Just Out of Reach
Prologue
Brittany was certain of many things, especially when it came to human behaviour. What she lacked in general knowledge was completely over shadowed by her ability to read people's body language and emotions. Throughout her life she had been able to read what people were thinking or feeling by a sole movement alone.
Quinn, one of her closest friends from high school, was proof of this. A droop in her right eyebrow and the raise of the other signalled Quinn was in a state of pure rage and Brittany made sure to stay clear when that movement occurred. Puck, a friend from work, also had many tells. The dilation of his pupils informed Brittany that 'Puckasaurus', as he so liked to be called, had found his next victim and was on the prowl.
It was a skill Brittany used to her advantage in her job as an Executive recruiter. She scouted people from across the country and directed them to varied roles in New York, researching their lives and enticing them to move to this new proposed job by her ability to read people and their desires. She had been working for 3 solid years, fresh out of college, and had been able to make a name for herself in the city.
She felt on top of her game; securing two new clients this month and receiving an ample commission would do that to you. This was until she was asked to recruit Santana Lopez from Los Angeles.
Upon first glance Brittany was taken aback by her beauty. Tina, her assistant, had forwarded Miss Lopez's portfolio as a next potential client. Brittany scrolled down the page. Santana was 22, LA born and bred and the art director of SNIX, a small internet company that had seen exponential growth and popularity ever since Santana joined. The blonde was immediately impressed by the women's acclaims and sent both GQ, who contacted her about the need for a role, and Santana an email as to schedule an interview and hopefully secure a third client that month.
Once she had hit send, Brittany glanced at the corner of her monitor and let out a tired breathe as it read 7:00pm. She closed down her computer, collected her things and wished Tina goodnight as she headed towards the elevator. As she began to descend the 125 floors to the city she could not get Santana out of her mind. She pictured her tan, smooth skin and warm brown eyes. Clouded by her imagination, the recruiter almost missed the ding sounding of the doors opening, indicating she had arrived at the ground floor.
The blonde sheepishly walked out of the elevator and out of the building, her pale cheeks turning crimson, something she'd later blame on the cool night air. She plugged in her head phones and began the 5 block trek back to her apartment. A promise she'd made to herself since she started her job as to keep fit since she no longer had time for dancing, another thing Brittany felt second nature to.
As she continued to weave in and out of the crowded streets her mind returned to the brunette she had yet to meet. She was thrilled to meet her, a feeling she had never encountered with previous clients. Brittany found herself captivated by the brunette and desired to meet her. These feelings were quickly belittled by a pang of sadness that rippled through her slender body.
Despite this gift of reading people being a major help in her work life, it was a hindrance to that of her recently non-existent love or sex life. Brittany, blaming it on the many fairy tales her Mother read to her as a kid, was a hopeless romantic and had yet to find someone who fit the bill of her Prince Charming.
Her abilities to read emotions made it very difficult to date; generally leading to anger from her partners who claimed her insight to their behaviour was unnatural and led to many arguments. For example, Claire, her most recent girlfriend, dumped Brittany as the blonde was able to determine whether she was lying by a mere quiver of her upper lip. Claire stated that she no longer had any privacy and left abruptly, leaving the recruiter both sad and lonely.
As she ascended the floors to her apartment and searched for her brightly coloured keys in her bag she shook her head as to clear her mind of her past grievances. She entered her home and tenderly petted Lord Tubbington, a cat whom she shared her apartment with, and headed straight to her bedroom.
She fell on her bed with a resolute sigh. The ever present lights of the city cast shadows across her room. As she gazed out of her wall-size window she made a promise to herself. She vowed to not concern herself with her romanticised dreams of a fairy tale love and focus primarily on her job.
The freshly made linen sheets crinkled and ruffled as she entered her bed and turned off the light. With her alarm set for 6:00 am the next day, the blonde drifted off to a dreamless sleep, accompanied by Lord Tubbington acting as a life-sized heater nestling into her toned mid-section. With one last vacant thought, she couldn't help but feel her promise to herself would be much harder to keep than expected. She forcefully neglected to reason that this would be as a result of a certain brunette she was to meet the following week. Brittany was certain of many things, but this was not one of them.