THE KISS
As soon as the sunlight hit my face, I gasped."Oh, shoot!" I'm late again.Doesn't have enough time to take a shower, put makeup on, or change my underwear. I slipped through a pair of loose pants and a flowery blouse, I rushed through the door, carrying the empty canvas in my hand."You're certainly getting fired, Nicole," I told myself.Fishing for my phone, I saw his secretary's message. He wants to see my face, the very moment I get to the building."Be ready to be skinned alive."My palms are sweaty, and I bet that nervousness is shown on my face.At least I'm still pretty. That's all that matters.I knocked on his door. If ever the floor is hungry, I'd volunteer myself to let it eat me now."In.""Sir Eric?" Peeping my head inside his office, I saw him sitting on his chair, eyes staring at his laptop. His sharp jawline tells me that I'm a dead meat."Midnight, I'm certain of the deadline I gave you. Midnight.""Uh-- sir Eric, I was -""Take a chair." He cuts me off, just like what he always does.He's not even looking at me. Though I prefer it that way, I don't want to be murdered by his deadly scowl."Do you know what you just lost, Ms. Allen?" Heaved a deep sigh, he added, "Your job."I knew it. Now, I should ready myself going through another painstaking process of finding another place to work at."I gave you a chance to compensate, and you blew it up."My head hangs low, and I can see myself sitting in front of him like saggy bread. On my peripheral vision, I saw him staring at me."Now, you didn't just give yourself a burden, mine as well!" Shouted Eric, which made me close my eyes. "I'm paying you for the job you're not doing right, and all that you ever make the best are your endless excuses!"Clamming my lips, I know to myself that what I did for his company wasn't enough."Sir, I was so burned out recently. But I promise not to fail you ever again." Risking my everything, I guaranteed him with my eyes closed. "From now on, I swear to give out my very best in every project. I will pass it on time, and I will never snooze my alarm for ten minutes every morning."Silence.With my wrinkled face, I lifted my head and found him staring at me blankly behind those glasses."Sorry."Releasing his breath, Eric pulled his eyeglasses off and pushed a paper in front of me that I quickly realized that it will be my 'leaving the company and his life and to never be seen around his territory ever again' paper to sign.With my dismayed eyes, I looked straight at him in the eyes."You're f--"I noticed the way he frowned when he suddenly cut himself off. Can't seem to see a way to tore the stare from mine.Clearing his throat, Eric opened his mouth to speak, but not a word escaped his lips."You're firing me." Accepting my fate, I was about to pick up the pen, but he suddenly crumpled the paper and trashed it. "Sir?""I'm not.""One more chance, I'll give you that." As if blessing showered above me, he changed his mind."Really, sir?""I'd accept the last design you gave me. It wasn't that bad." Formally sat there with his eyes, sending me this thunder and lightning chills. "One chance."I chuckled in rejoice. "Oh my gosh, sir. I promise you, I promise you, I will never ever procrastinate again. I won't disappoint you." I was about to cartwheel my way to his door and start working ass off when he cleared his throat."I'm not done yet, Ms. Allen." Leaning back to his chair, his eyes raked all over my body, obviously checked me out from head to toe. "You will get your chair back, only if you agree with my conditions.""Conditions?" With my wide eyes, I repeated."You will come with me.""Huh?"Without elaborating, Eric stood up from his chair and buttoned his jacket. "Now.""N-- now?" Lost in trance for a second there when I felt his hand lay flat on my back, I know that something's wrong. "To where... sir?""Just come with me."Inside the lift, his manly sandalwood cologne spreads along the place. My body odor is shaking. Not a dead skin clings on him while I need to scrub my whole body with sandpaper for five hours."What's your favorite color?" Out of the blue, he asked. He's placing his folded glasses in his welt. I saw the way he glanced at me."Brown, sir." Confused, but I answered anyway."Why?"One of my brows is silently judging his sudden change of aura and, technically, to his weird questions."Uhm-- because I like autumn. And dead leaves' color is brown. It's... aesthetic," I replied without any backbone to that part and winced as I heard him hum.This situation is making me feel edgy. Things began to make a huge commotion in my head."Is that going to be the color of my coffin?" Asked a silly question. It made him arch his thick eyebrow. "I asked something stupid, right? I'm sorry."Arrived at a branded boutique shop, I glanced at his serious face when his hand once again guided me where we're going.He even