Coming Late

Alicia rushed down the road startling a guy on his phone.

“Watch out!”He yelled.

“Oops! Sorry!”She waved with a grim.

She stood waiting for a cab, checking her black wrist watch at intervals.

“Damn! That wreck of a boss is gonna wipe my neck, till it falls off.”

She paced to and fro while sighting a cab from afar.

“Thank goodness!” She heaved a sign of relieve.

The cab stopped right in front of her, Alicia rushed in stepping on a lady's foot, pretending not to have seen her.

“Sily thing! Ain't you seeing? you stepped on my foot!”She shouted with a grim, twisting her wrist as though, ready to fight.

Alicia stared at her, flung her already closed cab door open.

“I'm sorry ma'am.”

“Better!”She frowned and turned away.

“I thought it was stick!”Alicia framed.

“What the heck did you say?”She yelled!

“Byee!”Alicia yelled back, closing the cab door as they drove off.

They arrived her destination soon after, she alighted, checked around as though not wanting to be seen. She held her hands together, viewed her wrist watch and cleaned the sweat off her hands with her white face towel.

She almost sneaked in when Michael yelled her name from behind.

“What are you doing?”He asked striding forward.

“I...”She stuttered.

“You're late! Come to my office in five minutes.”He said and turned away.

“Oh God! This shouldn't ruin my day! Well, he's cute. Nah! He isn't. ”She hummed in, heading straight to Michael's office.

She almost bumped into Sarah, who just came out of Michael's office. She was holding a file and looked cheerful.

“Oh sweet Sarah, I've missed you.”She soliloquize calmly.

“My darling, Alicia. I've missed you too.”

“You heard me say that?”Alicia asked raising two brows exposing her corneas.

“Of course! Ain't they meant for me? Or is it for the CEO?”She asked with a smirk.

Alicia held her mouth with both hands.

“No way! He is actually disgusting.”

“Hmm! First time hearing someone say that, about the ever handsome CEO.” Serah said demonstrating with her eyes closed, as though savoring a sweet smell.

“I think everyone is blind and out of taste!”Alicia said with a grim.

“Hmm, your type is rare! I'll see you soon. Bye Licia!”

“It's Alicia!”She yelled.

Once, she was called that and now again, it just didn't sound well to her.

She stood at Michael's door detecting whether to go in or not. She held her breath and let it out slowly.

“I'm just fooling myself, he's handsome but disgusting! No, I can never like him.”She heaved and knocked.

“Come in, Alicia.”He said from inside.

Alicia opened the door slowly and went in, she stood waiting to be offered a seat. Michael raised two brows, each examining Alicia's body. Her red gown made her look more beautiful than she had ever been, red was her favorite color back at her high school and she still haven't given up on it. Her black long hair made him droll the more.

“Mister Michael.”Alicia called him back to reality.

“Oh yes! Please sit.”

She placed her red hand bag on the table, and sat facing Michael.

“I was wondering, why you sounded different yesterday,like..you're unlike them.”

“Unlike who?”She asked leaning forward.

“Never mind! I want you to be my personal assistant.”He said, placing a few files on the table.

“You have a PA, why me?”

“I want you to do it, stop asking lame questions! I am the CEO and I decide!”He yelled. Alicia nodded, she thought he was being nice at first but, not anymore.

“Go. Take those files and do the needful, the instructions are in there.”He instructed.

Alicia stood up, took the files and walked out. She was shown an office.

“Finally! I own an office.”

She flung her windows open, spreading her hands to the ocean wind. She pressed her hands on the chairs and sat on them.

Her office decor was more attractive than Micheal's. She wondered why he gave her such a place, a heaven on earth. She set to work immediately, studying every guide.

She couldn't find her pen, she headed quickly to Michael's office to get a spare. Sarah ran up to her, she jerked almost startled.

“I'm sorry, Alicia.”

“It's alright. I think I'm used to this.”She said with a smirk.

“Oh!”

“Yeah!”Alicia nodded.

