A/N: Thank you guys for giving "The Secretary" a chance, i promise you will not regret your decision when choosing this story. I pray to Kami you guys stick by me and watch this story grow from the ground up. Enough said here is chapter two. Enjoy and tell me what you think.
"To burn with desire and keep quiet about it is the greatest punishment we can bring on ourselves."
― Federico García Lorca, Blood Wedding and Yerma
Chapter Two:
The meeting
The clacking of the keyboard and the roaring sound of the endless phone calls showed me how much I truly like the quietness that my trusty headphones provides me. But through all that pandemonium that did not truly scared me, what did, were all the assistants looked like models wearing nothing but designer clothes that cost more than my house and father's car. I should have remember that I live in a world where I would be surrounded by dangerously beautiful demons and demoness. Looking down at my outfit I suddenly felt out of place with the catholic uniform, Kagura, luckily still owned on my behalf when St. Vincent was still a uniform catholic school. I kept adjusting it because it is super tight and short, I feel like a prostitute reliving a client's request in being a silly little school girl, the headband and heels did not help my case to make me feel better.
Clutching the documents that Kagura collected in less than an hour, she told me everything I need to get this job is in this folder and that I should guard it with my life. She did not have to tell me twice, being in this world made me feel so out of place that my iron grip to this folder is my anchor to the world that I never truly fit into but I felt comfortable in it.
"I'm sorry but we're not interested in buying religion dear, half the staff here are atheist or going to be" The brunette at the front desk announced, I looked around to see who she is talking to but she is looking at me. Once I caught a glimpse of the plaid shirt and remembered the blazer with the crest on the right breast pocket I realized she is talking to me.
"I'm not selling religion" I whispered. I started fidgeting with the hem because when another assistant passed me I started feeling inferior, less than my ideal worth when a model like woman passed me.
"Can I help you?" a polished brunette asked me her eyebrows were scrunched together and her lips were tighten in a way that she looked annoyed with me. My body started to shake, my palms began to sweat an ocean. I am getting nervous which is bad, Dad always said when I ever I get nervous I turn into a deer in head lights. I'm sure that is what I am looking like now, my body started to betray me once my nose started to sting, it is intimidating being surrounded by new faces and they treat you like crap the minute they smell you touching the door. I wanted to run and hide, I remember when I use to feel this way I would run into my father's arms and he would kiss my forehead and brush my wavy hair to tell me to breathe. That the world is not crashing down because I was insulted by one ass hole so I should not be so quick to write off the world.
"I'm here for the position for Mr. Takahashi's secretary" I whispered so softly she practically jumped over the desk to hear me.
"Honey either you speak up and tell me why you are hear or you can turn that pretty little head of yours around and leave" She requested. My jaw nearly dropped from the formality, I never knew professionals were entitled to be this rude to newcomers, I started to second guess if this is really where I want to work for the next couple of weeks.
"What is it going to be?" She asked, I felt as if she was not asking if I am going to tell her why I am here; but if I am going to tell her what I want to do with my life in general. Looking at me she sized me up before going back to the computer to continue typing whatever that needed to be typed. Turning my back, I realized that my choice was made for me without me having a say.
"Rin?" I turned around to find the voice calling me, when I faced the owner of the voice calling me, my nervous feeling melted away like melted snow in the summer and the butterflies build up. Byakuya, Kagura's cousin, whom I have had the biggest crush on when I first laid eyes on him last year. He is not a red eyed like Kagura, he has beautiful dark black hair that shows off his mischievous purple eyes which is his killer features because those eyes he can make any woman melt with one sparkle or expression in his eyes. His dark hair is slicked back today, but whenever I see him he would have it in a wild bed head way that he can pull off with ease. I wanted to say hi but with the stupid crush that I still have on him I only waved at him with a bit more anticipation than normal. He smirked that stupid knee melting smile, I made sure I was still leaning on the door before I collapsed, seeing him walking towards me he quickly looked at my outfit from head to toe; he never bothered to look at me before, which is weird. What added the icing is when I found him staring at my legs, for someone as short as me I have long legs and with this black pumps they looked a bit longer.
"I never knew St. Vincent went back to uniforms" He answered.