opened the door for me."Mr. Marsh, good morning. Are you here for the suit you ordered?" A woman, wearing a blue bob haircut and chopped bangs, asked with her wide smile."Yes, and I need you to fit her a gown," Eric replied, showing me to the woman. "Give her something comfortable, but a head turner.""Any specifics you'd like to request?" The woman asked as she pulled me by my arms and studied my physique."Brown.""Great!" Clasped her hands before holding my hand. "I have got the very best dress for you.""Uh -" I turned to look back at my boss, who took a seat on a comfortable couch with his legs crossed like a sexy woman.After struggling to wear the gown, I stood at the platform as if I'm being auctioned, and Eric was the only bidder."Since her bust and hips have the same measure, the sweetheart neckline would be best to boast her upper body. The mermaid design would follow the lines of her edges, especially her small waist," She explained before turning me around."Backless. Low, lustrous, and a certain head turner," added the designer. "Long sleeves can be conservative, but the shape is scandalous. Just like what you asked.""I like it." He stood up and tilted his head to the side. "Let's settle the check."Inside the dressing room, I changed and scratched my itching neck."What's with him?" Shook my head and flicked that question away. "Stop questioning what's going on and just be grateful that you're not fired."Pushing the curtain to the side, I almost dropped my heart and sucked all oxygen on earth when Eric's drop-dead view welcomed my precious eyes."What's with me?" Repeating what he heard, he pushed himself from leaning the wall and trapped me by his alluring stare. "I don't know too, Ms. Allen.""But I know I want this."He leaned forward and enveloped his lips with mine.THE SMILEStanding right in front of the mirror, I'm staring at a woman I never thought I was.I took a shower, frankly, almost three hours. God knows what kind of business I did inside the bathroom.Eric hired people to help me get ready. They did my hair, my makeup, and none of it answering skeptic mind. What's with the makeover for?"You look so gorgeous, my dear."A gay man hairdresser have been pouring me praises even before they started to fix my whole existence. Now, my confidence has been multiplied by five."No wonder why the well-known Eric Marsh would want to date you, sis." The designer I met at her boutique shop, Tonya, smiled while also looking at me through my reflection."We're not dating," correcting them, but Soda, the hairdresser, just laughed at me."Oh, dear. They are in their hush-hush stage of the relationship."Tonya pointed her forefinger at him as she nodded her head. "It's the business we shouldn't put our asses in, or we won't get paid.""Though, that sweet
THE CURSEI thought my eyes had been blinded from the flashing cameras outside the venue. Heaving the sigh of relief when I realized that I can still see."Mom, happy birthday." Eric kissed a woman in her late 50s, yet she doesn't seem to age.From her aura and her gracefulness, anyone could tell that she's living in the world where money rains from above."My dearest son, oh, how great it is to see you again," she greeted back with a tight hug.I feel like an exotic food sitting in the middle of high-class plates of specialties."Might I ask who this beautiful gal is with you?" A man who's a perfect copy of Eric's face, only a bit older and definitely knows how to show a smile.Pushed myself to stand like a ballerina that almost broke my back, Eric snaked a hand around my waist and tied me next to him. Closing the gaps in between us."Nicole, these are my parents. Amanda and Bruce. Mom, dad, this is Nicole."Introducing me to them, I had these endless thoughts of how rich people react
THE CONFESSIONMy stomach has been complaining since earlier, and these rich people's food doesn't really content the monster in my tum-tum.Imagine having a huge plate served, and the food I'm going to eat is just as small as a pingpong ball. It's aesthetic. It boasts the ultraexpensive vibe, but I can feel my hunger's killing me at the moment."And what does your lovely date do for a living?" Bruce asked before sipping his champagne.Accidentally, a drop escaped on the side of his lips, causing him to jerk on his chair and mumble a curse."Bruce!" Amanda cried, didn't even hand him a napkin that's right in front of her."Oh, here." I gave him the napkin, and he took it with owe, scratching to dry where he spilled his champagne."Do you know how much that suit costs?"I curtly frowned over that. Why would they react like that? I'm sure they have millions in their bank accounts. They can literally buy more than a thousand suits.Bruce grunted when he knew it was useless to clean it wit
