Ivan's P.O.V.
Standing outside Parker's house, I rang the doorbell. It's Sunday officially and I'm here to join him for the lunch party. Hazel will be here too. Afterall, this party is for her. She's the chief guest today. I adjusted my hair one last time before the door open.
Bella appeared in front of me with her beautiful dazzling smile. I smiled back.
"Hey, Ivan", she said and I leaned forward to hug her.
"Hey beautiful", I said as I kissed her cheeks.
"Stop flirting with my wife", Parker complained from inside and I just grinned.
"He's jealous", I said to Bella.
"Ignore him", Bella said and we both walked inside.
I gave her the bouquet of roses, I bought for her. Bella and I have been very good friends. She's just simply amazing. When Parker introduced her to our group, we instantly clicked. Parker is very possessive of Bella but I find ways to flirt with her every now and then. Sadly, she just has eyes for Parker.
Parker is lucky.
A few other guests were invited as well. Bella started introducing me. She stopped in front of a beautiful girl with ginger hair and brown eyes. There was a guy was standing next to her. They resemble so much. It didn't take me another second to guess that they're siblings.
"Ivan, meet Blair and Bian. They're my cousins", Bella said.
Is Bella's family obsessed with the word 'B', I wonder.
"Hey", I said and shook hands with both of them.
"Nice to meet you, Ivan Greene. I've heard a lot about you", Bian said.
"Bian is new to the business. He's opened his startup six months ago", Bella said.
"I wish you all the best buddy", I said and he smiled.
"You're the role model of us youngsters, Mr. Greene", Bian said. He looked like a fresh graduate, around twenty one years old. The admiration in his eyes boasted up my pride.
I found Blair passing me a smile. It wasn't a normal smile. It screamed, 'Hey hottie. Wanna make out?'. I smirked. I met some of Parker's office colleagues as well. After a small talk with everyone, I helped myself with a glass of wine. I stood in the balcony looking down at the street.
Where are you Hazel? What's taking you so long?
"Mind, if I join you?", I heard a delicate voice from behind. I turned around and saw Blair standing there.
"Why would I mind such a beautiful company?", I asked and she smiled. She walked to me. She had a wine glass in her hand as well. As Blair stood by my side, I appreciated her gorgeous face and her beautiful figure. She is tall and those few inches in her heels added more grace to her beauty.
"I'm glad to receive the compliment from Mr. Charmer", she said as she placed her hand over my chest and slightly hand pressed my collars. I smirked.
The doorbell rang and my eyes immediately left Blair's face. Parker opened the door and my eyes stayed on the face, I was waiting to show up. Hazel walked inside with a beautiful smile on her face. She had worn a beautiful blue dress reaching upto her knees. Her hair were open and were loosely curled. She had worn a white pair of heels to match her outfit. Her eyes scanned the entire place. They settled on me for a few seconds and I could feel my heart skipping beats.
Why her eyes are so damn beautiful?
"Do you know her?", Blair asked. My trance broke and I shifted my gaze from Hazel to her.
"She's my personal assistant", I said.
"Really?", She sounded surprised.
"Is there a problem?", I asked.
"I imagined your assistant to be someone professional, someone classy and chic. She looks like a work in progress", Blair said as she noticed Hazel.
"She's more capable than her looks. She's a strong, independent woman. You must know someone before passing such comments", I told her sternly. No one can look down on Hazel in front of me or behind my back.
"Why are you so offended? Do you like her?", She asked.
Yes. A lot.
"Please excuse me", I told this girl and walked away. I don't want to waste another second with her. She's beauty with a nasty personality. I don't entertain loosers.
*********************
Hazel was busy talking to Bella. I made my way and stood next to her. She looked at me and passed me a small smile. I nodded at her. A few of Parker's colleagues were initiating small conversation with Hazel. I quietly listen.
"Hazel, I must say you've really beautiful eyes", a guy named Trexer said. I clenched my fist.
The nerve of him.
"Thanks. I get that compliment a lot", Hazel said.
I never gave you that compliment. And I'm the one who admire those eyes of yours the most, I promise.
"Mind if I ask, do you have a boyfriend?", He asked.
I mind. Talk to me.
"No. I'm single. I'm looking for someone", she said and he smirked. I knew that look. I am a guy. It's not difficult for me to read what's going on inside a man's mind.
Trexer is a senior manager at Parker's company. He's handsome and has a very wide female fan following. He's a potential bachelor of Parker's company. I've known him for two years now. He's a very hardworking guy. He's a decent person and I can't find anything bad in his personality. He's a charmer. And on the top of a cherry, he's a smooth talker.
"What kind of a guy do you want?", He asked. Hazel smiled. She looked uncomfortable at his question as her eyes traveled around her. She glanced at me and I simply looked back at her. I kept my looks neutral. Inside, I was dying to know her answer.
"I'd prefer someone with a good personality. I don't like guys who do one night stands or skip from one girl to another. A guy who can handle long-term commitment with complete loyalty will be my choice", she said and I closed my eyes in annoyance.
She rejected me in her whole speech. Whatever she dislikes in a guy, I've all those qualities.
"That means you will never date a bad boy. Am I right?", Bian asked. He was standing there as well.
"People change", she said, and then she looked at me and said, "If someone can change their bad traits for me, I might think about dating them". She then looked away and smiled at others.
Wait a second.