"I never knew you were a prevent with a keen taste for school girls" I answered while raising my eyebrow, I did not know what came over me. I heard the woman from earlier gasp in disgust by my choice of words. Feeling mortified for just letting my foot make its home in my mouth I wanted to slap myself. Looking at Byakuya he just chuckled at me, I gave him a look as to why he would be chuckling? I just accused him of being a pervert.
"I'm sorry, I just don't know what came over me; I feel so stupid for just saying something like that" I answered. He smiled and draped his tailored suit arm around my shoulder.
'Oh Dear sweet baby Jesus this man smells divine' I thought, I felt a small tug from his end but I refused to move because I know that if I leave this wall of a door that is keeping me up I will collapse and be marked as the fool around here.
"Ah Rin, still the smart mouth girl I met; I'm glad that thing did not change with you" He answered while laughing, I blushed so hard I think that woman's lipstick might have been jealous. I wanted to run to the nearest hole and dig it deeper so I can hide from all of civilization.
Looking up at Byakuya I just admired how easily brushed things off like a joke and continued with life like a free ride. I always envied him the way that I had a crush on him: strong and premature. Allowing him to pull me off from the glass door I followed him wherever he is heading.
"So tell me when they started bringing back the uniforms" Byakuya asked
"They didn't" I answered, I could see the sneaky side stare; one common trait that runs in the family. He lift his eyebrow waiting for me to explain why I am wearing a school uniform.
"I did not have any girly clothing because of my charming step-brother; Kagura still had her old uniform for reasons I refuse to acknowledge and it was the only formal yet fancy girly thing I've ever worn" I answered. Byakuya nodded his head up and down pretending to understand my unfortunate demise but kept stealing glances at my body, it started to freak me out but most of all made me feel so self-conscious about myself. I am use to hiding my body underneath my brother's clothing that I grew accustomed to people ignoring me, pretending that I did not exist; but once I wore the girl's uniform all eyes and spotlight dramatically found its way to me. I felt like a cliché.
"I always knew Abi wanted boys, just never pegged her to take it this far" Byakuya joked. Flashing a quick smile, I caught him taking his time looking at my body, I tried scooting away from him but with his arm draped around my shoulder he would always pulled me closer. He was like my father's friend Miroku at parties: creepy and could never take a hint. And he would allow his hands to linger on your body a little longer which of course made things more awkward, which is why he has at least three restraining orders on him in counting.
"Well that's Abi, always keeping people guessing" I tried to wiggle out of his hawk claw grip on my shoulder but he kept it tighten.
"So Kagura told me that you would be perfect for the job" He started off, I shifted the side of my mouth to the side and scrunched my eyebrows down.
'Is he giving me the interview?' I thought feeling confused.
"Yeah, my record could use a brush of extracurricular activities outside of school and my brother's shadow" I answered, I looked down feeling so small once again after working the nerve to finally brush it away. Byakuya saw how sad I became and rubbed my shoulder to assure me that everything will be fine.
"You should not beat yourself up, you are just as talented as your step-brother Naraku"
"Too bad everyone else says the complete opposite" I muttered. Byakuya stopped our journey through the rows of open spaced cubicles and flaw less woman with black holes for hearts and venom for spit.
"Hey scout don't beat yourself up about it" he whispered, he closed me in for a hug; it did not really feel like a hug because he started feeling me up a bit; I did not know what to do. I could not stop him and accuse him for harassment because then I would be lying in my best friends eyes; but I could not let him continue to feel me up at my worst moment.
"Byakuya, where can I meet the person who is giving me the interview?" I asked hoping it would cut this hugging fest short, and I can stop being taken advantage of. Byakuya, to my luck, broke out of the hug to lead me to the elevator.
'Dear God please let someone join me on this elevator' I thought. Waiting patiently for it to come down, I felt the atmosphere around here. Everyone is so cold to each other and purposely tried to sabotage the other in such a sneaky way I really began to think if this is such a place I really want to work for.
"Rin?"
"Huh?" I snapped out of my thoughts failing to realize that I am in the elevator with Byakuya and he is talking to me about God knows what. Realizing my fail attempt to listen he chuckled again and I started to have that knee wobbling feeling again.
"I said do you know who you will be working for or what you are going to be doing?" He asked, I shook my head no.
"Well Mr. Takahashi is one of the youngest CEOs that is worth more than this multi-billion dollar media company. He is practically in every magazine known to man; and he is nicknamed the man without a heart or conscious" Byakuya started, I slowly blinked processing this information.