THE CONSEQUENCEMorning came, and everything that happened last night felt like a dream. A beautiful one.My heart felt better and lighter. I've got no loads stuck painting my present, and somehow, I am starting to be thankful that Eric was there."Morning, sunshine," I yawned.Groaning as I stretched, I heard loud murmurs from outside my house.Out of curiosity, I went to the door to check it out.But as soon as I realized what's really happening, my groggy state melted when I saw paparazzi and reporters gathering around my place."It's Miss Allen!" One of them yelled, and as if they're bees looking for their queen, they flew straight to my porch with their microphones and cameras pointed at my morning face.I haven't washed, my hair sure looks like a bird's nest and my clothes aren't presentable."Oh, no, this is a huge problem."I immediately closed my door, double locked it, triple licked it, and closed all my windows."Oh my gosh, what is happening?!"Headed straight to my room, I
THE TEASEDays passed like a clock in lapse, what Serena told me about the consequences I had to face if I failed to find out what pains Eric has been bugging me for a while now.I never wanted to end up like how my mother did.I've got nothing else to lose, but I also don't have a reason to give up."Your performance is escalating real quick, Miss Allen," Maddie greeted me with her wide smile, which shows her small teeth and noticeably fat gums."Thank you, Maddie."Everyone in the building began respecting my existence. They're even shocked that I exist, actually.Ever since the unlabeled relationship between me and Eric came up in the world of media, my life can never be the same, ever.The normalcy's lost, and I'm in the middle of a huge battle."Boss wants you to visit his office."After that night of confession he made, which was only brought by his curse, Eric began to build a better relationship with his employees. And that's great!Many were skeptical about his sudden change,
THE DESSERTI thought that Eric would take me somewhere else, but I was wrong. He brought me to his house and personally made our dinner himself.And all that I could say, he's got his own magic in his hands."Wow." Impressed by how he neatly sliced the meat in a right measure. "How'd you do that?"I saw the glimpse of him pushing his ego upwards when I obviously compliment him without saying anything to compliment him."I took culinary course before I focused on business," he opened up. "Being a master in the kitchen was actually my dream ever since I was a boy, but since I'm the only son of my family, they wanted me to take over the company."My eyebrows lifted from the story."So, I ended up dealing with papers, not dishes," he added.Surprised over his sudden share it without hesitation, my eyes glued at him.He looks more dreamy when his tenacity comes.His hair falls, covering his forehead. The edges of his face are very attractive, and how his hand works with real professional o
THE UNLABELEDI don't know how loud my screams are, but what I know is that he's driving me crazy."Unh!"My hands gripped tightly on the corner of the cold marbled counter. Contrasting how my eyes are closed shut, my lips are parted widely, sucking in the air that he's taking."Ahh, Nicole!" He groaned when he pounded hard.His proud rod penetrates the inside of me. Rough and deep, making me feel so high.His hands are on my hips, keeping me still. The tightest of his clutch, the way he spanks the cheek of my ass arouses me."Eric! Oh, Eric!"I have never felt so satisfied as this. He's making me want for more."You feel so good," he whispered to my ear and sipped its lobe. "Oh, so fucking good, baby."Baby, he just called me baby. Not Nicole, definitely not Allen, but baby. Why did it make me smile?"I'm not gonna get enough of you."Thrusting faster. The friction inside me makes my toes curl, and that electrifying sensation is taking me higher and higher..."Aah! I'm-- I'm so close!
THE PAIN"What do you mean you can't do it anymore?" Serena asked with those judging heterochromatic eyes of hers, watching me slump onto the floor."I don't know, I can't - I just can't do this anymore." Crawling up in my bed, I faced down the pillows thinking maybe I could kill myself in guilt and forget to breathe."After what you did last night?" She scoffed and fumbled over my expired makeup and lotions in the cabinet. "What are these things?"She picked up a bottle and sniffed it, causing her to sneeze."How did you know what happened to us last night?" With my widening eyes, I asked."There were lots of mirrors in that room, I had the urge to take a peek." Rubbing her reddening nose, she opened the bottle and stuck out her tongue."That's not food," I chided her before the tip of her literal sharp tongue touched the white cream.Lie on my back, I stared at the ceiling blankly, and everything that happened last night seemed to flash in my memories.His warmth still lingered on my