Does she say all that to me? Am I thinking right? Does she want me to ask her out? Am I overthinking? Why did she look at me then? Is this even real?
We all settled around to have lunch. Hazel sat away from me next to Trexer at the corner of the table. I was accompanied by Parker by my right side and Bian on my left. Blair was sitting next to Bian. I ignored her for the whole party and she got the message as well. She stayed away.
"This lunch is for welcoming my dear friend, Vena aka Hazel. Wish you a beautiful journey in your professional and personal life as well. To Vena", Parker said raising a toast. We all raised our glasses. I looked at her. She smiled at Trexer. They clink glasses together and then drank their wine.
Hazel started drinking wine!
Hazel has grown up and her personality has changed a lot. She's no longer the girl I used to know. She's more carefree. She smiles often. She's more social. She's more beautiful than before. Everything about her changed. What remained constant were those beautiful pair of eyes and their unexplainable vocabulary.
I miss her.
I ate my lunch quietly. I listened to everyone who was making small conversations with her. Hazel was getting attention and she seems to enjoy that. I was happy for her. She was liked by many. She deserves that. She's a strong, independent woman. Still, I miss her.
I miss the girl who used to piss me. I miss the girl who holds complaints about me. I miss the girl who used to hate me. I miss the girl who used to be disappointed in me. Hazel's hatred and disliking towards me used to keep me different from others. Her this one emotion was only for me, exclusively for me. But now. I'm just like any other ordinary guy for her. She treats me like others and it is unacceptable to me. I want to hold a different place in her life. I don't want to be known as someone she knows from the past.
I glanced at her. She was talking to Trexer. He said something to her in her ear and her eyes instantly were directed at me. She gave me a beautiful smile of hers. My heart clenched inside my chest.
Hazel, would you like to date me?
*********************
We all settled down around the couch after lunch. Parker, Trexer, Bella, Hazel, Bian, Blair, and I were the only ones left behind. I was getting bored now. I wanted to go back to my house, play some video games and sleep. I also wanted to spend some time alone with Hazel but that can't happen.
"Hazel, that's your name. Right?", Blair said initiating the conversation.
"Yeah", Hazel said.
"Why did you change your name?", Blair asked and Hazel looked at me.
"I got this from someone. I liked it. I keep it", she replied looking at Blair. My heart melted.
"Someone! That's interesting. Who gave you that? Boyfriend?", Blair asked and I shook my head.
I would call myself her enemy.
"No. Just someone special", she said. I looked at her but she didn't give me even one glance.
"If you want any help, I'm all ready. I've a lot of friends who would love to date you. They're all good guys. Do you want me to set you up?", Blair asked. I scoffed mentally. Wasn't she the one who was looking down at Hazel a few hours ago?
"That's okay. I will find someone for me eventually", Hazel said. She declined her offer politely.
"Mr. Ivan is one fine man. Do you think you can resist crushing on him?", Bian asked and I couldn't help but smile. I love this boy. I will help him in his business.
Hazel looked embarrassed. She smiled and said, "I would agree, he's very handsome. Yet, at the same time, he's my boss. I can't ruin my job. I can't crush on him". Her reply was so ice-cold that my heart sank in it. I clenched my jaw.
"Mr. Greene. What do you think about Hazel? Do you feel she's good to be your girlfriend?", Blair asked. She gave me a smug look.
"I'd like to take a leave. I had an important meeting tomorrow and I need to prepare for that", I replied ignoring her question. I got up from my seat.
"Thanks for inviting me", I said and Parker got up. I hugged him and then I hugged Bella.
"Thanks for coming", Bella said and I smiled at her. Without looking at Hazel, I walked out of the house leaving them behind. I reached downstairs and stood taking support of my car. I took few deep breaths before climbing inside my car. I felt bad.
I pulled my car in front of Parker's building only to find Hazel standing there. She was scrolling her mobile screen. I stopped the car in front of her. Rolling down the screen, I looked at her.
"Do you want a lift?", I asked. She looked here and there and then nodded.
"Thanks", she said as she sat down at the passenger seat. She wore a seat belt immediately. I looked at her and pulled out my seat belt as well.
"Where to?", I asked.
"Drop me at the first left turn. I've a friend who is here to pick me up", She said and I nodded. I kicked the engine and started the car.
"The lunch was nice. I had a good time", she said.
"Good for you", I said. My grip on the stearing wheel increased.
This was the worst lunch I ever had.
"I was checking your schedule. There's no meeting planned for tomorrow. Why did you lie?", She asked.
" It's personal", I lied. She simply nodded.
After a few minutes, I turned the car to the left side and Hazel asked me to stop it in front of a cafe. I obeyed. Once I parked the car, she unbuckled her seat belt.
"Why am I not crush-worthy?", I asked without looking at her.
"Huh? What do you mean?", She asked.
"You said you can't have a crush on me? Do you hate me?", I asked looking into her eyes.
"Ahh. About that", she started looking here and there. "I don't hate you. It's just that I didn't want to embarrass you. There were so many people there".
"No one is here. Tell me now", I asked and she just looked flustered.
"You're right. No one is here", she said.
"Will you go out with me for dinner?", I asked. Her eyes widened.
"Today?", She asked.
"Meet me at eight tonight. I'll text you the address", I said. I waited for her to answer.
"Ok", she replied and then she climbed down the car and walked to the cafe.
It's a date then.
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