Jake scratched the back of his head, pensive in his small apartment while a powerful woman took a private tour of the living room. "Care for some...water, juice?" He was so nervous he could barely feel his tongue. An asteroid could fall out of the sky and he wouldn't be this affected.
He stood stiff when Iris veered. "I do not sip from every cup out there."
"Are you here to sue me for what happened? Cause I swear it was an accident. I wouldn't dream of causing harm to anyone and..."
"Why have you not answered our calls or shown up at the company?"
"You...your calls?" Jake was lost.
"Your application letter painted you out as one who was dying to work with us, yet here you are disrespecting my leniency," Iris did not blink.
"Pardon me but I had no idea Amery had been trying to reach me. My roommate was hoarding the mail for days, I just found out. May I ask what this is about?"
"A girl. About this height with purple hair. Says you defended her against a bully in an ally."
Jake tilted his head, thinking back on whether her words held meaning. When it zinged, his eyes grew a little wide. Did Iris Amery look into that incident to build a stronger case against him? "It happened on the day of the accident. I was just being a good citizen," he appealed to whatever conscience was buried behind that stone-cold face.
"Then there is nothing to discuss," Iris struts past him, towards the exit. Jake quickly runs over to get the door when she swings him a look. "Tomorrow, at exactly eight-thirty, I expect you to be at my office. Do not be late. You might not get lucky twice," her voice was thick on instructions.
Jake was as quiet as an owl as the vision of her disappeared down the hall. He would have said thank you but was chewing his mind figuring out what she had against him. "The mail!" Jake slapped his forehead and rushed back in. That ought to give him answers.
**
The following morning, Jake walked into the Mother House with jelly knees. He doubted his eyes, checking his watch every twenty seconds even though he was many minutes early. A couple of interns from the marketing department crashed into him on their way up. Jake was clueless when they mentioned their boss frequently bothering human resources to find him. His replies were substituted with empty smiles and nods.
Jake's mind was a mess when he reached the top floor. His palms grew sweaty after crossing the security checkpoint, where he was searched and escorted to the President's secretary. 'Gemma,' Jake read the name tag on the woman's breast pocket.
"She is ready for you," said the secretary.
It was a long walk to the office now that he thought of it. Jake constantly wiped his palm against his coat and the walls. He needed to work on his shallow breathing but there was no time for that. There was also no need to knock on a glass door when he was seen the second he got there.
He walked in, holding onto his nervous heart and his briefcase. If what he read in yesterday's mail was true, and that Amery wanted him back as an intern then all was well. And the universe had not given up on him.
The diamond queen was behind her desk, putting her name on a document she approved of. She stood as Jake drew nigh, posing in front of the table. The skirt of her crisp black suit pinched a few inches above her knees as she sat.
Jake was mindful of staring too hard at her bold matte lips. Paired with the derby hat resting on her head, he wondered if someone had died. He stuck his chest out when Iris checked her wrist.
"Let's make this brief. How bad do you want to be here?" She said.
"What...Mhm!" Jaske's throat clasped on him. "Sorry... This company and what it stands for motivate me. Amery is a home that does not despise small beginnings and for someone like me who's had close to nothing all his life, it's a beacon of hope and a tester of will."
"Hmm, whatever," Iris pitched her head up. Speeches like these were an easy bore. "How would you like to be a permanent staff in one of our branches, Jake?"
"Hah...That would be a dream come true," Jake's feet took an inch forward, revitalized for their purpose.
"Hmm," Iris nodded. "Very well. If you can prove your competence to me as an intern, you will have a place with us in the marketing department. Screw up and you're done here."
"..." Jake lost his tongue again due to shock.
Iris reaches behind for a notepad and scribbles down some words, "Gemma will see to it that your name is put on pending. In the meantime, I will find you an apartment closer, for convenience."
"An apartment? But I already have one," Jake did not get the whole idea.
