Silence reigned the office that day. All that could be heard was the shuffling of papers, the clacking of keyboards, and the pattering of feet. These were the everyday sounds Arthur was accustomed to. But what he truly longed for was….music. It had helped him to think ever since he was a small child, and improved his mood as well. Still, others had complained that it interrupted their focus, and as their boss he chose to respect that.
Guinevere was ten minutes late, again. It seemed to constantly be inevitable that it happened! He'd warned her, of course, but it never seemed to help. Her compassion always overtook her common sense. An injured dog had been floundering in the lake next to her on her walk to work, and she simply couldn't leave it there! Hence, the bottoms of her jeans were wet, and one of the ear buds had fallen from her ears, leaving a trail of music behind her. 'Do you wanna dance, my barefoot Cinderella..Don't need no slippers..' It stopped, and she realized where she was, grimacing at the stares of the co-workers around her. She hadn't even watched as she dressed that morning! Her fingers automatically fumbled for the volume, but it was too late.
Arthur looked up, parting the blinds that covered the glass windows of his office, and a slight smile decorated his lips. Gwen. His new employee was certainly not perfection by any standards, but she pleased him. The music stopped as she turned it off, a red blush pouring over her bronze cheeks. His fingers curled around the door knob, as he noticed that she appeared nearly frozen in the crowd.
"I'm sorry." Gwen said, biting her lip. "I didn't mean to be late!" It was obvious her co-workers didn't tolerate tardiness, or unprofessionalism of any sort. They slowly let their swivel chairs swing back towards their desks, leaving the boss to handle her. He wasn't known for being particularly….gentle.
Arthur opened the door, and crooked his finger towards her. "Come." He mouthed. It wasn't his usual way of summoning people, but perhaps it was more flirtatious.
Guinevere raised an eyebrow, and awkwardly stepped towards him. It was her first week at the business, and so far hadn't been going particularly well. She'd only spoken to Arthur once, and that was when he'd hired her! She couldn't deny being a bit frightened.
"You don't have to be afraid of me." Arthur said quietly. "I just want to talk to you." He opened the door, and they walked in.
"Yes, Sir." Gwen said quietly, making eye contact, though feeling more inclined to stare at her shoes with a glare that could have melted them.
"You can call me Arthur, Gwen." He seemed so relaxed, it was unusual.
Her shoulders slowly loosened in a quiet sigh, and she looked him over. He wore a black suit, but his blonde hair was a total mess, more as a boy's would be, not a businessman. Guinevere smiled. His eyes were blue, and soft, not at all harsh. On the back of his chair, was a red hoody, and in the corner of the room sat a soccer ball. She found herself covering a giggle with her hand.
Arthur tilted his head from one side to another, trying to see what she saw. Her hair was a soft brown, with texture, and fell midway down her back in a braid. Her jeans were splashed in lake water, giving her a bit of a playful appearance.
"It's just…" Gwen finally opened her mouth, then shut it again. "You don't look at all like a businessman…Sir."
"Arthur." He enforced the first name basis once again, before a snicker escaped his lips. "And why ever not?"
"You're too kind! Too playful!" She laughed, finally, not afraid anymore. "I have no idea'r why you'd choose a life in a building all day when it appears you'd rather be chasing a ball."
Arthur looked rather longingly towards the soccer ball in the corner, surprised that she'd noticed it. "It wasn't my choice. It was my father's." He then pointed to the metallic purple headphones sticking from her pocket. "And you? A musician?"
"No…" Guinevere blushed. "Not at all. I…like to paint, and dance, and…listen to music….not…sing it." Her cheeks flamed, and she covered her eyes, peeking out just a bit.
He laughed, but not in mock. It was as though he was genuinely enjoying her. "A dancer?" Arthur's blue eyes gleamed. "And what was the lovely lady dancing to, pray tell?"
Gwen wished her face would choose one shade of red, and stay there. "A song…."
"Come along now, beautiful." Arthur grinned, having much practice with previous coquetry. "What song?"
"A song I heard as a child." She sunk further into her chair, her shoes slipping from her feet. Gwen slipped the ipod from her pocket and across the table.
Arthur picked up the very purple device, and nodded, plugging an ear bud in.
Gwen shyly began to sing along to the song she knew was playing. "Do you wanna dance, My barefoot Cinderella. Don't need no slippers or a party dress. The way you're lookin' right, Now is what I like the best."
Arthur stood up, grabbed her hand, and plugged the other earphone into her left ear. She laughed, trying to manage the rest of the verses while giggles erupted from her lungs. The earphones kept tangling and pulling them closer. Gwen stopped singing, and it seemed the music stopped as well, though she'd known the repeat setting was on. All she could focus on was his eyes – such beautiful, blue eyes.
"Arthur." She said, breathless.
"Guinevere." He returned, suddenly feeling that the room had gotten very much warmer than it was a few moments ago. There was a pause, and he leaned down and kissed her.
The ipod dropped to the floor, playing out the last few bars of music, 'Do you wanna take a chance? Stay with me forever. No one will ever be more beautiful, my barefoot, My barefoot Cinderella.'