9: Fallen

"Zab!" Andrea screamed as soon as the door of my apartment opened. She grabbed my sister into a tight hug which my sister gladly returned.

"Dre! I missed you!" She screamed while the two of them twirled around the living room. I can't help but laugh at the sight of my best friend and my sister acting like they're the ones who are related. It's been so long since I had the two by my side at the same time.

The three of us ended up having dinner together just like old times. I miss being surrounded by these two, specially Zabrina. I miss sharing a room with her, waking up, and going to sleep together. I love being with her again, but I still can't shake off the feeling that she's still hiding the truth of her unexpected visit. I want to say something about it, but she looks so happy that I can't bring myself to ask her again and ruin the mood.

"I'll be staying here for the night." Andrea suddenly declared and by the looks of it, I don't think I have any say in this.

"You know your sister might like someone. And he might like him back." She confessed to Zab, earning her a death glare from me.

"Really? Who? What does he look like? Do you have a picture of him?" She asked in a flash that even the so ever talkative Andrea had a hard time keeping up.

"One at a time Zab." She said while giggling as I shook my head at them.

"Okay, who is it?" Zab slowly asked.

"Our new boss seems to have a particular liking to one Catherine Zoe Aragon." Dre answered her while wiggling her eyebrows at me.

"What? Oh my gosh! Is this some sort of office romance? So romantic! Ahh!" she shrieked, making me clasp my hands to my ears.

"Stop it Zab! It's definitely not an office romance. He just happens to be very hands-on with his work." I answered, but it looks like she doesn't believe me.

"Looks like he's been very hands-on with you." my little sister answered me with a malicious look in her eyes. I could feel my face burning and as soon as they looked at me, they both let out amused laughter. 

"What are you thinking about Zoe?" Zab asked stifling her giggle and I just continued eating my food. Thankfully, the two of them stopped and we could finally finish our food. We then started up a movie, and just cuddled together under our blankets on the living room floor.

"So, you don't have any feelings for this boss of yours?" Zab suddenly whispered to me as we were watching the movie.

"I don't know how to answer that Zab." I said to her.

"See, don't what to admit it, but you also can't deny it." Andrea said beside me.

"Sir Mitchel is very attractive. He might look a bit cold and intimidating, but he's passionate and open-minded. He can accept suggestions and criticism well. Also, he's caring and thoughtful, even if he doesn't act like it." I said to them, remembering all the times that I've spent with Sir Mitchel.

"Looks like you've already fallen Zoe." Zab said as she was tucking herself in the blankets.

"No, I'm not. He's just easy to get along with."

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that." Andrea said cuddling herself under the blankets too.

I wanted to argue with them more but it looks like they wouldn't listen to me anyway. I turned off the television and followed them under the blankets. I can't believe that these two really think that I have feelings for Sir Mitchel.

I woke up with the smell of bacon in the air. I opened my eyes and noticed that I was the only one left inside the blankets. I got up and saw the two in the kitchen cooking and preparing breakfast.

"Morning!" I called out as I started folding the blankets we used. 

"Go get ready. Let's have breakfast together." Andrea said to me, and that's when I realized that she was already ready for work. I got in the shower as soon as I finished making the bed. The three of us ate breakfast together and they still won't drop the topic of Sir Mitchel.

Both me and Andrea then rode to work together leaving Zab at the apartment, doing who knows what.

"Gosh! I'm so hungry!" I exclaimed as I slouched down on my chair after I finished proofreading the script for the new volume of one of our comic books.

"Let's go Cath Cath!" Andrea said strutting to my desk. I was about to stand up from my chair when a pop-up suddenly appeared on my screen.

To Catherine Aragon, Bellena Madrid, Jake Matthews, and Zacharia Hill.

We will be having a meeting regarding the next volume of "TIMELAPSE" this afternoon at three o'clock in the afternoon at my office. Please prepare all the revised, finalized, and proofread materials and drafts for the said project. Thank you.

