You know that mini heart attack feeling you get when you drop your new touch screen phone, when the earphones are not there to act as a much needed savior? Your heart beats fast. You hold your breath and if you could, you would scream, but of course you don't because in that moment you have lost the ability to talk, to do anything really…except panic internally and feel like crap. You just busted your new phone. You know that feeling, right? Now multiply that feeling by 10. That was how I felt as I stared in the midnight black eyes of my interviewer. The arrogant Uchiha Itachi.
I still remember how smug that face was and the amusement in his smile. If it were a game of chess, that would be a definite 'checkmate' moment. I was like a caged animal and he alone could release me. Goodbye potential job at awesome law firm I wanted to get into and hello unemployment. Uchiha Itachi looked like the kind of man who would reach out to any company in town and blacklist me. I shuddered as I thought about it all.
"Miss Haruno?" He was indicating that I seat opposite him. He had settled back into his overly-comfortable seat, his elbows on the table and showing the golden cuff links on his pressed shirt. He reminded me of a mafia boss, all high and mighty and powerful. Calm and collected, right before he attaches weights to your feet and drops you head first in a cold, dark lake. Time to swim with the fishes.
Another shudder escaped me.
I swallowed hard and tried to think of something good that could come out of this. Well, I don't know about you but I couldn't think of anything. Not a single thing. Go figure.
Somehow my legs started moving and I found myself by the seat. I cleared my throat. "T-thank you, Mr. Uchiha." Forget for a second that you called him a dick, I kept telling myself. As I sat there trying to convince myself, truth be told, it wasn't really working.
"I like doing these interviews myself and not leaving them to some HR lady because I'll be the one working with you. I make sure I hire the best because this isn't some downtown rundown law firm and I'm not your average attorney. Okay, so let's move this along." He started studying the papers on his desk; papers which I assumed were my documents. I didn't even want to think of how much of a joke my Resume was. No prior job position, no internships, nothing. I had waited tables in college but that wasn't going to help me much, was it? This was going to be good.
"I've looked at your transcript and Resume, not very impressive but it's okay. Tell me why I should hire you and not anyone of the other people I know are waiting outside?" He pushed the papers away from him and looked at me. No longer did he have that smirk on his face, he looked serious. Business-like. It was hard to believe it was the same guy smearing mustard all over me and insulting my fashion. Uncanny.
I had prepped for that interview enough days, I wasn't going to choke up and ruin it. Well, more that I'd already done by insulting Mr. Uchiha on a sidewalk earlier.
Okay, here goes nothing. I took a deep breath. "I have a philosophy, do something right or don't attempt to do it at all. I know my results from school are showing that I'm average but I'm very driven. Thinking of myself as average enables me to push harder so I can grow and succeed at everything I do. I'm very passionate when I set my mind on something. This-"
He raised his hand up and I stopped talking, "So basically everything that the other aspirants are going to tell me?" he sounded bored. "Good to know."
O-ookay. So, I knew that was my first interview in all my life but was that really how he was supposed to act. "Well, not just that. I will also-"
He interrupted me again. "Let me guess…you will be a team player because you work well with others. You can work amazingly under minimal supervision, right? You are what, creative and self-motivated? Adaptive to differing environments? Blah, blah, blah." The guy actually yawned. What the heck? Was he doing this because of what had happened earlier or was he like this all the time?
"Clearly, this isn't going so well. What if I told you that I could give you this job but only after we spend a night together? You scratch my back I scratch yours." He said it like he was serious. His eyes fixed on my face and I was sure my face looked like it was on fire. He did not just say that, did he? The asshole was serious.
"Excuse me?" I wanted to pretend that I hadn't heard him. That my still shocked brain was still recovering from when I first walked in the room. Anything was better than what I was hearing being true.
"It's simple really. A favour for a favour. I'm sure not even you are that naïve. Think about it." He was smirking at me and I felt sick. What a giant sleaze ball of a dick.
