I threw all of my things on the bed and decide to insecticide my room. "Come on Jaz, what were you thinking?"
You took my bottom lip first and then my lower lip.
Why did I kiss him?
Because you like him! My inner voice responded.
I liked him and that was in the past. Now. I just hate him. I hate him. I hate him.
I walked out of my room and made my way into the kitchen. I saw my dad cooking in the kitchen with a smile. "Dad! You look so happy."
"You know my daughter is going to be a big woman one day, and all because of her supportive father."
This is the biggest surprise I received in all these years from my father, other than alcohol liver cirrhosis. He is making an effort not only to sound like my father but also to behave. And I knew that somewhere Uncle Kush plays a role in the gradual change of my dad's behavior.
"What are you making?"
"I am grilling a fish."
"Fish!" I pried with quiet astonishment. I mean fish is not an easily affordable thing to us.
"Yes, my daughter is doing a full-time job, now. We can afford fish, and even go on shopping."
"Shopping!" Ever since my mom's incident we didn't even go grocery shopping. "We went to movies, dinners, shopping. And we will do it again." The happiness, and enthusiasm he displayed through his face and words turned me slightly emotional. "Kush told me that you were working on some project. I believe you, you will prevail it."
Out of the blue, I heard a throat-clearing voice, "Sorry to interrupt father and daughter conversation. But the cake is demanding Jazmine."
"A cake," I exclaimed delightedly watching a white cake in his hand.
"We didn't celebrate your Placement, did we?" Dad acknowledged handing me a butter knife.
I cut the cake and thanked them for everything. Later we had dinner and Uncle Kush finally announced the date of his shift to New Jersey.
Well, the actual problem started the movement I said "Good nights" to them and stepped inside my room.
Dad is showing changes, he is trying to change and even planned a surprise for me. I can't just disappoint him by revealing that I am planning to resign from my internship.
Ok. What if I don't come in contact with Adrian except in the meeting rooms? And yes no drinking when he is in my surroundings. And no proximities as we had in his penthouse.
So, let's get started. I switched on my laptop and was astonished to watch, that there are a lot of changes in my design which just excelled in its appearance. The swimming pool is changed to a bean shape and another large triangle pool is opposite it. And he even changed a little infrastructure of the houses.
So, he did this all, when my mind was recollecting Friday night's moments.
He simply cut short my work by doing things to me and I just yelled at him and walked out saying I am going to resign.
You are turning a big mystery to me daily, Adrian Martinez. You act cold with me and now this...you have done almost all of my tasks.
I slept after four hours of working on the layouts and satisfaction erupted in my heart to see a better design. Well, it looked genuinely better when compared to the previous one.
****
I looked no less than a zombie to wake up with red eyes and dark circles the very next morning. I have to pack all of my egos and hide in the cookie jar if I have to work in Martinez Constructions.
I couldn't engulf the fact that I got no mail from other companies for Internship except Martinez Constructions. This really left me without any options.
I open my to-do list application on my mobile. And typed three very important things to implement: 1) You will avoid having unnecessary contact with him. 2) Just hand the pen drive to Andy. 3) Don't step into his cabin. Just don't.
When I reached the fifteenth floor of the building, the silence reminded me of a graveyard.
Can't you think of something better, Miss Garcia? I whirled suddenly around and no there was no one. Adrian Martinez, you even reserved a space in my head.
While walking around the glass cubicle of Andy, instead of Andy, I saw Miss Harley setting something on the table.
"Isn't Andy here?" I asked her. She tilt around and my eyes captured the thick dark-red lipstick on her lips.
"No miss..."
"Oh, you can call me Jazmine. I am an intern here." I introduced myself by forwarding my hand, the other hand was holding my laptop and my sling bag was slinging on the same shoulder.
"I am Sophia Harley! Nice to meet you, Jazmine," She took my hand and shook it for once before letting go.
Well, I am good even at giving fake smiles. "Same here," I fibbed and along with a fake smile
"Do you want me to do something for you?"
"Yes, actually..." Suddenly I realized that she is a danger sign. And I yelled, "No." Yeah, I don't want to make an encounter with Adrian but I can't increase her encounters with him. "I will do it."
I knocked on his door. "Get in!"
And all three things on my checklist started to disappear.
I stepped inside and saw him standing by inclining in front of the desk. His hands held a thick file and he looked like a freshly ripped apple, the freshly bloomed Orchid, juicy mango, and red cherry. But the way he was scrutinizing my every move which lead near to him. I felt abashed, embarrassed, and even awkward as if I was walking on the aisle.
"Miss Garcia. You can leave the laptop on your desk. I only need the letter."
"I...I am not resigning. I considered your words."
"Unexpectable," he mocked with amusement. I twist the corner of my mouth and placed the laptop on the table beside him.
"I need your final approval!" I mentioned, showing my final layout. I turned around which reduced the distance between us. Jazmine, No Proximity!
I tried to lift my foot but seems like they got glued to the floor.
"Better than the first one." I smiled and even wanted to thank him but my ego didn't let the thank you word come out of my mouth.
I placed the pen drive of designs on the desk. Well, that had a small tattoo of a unicorn. He stared at the pen drive for a second then looked at me.