-Gavin Mitchel

It's a good thing I've finished all of my work and after weeks, I finally don't have any backlog. Now all I have to do is finish my lunch and wait until three for the meeting. 

I took my wallet and phone then followed Andrea to the elevators. We went to our favorite restaurant for lunch and unwind.

"I saw you talking to Axel earlier. What was that about?" I curiously asked and I immediately regret it. Her face turned sour at the mention of the name.

"He was asking if I would go on another date with Xander." she said, making me raise an eyebrow at the absurdity of what she just said.

"Is he serious?" I asked and she at least gave a slight giggle at my reaction.

"I guess I should be an actress since I totally convinced him and Xandra that nothing was wrong with the whole double date. And he said Xandra thinks that Xander was really into me."

"What did you say to him?" I asked her, she shrugged at me and continued eating.

"I told him that I'll think about it. And he even told me to tell him right away what my decision is, so they could plan another double date." she said, taking a sip from her cup of iced tea. I dropped the conversation and we both continued eating. 

"So, are you gonna go for it?" I asked as we were walking back to our building and she just shrugged her shoulders at me.

"I honestly, don't know what answer to give him. I don't know if I even want to go on a double date with them. Even with Xander being a total sweetheart, I still clearly have feelings for Axel and if what Xandra says is true, I don't want to lead Xander on." She admitted and I know that there is nothing I can do about her situation, she needs to figure out the answers by herself.

Five minutes before three o'clock, I got up from my seat with all the materials that I needed for the meeting and went straight to Gavin's office. Kyla immediately saw me as I turned the corner and smiled at me brightly. 

"Busy day, Cath?" Kyla asked me and I shook my head at her.

"It was okay Kyla. I finished all of my backlog work, so all I have to finish is the meeting." I said to her. She was about to say something again when we both realized that everyone who was attending the meeting just arrived. Kyla turned on her intercom and started talking.

"Sir Mitchel?" she asked and Sir Mitchel immediately responded.

"Yes, Kyla?" he answered in his deep raspy voice.

"The team for TIMELAPSE is already waiting here for your meeting." She said to him.

"Okay. Let them in, thank you." He answered before the line went off.

"You can go now. Sir Gavin is waiting for you." Kyla said to us, giving me a wink before getting back to her computer. 

The meeting went quite well and everything has been finalized. We should be able to put the volume up for production this week. I really can't help but admire Gavin's work ethic. You can see the love and passion he is putting into his works and I honestly think that it makes him more attractive. The way that he keeps ruffling his hair and biting his lips, whenever he was concentrating on something, keeps distracting me from everything that was being said in the meeting. Oh gosh! What am I thinking!

"Good work everybody. You are dismissed." Sir Mitchel announced as I got my heads out of the clouds. 

"You too sir." Belle said clearly wanting to flirt with Sir Mitchel but by the looks of it, it didn't work. I tried my best to hold in my laughter as I saw the desperation in her eyes, and she has the nerve of calling me the "flirt" of the office.

I started gathering all my materials and was heading out of the office together with the others after saying goodbye to Sir Mitchel, but clumsy old me would not even give myself a break. I tripped over the rug in front of his desk and dropped all the papers I was carrying.

"Sorry, sir. I'm such a klutz." I said putting down all the things in my hand and started picking up all the paper on the floor, and without any hesitations, Sir Mitchel crouched down and helped me.

"Here." He said handing me a pile of paper that he gathered.

"Than..." I stopped in the middle of what I was saying when I realized how close we were to each other. My eyes were drawn to his. His piercing brown eyes look like they were seeing right through my soul. Like he was seeing my whole being. He leaned in closer and closer and closer, making me close my eyes on instinct. I remained still. I wanted to move, but my body refused. It was like my whole being was waiting for this exact moment to happen.

My eyes never left his eyes, I can feel his breath on my lips, and with his every breath, I knew our faces were only inches away. If we weren't already seated, I knew my legs would have given in. I felt my face heat up as the feeling of his breath lingered on my lips, and that's when I realized, maybe Zoe and Andrea were right and I'm in so much trouble now.