To hell with this job. I wasn't a prostitute.
"Is that how you work, Mr. Uchiha? You dangle the prospect of a job in front of desperate young ladies for what, sexual favours?" I scoffed "Good to know. I believe I have some bad news for you. I'm not that kind of girl. I'll never be that kind of girl. Unlike you, who has daddy dearest to buy your way into school and give you this position in this firm, I work hard for everything I have. I actually earned the papers you so rudely called 'unimpressive'. I worked hard in school and I sure as hell will work hard until I find a job. I didn't spend those sleepless nights studying and doing my assignments, pumped full of coffee and energy drinks to be treated like a piece of meat. I worked hard for my diploma and I won't let you or any other power-high douchebag make me feel like a sex object. That little ploy of yours might have worked on lesser and cheaper women but I won't be part of that list." I got up from the seat and prepared to leave-Feeling good with myself. "Thank you for your time but you can take that disgusting offer of yours and shove it up your snobby ass."
The bastard actually laughed. Like a full on hysterical, I-just-watched-22-jump-street laugh. I had given him a verbal bitch slap and he was laughing. What a psycho. "You have fire, Miss Haruno. I like that."
Was he for real? I didn't have any time for whatever he was going to say because I walked out of there like I'd just walked in on my grandparents doing the nasty. Gross I know but I couldn't strut out of there quick enough. I'd half expected to trip but lady luck was on my side for once and I got out with my dignity and pride.
Still fuming, I said thanks to the blonde. She gave me a sympathetic smile. She probably knew better than anyone how much of an ass her boss was. I should have been the one sympathizing with her. Poor girl. Had she slept with him to get the job? Why was she quitting? I guessed he was hiring her replacement. Maybe he had gotten tired of eating from the same pot and needed something new and fresh.
Gross.
The elevator ride down must have been the hardest of my life but I promised myself I wasn't going to cry. I wasn't going to shed one single tear. Not for that jerk. Not for any jerk for that matter.
~xoxo~
No more than an hour later, I was back in my loft. My high heels were kicked off as soon as I had gone through the door and I changed into yoga pants and a tank-top. Of course I never really did any yoga but I just wanted to have a pair as well. Okay fine, five pairs. Yoga pants are incredible.
I sat on the couch cross-legged, a bowl of cereal in front of me and I turned on the TV. I guess it hadn't hit me yet that I had messed up my interview. Or it was denial, either way…I had my eyes and mind fixed on the series showing in front of me and nothing else.
My mother called soon after and I picked up.
"Mom, hey." I said as I a stuffed myself with a mouthful of cereal. She was probably going to say something about that. Mom always wanted me to act more lady-like. She always had an area for me to work on. Whether it was putting on tomboyish outfits when I was in high school or when it came to packing my clothes nicely and cleaning up my room. I was a mess.
"I have your father with me here. You are on speaker phone. How are you?" My mother's voice came through the ear piece. It was good to hear from her, even though I'd talked to her the previous day.
"Hey, daddy. I'm okay I don't know about you guys."
"We're fine except I have a slight headache. Nothing to worry yourself about. How did the interview go?" This time it was my father who asked. I appreciated their concern and all but I really wanted to forget that entire morning.
"Is it okay with you guys if we didn't talk about this now? Please. I don't want to get into it at the moment."
"Oh Sakura." My mother said. It was that same tone that I didn't want to deal with.
"Baby, sure. Whatever you want. When you want to talk, you know we're here for you. Don't hesitate to call." My father was always the caring type and his voice at that point was my undoing.
You ever wonder about those times when you're desperately trying to keep it together and you're somehow succeeding, when all of a sudden someone comes along and gets all touchy-feely with you, grabbing you into a hug or offering words of comfort and boom, just like that, you breakdown. The waterworks open and you know the crying won't stop soon.
I wasn't going to worry them any longer. So even though tears were stinging my eyes and a lump the size of a mango had formed in my throat, I soldiered on and told then I was okay. That's what life is about, right? Faking a smile so you don't worry those who care about you.
