OPPOSITE ATTRACTION - PART 2 EPISODE 3

Clara’s Pov

Three: I want deliver the files to him just because I want an excuse to see him.

That is only after meeting him first time today. I may even end up with a restraining order soon.

Didn’t I earn some bonus points right there?!

But I can’t stop myself from wanting to go and see him.

So, I choose being a stalker. What is happening to me?

“Nick! Wait!” I call hurriedly as he started walking towards the lift.

I got to him quickly and find him looking at me from above the files.

I can only see his eyes and forehead, the rest of his face is covered by the files. There are so many.

“I will deliver those files. How about you go and open the snacks that I brought today.

You might like them?” I try to tempt him. Mom is only making me eat home food since the accident for some reason.

He smiles. Although I can’t see it, I can tell from his eyes.
“Really?” He asks.

“Yes.” This is working. I put my hands forward to take the files from him, but he stopped looking at me suspiciously.

“But, why do you want to deliver them?” Oh God!

“Do you want the snacks or my answer?” With that he quickly put the files in my hand and quickly goes inside the office,

but stops once he reaches the door to turn around.

“Food is always more important.” With that he goes in.

The perks of having a friend who loves food. I shake my head at him and try to balance the hill of files in my hands.

The lift dings and the doors open. Nick must have already pressed the lift button.

I walk in still balancing the files. Once I reach the floor,

I walk out and go to the receptionist trying to look at the way in front of me, praying to all the Gods above that I do not fall down or let the files fall down.

A woman comes and takes some files from me.

“Here, let me help.” She says taking some of the files.

“Oh, thank you.” I thank her. “I have to deliver them to Mr. Bryant.” I tell her.

“Do you know where is the
receptionist?” She smiles at me.

She looks around my age and she is really pretty.

“I am the receptionist.” I think about her reply. Strange.

I have never come up to meet the former C. E. O so this the first time I am meeting her.

“Hi! I am Clara from H. R department.” I introduce myself.
“I am Aria.” I smile at her.

“He is free now. You can go in. I will bring these files in along with you.”

She says and I almost agree with her. How will I apologize to him if she is there? I can deliver these files alone .

“It’s okay Aria. It’s no problem. I will deliver them alone.”
“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” I say and she slowly puts the files back on the stack that I am already holding. “Which way?” I ask her.

“Go straight.” She says and I give her a smile with nod before going straight.

I go to the door carefully looking from above the files and somehow with all the files in my hand, I knock on the door.

I hear him saying “come in.” I put my back to the door and push it. Once it opens, I go in.

My stomach is having those butterflies again.

I try to look from above the flies and find him looking down at the file on his table.

He is reading it with so much concentration. He didn’t bother to look up.

I keep walking and finally reach his table. Mustering some courage, I finally speak up.

“Good afternoon, Sir. Here are the files you asked Mr. Sam.”

He was about to turn a page, but suddenly stops before looking up and meeting my eyes.

He looks at me surprised. Like he is not expecting me. Before I can say anything, he says looking into my eyes.

“Clara.” He says it as thought he is longing to say it.

I feel the world around me melting as I hear him say my name.

The silence around us is filled with my heartbeat. It’s only us both in this wide room now.

Why am I feeling this way?
Little did I know that I am going to mess up everything in the next five minutes .

My hands are starting to hurt from holding the files for so long.

But my mind is still concentrating on the way he spoke my name.

He just stared at me once he sees me. My eyes never leaving his thick coal-black orbs.

He is so sensually handsome. The perfect minute comes to end once he moved his gaze away from me and to the file he was reading before I came.

“You can leave those files here.” He says without even looking at me.

That hurts me a bit. I know we just met this morning and I don’t expect him to be all smiles and hugs, but he is just being rude.

He can just at least look okay me as he says that.

It’s like I don’t mean anything. Okay, that’s it, Clara! You are just thinking too far! Remember why you came here? That’s right, to apologize. Do that!

I try and slowly put the files on the table.

I can’t see below as there are too many files. He observes this and stands up from his chair.

I groan feeling the pain in my hands and before I know it he took the files from me.

I leave a breathe feeling light once the weight is lifted off my shoulders. He puts them on the table effortlessly.

He goes back and sits in his chair without looking at me. I bite my lip before talking.

“Thank you, Mr. Bryant!” I smile a little. He is a gentleman. He nods his head, still without looking at me.

Oh please, look at me once! I sigh. Why am I getting desperate for him to look at me? Why should I care?

Just say the stupid sorry and get out Clara! “Um…” I trail off not knowing how to start.

I see him looking at me from the corner of his eyes before looking up at me questioningly.

“Do you need something, Ms. Edwards?” His dark eyes boring into mine.

I gulp and look at down not being able to hold his gaze. It’s too intense, almost as if he is trying to read me.

I look at my black formal shoes and bite my lip. I hear him leaving a breath. “Ms. Edwards?” I look up.

Why do I behave so stupidly around him? Why do I get so shy? He had his pen in between his lips.

My mind is thinking of stupid, sensual and different things. What is happening? God!

“If you don’t have anything to say you can leave Ms. Edwards.” That is when I come out of my dream world.

