WRIGHT'S HARTLUST
Chapter 1
-"What the hell are you doing? How come you are so clumsy? Are you blind?"|
-"I am so sorry. I did not see you, I tripped over the bag … and I did not see it and then I accidentally …I am so sorry. I did not mean to spill the cup of coffee in your shirt. Please forgive me. I will clean it up in a few seconds."
-"Hey hey, it's ok. It's just a shirt. Don't worry. Jesus Kelly don't be harsh on the girl. Let it go. She is just a waitress."
I was about to cry in the middle of the bar. The whole suited up handsome client and the very stylish Miss Kelly who sat next to him and was looking him so passionately every single time he spelled a word were staring at me like I just set the whole place on fire. And my boss is furious at me apparently. I have some explanations to do after I clean up the whole mess. Here I go again at his table with the blood running in my face like a furious waterfall.
-"I am sorry again. I did not mean to trip and …"
-"Hey I already told you its fine. Please do not insist anymore because all that you will reach will be me in a pissed of suit and you will be feeling very unlucky for running on me. However, lucky for you I am done with the meetings for today so this dirty shirt won't be much of a trouble. Now please leave me and the miss alone, and next time don't trip in the middle of the bar. And here it goes an ironic smile. I smile back and leave ashamed."
Jesus Christ, what the hell is wrong with these people? It was an accident. I am sure I am not the first waitress who trips over and spills coffee in a client's shirt. It's not a big deal, but then again I felt I was dying from shame. The whole bar was staring at me and at the moment I just wanted to disappear.
-"Get back in here. Two tables are waiting for your service."Jim was shouting at me. It has been only a week since I started last Monday. This place is always filled with people who as far as I know work in big and important companies. Most of them are chief executives, directors or senior managers. Or at least this is what the suits say. They are all very handsome and talkative with whoever they are around on their table. Some of them come here early in the morning just order their coffee read the paper and leave without even saying good morning. I guess they have more important things to think about then to say Hi to the person who is serving their table. But whatever, I am here to do my job and I have tried to think and stick it in my mind since day one. Today I am not doing my job. Today I am staring the unknown hot client who happens to be accompanied by a beautiful lady. She is tall, blonde hair and is dressed chic and looks like absolutely gorgeous. Her appearance makes me feel inexistent and out of this world. God, I wish I looked like her. They leave the bar, and here I am outside cleaning the tables and looking like a fool as he passes away. Not even a single bye. But, why am I so concerned about what happened? Why can't let it go? Is it because I know I will be crucified by my boss or because that was the first time I had a conversation with someone like him? Someone like him. I do not belong to the "handsome, beautiful, utterly fascinated people". This is not where I belong. As I see someone like him who jumps in his car, has a personal driver and leaves. Of course he will leave. He will not stay with you and talk about your favorite books and movies. Who is he? You? Naaah. Why the bloody hell is he in my thoughts? Just drop it. Drop the god damn episode.
It's 4 pm and my shift is over. I have classes this afternoon till 9'o clock and suddenly I feel immensely tired and sad at the same time. Having no idea why these feelings are running through my chest and head I take the bus and luck is on my side and here it is an empty spot. This is my final semester and no internship for me. How am I going to get a job? Am I going to be a waitress all my life? Right now I feel desperate. But wait, wait…I spot the same car outside a building not very far from my university. I am wrong, definitely wrong. Besides what do I know about expensive cars? They all look the same to me. So mister unknown is around? Shit, pull yourself together young lady! You have a class right now and you need to focus even though you are running late and probably the professor won't let you in. Trying to speed up, I arrive at the class all sweaty and my hair is a mess. My shoulder bag has practically ruined my jacket and shirt and I am wearing jeans that happen to be a bigger size because this morning since I was late to iron the other ones. Standing in front of the door I am trying to breathe normally and hoping that my cheeks have not become red.
-"May I come in? I am sorry for being late". Thanks god professor Thomas is in a good mood because he smiles at me and this is very weird, most of the time he is very serious and grumpy.
-"Yes, yes come in. We just started the presentation."– What presentation? I thought we had a lecture.
-Holy crap. Oh my…what is he doing here? Why is he here? So the car outside the university is his? I can't breathe. I hope he does not recognize me. But why would he. I am an ordinary face in the crowd and for sure not someone who draws attention. I sit down and try not making eye contact with him. He is wearing another suit. I am relieved and don't actually know why. Professor starts talking.
-"Class today we have a guest lecturer. It was a last moment decision and thank you Mr. Jonathan Hart for making room in your busy agenda and honoring us with your presence today."
Crap, he is Mr. Jonathan Hart, the famous stockbroker and the chief executive officer of one of the most famous banks in London. I have only heard his name on the news and no picture for him. He is very discrete and does not make public appearances. But he was at the bar today. Why was he at our bar? He should be having coffee at The Dorchester. Oh, good God. What have I done? What? I want to slap my face. Now my chances for getting a job in the finance world are zero.
