A Car Ride
1423 Words
"Happy birthday Nat" Anton said with a wide smile immediately she stepped into the kitchen.
Mia looked at him like he was not in his right state of mind.
"Huh?"
Anton got a bit confused.
"Happy birthday Nat... I mean it's your birthday, right?"
It then dawned on her.
Nat.
Natasha.
Natasha Donald.
Fake identity.
Oh! But how did he know?
"Yes it is. Thank you sir", she gave a small smile to lighten the atmosphere.
"You know, you look beautiful when you smile"
Mia didn't know how to react to that, so she stayed quiet.
"You don't have to work today because it's your birthday"
"But..."
"I'll prepare the food"
"But you're my boss, you pay me to work" she stated.
"And I don't want you to work today"
"But..."
"I'm your boss, remember"
Mia sighed, then succumbed. She was tired of the bickering.
Anton was all smiles as he set the pancakes on the table.
"Birthday breakfast is ready"
Mia watched him with mixed feelings.
'Why was he like this?'
She hated him—or so she thought— but he was so nice and caring to her.
A question fell into her mind:
'Why is he so nice to me when I'm always so cold to him?'
She went through all the time she had spent there and was sure that she had been nothing but cold towards him, but he never repaid her the same way.
Could it be that he knew why she was here and was trying to please her so she wouldn't kill him?
No, she didn't think so. If he knew, then he might have had her arrested.
But if her thoughts were correct, then he was totally joking, she would not only...
She felt a warm hand on her cheek and snapped back to reality.
"Natasha?" Anton called softly, a flicker of worry in his eyes.
"I called your name repeatedly, but you just blanked out, and I got scared"
Mia wanted to answer but didn't know what to say; he was too close to her. Anton noticed how uncomfortable she was and withdrew his hand and went to sit down on the chair opposite her.
"This blanking out... thing...is it like a health issue or something? Because this isn't the first time it's happening."
"It's not a health problem. I was just deep in thought."
"Is there a problem?"
"No"
"I can help" he offered.
"There is no problem, sir"
"Okay, if you say so. Then let's get started with this food before it gets cold."
They began eating and Anton defiled the laws of table manners -as usual - as he started a conversation.
"So what do you want to do for your birthday?"
"Be alone"
"Huh?" He asked through the mouthful of pancakes.
"I usually like to stay alone on my birthday. And if I may ask Mr Hugh, why do you want to treat me for my birthday? I'm just your employee" she had it in her head and just had to voice it out.
"You are my employee, and you've carried out your job well. That's why I'm treating you, and I haven't forgotten how you saved me from Mr Jones' plan."
"Hmmm" Mia nodded, not knowing what to say.
"So what do you want to do for your birthday?" He repeated.
"Do you want to go shopping?"
"I don't think I want to"
"Do you want a party?"
"No, thank you sir"
"You'll have to pick something, or I won't stop asking"
"Aren't you going to work today sir?" She asked hopefully.
"No Nat, I'm not. You can't get rid of me easily. I have to give you something to show my appreciation whether you like it or not"
Mia concluded that he was really a stubborn person as she sighed inwardly.
"So what do you want?"
"I'm really out of ideas as to what I want"
"What do you say for a car ride or a helicopter ride?"
"A car ride sounds good to me but do I get to pick up the car?"
"Yes"
"Then okay"
***
Mia had always wanted to ride in a BMW but hadn't gotten the chance.
When she had seen it in his garage before, she felt like jumping in and taking a death ride, but she couldn't.
She opened the door and sat in the driver's seat, a beam of satisfaction engulfing her. She was about to get crazy when Anton slipped in, reminding her that she wasn't alone and that she had to be 'not crazy'.
"So where are we going?" Anton asked as he put on his seat belt.
"I don't know, around...?"
"Okay"
She pulled out of the garage, out of the gate and into the road.
Anton looked at the lady beside him with her all-black outfit.
He had asked her to dress up a little since it's her birthday, but...
Mia didn't have any girly clothes, which wasn't a surprise. To her, these clothes were a bit feminine.
She was wearing black baggy leather pants, a black tank top and a leather jacket topped up with a black canvas. Her hair was also let loose.
She put up the GPS receiver and began navigating the road.
Mia started the ride slowly, then sped up; she was feeling the car.
"Hey slow down, I don't want to die now, and I don't think you want to"
She looked at him with an unknown expression written on her face.
'What does he think he knows about me?' She thought.
Literally speaking, she would have jumped off a cliff a long time ago, but she had one last mission here on earth...
"Did I say something wrong?" he asked, bothered by the way she was looking at him.
"I don't think so" she spoke as she reduced the car's speed a little.
"Okay."
"Lest I forget Mr Hugh, you should really improve the security around you. You can't go out without security, you're putting your life at risk" she didn't have the slightest idea why she would suggest such a thing. She had it in mind though, but had never wanted to let it out.
"I have security Nat, but I don't like feeling choked going everywhere with them so close to me, but they are always aware of my location and where I'm headed to, one flash of my name on their device's screen, and they'll be where I am in a minute."
"Then why didn't they come to your rescue two days ago?"
"I was unconscious and when I woke up my phone wasn't close by."
"That's the reason I said you should improve your security."
"Do you mean I should get a bodyguard?"
"I don't know"
Mia gripped the wheel tightly, seeing the conversation going the wrong way.
If he got a bodyguard, then her plan might become more difficult.
"Robert suggested that a thousand times and, since you've also suggested it, I think that it's high time I did. Hopefully it won't be as bad as the first two."
"You don't necessarily need to get a bodyguard, just improve your security system, that would do"
"What do you suggest?"
"Well you could have a car or two trailing your movement, a tracker ...."
Anton watched as her mouth moved up and down as she spoke. No doubt this was the first time she spoke this much since he'd met her; it was oddly intriguing.
"I'll talk to my Chief Security Officer about it then"
"Okay"
"Can I open the sunroof?"
"Of course, it's your ride"
She opened it up and a soft breeze poured in, blowing her hair in her face.
Before Mia could react, Anton, without thinking, leaned forward and tucked her hair behind her ear.
Shocked at his brazenness, Mia turned to look at him, their faces so close to each other. She didn't know how she felt at the moment, but she definitely knew that her heart was beating faster than usual.
Anton, on the other hand, was mesmerized at how beautiful she looked from up close. He kept staring into her black attractive iris, but he saw something unpleasant in them, something like pain, hurt, anger, sorrow, loneliness, but he wasn't sure. He felt an urge to touch her face and, despite knowing that there might be consequences, he still wanted to try.
As he was about to lift his hand to make a move, a sudden loud sound came from underneath the car which brought them back to reality.
- Writer