"I am not stepping into that filth a second time. It's either I give you a place or you find a better one to lodge," it was an order. "My men will take you to a doctor to get some tests done. I will send for you when they're ready."
"Madam, I already provided the necessary medical reports. I am fit to work."
"Any idiot can fake a hospital report. If you have a problem with my demands, then perhaps you're not willing to work with me," Iris looked at him with darted eyes.
Jake's mouth was open but not a single beep came out till he closed it. Iris lowered her head to finish the notes. "They will pick you up tomorrow, at nine. I expect nothing but maximum cooperation, Jake Name."
"Ye...Yes, Madam," Jake spoke timidly.
"Good, give this to the secretary on your way out," Iris handed over the note. "That will be all for now. Return to your workstation at Marketing," she added.
Jake let out a deep gust when the elevator doors shut."What just happened?" He rubbed his face anxiously. He could swear he caught a glimpse of a tiny smirk on the President's face. Although he felt like a floating feather, his mind was pressed at Iris' peculiar demands.
Offering him a job? For what, spilling a beverage on her?
Jake readily complied with Iris' orders. He bundled himself and went with her bodyguards to a top-notch hospital in the city. They did all sorts of tests on him, from cardio to bone health to scans he never knew existed."Relax, we will draw a little blood from you," the nurses and doctors deceived him on several counts as they abused him with needles. Why did he lie on a urologist's table for a prostate check? How was that going to benefit the Amery company?Then there was the fitness test. That, he thought was useful because of the laps he normally took around the office to serve everyone's coffee. Then there were others he wish he could wipe out of memory.After days of being kneaded and touched and tossed around, Jake was given a day off to rest. That did not cut it, because living with his current roommate was a full-time job. After their last argument, Mitch got a plumber to fix the pipes. A shabby one at that!Everything was running smoothly till something exploded in the kitch
They say the universe always provides, and that a good name is often better than riches. Jake was starting to believe it. Some god or cosmic power must be looking out for him. How else would he explain the present chain of events?By some miracle, he landed in his dream company as an intern. The CEO promised him a job in the future, and he was finally away from his disgusting roommate and anything that had to do with his old apartment. And the rent?"Two hundred bucks a month. I will add mine so we can pay the cleaning lady.""What?" Jake google-eyed. "Two hundred dollars? You can't be serious, Larry."Larry pushed his hands into the pockets of his sweatpants. "I was going to say a hundred, but you kept going on about wanting to pay, I figured you'd be happy with this.""...""Look Jake, I do not need the cash for any reason. I have the space and lack friends who truly give a shit. You seem like a real guy, so I wanted to help take some weight off your shoulder.""This is too much, yo
Apollo was downstairs when Iris flew by, tying down her jacket. "Going somewhere, Miss?" He let his hand slide down to his side respectfully. "Yes, get me the keys to the Benz; I have to be somewhere." "Somewhere, by yourself?" Apollo was surprised. Iris did not go out late at night, yet here she was- answering as if it was unimportant. "Club 45. It seems my donor is out there letting loose. We can't have that, can we?" Her gaze was piercing. "I'll take you," Apollo said. "I didn't ask. Stay and watch Charlotte." "Your sister is not going anywhere. Forgive me, Miss Iris, but I insist on coming." Iris stared at his father's loyal guard, crinkling up a mocking grin. "You have twenty minutes to get me there." Getting a reaction out of him was uncommon. It was best to enjoy it while it lasted. At Club 45 'Drink! Drink! Drink!' The group chanted wildly. One of the guys held Jake's nose as his mouth suffered the abuse. For nearly thirty minutes, Jake guzzled down any liqu