"I'll be fine. Will call you soon guys okay. I gotta go. "
"Take care, honey. We love you." They said in unison.
"Bye." I cut the line and let the tears pour. No, not because of my rude interviewer but because I felt like I'd let my parents down. Until I got a new job, it was working at KFC for me. Konoha Fried Chicken would be my place of work once more. Just like when I was in college.
Ino had to get back home quick. I felt like a night out of the town. It was a Friday and I wanted to forget about this whole interview thing. A way of detoxing and moving on before I started thinking about what my next plan was.
~xoxo~
The hours flew by and it got dark before I knew it. Having a series marathon tends to do that. I had texted Ino a number of times but her response was always the same.
Still busy, Forehead. Will come back as soon as I can.
I'm not a needy person, matter of fact, I'm not even a wanty person but that day I needed to go out. Ino was busy and I know how she gets when it comes to her boyfriend. When it comes to Sai, everything else comes second. She had been dating him since the final year of high school and they have been inseparable since. They even went as far as going to the same college, well almost everyone from my high school went to the same college. While she studied nursing, Sai pursued his true passion-art. I still can't believe some of the pieces he has produced. Simply amazing. He owns a little gallery in town, at a corner and opposite my new favourite café where they sell some of the most delicious and moist cupcakes I've ever tasted in my life. In his gallery, he showcases his work-paintings, sculptures, photography, you name it…he ventures into everything. And he's magnificent at it all. Ino never keeps quiet about it.
My bet was Ino was currently posing as his model. She had been telling me for weeks about how that nude-jack-and-rose-painting scene from Titanic was one of her favourite movie moments and she wanted Sai to draw her like that. He had obviously agreed. Knowing them, I doubted they had gotten any actual painting done. Sometimes I wondered how they managed still being so passionate with each other after all these years. Like seriously, they were like bunnies sometimes.
I decided I was going to take myself out. I walked to my bedroom and after opening the closet and not finding anything I wanted to wear, I decided it was time I raided Ino's wardrobe. The girl might be crazy but her fashion sense is unparalleled.
Grabbing a dark red bandage dress and one pair of Ino's killer heels, I took a quick shower and prepared to paint the town red.
~xoxo~
Note to self: going out alone isn't the best plan in the world. Going out alone dressed in one of Ino's outfits is an even worse plan.
Every grimy, drunk and gross guy thought I was fair game. Again I blame Ino's dress. Maybe I should have worn jeans and sneakers.
The club was packed. Bodies were moving on the dance floor as the loud music played. Girls in even more daring outfits than mine were gyrating and feeling the music with their dance partners grabbing hold of their waists and some were griping asses firmly like it was a rap music video. I'm not the best dancer in the world so the dance floor wasn't where I would be spending my time. I wanted to go to the quieter area with the sofas where people were just hanging.
I had a cocktail in my hands and was trying to make my way through the crowd of people to the sofas on the other side when I felt someone grab a hold of my butt. "Hey, sweet cheeks." I turned abruptly and prepared to scream bloody murder. I knew nothing about martial arts but I was ready to rip the hand that had touched me right off.
I slapped him on the face and he winced, "Touch me again and I'll cut off a part of you. Trust me, it will be a part you will miss." I didn't come here to be groped.
He massaged his cheek and I saw he had tattooed gill-like markings on his face. What the hell kind of club was this? "Playing hard to get, huh?" A slurred voice spoke so close to me and I almost gagged at the scent of him. My nose wrinkled in disgust. He reeked of booze and cigarettes. I knew I was in a club and that was expected but he still made me sick. "What do you say you and I get out of here and have some fun in an alley?" He winked and grinned at me. "I'm sure I can afford you."
Did he just…was that how i…
"Excuse me?" Despite the music I had heard him loud and clear but I was giving him a chance to change his statement.