“Maybe we could have lunch together.”Sarah suggested.

“Oh! No..I have lots of work to cover, I don't think I would be chanced for lunch.”

“Damn! What if I help you with them?”

Alicia's phone rings.

“We'll talk later, the CEO is calling.”Alicia said rushing out.

Sarah stood watching her go without uttering a word, she took the next turn and left.

Alicia knocked and was ushered in, Michael was on his laptop and didn't pay much attention till he was through typing.

“Take those files, add them to the rest and return them before 2pm.” He said pointing at the files on the table.

“Oh! Right!”She said and made to leave.

“And, Licia..”He called out.

The sound of it sent shivers down her spines and knuckles in her belly, she haven't heard it sound so better, she would have corrected him like she did to Sarah but found herself drowning in its ocean.

“Yes sire!”She answered staring straight at him, expecting more files because, it seemed that was what he was good at.

“Make sure you submit those files on time and, don't go out for lunch without having them done!”He stated and turned to his laptop.

“Sir...!”She called.

“What more?”He asked raising a brow.

“Please, lend me a pen. I can't find mine.”She said holding the files firmly to herself.

“We never run short of pens, did you check your drawers? He asked with his hands akimbo.

“No. I'll check them.”She answered.

He nodded, she headed to the exit and left. Michael tilted his head up and heaved.

“What's wrong with me?”He scratched his head and continued operating his laptop.

He never wanted to have anything to do with her, but then, he called her back like an offender.

Alicia sat in her office, spreading the files across the table, she mapped her activities out, she held them one after the other and wrote on them. She sat still for some time, she jerked when she heard someone knock.

Her eye lids widened as she checked her wrist watch, it was just 1pm and she heaved a sign of relieve before ushering the person at the door in.

It was Sarah, she came to check if she was done, so they could have lunch.

“Seems like, you're still working Ms Alicia.”She started.

“Is she respecting me now?”She thought.

“Of course I am. Besides, you're smart!”She responded with a smirk. She drew out one of the chairs and sat on it.

“I didn't say that out, how come you heard me?”Alicia asked leaning forward, Sarah laughed whist hitting her hands on the table.

“You sound terrified! Of course you said that loud and I heard you.”

Alicia held her head and placed them gently on the table, facing Sarah.

“I never knew I sound horrible, what if I had insulted you?”Alicia asked with her jaws compressed to the table.

“Oh darling! I know you ain't that way, you won't do that. And, you don't sound horrible, you're just being witty.”

“Witty?”Alicia asked raising a brow.

No one ever called her witty, Felicia told her she was annoying few days back, but Sarah just did.

“Thank you.”Alicia finally said before compelling the files back.

Sarah watched her compile the files but, joined her when she saw the files were much. Alicia held the file on her left hand and motioned towards the door.

“Lets see outside, I'll meet you at the restaurant.”Alicia said turning to face Sarah who was still sitting.

Sarah stood up and walked pass Alicia at the door.

“I'll be waiting," She replied.

Alicia watched her strode out and closed the door behind her.

Michael was sitting relaxed in his office when Alicia knocked, he ushered her in and ordered her to place the files on his table.

“Sit.”He ordered.

“Sire?”

He pointed at the chair opposite him, Alicia stared at him, his well craved dark brown eyeballs, he dark short hair and his lean masculine body. Her eyes traveled down his well ironed blue suit, of course, he had a good sense of fashion.

“So, tell me..how is your day going?”Michael asked.

“Very well.”

“I see! I didn't expect you to finish the work I gave you in a limited time frame.”He said, flipping one of the file's page.

“First impression matters a lot.”Alicia stated.

“Indeed!”

Michael stood and walked over to her, he sat on the table with his hands folded.

“Am I truly ugly and disgusting?”

Alicia looked down, her fingers intertwining. Michael brushed her hairs off her face with his hand.

“I have a lunch date with someone. I should start going,”Alicia stated flinging his hands off her.

“You didn't answer me. And, who are you having a date with?”