“I am sorry, Mr. Bryant.” I try to speak up confidently.

“I don’t mean to waste your time. I just want to say sorry for what I called you downstairs when Mr. Chris was there.

I didn’t mean to.” There! I finally said it!

“What did you call me?” He asks and I look up at him.

From her so okay his face, I know he knows, yet he is behaving like he doesn’t. He wants me to say it. I look away.

“T-the Handsome Man.” Once I say it, I look up at his face. It is devoid of any emotion. I frown internally.

“So you don’t mean it?” He throws another question and my eyes open wide in alarm. Oh no! He took it the wrong way!

“No. What I mean it, I didn’t mean to say it out loud in front of everyone.” I explain myself and wait for his reaction.

He stays silent for a second before speaking.

“So you mean it? What you said.” He says and I just want the Pheonix from the Harry Potter to come and take me away.

I am going to get in trouble either way. Why not say the truth? I gulp before speaking.

“Y-yes, sir.” I can’t believe I am stuttering now.

I have to be strong! “The thing is, I really don’t know that you are our new boss and I asked you to let me buy coffee for you and then later I called you that in front of everyone.”

I take pause before speaking again. “Sorry for all that.” I find him analyzing me.

He just sits there with his legs crossed as he just stares at me.

I feel the butterflies in my stomach rising.

“Don’t think about all this too much. I liked the coffee and you are forgiven for calling me what you called in front of everyone.”

He says it dismissively. I can’t believe he is cool about all this! He is so nice!

“Really?! Thank you so much-” I was about to go forward and shake his hand that is on the table while thanking him when my hand hit the tall pile of files I just brought that are at the edge.

Some of them fall down at his feet while the others on the table. Few papers fall out form the files. “Oh, my God! I am so sorry.

I don’t know what is wrong with me today!” I quickly try to pick up the files from the table.

“It’s okay. Leave them there Ms. Edwards.” He says.
“No, Sir. Let me do it.”

I wish right at that moment someone appears and tells me to not do it. I wish I listened to him.

But no! I just have embarrassed myself in front of him more! I lift two files and start making a pile and as I lift the next one it hit the glass on the table which is near to him at the edge as well.

That’s when another horrible thing happened. The water fell on his pants… Near his crotch.
Oh. My. God!

My hands reach near my mouth as I gasp and he quickly stood up once the water fell on him.

The glass fell down and broke into pieces. He sighs and looks at me.

I should have quit the job last Friday itself, but my mind said, ‘Hey, you have not done anything wrong!

The fault is of H. R department’s head. You have to go and complain about him’. Now I am going to get fired!

“I am really sorry, Sir.” I quickly take the tissues from the tissue box I saw on the table beside the pen stand and quickly put it just below his crotch so it could suck the water.

I don’t even know what I am doing. He quickly took a step back.

“What are you doing?” He demands. I bend down in front of him.

My fingers quickly grab the belt.
“Remove the pant, Sir. I quickly dry it and bring it back.”

I still fumble with the belt when he suddenly holds my hands stopping me.

“Look at me.” I quickly follow his order. He is still holding my hands.

His eyes boring into mine as his did the same. “Take a deep breath in.” He says and I do she says still concentrating on his dark orbs.
“Huh?”

“Now let it out. Slowly.” I do as he says again. I feel part of the tension leave my body.

“Now do it again.” I oblige to it.”Again.” I do it again and slowly I feel less nervous. “Good.” He removes his hands from my shoulders and takes a step back.

“I don’t think removing my pant to let you dry it on the first day here will provide me with a good image Ms. Edwards.” He pauses and my mind slowly starts working.

What was I doing?! “Nor it does any good to your image.” I bite my lip.
“I am sorry, Sir.” I feel guilty, embarrassed, stupid and I just want to walk away from here to live in a hole.

I look down at my feet again.
“You may go now.” He says.

“Okay, Sir. Sorry for the mess once again.” I took a step back to turn around.

“Stop.” I turn to look at him. He is looking down at my feet.

I see a large piece of glass near me and look up at him. He is looking at me already. “You should watch when you walk.”

“Sorry, Sir.” I quickly turn around to walk out of the room as soon as possible not wanting to embarrass myself more in front of him.

Just as I grab the handle of the door I hear his voice again. The next words he spoke really hurt my heart and pride.

“Ms. Edwards.” I turn around at his call. “It seems like you don’t know anything except saying sorry.

Don’t come in here again unless I ask you to. I don’t want a silly person spoiling my day and work.”

His words were so rude that my heart dropped for a second.

Did he really just say that? I feel like someone has just poured down a bucket of cold water over my head to bring me back to real world.

But, I really didn’t do all of those intentionally. I look at his desk. But all of this mess is because of me . I sigh.

This is really not a good day. Also, this is not how I expected it to go or how it was supposed to go.

At that moment, I just want to go out of that room and never come up here again.

I nod my head at him looking down and I am sure my sadness can be seen on my face completely.

Going out, I close the door. I put my face in my hands as I stand out of the door and sigh.

