After running behind Mr. Jackson, the whole day, we finally came back to the company just an hour before I can go home. I could notice he really tried to be nice to me, but he was rather scary the more he tried. He would get flustered whenever I wouldn't get his act of kindness at the first shot and he'd burst out and yell me whatever he tried to do.
"You like coffee, don't you?", he had asked me, as we were heading to the Sony Corporation of America Headquarters in Los Angeles. I looked up from my iPad and tilted my head at him, he cleared his throat.
"Yes, I do", I nonchalantly said, looking back at my tasks for the day in my device.
"What kind of coffee do you like?"
"I don't know, it depends of my mood", I shrugged.
I heard him huff but I didn't dare to look up to him. I heard his fingers tapping the leather seat, letting me know he was losing his patience.
"Is there any particular brand you prefer?", he pressed, with gritted teeth.
"Not really..."
"For God's sake woman, I want to treat you some coffee, what is so fucking hard to understand?!", Mr. Jackson shouted, making me and Daniel (who was driving), jump in our seats, scared. When he noticed my reaction, he blinked repeatedly and huffed again, this time looking at the window.
Well, at least he tried.
I thought he'd be done after that, but after the Sony meeting went for a long time, lunch time had passed by an hour and I could even hear Daniel's stomach making crazy sounds because he was hungry. I wasn't that hungry because I was used to over-stressing and despite my indigestion being better these days, I didn't feel like eating right now. I'd rather do all the tasks and then relax at home.
"I'm really hungry", Mr. Jackson said as soon as we got into the car, he even pretended to stretch his arms as I looked at him weirdly, but then looked back at my device. "Jameson, is there anything you'd like to eat?"
Daniel looked back from his seat to us with his eyes shining bright in happiness as he opened his mouth to speak. "I haven't had some good—", but he was quickly interrupted by our boss.
"Sure, sure... thanks for the input", Mr. Jackson said and looked back at me. "What do you feel like eating, Louisa?", he asked me, and I could see Daniel rolling his eyes and going back to his task of driving by turning the engine on.
"Um...", I hesitated, I didn't want to make him upset again. "I'd eat what Daniel wants", I said with a weird grin, shrugging again as Mr. Jackson held a curse coming out from his mouth.
"I'd like to treat you guys because you are great employees, I want to buy you some good food", Mr. Jackson said with gritted teeth, looking intensely at me rather than caring what Daniel wanted.
"Daniel, what do you want to eat?", I asked him politely.
"In the name of the Lord...", Mr. Jackson mumbled as I hurried Daniel to speak as I tapped his shoulder.
"I don't want nothing, let the boss pick", he said, visibly upset, like a child. It frustrated me as I sighed and looked back at Mr. Jackson.
"I'm not hungry, so you choose, Mr. Jackson", I said with gritted teeth.
"Whatever!", he shouted again, this time I expected that reaction as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Let's just go to the next fucking meeting"
I swear I'd seen Daniel's eyes flashing deep regret.
I was growing tired of my boss and his mood swings but fortunately, he kept quiet the whole way back to the next task. And sometimes it seemed that he wanted to say something, but often held back, fearing rejection. I felt kind of bad for him in the end. I bit my lip thinking maybe I'd should've considered Daniel's wishes rather than giving Mr. Jackson the cold shoulder. But I didn't trust him, and I knew I couldn't either, I had to do anything in order to survive.
He wasn't in the same position I was, but I also knew he wouldn't understand the way I feel regarding a lot of things.
When we went back to the Jackson Enterprises office, he called me in as soon as Daniel sat on his seat, that was next to my desk.
"Yes, Mr. Jackson?", I asked him, softly and warily of him.
He took his blazer off and set it on his chair, before sitting down and looking at me. But this time he seemed to be upset about something, tapped his chin and looked up at me.
"I have an urgent task I need you to do for me", he started saying and I quickly opened my notepad. "I have a private meeting tomorrow morning and I need you to pick up my investors from the airport and take them to the Starlight Mall"
"Is there anything specific you want me to do?", I asked him, tilting my head a bit, watching him hesitate for a few seconds and then tapping his wooden desk.
"Show them around, entertain them a bit, you'll figure out what they came for", he simply instructed and I nodded, taking note of the gate I'd have to pick them up from and the time and other things.
Next morning, I was in LAX, waiting for Mr. Shapiro and his team to arrive. From what Mr. Jackson told me, they'd be coming from Portugal. I was worried they didn't speak English, but when I saw him and his team coming to me, I tried to calm down.
