S i x

"He wants so to see you."

I stopped the spoon in midair. I was sitting at the small table inside the kitchen when one of the girls came in with big eyes.

I couldn't help asking, "Is he mad?"

"Why would he be mad?"

"No idea." I murmured to myself. Time to face the beast.

I pushed my untouched food aside and ran to get a pad and a pen. He either was going to scold me or give me the stuff to do. This was going to be the second time we faced each other, this one, I was even more scared. Terrified really.

His study door was closed, so I rapped my knuckles twice before opening the door.

"Kirby, come in."

He was on the phone with a frown on his face. A face that I had been searching the web for here and there. I closed the door carefully and stood beside one of the chairs in front of his massive desk. I watched him talk, the sensual way his mouth moved when he spoke, his hand scribbling on the paper in front of him, and how his hair seemed to rebel and curl up forward, falling onto his temple. I liked one thing in particular about him, about his face. He hadn't smiled in my presence. There was a ghost of a dimple on his left cheek. I had yet to see it personally. In press pictures, it was there while we looked at the camera or smiled down to his companions but here, with his jaw tense. At the same time, he listened to the words on the other side. It was half-visible, half-hidden.

"Kirby?"

"Yes."

"I'm impressed on how you handled things." Words of praise? I wanted to laugh.

"Sandra helped me a lot." I felt uncomfortable under his gaze. Something was piercing in his look, like hidden. It could also be my stupid brain doing things. I had fantasized about him so many times that maybe it had affected my brain, and now I was in the middle of one.

"Yes," he stood up, and while I swallowed my gasp, all I could think was how tall he was. "She's quite bright that one. Take a seat Kirby." He motioned me towards one of the empty chairs, so I lowered myself down slowly while he approached and took the one right next to it.

His scent was like a slap in the face.

"How are you settling here?"

"Good." My tone was a little bit soft and hesitant, but he just nodded and looked away.

He was dressed casually, dark jeans and a white polo. His fingers were nude of rings, and there was no visible jewelry but the watch on his wrist. He was classy and minimal, and I must have looked like a teenager next to him with my braids, overalls, and hot pink shirt underneath. I mean, still in my teens, but it was evident with my sense of fashion, which I had always been proud of until now.

"There was no need to bring the pad. I have nothing for you to do today. I just wanted to have a chat before I left."

"You're leaving?"

He smiled warmly at me.

"Yes. Tonight actually." A feeling of disappointment washed over me. I started to deflate slowly. "I'll be gone two weeks from now and I will be contacting you the same way." I was clear on the deal being just his employee, but it affected me in ways I couldn't understand. He was just my boss, my much older boss, and I was sure that I was a mere child in his eyes.

"One more thing, Dolores."

"Dolly." I corrected him again.

"Dolly." He smiled and took a long pause before speaking again, "I expect you to answer your phone when I call you."

"But-." He held up his hand to shut me.

"I'm not done here," I bit the inside of my cheek as he continued his speech. "I understand that you're young and on the weekends you want to have fun but while you live under my roof and more being a mere child. I must act like your guardian and call you out on this bad behavior of yours."

"My parents are still alive." I started saying.

"Were you parents aware that you were out getting drunk and in a night club while you are still under the age of 21?"

That'll shut anyone up.

It shut me up.

And I'm pretty sure that he didn't have any problems doing it if I hadn't.

"No." I answered reluctantly.

"Good, because I'm not going to tell neither of them. Unless you plan on doing that again."

"No sir." He was threatening me with my parents. I'm no wild child. I was well guarded with all Lin's cousins, and that nightclub was just something I did whenever it went well at school. I was just celebrating a few weeks of vacation, a few weeks of freedom, and I get my ears to chew off because I'm behaving my age.

"Pardon me?"

"That's how I talk to my father, sir."

"Oh honey, I'm not you father."

Then stop acting like you were.

"I don't want to act like the bad guy here." His hand fell gracefully over my shoulder, squeezing it a little. "I just want you to be safe. Is a crazy world out there."

"Don't worry sir, I'll be sure to take your calls." I then moved away, making his hand fall off my shoulder, and turned to leave. I was well aware of his eyes on the back of my neck. I was mad, pissed. He wanted to tell me what to do. I'm not a child. I can take care of myself. I had been doing it for a while now since I left home. My parents trusted me.

I was independent and wise beyond my years. They're exact words.

I felt defiant. I felt like smashing plates and screaming at the top of my lungs. Being called out by someone who knew shit about me, someone that I had been lusting on.