He placed his hand on my wrist, the freak had some mad strength, "Come on, we'll be quick."
I spilt my drink on him and fought against his grip, "Get your hands off of me, you creep."
He wasn't discouraged; in fact he looked like he was enjoying the fight in me. What a sicko.
"I believe the lady said she wasn't interested." A silver haired, tall lean man had made his way to our side. His voice had been bored and uncaring but somehow it carried enough punch to make the man loosen his hold on my wrist, only to tighten it again.
"I believe this is none of your business." He stood his ground. This was not how I imagined this going
The silver haired man sighed and removed his hands from his pockets. He looked so relaxed. "Always with the hard way, huh?" he lifted his hands and signaled something I didn't understand.
"Going to teach me a lesson with sign language. Impressive. If you'll excuse me, I've got an alley to get to and a pussy to wreck." The guy actually tried to take me with him. I fought my ground and he gave out an irritated sigh. "Don't you wish we can just chop women's legs off so they couldn't try to run away or escape from us?" In the next second, two muscular men towered over him and helped get me free. Each then held on to one of his shoulders. The sadistic guy stood no chance.
"Please escort this…gentleman out of my club." The laidback club owner said. My buff saviors listened and dragged that lowlife out like the trash he was and I couldn't have been happier.
"Are you okay?" the man next to me asked. I turned and prepared to give him my gratitude.
"I'm okay. Thank you…for what you just did." I looked at him and silver hair was covering the left side of his face, his left eye completely obscured from my view.
"Now, I have to make it up to you. Let me buy you a drink." He indicated that I follow him.
"Oh, no. That's unnecessary. You can get back to your business." I offered him a smile. He had already ensured that fish-face guy was thrown out; I didn't really expect him to do more.
"Please, I insist. You got harassed in my club, I feel responsible. Let me buy you a drink." He didn't look like he was going to let it go and I was thirsty, so I let him lead the way.
~xoxo~
I was expecting him to lead me to the bar or the couches but I found myself in what I assumed was his office or personal lounge. It must have been sound proof because as soon as the door was closed, the music dulled down. He had removed his jacket as soon as we entered the door and threw it on the comfy looking couch just near the door. The room looked spectacular with its own mini bar and couches that didn't look like they were STD infested.
"What will it be?" he asked me as he walked to the mini bar. In this light, I got an even better look at him. He must have been one of the most attractive men I'd ever been in the same room with. So, yeah my list of guys I'd been with was very short. Fine, it composed of like two guys but that wasn't the point. The point was the man was dashing. A total eye-fest.
"Miss?" I heard him question. I must have been staring. I was so glad when he didn't refer to me as baby or sweetheart. It always bugged me when guys I didn't know thought it was okay to have pet names for me. "What will it be?"
"Huh?" I blinked furiously and when I saw him raise a bottle of Jack, I understood what he was requesting.
"Oh, um…a Bloody Mary." He smiled back at me and I had to wonder why. "What?" I enquired. He looked even better when he smiled.
"Nothing." He got out the glass he needed, "Where are my manners, please, sit."
"Thank you." I took the seat and prepared myself for the awkward silence that was to come. It never did.
"So, what's a beautiful lady like you doing in a club all alone?" Of course that would be his question. I had to sell myself as a cool and hip person. For all he knew, I was here with my clique of bitches.
"What makes you think I'm alone?" I crossed my leg and stared at him.
He just raised his right brow in a do-I-really-have-to-answer-that way. He looked even more dashing. Who was I kidding? I didn't have any clique of bitches.
"That obvious, huh?" I gave up and decided there was no point in lying.
"You getting your drink alone was a dead giveaway." He was laying the vodka, lemon juice and tomato juice on the counter.
"How so?" My curiosity was peaked.
"Well, don't you females travel in packs or something?" He explained and I couldn't help but laugh. Packs? Really? "Even to the little girl's room, you always have to go at least two."
"Good point." I had to admit, "You sure know women."
