EVERY BREATH I TAKE

3. EDEN.

I smile awkwardly at everybody looking at me, giving them a small wave. "Sorry, the game is too interesting and fun." I say going back to playing. "You got lucky this one time you big juicy orange. Next time I'll slice you in half."

Then I see black oxford shoes next to my chair. I look up slowly to the navy blue pants, white shirt, blue tie and finally to Mr. Jay's face.

"Are you done playing games, my meeting has already ended." He asks, his eyes on the iPad. He takes it from me seeing the game i was playing.

"I was about to break my highest score and set a new record." I whisper and he looks at me before looking back at the ipad. He taps on it for some seconds before putting it on the table. Picking it up, I see he has set a new record, way higher than mine.

Shit, I wanted to set the new record myself but my boss has now ruined it for me. Not only that, his record is so high it's going to be a challenge for me to break it.

Mr. Jay calls me over to join him at the table, the client excusing himself and leaving the hotel. The meeting lasted forty five minutes and I played fruit slice all through to keep myself busy.

I sit opposite him looking around the room and noticing how refined, exquisite and modern the hotel is. The ambiance here is so warm and welcoming.

I never care about my eating habits and manners, something that Viola always talks about and tries to get me out of. This is my boss though and we are in a high end hotel, I have to atleast try and project a cultured persona.

"I'm covering the bill." Mr. Jay says after seeing my hesitation to make an order. I don't know if I should be offended or happy.

He calls back the waiter and I make the order. I hope the food I've ordered for is something delicious because I don't have any idea what it is. I've never eaten it before, it looked appealing that's why I ordered for it.

The waiter brings our food to the table and we dig in. I take a spoonful of mine, chewing for a while before feeling the weird taste of the spices. I continue chewing not wanting my boss to notice that I'm struggling.

I drink the wine still munching on the food that's now becoming more unbearable to eat. Mr. Jay watches me attentively and I smile giving him a thumbs up.

"Next time order for something you have eaten before, it's easier that way." He finally says to me. "Don't try so hard to fit in, just be you. Be your own person, it's ok to be different."

I nod in embarrassment looking down at my food.

Mr. Jay calls the waiter who takes back my food and I order for mushroom carbonara this time.

We eat in silence and I avoid his eyes because of what has just happened. I've been trying so hard to fit in with the new social group around me, right from the moment I started working. I didn't want to feel like I'm the odd one.

It's better to just be me than try so hard to be someone I'm not.

"Tell me something about yourself." Mr. Jay says to me and the question leaves me blank and puzzled, wrecking my brain for an answer. Where do I even start and what do I say?

"Don't take this as an interview question." He explains after seeing how confused I am. "Just answer it as someone who has an audience that's ready to listen to everything you have to say. Remember it's an open ended question, so feel free to say whatever you want."

I drink the white wine, putting the glass on the table, Mr. Jay's eyes and focus on me. "I'm an only child in my family. I love swimming and going out with friends. I also love baking and do it on my free time. I do have a clothing boutique that I love so much and manage with the help of my bestfriend." I say the only things that come to my mind. It's not much but it's what I can come up with about myself.

"What about you?" I ask him before he can say anything.

"You have diverted the question back to me." He laughs drinking his white wine, the waiter coming and refilling the glass for him.

"I'm the CEO and chairman of the Valentino marketing company, I named it after my grandfather. I own several restaurants and hotels across the country and beyond, including this one that we are in right now." He says shocking me. I didn't know he is the owner of this prestigious hotel. "I have stocks in the airline and retail sector, manage four gyms, three night clubs and two country clubs. Whenever people ask me about myself, those are what they always expect to hear. My achievements, not me."

"Congratulations on all your success Mr. Jay Valentino, everything you have achieved and still achieving." I say to him with a smile and he chuckles. "When I asked you about yourself I meant everything about you, not just work related. I'm your audience, feel free to say anything you want." I add and he laughs.

"Well if you put it that way then there is so much to know about me, but one step at a time. I'm not used to talking about myself." He explains and I nod.

Checking his watch, he gets up picking his leather briefcase and blazer. "I have to be somewhere, you don't have to come with me, just go back to the office." He mutters hurrying out of the hotel.

♤♤♤♤♤♤

I start arranging the cupcakes and muffins in the display case, my iPods on as I listen to classical music. After going to the boutique and attending to the customers so Viola can take a break, I closed up when it was time and came right back home. I'm now helping out my parents so they can take a rest.

The bell jingles from time to time, customers coming in to purchase the freshly baked goods. They are aware of the exact and precise time my parents and I usually bring in the pastries after baking them. It's always a busy time. After all, nothing beats the sweetness of freshly baked goods.

I serve one customer after another as they walk in to buy their favourite pastries, thanking them for coming before they leave.

Putting three baguettes in a paper bag for another customer, the door opens again as I go back to arranging the apple crumble cupcakes. Then I see a small boy smiling at me while tapping on the counter. He is the one that came to buy cinnamon rolls days ago.

"Blue." He runs to where I am and looks up at me. By the door is his bodyguard in a black suit, his keen eyes on us like the first day. I can't help but smile at the boy standing next to me full of radiant happiness.

It's true that a child's smile can brighten someone's day, because it has already brightened mine.

I bend so we can be the same height and he touches my blue hair which seems to fascinate him.

"You remembered me and I'm so happy to see you." I ruffle his hair and he giggles jumping up and down. "Or did you just come for the cinnamon rolls and not to actually visit me?"

"I want to buy cinnamon rolls." He points at the cinnamon rolls and I pretend to cry because he didn't come to visit me making him laugh heartily.

"Ok cinnamon rolls it is." I walk back to the counter as he plasters his face on the glass admiring the pastries.

"How many do you want today?" I pick the paper bag ready to put them inside for him.

"I want four." He looks at the coins in his hand and then at me. "Two for me, one for papa and one for uncle Milano."

"Papa is only getting one?" I put four cinnamon rolls in the bag, adding one more. "How about papa also get two, just like you?"

"Yes, papa gets two just like me." The boy claps his hands happily jumping around.

I give him the bag as he hands the money to me, clutching on the bag tightly and looking inside. "What's your name?"

"Eden." He answers with a smile.

Eden.

"And you?" He starts playing with my hair again.

"Paloma Jacks."

"I call you blue because your hair is blue." Eden says and i nod. It's cute that he has given me a nickname.

Eden skips adorably to the bodyguard who holds his hand giving me one last look before they walk out together going back to the car.