Hate to Love You [Elvis]

Chapter 2 - It Was Bound to Happen

~ ~ ~

The evil eye had never been so prevalent in my life before. Two days passed since my assignment to the fifth floor, and that was all I had been receiving since then. None of the other females liked me, not the younger ones, that is. There were some middle-aged women who were maids who didn't really care one way or the other that Elvis Presley could be in the building. Why couldn't one of them be assigned to the fifth floor? Well, one of them probably was, but then I complained in that morning meeting and took her place.

Nay was walking in front of me as we walked to the back employee entrance to the hotel as she talked with one of the young men we worked with—Nathan—who was taller than her by a full head. He was sweet on her, and she knew it, but she liked to play hard-to-get, especially now since Elvis was around. I shook my head, smirking, honestly a little jealous. Boys didn't like me. I knew why, and there was nothing I could do about it. I was just naturally unpleasant.

My other co-workers passed me as I stopped at the door and looked at a sign right before it. It was one of those signs that told the employees to make sure they went through this door while entering the building as to not deter the guests or make a spectacle of themselves.

"Psht..." I muttered, a bit annoyed. "We're basically nothing to people on the other side of the front desk."

I was the only one out in the back parking lot. I really didn't want to go into work. If I just left, I would get fired. At least that would keep me from seeing Elvis. But I needed this job if I wanted to save up for college. I was nowhere near the amount that I needed, so I had to continue plugging along.

I sighed in exasperation and took the door handle. I stopped when I heard voices, two male ones, coming from the other side of a bush that was to my left and taller than me and near the door. It, as well as about eight to the left of it, shielded the main back entrance to the hotel so guests couldn't see employees going in to work.

"Stop, there's no one left," I heard one of the men say in some type of European accent.

"C'mon, Colonel I just wanna say hi."

"You have plenty of time to say hi to the employees of this place in the coming month. Now, we have to go, or we'll be late."

The other man didn't say anything for a moment. I stepped up closer to the bushes, trying to hear. I didn't want to admit it, but that second man's voice sounded awfully familiar, thanks to Nay.

"I said let's go!"

"Just to say hi. I like surprisin' people. I'll be only a minute, okay?"

"Elvis!"

I let out a gasp. I knew it! Elvis Presley was on the other side of these bushes! I had to get inside quickly before he saw me or noticed there was indeed someone still left. I took the door handle, my heart racing. I opened it when I heard footsteps come up behind me on the pavement. I couldn't get in fast enough...

"Hi, there, miss."

I grimaced. What should I do? Just walk in? I wasn't the nicest of people, but I wasn't rude. Plus, I was an employee at this hotel, and he was a guest. I needed to treat him as such. I turned around, letting the door close on its own. My eyes widened at seeing a young man around my age wearing black slacks and a tan suit jacket over a white shirt. He was a very attractive young man whose face and hair I had seen everywhere in the past year.

"Hi, there," he said again. "I apologize for startlin' ya."

"You didn't. I expected to run into you at some point, only... you're the one who came up to me first, ironically."

He smirked, the smirk that Nay went nuts over. "Yeah, I guess so. What might your name be, miss?"

I had to be professional, no matter what I wanted to tell this guy. I stood tall, my chin up. "You may call me Miss Paul. I work here."

"I see. It's a pleasure to meet ya, Miss Paul."

People usually say "the pleasure it all mine," but I would be lying if I said that. I would have to lie. "Likewise. Now, if you would excuse me, I have to get in to work. I'm running late."

His brows shot up, and I noticed the confusion in his blue eyes. "Yes, yes, of course. Don't let me keep ya."

I nodded to that, feeling a little awkward, and I went on inside. I let out a breath and leaned against the door. It didn't matter that I didn't like him, he was still a famous person. I just met a famous person, something I thought would never happen to me.

"It's no big deal," I muttered and started walking down the hallway, and I came to the lobby, punched my card, and went on to the locker room. The girls in it would go nuts if they knew what just happened to me. Better to not say anything. It was bound to happen, one of us meeting him first, or meeting him at all... It just had to be me.

Yeah, no one would know about this.

~ ~ ~

Wow, that was odd. That girl didn't go insane at seeing me. I stood there at the door for a moment, staring at it after Miss Paul went through it, staring at it in confusion. I heard footsteps behind me as I planted my hands on my hips.

"Elvis, I told you we have to leave."

"I'm sorry, Colonel."

He came up to me and looked back and forth between the door and me. "What? You puzzled that no one was around?"

"No, someone was—a girl. A really cute one, actually, maybe 'round my age. She works here."

"As do all the people who walk through that door. Now, are you satisfied that you made another girl almost faint and gave off your autograph again?"

My brows creased. "None of that happened. Actually, it's as if she couldn't wait to get away from me. I don't come across girls like that often. She even requested that I call 'er 'Miss Paul', not her first name."

He patted my shoulder. "Well, like you said, there are bound to be some of those odd girls out there. Now, let's go."

I complied and went off with my manager. In the back seat of the car as he drove, I thought about the past few minutes. I saw Miss Paul get out of a seafoam-green Chevrolet, maybe around mid-40s model, and I saw other people walk up to that back door. I wanted to say hi to all of them, but they all disappeared behind all those bushes before I could get out of the car and say hi. Hoping that others could still be outside, I rounded those bushes and saw one girl at the door, the one who came out of that Chevrolet. I came up to her, greeted her, and she froze. Expecting her to turn around and scream, I prepared for it, but she turned around and only stared at me with wide eyes, no scream. I wasn't expecting that. We said a few things to each other, then she left.

Odd. Well, it was rare, but I would come across those girls, girls who weren't fazed by seeing me. I got it all the time from older gals, like ones over thirty-five. Miss Paul was like them. How come that was so refreshing?

"Have you heard anything I said, Elvis?"

I jumped out of my thoughts. "Huh? Oh, I'm sorry, Colonel. I was just thinkin' 'bout some things."

"You mean that girl who didn't squeal when she saw you?"

"Yeah. I was thinkin'... it was kind of refreshin' in a way. I mean, I get that 'no big deal' attitude from older women, but not girls my age and younger. She works in the hotel, too... Hopefully I can see 'er again and find out 'er first name. It's probably pretty like she is. She had big brown eyes surrounded by long, dark lashes that matched her dark hair. And she had fair skin that looked as smooth as a porcelain doll's. She was a sight, I'm tellin' ya."

My manager chuckled. "Oh, Elvis... you and the love bug are best friends, aren't you?"

"I guess so," I said in laughter. "I just like how she acted like I was a normal person. Since I've become famous, hardly anyone has done that, aside from my parents and closest friends."

The Colonel nodded to that as he had the wheel and as we went on to the film lot where the filming for Jailhouse Rock was taking place. I smiled to myself, recalling Miss Paul. I really hoped to see her again.