He finished mixing the drink and started stalking towards me slowly, "No man knows women. We can spend a million years studying you and we'd still not understand you." He handed me the drink and when our fingers touched I felt a jolt, I took in a breath and hoped he didn't notice. "Women are…a mystery."
"A little mystery is good." I took a sip. That was one mean Bloody Mary.
"Yes. Yes it is." His voice was low. My eyes made contact with his right one but he didn't look away. He just sat down next to me and I was aware of him on a level I've never been able to sense any other guy. It unnerved me.
I must have tensed up because he asked me, "Is something wrong?" right before his warm hand touched my shoulder and I jerked in my seat. "I'm sorry. Did I frighten you? It's just that you looked troubled."
"I'm good." I assured him, "It's just that-" I didn't even know I should have said. Telling him that he was affecting me seemed like the kind of thing a stronger would say. Admitting it to myself was even harder.
"It's just what?" he egged me on, his voice low, "You can tell me." His hand had moved away from my shoulder but I still felt like he was touching me. I felt hot.
What was wrong with me?
"What did you put in this drink?" I asked as I stared at the red cocktail, laughing nervously.
"I don't understand." He shifted in his seat and my body was aware of all his movements.
"I-" I heard my phone ring and I quickly fumbled with opening my purse.
Saved by the phone.
I got up as soon as I managed to get the ringing machine. Strange number.
"H-hello." I said in the mouth piece. My back turned to the white-haired man on the soft couch.
"Sakura Haruno?" a familiar voice asked.
"Yes."
"This is Temari calling from Uchiha and Sons, Mr. Itachi's office; I'm calling to let you know that your interview was a success. You got the job."
"Um w-what?" I needed some support. Did I hear right? Had we dropped down into an alternate universe? How could I get the job? I remembered his inappropriate proposal and I was filled with rage again.
"This time?" How and why was she calling this late?
The female on the other line laughed, "Have you met my boss…he gives slave driver a whole new meaning. He makes slave drivers look like Gandhi. There's no such thing as personal time when you work for him."
"Thank you for the call but I don't understand how you can work for that…man." Was he even a man?
She laughed again and I couldn't think of why, "If you're referring to his sexual advancements during interviews, then I must clear it up with you. Ita…Mr. Uchiha takes his work seriously and he wants nothing but strong women working for him. He doesn't like or have time for push overs, so he uses that little sick but necessary sexual-harassment-waiting-to-happen ruse to weed out the weak and the desperate social climbers who think they can sleep their way to the top. The fact that I'm calling you means you impressed him."
What a twisted way to conduct interviews. I was dumbfounded. What a workplace.
"I can sense your hesitation." She tried to reassure me, "I punched him in the face when he used it on me but trust me when I say, he doesn't mix business with pleasure. Ever. He's very professional when it comes to the company."
"Thank you so much." A smile was slowly creeping up on my face. My legs still felt weak but hey, whatever, I had a job.
"Report on Monday at 8 and we will finalize everything." She was about to say bye when she told me, "Good luck."
There came that shudder again. Why would I need luck?
"Thanks." I said it anyway. I wasn't a rude person. My attitude depends on how you treat me and Temari was a nice person. Score. Plus she had once punched her boss for being an ass-wipe. Double score.
"Good night Sakura." The line cut and I was left standing in a private room of a stranger's club. A handsome, mysterious man, but still…a stranger.
I turned to face him and he was seated with his back casually against the couch, his eye closed as his head was thrown back, his arms on the back of the couch and the top two buttons of his white shirt were undone. I swallowed hard.
Damn.
He opened his right eye, his left still hidden from me by his hair, and raised his head once he heard that I had had stopped talking on the phone. A more attentive stare at him and a look in his eye revealed the unmistakable laziness or rather boredom in it. He looked like a man who had given up on life but for some reason still woke up in the morning.