And... I should leave his room.
"That's all..." I announced but didn't turn or step back. Seems like my body is loving his heat and shadow.
"I hid it because I didn't want you to feel disgraced about yourself."
Ok. The kiss thing again. In which he didn't take any part.
I looked everywhere except at him. I never knew there was a family portrait of Martinez stuck to his cabin wall. All five appeared elegant and classic.
"Why would I feel disgraced?"
"Because we know, you hate me, Miss Garcia." Ouch! And he sounded like...ok...I don't think I perceived hurt in his words. But I did. He sounded hurt.
But you don't know that you were my first kiss and my only crush of twelve years.
"Well, it was a mistake from both sides. And the important thing is, I was drunk."
When no reply came from his side, I peeked at him only to see him staring at me.
He just stared. Once again to inform all we stood with only a foot distance between us. But my words did change the countenance of his face to something annoying and even furious. His red cheeks and glaring eyes were as proof.
He opened his mouth but instead of answering me, he screamed "Get in." cause somebody knocked on the door. Obviously, I felt the shake of the whole fifteen-story building.
Eventually, the distance between us increased as he walked around to reach his chair.
Sophia stepped inside with the same thudding voices of her high heels and her hands holding a tray of coffee. "Mr. Martinez, your coffee." She offered him not only a coffee but also a passionate smile.
I can't handle that lovey-dovey behavior of hers toward him, so I walked out.
But immediately she stepped out of his cabin and ran past me like a gust of wind inside her cubicle. I saw her grabbing tissues and wiping her tears. I have to console her.
I followed her and step inside the cubicle, then poked, "What happened, Sophie?" Though I don't feel any concern, I sounded the one. Such a criminal person I turned myself. And it's because of Adrian. He shouldn't have hired a female very personal assistant.
"He didn't want cream in his coffee but I added it...so that, it can taste better. But he yelled at me," she blethered in the middle of her sobs. I offered her tissues and smiled devilishly. Let's load her ears against the villain.
"Ok." I took her hands in mine, "this will not go on Sophia. He yells at you and you come out with tearful eyes, every time."
"Then what should I do?"
"Stand for yourself. Fight for yourself. Say to him to speak like a human with you."
"Ahh...Jaz...mine," she stammered and glanced at someone with wide eyes through my shoulder.
"You know you can't just stand simply and let him insult you-"
"-Jazmine!"
"If he yells at you don't just listen and yell back at him-"
"-Jazmine."
"Sophia, stop cutting me off and listen to me first. I know Mr. Martinez behaves like a villain but you also have to act like a hero."
"Really miss Garcia." And that similar voice shut not only my mouth but also my fight and flight hormone.
"Get me coffee without cream." He ordered Sophia and dismissed her.
"I should also leave," I took my laptop, turned around without looking at his eyes, and took a step forward but he blocked my path and took a step near me. I took a step back.
"Were you teaching something to her?"
I gulped. "Nothing, Mr. Martinez. I was..."
"Am I a villain?"
"Yes!"
Instantly he took two large steps and stood in front of me, "If I am a villain," trapping me, Adrian placed his hands on the table on either side of me. The moment I smelled him, I was mesmerized. "I wouldn't have stopped that night with just a kiss even when I wanted to do more with you. Even when you were in a completely vulnerable stage to let me have you the way I want, Miss Jazmine Garcia."
It was not easy for my lungs to inhale any air after he expressed his desirous words to me. Even the air surrounding us turned thick and heavy.
But the freezing chills kept passing through my spine.
I wet my lips and stared at his chest. There were no words or thoughts currently in my head. But I felt ecstatic that he kissed me back.
"I...I must leave." I whispered taking short breaths.
"No!" He muttered and took another step to reduce the distance.
To speak frankly, it was scaring me shitlessly. I was missing the real Jazmine, who just escaped from my body as soon as he trapped me. So, I hugged my laptop tight against my chest. What does he mean by he wanted to do more?
And why did he make me think that it was me who turned lusty and kissed him?
But the minute he heard the ding voice of the elevator he sighed frustratingly and moved aback.
"Ahh...Boss!" Andy exclaimed, surprised to see his Boss in his cabin. "Jazmine!" he added with more surprise.
Adrian tilted his head and inquired him with professionalism by tugging his left hand in his trouser's pocket, "Andy, did Mr. and Mrs. Thomson have arrived?"
"Yes, Boss. They are in the meeting room."
While walking out of the room he informed Andy, "Keep Miss Harper, out of Miss Garcia's reach."
"It's Miss Harley, Boss." When Adrian gave him a cold gaze, he added immediately, "But we will go with Harper. And can I know why?"
At this moment Adrian's gaze dropped to me and my gaze dropped to the floor. "We don't want another female in our company like Miss Garcia. Who has an extremely aggressive and completely arrogant attitude."
And he meandered away. I saw Andy staring at me with bewilderment.
Just when I realized what Adrian just referred me to my jaw dropped and I tried to confirm, "Did he mean that I am Arrogant?"
"Even extremely aggressive too," Andy added with a small and teasing smile.