One step closer.

  "Maria Gracia?" He called out from his desk compartment demarcated by a see-through glass to the opposite room where a few candidates sat. Maria rose upon hearing her name, responding to the middle-aged man who had glasses that rested on his nose bridge.

"Please take your seat," he offered, motioning to the swivel chair in his front. She took her seat and hoped for the best. She arrived in New York yesterday, today was the day she has been told she'd resume her work position.

      "Thank you," Maria said as she sat while he adjusted his collar, then his cuffs.

"I am Mr Sean Powell, a senior executive of A.C.E and I overtook the job of getting to know the rookies we recruited this year," he adjusted his glasses and took a glimpse at the screen of his computer. "It says here that you majored in HRM and graduated with a CGPA of 3.65," looking at her now. 

Maria repositioned herself before giving a response. "Yes, that's right, sir."

   "And it also says here that you passed the three stages of the E-recruitment over the last six months, also that you never missed a day of discourse on the online forum," he said again.

   "Yes, that's very accurate, sir."

   

"Why?" He asked again. Why? She echoed the question in her head.

  To live my dreams, she thought. 

"Most online recruits seem to fall off due to the rigorous process this organization has put in place to get the very best. It's impressive seeing someone as diligent as you are. Which brings about the question...why are you here?" He asked again, peering from above his glasses.

"Because A.C.E has been one of the prestigious organizations all over the nation," she said sitting more upright. "After the Traditional recruitment process was transformed into a more viral one, it had thereby opened up the doors for people like me who reside in far away countries. So I guess I wanted to be a part of an agency with such an exalted reputation, it's the perfect place to apply my knowledge on HRM and public relations." She responded without mincing a word. Nothing gets employers better than praising their organisations and grovelling before them.

  She watched a smile snake his lips and he cleared his throat before asking the next question.

"But, aren't there better fields or even companies back in Spain where you can spread your wings wide?"

"Oh, there are numerous organisations but I choose one of the very best," she flattered. Praise them without selling yourself cheap, that was her motto.

"Impressive. I seem to have taken a liking to you," he said with a smile.

What a nice old man, Maria thought, nice enough to fall for all that she had said and she was happy he did. She was desperate for this job. Not after she left Andrew behind, not after she betrayed his trust and left without his permission. Not after she left her life behind, hanging on to a thin string of hope that things would get better here.

Things had to get better, she had nowhere else to be.

His voice sliced right through her thoughts. "I'd like it for you to assume the position of my personal assis-"

His sentence was cut short by the creak of the door that was swung open by a bald middle age man in a grey suit that was tight around his heavy stomach, he was short and plum, with cheeks large enough to occupy two hard-boiled eggs—each.

He walked in looking perturbed and confused, his hand rubbing his hairless head.

"Sean, we have a problem," he blurted, he didn't seem focused enough to be discreet. 

  "Oh, Higgins, what would that be th-" Mr Sean was cut short by the trembling bald man again.

   

"The devil wants a PA, again! That goddamn kid!" He almost yelled as he cussed.

 

Maria wasn't sure what to do in this situation, she couldn't rise and leave till she was dismissed but she didn't know if listening to their conversation was the best thing either. 

The devil? She echoed in her mind.

Worry spread through Sean's face upon hearing what the man had said, Maria was taken aback as to why they both reacted this way.

"W-why? No, have you found him any?" Mr Sean asked.

"No, he said twenty-four hours and there are only a few hours left! None of our employees accepted the offer even as high as the pay is. Some even offered to quit, scared of being in relation or close contact with him. Wouldn't it be weird as a talent agency to contact another agency for a personal assistant for a personality we manage?!"

"Oh, boy," Mr Sean took his glasses off and cleaned them with a piece of cloth he took out of its case.

"You know how that kid gets when he doesn't get what he wants. He might threaten to cancel the contract like he did last year. I can feel my blood pressure rising," the man said again, grabbing the back of his neck.

Higgins, Maria took note of his name in her head.

"You know what? You can leave, Higgins. I'd take care of this." Mr Sean said.

"You will? No protests, thank you." He walked out and yelled before opening the door.

"I'm going to retire soon 'cause this job keeps thugging at my life and that goddamn kid!"

  The room now contained Maria and Mr Sean alone, who cleared his throat before commencing.

"So, as I was saying earlier..." He took a brief pause and Maria nodded, eager to know what his response was going to be.

"What do you think about being the personal assistant of one of the celebrities we manage?" He asked with a wry laugh. "You must have heard of him, he's a world-renowned star."

Maria's head spun upon hearing what he had just said. If she was going to be the personal assistant of a celebrity, it was not one step but two closer to her dreams. If she took hold of this opportunity, it could be exactly what she needed.

 "I'm all ears, sir," she said, containing her excitement and the butterflies that fluttered in her stomach.

"Jones Jackson," he stated, his eyes maintaining the stare in hers. 

"Jones Jackson..." She repeated trying to remember, then it hit her. "Jones Jackson from The raid role!?"

  

"Yes, that Jones Jackson. We manage him and he requires a personal assistant. It's okay to decline if it isn't what you want," he added.

 

"Was he the one...?" Her voice trailed off.

 "Yes, he is the one that made frightened Higgins run around but he isn't as bad as you think. He's just picky and sophisticated like every other artist out there."

Even if he was the worst person on the face of the earth, Maria was determined to work with, for or under him, as long as it takes her a step closer to achieving get goals.

"I'd do it, sir," she said to him. "I can be his personal assistant." 

"Oh, good. I have a feeling you're exactly what he needs. You may leave now, I'll ask someone to fill you in on the most important details including schedule management," he sat up. "Especially schedule management and everything else you'll need including accommodation. His manager would pick you up in a while.

"Yes, thank you, sir," she said as she walked to the door.

"Maria," Mr Sean called out right before she opened the door. "Good luck."

  "Thank you, sir." She closed the door quietly and headed to the elevator. Why did he have to say good luck like she had just signed her death warrant? Jones Jackson wasn't one of her favourite celebrities in the slightest but he couldn't possibly be as bad as they said considering how nice he seemed on Tv, or maybe that was just a facade, she thought. People pretended a lot these days—herself included.

   The elevator stopped at the ninth floor, its doors pried open, revealing the figure of a man, whose brown hair was messy and wet but fell on his face in the most amazing way. His deep blue eyes stared into hers as he drew heavy but sharp breaths. His light blue shirt was folded to the elbow level, revealing his muscly and veiny arms that held the elevator's door. She felt a tingling sensation course through the sinful parts of her gracious body. 

  Time seemed to have stopped for Maria. Who was this man and why did he look like the gods had spent a month perfecting his looks?