We stared at each and the air seemed to be thinning each second because, otherwise, how could I really explain my difficulty in breathing and shortness of breath. He moved his back and arms from the couch and leaned forward. His legs were spread and his long and I imagine toned arms –because with that build he had, it had to be a given-rested on his knees as his gaze rested on my frame. In the dress I was wearing, I felt so exposed.
Effects of a two year dry spell, I guessed. No wonder Ino always made fun of me when it came to my sex life. But then again I wasn't in the same league with that nympho.
"Good news?" He asked.
"The best actually." Damn I was good. Despite the daze I was obviously in, I managed to say the words coherently. "I-I just got the job I wanted." A smile donned my face and I saw the corner of his curl up too.
"Then we should definitely celebrate." He stood up and put his hands in his pants pocket. "And the best part is, we're already in a club."
With the way I was feeling, I knew it wasn't a good idea to stay unless I wanted to end up doing the horizontal tango with a stranger. A sexy as hell stranger, but still. You ever wonder how we tolerate really attractive people but if less than average guys give us the same treatment we spit out fire and feel offended. It was a crazy double standard but I felt like I wouldn't mind hanging out with Mr. smexy some more. I was scared, however, so I had to run. It was my ultimate defense.
"I-I have to go." I took a long gulp of the drink and his eyes widened. Yeah, there was no time to act lady-like and sip the heck out of that delicious baby. Like a woman determined, I walked to the mini bar and placed the glass on the counter, all the while I felt his eye on me, following me. "Thanks for the drink. You make a killer cocktail." I finally told him once I turned.
"I get that a lot. I used to bartend when I was younger. You learn a few things." He wasn't moving.
"I bet." Why wasn't I leaving? I'd already said bye so why did I just stand there like some female waiting for him to make his move and ravage me? Maybe it was because he intrigued me. I was curious to know how a bartender had moved up to own one of the hottest clubs in town.
He turned, removed his hands from his pockets and grabbed my purse which I had just left lying on the couch. As soon as he grabbed it, he started walking towards me until he was only inches from me, yet still, I didn't move away.
"It was nice meeting you, Red." Red? I would have gone for pink. At least it was what I'd become used to.
"Thanks. It was nice meeting you too." I got the purse but he didn't immediately let go, his hand lingered longer than was necessary but I didn't mind. When he did let go though, I had to moan the loss…well, at least internally.
"Shall we? He stretched out his hand and gestured to the door in a gentlemanly ladies first kind of way. I smiled at him and started walking.
I left that club and I didn't even catch his name. He didn't even ask for my number. Why is it the ones we want to know better always take forever to ask for our numbers but then all the creeps, dogs, jerks and psychos see us one second and already think our vaginas are for them to conquer. It sucked some major ass.
From what Id found out about silver-hair though, I concluded that he was a good guy. He did save me from a fish-enthusiast and mixed me a great cocktail. Plus as soon as he saw how I reacted to his sudden contact, he hadn't laid a hand on me again. In my books that was a keeper if I ever saw one.
Monday I'd start working for the boss who I assumed was from hell and I had two days to prepare for it. It wasn't enough but maybe I could practice having a thicker skin. I knew I was going to need it.
Universe…you aren't so bad after all.
~xoxo~
Author's Note: That's all folks. Thanks for reading, following, faving and reviewing. Please review some more. I appreciate feedback.
This is fiction so you know am just making this stuff up but if anything is unbelievable, please don't hesitate to let me know.
So, am sure you noticed the club owner isn't wearing a mask and might seem out of character but I honestly didn't know how to work a mask-wearing man in modern AU without him seeming like a total douchebag or psycho. If you don't mind the awkwardness I can edit the chapter and mask that man u.
Am planning on making this fic a sizzle-fest. Best way for me to practice writing limes and lemons. I hope you walk with me as I embark on this hot journey. Pointers and advice are welcome; if you're shy my PM is open.
As I have no plans for the holidays, I might post a new chapter before the year ends. Happy holidays and hey
REVIEW.