My eyes were glued to my phone all the way home. Upon opening the door, I was jolted by my mother's presence. In her chef's uniform, she was in the kitchen. I turned off my phone and put it in the bag.
"Isn't it restaurant rush hour?" I asked as I approached her.
She glanced at me. "You didn't eat dinner yesterday because I forgot to leave food."
"Why didn't you come down to the restaurant yesterday?" she continued.
I put my butt on the chair. I kept my hands on my lap. I replied, "The restaurant was crowded and I was tired. So I went straight to bed."
"That's why your eyes are swollen."
I nodded.
She turned off the stove, picked up a plate, and poured the food onto it. She served me five pieces of crepes. "No leftovers," she warned.
"Okay."
Her hurried steps led her to wash her hands, then disappeared quickly behind the door. She was busy, I could tell. Still, I wanted to imagine us eating together.
I went to the refrigerator to get some green grapes. Then, the silence that I just realized was excruciating. My gaze scanned the entire room. The flat television that was rarely watched was off. It was the only thing that enlivened the living room and kitchen that were merged.
My feet stepped over to it. I reached for the remote and pressed it. Yesterday afternoon's show was on again. This time they were discussing the owner of Ace Company,
For ten minutes, I stood watching the captured image of an expressionless man. No matter how perfectly the cameraman captured the image, there was nothing mesmerizing because Graciano Davis was busy putting on a cold face.
I stepped back, grabbed a piece of crepe, then settled myself onto the sofa. I took a bite of the crepe while watching with concentration.
"Graciano Davis, three years ago founded Ace, and had success with Emerald Green."
I nodded at the anchor's explanation. Emerald Wine was like a king who ruled the world in one night. The green color is beautiful and the taste is interesting. Many people loved it, even the diners at our restaurant. To satisfy them, Mother bought it in bulk.
From the show, I got a lot of information about the owner as well as the company. Emerald Wine's popularity was followed by Ace's. To work there require strong skills and determination.
I'll prepare myself from now on!
***
My excitement made me forget about the whipped cream as much as the green grapes. I cleaned myself up hastily, then lay down on the bed, facing my laptop. I typed in Ace Company.
Some articles touted its owner's success while others gossiped about him. Graciano's wealth seemed to be more interesting than dating. These people were just sensationalizing. The kind of person he is would prefer his company to be successful.
I opened the vacancy page. After listing the requirements, there were instructions to go directly to Ace Company for an interview.
"They accept interviews during business hours. Holidays are closed." I scratched my head. I couldn't do interviews during business hours, and neither could holidays.
"Do I take time off?" I monologued. There's nothing wrong with interns taking time off. However, there is a gap of days before notifying the leave request.
Adrien climbed onto the desk. The cat sat down. While licking his paw, he glanced at me.
"Adrien, I've got a bad idea for a leave of absence, sickness."
I smiled awkwardly as he didn't respond. If you think about it, lying isn't the cleanest way. However, for ten years of my life, I did it to Mother, to get what I wanted.
"Besides, I must hide my face from those who know me."
I rolled over on my back. The ceiling of the room was filled with fairy-shaped lights. I rolled over again. Now, I was facing the window. The curtains don't cover it yet.
The Las Vegas sky, which should be dark, is always bright due to the frenzy of people from various countries. Of course, they come for the casinos.
Suddenly, I thought about my father, David Green.
In this three-story building, I live with Mother alone. Dad wasn't with us. But I'm not a child of divorce. My parents didn't divorce. They lived separately for undisclosed reasons.
Various assumptions ran through my mind. They ranged from Dad having a mistress, and getting into debt, to him joining an illegal occupation. Even though he denied it all, I didn't want to believe it until I was told the real reason.
Unexpectedly, Adrien jumped into my face. I almost hit him because I thought he was a rat. I shifted to give him space to lie down.
"Bad cat," I taunted.
I pushed my hair aside. The digital clock shows off the numbers 8 and 20 and today's date. It's the middle of the month. It'd be time for Father to visit. In a few days or tomorrow, his antique car will be shown up in front of the restaurant.
