What?
Did I hear that correctly? Did Niall, my boss, just say I'm beautiful? I have never viewed myself as being attractive. The only people to every call me pretty is my family. I have never had a boyfriend or even a guy talk to me, so this is a huge surprise. What does he see in me?
"Emily...Emily!" He yells in the previously quiet hallway.
"Yes?"
"Did you even hear what I said?"
"Yeah, it's just that sometimes my mind wanders. I'm sorry." I awkwardly smile in embarrasment.
"That may be the longest sentence you've said to me all day." He looks into my eyes and smiles.
I smile back at him, but I am still confused as to why he said called me beautiful.
"So?" Niall interrupts.
"So...what?"
"Nothing...Uh...I don't know..." Niall looks away and his cheeks turn red as he runs his hand through his hair.
I don't know how to respond so I just stare at him and smile.
"Well maybe we should get back to orientation I guess," Niall says and scratches the back of his neck.
Great. Now I made him uncomfortable and he probably hates me. Good job Emily.
I follow him back into the room and return to my seat. I remain silent in my chair as Niall gets his materials from his briefcase.
I notice my co-worker Susan staring at me with her eyebrows raised.
"So what happened out there?" she asks.
"Nothing. He was just surprised that I was hired so young, but I can say the same thing about him. Haha." I smile and Susan laughs. I can't tell if it's a genuine laugh or an 'I don't believe a word you're saying' laugh. It's probably the second.
After our awkward encounter in the hallway, Niall begins to talk about what it means to work here and what we will be accomplishing here, then I start to zone out.
I keep staring at him while he speaks. The way his mouth moves when he talks is so attractive to me. The way the top of his hair shakes subtlety with each step he takes. I even notice how he keeps scratching at the sides of his fingers. His hands are huge. His fingers are so long and his palms seems to be exceedingly wide. What would it feel like for his hands to be on-
Emily! He is your boss!
But he thinks I'm beautiful.
Maybe he just said that to make me less nervous.
Or maybe he meant it?
My mind can't decide whether Niall is genuine or not.
As I'm staring down at his toned muscular legs through his tight suit, I notice his knees are pointing in my direction. I look up and he is staring directly at me.
He bites his lips and chuckles.
"Today isn't looking good for you...miss...uh...Emily," he peers at my name tag even though he knows my name, "you can't seem to pay attention!" He laughs and as my co-workers look at me with annoyed looks.
Why do I always have to fuck everything up?
"I...Um..." I say as tears begin to pool in my eyes. Fuck. I'm crying. I told myself I wouldn't cry if things went really bad but I can't help it. I'm ruining everything for my co-workers and my boss. I'm such a fucking mess. He's probably going to fire me on the first day. Why does he have to be my boss? Why couldn't my boss be some old, bald guy?
I look at the ground in embarrassment for what feels like the twentieth time today and I see his polished black loafers walking towards me.
He kneels in front of me and puts one hand on his knee and the other underneath my chin and lifts my head up to look him in the eyes.
"Listen up..." He says with a serious tone.
"Y-yeah?" My voice cracks and I try to look away but he grips tighter on my chin and keeps my eyes on his.
"I need you to focus on the task at hand, which is to be a better Marketing team than the last. We are all in this together and I need you not to be the weakest link. You are probably smarter than everyone in this room and I need you to show us that. Do you understand?"
"Yeah I understand it's just that I'm not good at-"
"There's nothing that you're not good at. But if you keep telling yourself that you're bad at something, then you always will be."
"Y-yeah, you're right." I stammer.
I need to pull myself together. This man is getting in the way of my job and it shouldn't. I am not acting professional in any way and this may cost me my job. Focus, Emily, focus.
Niall returns to speaking to everyone and I again become lost in his eyes until he looks at his watch and says, "It's only three but since you all did so well today, I will let you leave two hours early. Have a good day!"
Everyone gets up to leave including me and I grab my things and as I am walking out of the door I hear him speak.
"Hey, Emily, can you stay after a few minutes so I can speak to you please?"
What? No. What does he need to talk about? Hopefully it's only business. I don't want to speak to him, but he is my boss so I can't be rude.
"Uh...yeah...sure..." I mutter.
"Okay, great." He says and walks over to sit down at a desk in the corner. He then puts his feet up on his desk and crosses them. He leans back in the chair and rests his hands on the back of his neck with his elbows pointing in the air. He stares at the ceiling and says, "Have a seat Emily."
"Yes...Mr. Horan."
"Please, call me Niall." He laughs while still staring at the ceiling.
He's so cocky and obnoxious.
"Okay...Niall...you called me here because...?"
He removes his feet from the desk, places them on the ground, then places his hands on his knees and rubs them with his huge hands. He looks down at the ground then looks up at me and bites his lips.
Why is he looking at me like that? What is he gonna ask me? This is really uncomfortable.
"Well...Um...I was wondering..." He begins.
His face turns red. Is he getting nervous? I am so confused. Why is this beatuiful man getting nervous around me? This is too much to take in.
"I was wondering..." Niall continues, "If you wanted to...maybe...hang out sometime?"
He looks into my eyes and my mouth drops. Did I hear that correctly? Did he just ask me to hang out with him? Should I? He's my boss, but he would be the perfect boyfriend. But how would I know? I've never had a boyfriend, never gone out with a guy, let alone have a decent conversation with one. This can't be real. I must be dreaming. There is no way that a guy this attractive would be asking me out. Wait. Why am thinking he wants to be my boyfriend? He just wants to hang out. He just wants to be frie-"
"Emily?" His smile fades at the lack of response from me.
"Oh...Sorry...Um..."
"It's okay I shouldn't have even asked." He says as he scratches the back of his neck and looks back at the floor.
I feel so bad, but he is my boss and school starts in two days and I can't have any distractions.
"Um..." I begin, "Well you seem really nice, but I'm just not looking for a relationship right now. I'm sorry."
"Okay." Is all he says.
I avoid eye contact with him and we sit in an awkward silence for what seems like hours.
"Well...Um...what did you have in mind?"
Emily, No!
"Well there is this new rooftop burger place downtown that's supposed to be really good."
"That sounds lovely."
"Great!" He almost jumps out of his seat and bursts into a jovial smile. "Does tonight sound good or do you already have plans?"
I usually don't do anything except read or study so of course I don't have anything planned. I won't tell him that though because he may criticize me for it.
"Tonight is perfect." I get up and grab my purse and briefcase and walk out of the room. I look back at him as I am leaving and wave goodbye.
"See you at eight Emily! Emily...I love that name." He laughs his loud, obnoxious laugh that I find abnormaly attractive and I leave the room.
I walk into the nearest restroom and look at myself in the mirror. I subtely scream so that no one will hear me.
"I'm going on a date! Me...Emily...who has never even had a real conversation with a guy is going on a date with a man who should be a freaking model!"