Arianna turned her head, halfway listening. What kind of project? She doubted it would be fun...

"I want each of you to become an intern for someone!" The room was silent as Melissa continued, "This is great learning and work experience for you second years! And, the best part is that it's just the beginning of the school year! You'll have all year to work at the internship, isn't that great!?"

"Melissa-Sensei," a boy in the middle row whined.

"Oh, stop it," the teacher rolled her eyes as she passed out the papers. "I want everyone to find someone by Monday of next week. Have your new employer sign this sheet, along with their phone number and job title."

"What if we have another job?" A girl asked two seats in front of Arianna.

"Then you can use it for your internship," Melissa smiled. "All of you can do it!"

The bell chimed, stopping the teacher from continuing. The students quickly grabbed their belongings, rushing out to go home as soon as possible. Arianna took her time, slowly slinging her bag over her back.

"Arianna," Melissa stopped her. "Do you know what you're going to do?"

"No," the girl hadn't thought much about it.

"Well there's a lot you can chose from."

Arianna fought the urge to roll her eyes. "I don't want to work with my parents." With that she turned around and started down the hallway. Her parents never wanted to spend time with her at home, why would they want to at work?

Arianna breathed in the summer air. The warm sun beamed down on her, and she subconsciously tugged on the ends of her red blazer sleeves. With a sigh, she made her way out of the school gate, heading home.

Melissa was right... She had a lot to choose from. Her father, who was a councilman for the Mayor of the New York. Her mother, who was Chief Executive at Behove Merchandise, world’s largest manufacturer of sportswear and equipment. Her grandfather, who didn't command his own company, anymore, but he do have a chain of gyms and fitness centres in his honour. Her uncle, who ironically enough, was a teacher at her school...

None of those jobs caught her attention. There had to be someone else she knew that would help her out... A bus stop bench caught her attention. On the back of it was a simple logo, but it made her heart pound with excitement. She smiled tracing the two C's, the smaller one safely inside the larger one.

Yes! The Cache Corporations, of course!

Zach... She hadn't thought of him! She hadn't seen him for a few years either... Not since after the incident with her grandpa- she shook her head, refusing to relive the memory. Maybe he could help her! Give her a simple job as someone who prints off paper and such. She wasn't as annoying as she once was, so maybe he wasn't uptight anymore. Either way, she had to find out!

At his desk, twenty-four-year-old Zach sat, bored. Nothing hardly happened anymore. His life was starting to become a routine of the same thing, and he was growing tired. He wished something, anything would happen to spark some interest.

Tapping on the wall, which was supposedly a secret route attached to his office caught his attention. Confused, he stood up, slowly opened the passage door, which was behind his book shelf. It was the only one that opened in case he ever needed to get away in an emergency.

Arianna looked up at him, smiling at the man she hadn't seen in a few years. "Hi Zach."

"Arianna...?" He asked, slightly in shock. How could it be that she changed so much in just two years...?

"Can I come in?"

"Oh yeah," he moved out of her way, letting her climb through his window.

She straightened her short red plaid skirt and straightened her matching blazer. She pulled up on her long socks, too- making sure they were where they should be.

"You're still wearing glasses," she looked at him.

"Only occasionally," he nodded, making his way to his desk.

"I see..." Arianna averted her eyes. How strange that she was just now realizing how well the glasses suited Zach... She used to think he was a dork for wearing them, but at the moment, he looked anything but.

"Arianna," Zach' deep voice called to her. "Is there a reason you're here? I mean, don't get me wrong, I have nothing against you coming to visit. It was just sudden."

"Actually, I did come here for a reason," she took a seat in one of the leather chairs in front of his desk. They were extremely comfortable, and she felt herself leaning back into them.

"Really?" Zach raised a lavender eyebrow.

"Yes, here…" Arianna handed him the paper Melissa had given her. "This will explain it better than I ever could."

"An intern...?" Zach read over the paper closely. "And, you chose me?" He glanced up at her, smiling.

Arianna smiled softly, "Yeah. Your job was the only interesting one to me."

Zach laughed lightly. "And if I hire you, I can't hire anyone else," he mused.

"Yeah," Arianna made herself comfortable. "So, you should actually consider yourself lucky. I promise I'm not as annoying as I used to be."

"You weren't annoying." He lied, looking back at the paper.

"Stop lying," she smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"I'm sure we've both changed," Zach sighed. "When can you work?"

"You'll actually hire me?" Arianna whispered in shock.

"Yeah," Zach nodded. "What kind of person would I be if I didn't help a friend in need?"

Arianna beamed, almost excitedly. To be honest, she figured Zach would laugh at her and maybe give her a meaningless job, but he seemed serious! "I can work every afternoon on the weekdays, and weekend mornings."

"Great!" Zach nodded. "The weekend will be no problem, I normally leave around twelve."

Arianna looked at him, confused and blinking. She would be working directly with him...?

He smiled, obviously reading her facial expression. "You can be my personal assistant." Was it strange that he was only wanting her to work for him? He mentally shook his head, Arianna was like Amaira! He just wanted to make sure she would be okay. Right...?

"Looks like you need one," she teased, glancing at his cluttered desk.

Zach smirked, there was the old Arianna! A spark of her at least, and he didn't find her the least bit annoying. Maybe it was because she was older now, more mature. She definitely grew into her body well.

"Do you need this tomorrow?"

"That would be great," Arianna stood up, adjusting her uniform and tan backpack.

Zach had to avert his eyes from her legs. Did Noah know how short she wore her skirt?! Surely Blake did- not that he would ever tell his best friend that he had checked out his niece's legs.

Arianna walked over to the exit, preparing her leave. Zach then noticed the band she was wearing in her hand. It was a band that virgin girls wore.

"I can't believe girls nowadays wear this band as well," he teased, standing up with her signed paper.

"Hey!" Arianna gave him a light push. "I'm still pure!"

I can change that. Zach froze. What the hell did he just think? And, about Arianna! That was wrong on so many levels! She was just a friend! Although, she was an extremely good-looking friend!

"Zach..." Arianna looked at the paper, a somber expression on her face. She looked so sad and troubled, but that was before she looked up, smiling with tears in her eyes.

"Thank you!" She hugged him tightly.

Zach couldn't stop himself from tensing. It was out of habit. He didn't do hugs, he just got to where he could touch people skin to skin! That's why he wore those ugly brown gloves for so long. It was only after the Shadow Dragons that he forced himself to take them off. He knew his fears weren't healthy, but he had them since childhood.

"Sorry," Arianna pulled away with a blush. "I forgot that you don't do hugs. So, tomorrow?"

It took Zach a moment to connect the idea. "Tomorrow," he nodded. "Four o'clock…"

"I won't let you down, Zach," she promised, her eyes shining with determination.

Zach watched she went out of the exit. She set off with a wave to him, holding her paper close to her heart... His own was beating strangely fast.