I spent the following days looking for Ace Company's information and a day off. At first, I thought it would be difficult due to the chaotic state of the office. However, they played dumb and gave me a day off on Thursday.This afternoon, I was practicing answering questions for tomorrow's interview. The time I have was very limited. So, I must work hard to prepare myself.I looked at my reflection in the mirror. My new shirt fits my body perfectly. I tucked my hair behind my ear, then went back to reading the paper taped to the mirror frame."I chose to join this company because the values upheld by the company are very much in line with my values. I believe that this value congruence will allow me to contribute optimally and make a positive impact in a mutually supportive work environment."After the sentence was finished, I flashed a smile. Then, I realized that my sentence was too long and sweet-talking. I came to the mirror to cross out the unnecessary words.Adrien came in meowi
Las Vegas summers ignite the passions of its people. Cafes are not devoid of ice sales, and hotels have guests every second. I was on my way to the subway. It's a long distance from home to Ace Company. It takes three stations to get there.After getting my ticket, I waited for the train to arrive. Today, the station was packed with foreign tourists. They look pleasant in their summer clothes. I hope I get rich and travel the world with satisfaction.The train arrived. I stepped inside while tightening the grip on my bag. My journey will be long. There's a chance I might fall asleep, but I decide to stay awake. In this crowd, it's very possible that there could be pickpockets or something.I stood up and held onto the pole. My eyes scanned each person who was busy looking down at their phone. This was the first time I've used the subway to travel far. Taking a taxi might have been more convenient, but I wasn't that rich."Last night's green wine was delicious. I'm going back to that c
A frown creased my forehead. For a moment, I thought he wanted to offer me a drink. But then I realized he was asking me to get drunk.I smiled slightly, then looked up. My neck reached its limit as I stared at his chin. "Thank you, Mr. Davis, but I'm driving.""So, there's too much dust in your car."I looked down at my shoes. The black color had faded a little during the journey here. I smiled a little. "I haven't cleaned them yet."A strand of my hair was pushed behind my ear. His strong fingers accidentally touched my cheek. He touched the tiny beads of sweat in my hair."Avery Green, what do you want from me?" The low voice was beautiful, an implied warning to me not to misbehave with him. I inhaled, then exhaled slowly. I explained, "I want to work for you and get rich." "What are you getting rich for?" The woodsy scent emanating from him made it hard for me to breathe. He was tall, powerful, and in control here. My mind was stuck from being pushed around by him. I was at a l
The next day, I went back to Ace Company. This time, I took a taxi after getting off at the second station. Just in case, I polished and diligently checked my flat shoes frequently.The yellow taxi driver was trying to drive in the middle of a traffic jam. I looked at my watch. I left early so I wouldn't be late. I also called in sick suddenly to get extra time off. Through the glass, I admire the blue sky of Las Vegas. The king of the sky was on its throne, but the Ace building blocked its light. It was the tallest building, dominating like its owner.The taxi stopped in front of the building. I paid the fare and got out. As I walked there, I wiped my hands with sweat. I wouldn't let Graciano know my lie.The glass door opened automatically as I approached. The same receptionist was still there. This time, she immediately told me Graciano was waiting for me in his room.I went alone to the elevator. Unexpectedly, the two employees were in the same elevator as me. I averted my eyes f
I didn't tell Mother about taking time off work or applying to Ace Company. She just knew I went to work as usual. To pass the time until after work, I took a walk in the park like yesterday before settling down at a restaurant.I chose to sit by the window and immediately regretted it because the wide window reminded me of the moment Xavier decided. A waiter came to ask for the order. I told her a glass of ice Americano and a pastry. Then, I folded my arms and used them as a pillow. I regret signing the contract without reading everything. Even though Graciano said the contract was no different from the others, I was still worried. A powerful man like him might add points that only benefit him. I blamed myself for burning with the spirit of revenge. I should've been wary of his dark gray eyes, mesmerizing, beautiful, and sharp. "I hope he doesn't pursue perfection over success," I whispered. The ice Americano had come. I raised my head and sat up straight. I noticed that the wai
When the sky turned orange, I arrived home. People who hadn't eaten dinner were lining up in front of the restaurant. Classical, rarely-heard music filled the restaurant and my room this evening.I cleaned up and changed my clothes. Mother didn't leave anything to eat, so I didn't eat dinner.On the bed, my body lies on my stomach. My fingers propped up my phone while others scrolled through the screen. Posters of Nevan's Dad's driving lessons were scattered on the internet. He even guarantees that you'll be reimbursed if you don't pass the lessons.My face was sinking into the pillow. I miss Nevan's smile. I don't know how much energy he had to keep smiling."Golden Retriever," I muttered.Four feet trod on my back. A familiar meow greeted my ears."Get down, Adrien," I ordered.Adrien meowed once. The pressure of his legs was no longer felt, but then suddenly the cat fell onto my head.I got up. Adrien was hiding at the table. I gave him a fierce look. "Don't be a bitch when I'm hap
I'm proud of myself for persuading Father. We would meet every afternoon on Saturday and Sunday to practice. Now, I took care of the second requirement. I went to the address Nevan gave me. He hadn't lied about the distance between the lesson and my house. Mother probably knew I was here by looking from the roof of her restaurant.I entered a courtyard the size of a tennis court. The asphalt is the base while the neighborhood is organized like traffic.A slender old man passes by. He approached me. "Welcome to Zaire Driving Lessons. How may I help you, Miss?""Hello, I'm Avery Green. I'm here to register for driving lessons."The man nodded. "Sure, Miss Green. This way."I was directed to a building with a large sign that read Zaire Driving Lessons. As I walked, he told me, "Please call me Mr. Zaire. Nevan said his friend was coming. I didn't expect you to be as beautiful as an angel. Good to meet you, Ms. Green.""Nice to meet you too, Mr. Zaire."We entered the office. A brown room
"Avery, what's wrong?"Nevan's question broke my reverie. I faced him and said it was fine.Nevan didn't ask again. He took my hand when it was our turn to enter. He chose a table near the aquarium. Fat, gold-colored fish were swimming in it. They were cute.A waiter approached us. He gave us the menu book and also stated the dinner menu recommendations for couples."Do you wanna try it?" I asked Nevan.The man nodded briefly.The waiter wrote on his little note. "For drinks, I suggest a chilled green wine. Would you like some?" he asked."Just mineral water," I declined quickly.The waiter left. Nevan stared at me in silence. My refusal had left him curious."I'm going to start training, so less alcohol," I explained. Then, I remembered something. I leaned closer to him. "About the lesson, only we know about this, okay?"Nevan nodded. His hand formed an OK sign.Ten minutes later,, the waiter returned. He brought two servings of steak-frites and mineral water."My treat," I said."I