Hope you weren't too confused by the previous chapter! I'll explain almost everything in this one. Please R&R. This is a bit different for me, so I want to know what you think. Don't forget to check out my website at www.silvers-heaven.cjb.net!
DISCLAIMER: don't own characters. Do own story. Don't own characters. Do own story…
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Business To Attend To
By Silver Running Water -- Chapter 2------------------------------------
I dropped my keys down on the coffee table by the entrance and closed the door with my foot. It had been a tedious day at work with not much to do other than paper work. I walked to the kitchen on my right and plopped the groceries on the counter before I started rummaging through my fridge. I had to push several unknown items aside to find what I was looking for. Instant Curry. I'd have to call in the exterminator to get rid of those unidentified objects. There's no way I was touching something hairy.
I blew some hair out of my face and stuck it into the microwave. I wasn't much of a cook. I never got a chance to learn, considering the fact that my parents always pushed me out of the kitchen. Or when they did allow me to help out with something, they always made sure that I knew where the fire extinguisher was.
I fondly smiled as I remembered the memories. But my family was back in Japan and I hardly had any connection with them anymore. I guess you could say that I was starting to feel slightly homesick after not seeing them for a year.
The microwave beeping brought me out of my past and I grabbed the instant dinner out.
"Dammit," I muttered as it burned me. I threw the dinner onto the counter and quickly ran my hand under some cold water. Glaring at the dinner before I opened it with a pair of oven mitts, I inhaled deeply the delicious smell of curry. I licked my lips in anticipation as I poured out the contents onto one of my mismatching plates and walked to the couch in my dining room.
As I silently ate dinner, I began to ponder about my life. Something about Darien Shields the other day made me want to question it.
I knew that I was one of the best secretaries; I had to be, working for Mr. Logan. . He had inherited his company, Logan Enterprises, from his father when it was in the toughest times. Yet, he hadn't given up and through his persistence he had brought the company out of the slumps and turned it into one of the richest and most successful company in the country.
I admired him. He was a terrific example of what one could accomplish if they set their mind to it. Becoming his personal secretary was a privilege and honor.
My dream had never included becoming a secretary. Not a hint at all. I had wanted to become a teacher. Went to UC Berkeley and had studied immensely to become a teacher. I had been a teachers aid when I suddenly began having doubts. I wasn't so positive that my short temper and curtness was suitable for working with children. When a close friend of mine had recommended me a position of interning at her local police station, I thought, What the hell? And took the chance.
I loved it. I loved organizing the files and keeping track of the schedules. I was efficient with the computer and friendly with the officers. But after I graduated and broke my engagement with my fiancé, Seiya Kou, I was anxious to leave the area. So I applied to random companies offering to do secretarial work. How my application reached Mr. Logan, I still don't know, but I am sure damn glad it did. That was all five years ago.
I'm 27 now. My life is my job, and my job is my life. I wasn't able to keep in touch with any one from college life.
I grinned as I recalled Mina, one of the other secretaries in the company, who repeated to me daily: "Serena, you need a man in your life."
But every time she told me that, I shook my head; knowing Mina would never understand. I didn't need man. I didn't have enough time to entertain one. And as if I didn't have enough headaches.
But suddenly, after thinking about Darien, I wondered what it would be like to go out again and have fun. College life, I had only gone out a little. My wild ways from high school were gone, and all of a sudden I became "The Good Girl".
I had sudden urge to go to a club. I hadn't been to one in literally, ages. Unexpectedly, I wanted to drop the professional act I held 24 hours a day. Sure, I had my occasional he's-so-hot moments and what-am-I-going-to-do, but for the most part, I held an educated, responsible aura around me. And right now, I wanted to get rid of it.
I quickly swallowed the rest of my Instant Curry and dumped the dishes off into the sink. I thought for a moment, wondering if I could really go to a club. But I would, I told myself determinedly and reached for the phone book lying by the phone. For one night, I wanted to go back to being the high school teenager I once was. I dialed the number to Mina's complex and her voice answered after three rings.
"Hello?" She asked slightly out of breath. My eyes rose at the possibilities that she could have been doing, but then I scolded myself for thinking those thoughts. They were inappropriate. I couldn't believe that I even thought them. "Hello?" Mina's irritated voice broke through and I replied hurriedly.
"Mina? It's Serena, from work?" I held my breath for some reason.
"Hey Serena! I'd never expect you to call. What's on your mind?"
"Well, I got to thinking about how I never go out, so I was wondering if you knew any clubs in our area." I paused uncertainly. I didn't want to go by myself, but I was unsure how to ask Mina to accompany me, since we were only close during work.
She laughed and I heard the ruffling of papers. "I know this fantastic club," she gushed out after a minute. "It's great and you'll love it! Would you mind if I joined you?"
I let out a sigh of relief before exclaiming, "Of course! I'd love it if you joined me!" I grinned, feeling jubilant and excited now.
"Great! This club is the best because there's always a ton of people during weeknights. You'll have fun," she reassured me.
"I'm sure I will. When do you want to go?"
"Well, I have to be at work by 9am, which means we should leave the club around 1 or 2am, so we should be there around 9:30."
I promptly agreed with her, since I had forgotten all the dos and don'ts of clubbing. But tonight was the night that I was about to remember.
The entire time that I got ready, my mind kept on drifting towards Darien. It infuriated me greatly, because I didn't even know him well. All I knew was that he was an extremely successful businessman and was the CFO of some company. I read about him often in the newspapers and his face was always splashed the cover of magazines.
He made me want to go out and drop the professional act. No, that's just silly, he didn't make me. He got me thinking which led me to the conclusion that I should.
Ever since he first walked into the office I was working in, I lost my conscience. I had become slightly giddy and in awe of him, which I had once promised myself never to become in front of a man. In fact, I was probably known for not showing any emotions at all.
As I reached into my purse to grab a tampon so I could quickly change it before leaving, it came to me. The cause of all my problems and doubts and feelings was PMS! I smiled in relief that my abnormal behavior was actually normal. It had not been me thinking, but my hormones! I had an excuse for my randomly eccentric thoughts.
With an explanation, which I readily accepted, I tilted my head and attached my hoop earrings. Giving myself the once over, I decided that I looked all right. Nothing that I felt like improving at the moment.
I had on a beige halter and sliming black pants. I curled my blonde hair and had it cascading down my back, except I had these annoying bangs that kept getting my way. They were too long to be bangs, but too short to pull back. I growled at them in annoyance and grabbed my stuff before I started to hate anything else about me.
One thing that I remembered about going to a club was that confidence was. As stupid as it sounds, if you look unsure and self-doubting, you're bound to get the worst kind of guys who wouldn't mind taking advantage of you. I took the keys from the coffee table and locked the door as I left. I was picking Mina up and then we were heading over to The Glow together. She was to be the designated driver. I felt a familiar thrill sift through my veins that I hadn't felt for years. I was finally getting in touch with my party side after nine excruciating long years.
It was strange though. I had never felt the need to get in touch with my past before. The face of Darien Shields popped up in my head yet again, but I shook it out, reminding myself of the reason why I kept remembering him. PMS, I told myself firmly. The answer to all the problems women have.
And I drove off to Mina's house, prepared for a night of partying. But I wasn't prepared for a night of unexpected surprises.
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Well?? *gazes expectantly* Did ya like it? Are you still confused on anything? Please let me know what you think! If you do, then I'll keep working on this story now instead of putting it off now that I've finished revising it. Feel free to email me your ideas at magikalauthor101@yahoo.com and R&R. You can also visit my website at www.silvers-heaven.cjb.net.