-"My name is Jonathan Hart and I am 30 years old. I guess you can verify my age if you google me." – For heaven's sake I was right. I do not belong in his world, in the world he represents and if I am true to myself I know I will never be part of it. Being a normal girl, who works as a waitress and watches after elders in her spare time just for some extra pounds ain't going to succeed in the finance market. No connections, no family name, no experience and most important of all no Miss Kelly appearance.
-"You will probably say how come he is 30 and is so powerful. How come he is today lecturing at us when he rarely gives interviews? The reason is simple. I believe in youth and I am a master in getting to know people just by a simple look. So by coming here today I am doing a market research on what will be the generation of the future in the finance world."
And now I understand I am done. My chances are zero. Thank you lord for testing me and making me look like shit in front of this man. I lost myself and the track of time in the 40 minutes lecture of life experience and when he leaves class I start to wonder if being born in a rich family maybe I would be working for him, with him, or maybe I would be working for myself. This man captured my attention. I don't know if it is his charming look, his behavior or what he represents. As we take a break I realize I am miles away from what he represents. Well, working as a waitress is not so bad after all. Yeah, way to go Emily Wright. Your dream job starts tomorrow at 7 am.
Chapter 2
-"We are done for today. See you next week and do not forget your papers are due on Friday. Well that was it."
left the class on the first hour so we took a 20 minutes break to pull ourselves together after being left mesmerized from his work experience, his lavish lifestyle, personal achievements and the worldwide connections. Well, this was weird coming from someone who makes no public appearances, comes and opens his heart to a Money and Banking Class. So, I guess we had a hard time coming back to reality after that presentation. I am still hoping he has not spotted me in the crowded audience. Otherwise I would be reminded as the girl who spills the coffee and it will haunt me forever. Leaving the class I realize I have not met my only friends in here. Do you see what you have done to me Jonathan Hart? I barely know you and you made me forget to call my friends and ask them why they missed today's class. What's wrong with me? Never ever acted like this before. Distracted by someone who I did not know his face till 3 hours ago.
-"Stop it Em and pull yourself together." I find Nicole's number and dial her.
-"Hey Nikki where are you? Where is Luke? Oh, so you are together? And how is his mom? Better? No, I thought you would be present in class today. Nothing special. We had a guest lecturer today, Jonathan hart. I know! The one and only flesh and blood, Jonathan Hart. I don't know how professor Thomas arranged it, but he was with us for 40 minutes and then left as charming as he could possibly be."
-"Miss Emily I am shocked to hear these words by you. Praise the lord you are referring to a man by his looks."
-"Nicole Clark do not mock me please. I am just referring to him as the majority does. -"Em listen, we are waiting for Luke's mum blood tests so I will catch up with you later."
-"Ok, call me as soon as you have a chance. Say hi to Luke from me. Love you. Bye." Nicole or as I call her Nikki has been dating Luke since our freshmen year in university and we have been good friends when we met on the registration day. They are the couple next door to my room. Nikki studies Political Science and Luke studies Law. We live in a small building and I have rented a room. This is how much my bank account can afford. On the other side, Luke and Nikki have a nice apartment. We have been living in this building for almost three years, Nikki and Luke have paid for everything from their own pockets. They are too proud and stubborn to accept their parents' help. Nikki's parents are both doctors. Mrs Clark is a pediatrician and Mr Clark is a neurologist. Luke's parents are both engineers and they own a construction company. While mines, are both teachers. They live in the East London Suburb. My mother teaches English literature in high school and my father is a math professor also in the same high school. I guess the passion for numbers analysis is inherited from him. When I was a child in elementary school I used to read with him about advanced math questions all the time. My mother insisted in literature. She even named me after her favorite writer, Emily Bronte. Wuthering Heights was the first book he bought for my mother when they passed across a library in the Oxford Street. It was a bit pricey for that time. but when he saw my mother's joy as she was staring the window shopper he spent all the money he had in his pocket for his way back home. And every time she mentions their first date her eyes sparkle. I wish I can find a love like theirs. It is precious in my eyes and I can tell how rare it is to find it nowadays. But when I turn my head around and see Luke with Nikki I am sure love is still pretty alive around these days.
It's almost 11.30 pm and no sign from Luke and Nikki. Maybe they are staying at the hospital tonight. It has been a tiring week for them too. I decide to go to bed because for almost one hour I was laying on the couch with a book on my hand and not a single page read. I was thinking about him. Jonathan Hart has been on my mind every moment since this noon. Even when I brush my teeth my brain recalls his image at the bar, miss Kelly's flawless appearance and the fascinating life resume. But why on hell I am affected by him? I don't understand and an awkward feeling runs in my Emily stop over thinking.
-"Go to sleep. Now!" But I can't. I wish I have never spilled that coffee, but rethinking it how would I have known Mr Hart as a normal and random client comparing it to the famous CFO Hart. It's like I feel I have jumped to a different world from mine and the visit will haunt me back forever.
-"Shit, forever is a long time." Now Em, sleep.