Oh, God! I shake my head at myself. I want to cry. But, I don’t think the

tears are going to come out soon. His words hurt the most. I know, if it was others, they might have fired me. I might not have felt bad even if he fired me, but it’s the way he spoke before I came out.

But, why does it hurt? Anyone might have said the same after the mess you created Clara. Leaving a tired breath, I go to the lift.

Then just something in me clicked. I quickly went back to his office and knocked on it.

Once I hear a ‘come in’ filled with tired voice, I open it and he looks up at me.

I quickly look away not wanting to hold his gaze and know that it might hurt me if he looks at me angrily for coming in again after he told me not to come here again. I muster up all my courage.

“Sorry, Sir. This won’t happen again and as you ordered, I won’t come up here to disturb you again after this.

” I close the door once I say what I want to say without looking at him. I walk straight to the lift and pressed the button for the lift to come up.

I see the receptionist, Aria, smiling at me and before I can return her smile, even if it might be a sad one, her phone rings.

“Mr. Bryant.” She answers once she lifts the call. It must be from him to clean the mess I created.

The lift’s doors open and I quickly enter and punch the button of my floor not wanting to eavesdrop on their conversation.

Once I am out of the lift, I quickly rush to the washroom. As I look in the mirror, his words come back to my mind.

Don’t come back here again.
I don’t want a silly person spoiling my day .

I am not really going to cry about it, but I have to admit, those words really hurt me.

I wash my face to try and forget about it. Then wipe my face with a tissue. I meet my eyes in the mirror.

Okay, Clara! Everyone once in a while, every person has a bad day. Today is yours.

So just let it go. Things like this happen and you have to learn to let it go.

By tomorrow this will become history and you will be carrying on with your work as always.

Just be thankful that he didn’t take away your job. Good! Now, that is some positive energy! I smile at myself. Okay. Now go to your seat and carry on with your job .

Walking out of the washroom I go to my place and start working. But still, his words are hanging in my head. All through the afternoon, I can’t concentrate on work.

I don’t understand why his words are bothering me so much when they are not supposed to. My discomfort and lack of ability to work didn’t go unnoticed by my colleagues.

“Are you okay?” Tina asks and I just nod my head at her with a tight-lipped smile.

“Time for Chinese food!” We hear Nick say and I look at my desktop to see that the office hours are over.

I am not really in the mood for the treat that Chris is giving us tonight. Sighing, I get up from my chair and pack my stuff in my handbag. Tina linked her arm with mine.

“Whenever you want to talk about it, I am available.” She says and this time a genuine smile crosses my lips.

Thanking the Gods above for giving me such a good friend we go to the lift as Kevin and Nick walk to the lift before us.

“Where is Chris?” I ask.
“You didn’t hear him?” Kevin says surprised. I shake my head no.

“Well, he said he will come down just in five minutes. He told us to wait for him downstairs.”

He looks over my shoulder. I follow his gaze and find Chris coming to us with a smile.

“Maybe he is coming with us.” I hear Tina sigh beside me. I find her shaking her head. Chris’s gaze s on Tina as he walks to us. Once reaches he smiles at all of us.
“So, let’s go then.”

The dinner just passed by quickly. Nick and Kevin were the only once looking lively. Chris has an amazing and dazzling smile and a very positive attitude and is a really nice person.

I see Tina and Chris sharing some looks. At one point he was just staring at her while she just looks away.

My mind keeps switching back forth on what happened today afternoon.

I reach home late. Mom and Drake have slept already. I go up to my room and change into something comfortable.

I fall asleep feeling exhausted and not wanting to think about The Handsome Man.

Maybe I should just call him The Arrogant Man. But he is not that arrogant a well.

I fall into a dreamless sleep somewhere in the middle of the night.

The morning came soon and my mom and brother are waiting for me in the kitchen downstairs.

I get ready and go down. I sit down feeling lazy to even put the bread in my mouth.

I see a bouquet of flowers on the table.

“Good morning, Sweetie! How was yesterday?” Mom asks.
Before I can respond to her Drake cuts me off.

“Mom, come on! First, we should know who is the one that has sent that bouquet.”

He says and I look at him confused. What is he talking about? Is that bouquet for me?

I reach for the note placed neatly on the light pink roses in the bouquet.

How does this person know that light pink roses are my favourite? I open the card to read.

To the beautiful you,
Have a good day, Cara Mia.
From a soulless me.

I stand speechless once I read it. I read it again and my eyes still on the few words mentioned in it.

Cara Mia. Soulless me. Cara Mia? Why do I feel like I have heard this before? Maybe it’s just because it’s a common word.

But, who is this person? Why did he refer to himself as a soulless person? How do I know that it’s a man?

Maybe they delivered the bouquet to the wrong address. But these are my favourite roses.

“Maybe be they delivered to the wrong address,” I say and Derek shakes his head sideways.

“No. The delivery man was very clear. The roses are for you Ms. Beautiful You.” He teases and I hit him on his arm.

“You read it already.” It was a rhetorical question. I take out a flower form the bouquet and smell it. it smells nice and fresh. I can’t help but smile.

Who can it be?

Who is this anonymous person?

Whoever it is, I don’t think they are soulless?