"Is he really that terrible?"
"Much worse times ten and scarier; he makes boogey man seem like a field of roses" My heart literally dropped to my intestines, I could not even swallow the lump building in my throat. If I tried to open my mouth I could run out of oxygen this very minute and collapse. I really could not breathe either way, this Mr. Takahashi felt really scary and mean and I never met the man.
"Is he ugly?" I asked feeling unsure with what I got myself into.
"Although I wish he was, he is far from ugly Rin" Byakuya answered, I could feel the tint of envy in his voice. It got me thinking, why Byakuya would work for a man he despises only with envy. I don't think I will ever get use to this business world.
"So what will I be doing, if I get the job?" I asked trying to steer the conversation away from Mr. Takahashi.
"You'll be organizing his work schedules, filing paperwork, creating meetings, making coffee the usual secretary stuff but if he demands you to do something then you do it with no questions asked" Byakuya answered, the elevator doors opened just in time to the top floor, bringing me to the man that will decide my fate for the next couple of weeks. Byakuya walked out first leaving me in the elevator by myself.
"Are you coming or not?" He asked once I did not follow him out. But that's the thing, do I really want to leave the elevator follow Byakuya to a man who seems scary though I have never laid eyes on, or do I want to stay in the safety of the elevator and go downstairs passed the cold hearted women and run back to the comfort of my room and books?
"Yeah" I told him, I wanted color so badly I guess I would not stop at any point until I obtain the color in my life I truly deserve in order to live fully and happily. Following him to the double wooden doors before me, my fears attacked me when Byakuya's hands touched the sliver knobs.
"No!" I yelled, Byakuya looked at me with alarm screaming across on face, slowly smiling with embarrassment hanging over my head I did not have a reason as to why I just shouted no. Byakuya realizing that it was just a nervous outburst he chuckled once again and opened the door. Following him in the lobby of CEO office, I realized it is super huge, you could put three New York apartments together and it would not match up to the size of this man's lobby. There was a comfortable living room area with two dark brown linen couches to the right with a coffee table and fine china cups and saucers resting on it, beautiful paintings that look really expensive, I fell in love with one of the paintings that is next to the elevator on the way over to the lobby. Ceiling to wall length windows to show the dramatic movie style view of New York, the lightening made everything that was glass in this office look like diamonds. I felt like I am living in a Hollywood movie just from the beautiful interior design of the office, looking to the left there was an endless collection of books, I knew I should stay with Byakuya who was heading to the next set of double doors with steel bar handles but once my eyes caught a glimpse of the small library I could not resist, there is a desk with the latest mac computer resting on top right next to the library when I walked over. If I got the job I know I can occupy my time with the books since they are not far at all. Letting my fingers brush against the spines, I felt a chill tickling my back with sheer excitement. Some of them were law books, others were books I never heard of, books I have always wanted to read but never had the time; and books that I have read and feel recklessly in love with.
"He has extraordinary taste" I whispered to myself, looking over the books my father always told me that you can judge a man's character based on the books that he collects and the ones he reads over and over again until the cover comes undone. None of the books had dust on them, but none of them were becoming undone.
"Rin?" Byakuya called out, I snapped out of my scared world and focused back on reality where I am trying to get a job, walking back to Byakuya, the shoes started to pinch my toes. I never wore heels a day in my life; and Kagura refused that I wore my converses to this interview because it would look unprofessional.
'Well I'd rather be comfortable than professional' I told her the minute she told me that, sadly I lost that battle the minute she crammed a quick session on how to walk and wear heels in under thirty minutes. Ignoring the pain as best as I could I followed Byakuya through the double doors, looking back at the library I realized that there was one more thing I did not add to Mr. Takahashi's personality. He likes to keep everything clean and in order judging by the alphabetized order, he is too busy to read them which is why there is not one book that has been touched, he only likes the finer things in life which is why they are all in first edition only; some were bind manuscripts. But one thing for certain in his lavish lifestyle, Mr. Takahashi is lonely in it all. Looking away from the beautiful and lonely library I braced myself for the next thing that is about to come my way.
Mr. Takahashi himself.
I know this is feels slow but i promise you will not regret your decsion when clicking on this story.
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Until Next time
A.M. Hemingway