Apollo drank from a tiny metal flask just before the door opened. Earlier on, Iris made him leave the room; something about Jake feeling cornered by his presence.Being alone gave him time to sort out his thoughts. And right now, he was more troubled to see the pest leave the building. Apollo went in with a billion reasons why Jake was not fit for the job."He said no." Iris broke the news after listening to his complaints. Apollo instantly shut up, too shocked to admit that it was unbelievable. "It's probably for the best," he said."No." Iris pushed herself out of her seat. She approached the balcony, calming her mind with the view. "My mother always said that if one was patient enough, one could dissect an ant and harvest its organs without damaging them.""This man is a nobody." Apollo pointed out. "Everybody is nobody, Apollo." Iris checked her wrist for the time. "I asked your men to dig up information about him. Is there something I can use?""...""Apollo." Iris did not appr
Jake's endurance was tested. Never in all his years did he imagine falling into his present state. He looked back. Sure enough, there was no one coming. "Ma'am, what are you doing?" Jake lowered his voice. "What does it look like?" Iris blinked. "Isn't this your term and condition to what I proposed? You will only make babies the natural way. So, I'm going with it," she said. Jake's shoulders slumped. He cursed under his breath, slapping a hand across his face in exasperation. "This is not what I mean," he wanted to explain himself. "There's no point going back and forth. It is a simple sacrifice compared to getting needled now and then for procedures that have failed me in the past." "Needled?... Christ," Jake gasped. After beating himself down about it, he straightened up and took a much-needed breath. Iris' expression was robotic when the young man walked up to her. She did not flinch or show signs of repugnance. 'He's going to do it?' Her words were sealed in her head. J
"Larry, the fax is here!" "I'm on it!" Larry doubled up to retrieve the document from the fax machine. The department was on the hunt for the next big talents out there; for advertisement purposes. After Jake's overnight transfer, Larry became a much-preferred candidate for errands. It wasn't done to punish him; Larry was just that good at handling pressure.That, however, did not stop everyone from asking about his friend and fellow housemate. His answers, of course, were puzzling. Larry knew how to read a situation; telling his colleagues that the CEO and President of Amery came to his house to have a mano-a-mano with Jake was totally uncalled for. He imagined the rumours that could spark.When the chance opened up, Larry hid in the kitchen to enjoy a cup of coffee. "Haa, this sucks. Jake's coffee tastes way better." He sipped slowly.That privilege did not last when the supervisor walked in. "Shouldn't you be filing the report for the add company?" "Come on, Drizella, I'm gonna d
"I can explain." Jake tucked his prick in his pants. "I'm not interested in the details." Iris walked away from the crime scene, shutting her ears. "But I am!" Gale waved excitedly at Jake. "I'm deeply sorry, Miss Gale.""What for? It is a natural phenomenon. I'd be worried if you weren't getting it up like this when no one is around. Don't be shy; I liked what I saw," Gale said. Jake was forced to smile, finding the accident amusingly embarrassing. Gale made him less nervous, but Iris must think he is a wayward man with odd fetishes."Relax and enjoy yourself. I'll handle my friend." Gale winked and twirled towards Iris' door. Iris flung her hat on the mattress as she undressed in front of the mirror. Gale fell on the bed, swinging her arms like a snow angel. "Did you see that? He is huge!" How could she keep quiet about Jake's private areas? "Come on, let me have him just once. I promise I won't hurt him." "Not now, Gale. And I don't appreciate my resting place looking like
She gave him a smooch on the mouth, but he frowned. "What is it?" Iris had fulfilled her part of the bargain and did not appreciate that childish reaction. You'd think that Jake would come to his senses, but he remained a fool to this newfound fixations. "That's not how you kissed me yesterday," he said. "A kiss is a kiss," Iris replied. Yesterday didn't happen to begin with. How does she compete with a mirage of herself that only existed in his fantasy? But Jake would disagree and reference that it didn't count if the kiss wasn't as intense as he imagined. A part of Iris had stopped moving, following how weird it felt to be in this position. "How did I do it then?" Iris said out of impatience. Jake sat up, maintaining his grip on her. "Like this." Their nose touched as his tongue broke through her mouth. It was a slow siege. For a minute, Iris could hear the illicit sounds of their unholy contact. "Huff! That's enough!" She pulled out of the liplock. Jake took one look at her f