"Mr. Shapiro?", I asked, squinting my eyes a bit as the tall man looked at me. He was a bit intimidating, but I was trained to deal with situations like this. "My name is Louisa Ronan, I'll be the one guiding your way to Starlight Mall", I greeted him with a handshake and then to all his team.
I was honestly surprised that he spoke English very well, despite his accent, he was really nice. Mr. Shapiro told me about the weather comparisons between California and his home country, never once mentioning anything regarding the motive he'd be at Starlight Mall. When we got there, he even seemed to know the way better than I did.
And I only noticed his true motive for being here, in this exact spot, as we walked nearby Gardenia – the store that Jackson Enterprises owned.
"May I ask why we're heading there?", I asked him politely as Mr. Shapiro finally smiled at me.
"We're here for the inspection, didn't you know?", he asked me, as if I was crazy. I noticed the black French cuff he was wearing. I sighed as I looked back at his face. "We are from the Bubble Company Corporation"
"I'm sorry, but I can't lead you all the way there, it's against my personal values as I respect the company I'm working for", I said, stopping them from taking a single step closer to Gardenia.
Mr. Shapiro was scary as he furrowed his brows. "What did you say...?", he asked me, seriously. He must've thought I didn't notice it yet.
"I know you're not from the Bubble Company Corporation", I said, looking straight at him as I crossed my arms over my chest, giving him a stern look.
God, I'm so stupid. I'm so stupid, thinking Michael Jackson would've ever give me an innocent task as this. He thinks he can use me as he pleases, I know I'm a stupid pawn in a corporate war, but this is way too much. Even for a commoner like me.
"How did you know?", Mr. Shapiro softened his expression as I wore a tight smile.
"Those are the ones only the Black Team members use, it's an exclusive treat for their partners", I said, pointing out his French cuffs. Mr. Shapiro looked back at me in awe, smiling and shaking his head. I smiled back, this time, a sincere smile.
"Damn, you're good", he reckoned as his team also looked at me in awe.
That night I went home and went against my rules as I drank a whole bottle of wine. I couldn't even think straight. I knew I had to remain loyal to President Jackson, for the sake of my father's legacy and the hard work the factory workers had put through many years of my life, even before I was born.
I wanted to cry, missing Georgie and feeling alone, the loneliest I've ever been. I didn't even have someone to count in, I didn't have the heart to talk about my problems to either my co-workers or my friends. I wanted to lean onto someone, someone reliable that could listen to me and be there for me.
"But you're long gone", I mumbled to Georgie, wherever he was. I know it wasn't his fault, but I wish that he was still here. My heart sinks whenever I think about him being gone. My best friend, my lover, my everything...
Now it truly was me against the world.
I arrived just on time at the office, the next morning. I went to greet Reina and Lenore at the Secretary Lounge and was making my way to Mr. Jackson's office to report myself and give him a piece of my mind, but I was greeted by the horde of President Jackson and his team.
"Good morn—", but before I could even speak, I saw the President almost run to me, with pure rage all over his face as he then slapped my cheek with such intensity that made me fall in the floor.
I hid the cheek he had hit with my right hand as I looked up to him, I've never seen him this angry in my entire life. Maybe because I've never done anything to anger him before. But the expression he had on his face was one that would haunt me forever, and I wondered how my father felt whenever Jonathan Jackson showed the real him.
I was so in shock that I didn't knew what to do, I only felt someone helping me to stand up and I noticed it was Tyler, who seemed as shocked as I was.
"I basically raised you, fed you from my own bare hands... and this is how you pay me?!", the President yelled at me, pointing at me as everyone started mumbling. I really did hold my tears as much as I could because this was overpassing me. I didn't even know what I did so wrong. "You are fired, Louisa Ronan, I don't want to see your face", he spit out as I trembled in Tyler's arms, watching the President and his entourage passing me by.
As soon as they passed me by, I almost fainted, feeling a sharp pain in my stomach as Tyler held me tighter. "Whoa—!", he yelped, trying to help me stand up.
I started crying. "W-what happened?!", I asked, out of myself. I felt like I wasn't in my senses, watching everything around me revolve and some dark black spots invading my vision.
"Lou, were you aware that what you've done yesterday was seen as treason? You basically distracted everyone by guiding the wrong guys at Starlight Mall. We lost the contract with every airport's Duty Free at United States and furthermore, we've lost other important contracts...", Tyler said but I felt his voice lowering down, as if my mind was deciding to turn my senses off.
The last thing I saw was Michael Jackson, standing shocked as he looked at me, pale and sad. I didn't have time to think about him as blackness surrounded me, I lost control of myself.
Every time I say I had enough, this stupid game of theirs prove me wrong. They keep pushing me out of my own boundaries.