After filming with Mike, she grabbed an early dinner with Louis before going to the table read. She glanced at her phone to look at the time. 5:55 p.m. Five minutes before the meeting and no one is there yet.
Outside the conference room where the table read will be held, Louis was on his phone talking to someone. She didn't bother asking him who it was because it was none of her business. Stationed outside were her two bodyguards.
She sighed. She took these few silent minutes alone to think deeply. She glanced at Harvey, now noticing he was wearing shades. Why is he wearing those? It's nighttime.
If she were truly being honest, she didn't have an exact answer to the question of why she hated him so much. She doesn't really hate him. There's something with him that she can't figure out and she hates that. She's the type of person who could read anyone she meets, but not Harvey.
Harvey Specter was a mystery she was desperate to find out.
She found him attractive, yes. If things were different, she'd probably hit on him. If he wasn't such an asshole, she probably would. She thought that it's time to come to a conclusion that she might have a thing for her bodyguard. No one's going to know anyway. She'll continue to mask her feelings through hatred.
She was about to dig deeper with her feelings when everyone else related to the table read arrived. Scriptwriters and co-stars all arrived at the same time because they went inside the wrong room. Funny.
Louis was also inside as well, handing her her copy of the script. Before the table read could start, a scriptwriter informed everyone that the initial director of the show backed out due to personal reasons but assured them that they already had options on who to replace him with. The announcement of the new director might be sometime next week.
The script she was reading was good. It was a show about her character inheriting billions without even knowing the person who wrote her name to his will. It was definitely interesting and was glad she was the first choice for the role.
As the script reading continued, she noticed movement outside. She quickly checked what it was and immediately regretted her decision. It was Harvey removing his sunglasses. It got her thinking about him again. He looked so attractive while removing his eyewear even if it wasn't meant to be attractive.
She imagined a life where their careers wouldn't be this. She would be a normal girl searching for true love then she meets him. She wondered what would happen if that life existed because she was guaranteed that she wouldn't let Harvey get away.
"Donna? You okay?" her thoughts were interrupted by a whispering Louis beside her. Oh no. She let herself think about him again. She cleared her throat quietly and gave Louis a reassuring smile. "Yes, I'm fine. I just need to use the bathroom real quick."
She excused herself from the rest of the group and quickly walked out of the conference room to the bathroom. Stephen was always assigned to follow her during breaks so she's thankful for that set-up.
When she went inside, she washed her hands and splashed water on her face to breathe. Harvey Specter was consuming her thoughts. This isn't supposed to happen. She shouldn't have a thing for her bodyguard. It's entirely cliché and wrong.
She let out a groan and looked at herself in the bathroom mirror. What are you doing with your life? She asked herself. She took a few deep breaths and was startled when she saw movement behind her.
She thought it was some other girl but was shocked to see Harvey coming inside.
"What are you doing here? The men's bathroom is the other way," she snapped at him. She definitely didn't want to see his face right now. She thought it was Stephen following her.
"You screamed. I had to make sure you were okay," Harvey said, checking the surroundings.
God, why must you make this so difficult for me? Donna thought.
She crossed her arms and leaned against the sink. "You're so dramatic. It was barely a shout. It was a groan of frustration."
"Is something bothering you, Miss Paulsen?" he asked in a concerned tone. And that did it for Donna.
"Yes! There's something bothering me. Why would I groan if there wasn't?"
"I don't know. For all I know, you'd probably be practicing for your lines," he shrugged. "Do you not like the script you read?"
"I liked it."
"Then what's bothering you?"
"You! You, Harvey! You're the one bothering me."
She saw Harvey take a deep breath before answering. "I'm trying so hard to be professional right now but I don't care anymore. I can't do my job well if we aren't good. Why are you like this, Miss Paulsen?"
"You think I know the answer to that? You think I know the exact reason why I hate you so much? Ever since I met you, you have never left my thoughts. I always think about your stupid handsome face and it annoys me. It annoys me that you're always outside my door or beside me just standing there trying to keep me safe. It annoys me that maybe I might have a crush on you. That maybe I don't want you as my bodyguard anymore," Donna ranted.
Harvey was dumbfounded. He wasn't expecting that at all, neither did Donna. All the tension and all the thoughts just broke free from her. She can't take back those words anymore. At least the word is out.
Slowly, he took a step closer to her, making her stand up straight and back up. The last thing she wanted was to be close to him. She doesn't know if she could stop herself.
"You are definitely something. Do you know that I was about to drop this assignment off when I found out it was you I was going to protect? Because I knew something like this would happen," he confessed.
Donna was surprised by his confession. So he's not the only one who feels whatever this is that they have.
"Something like what would happen? Like your assigned person to protect would fall for you? You think too highly of yourself."
"No, not that."
"Then, what?
He didn't say anything. He didn't need to. She knows what he's going to say.
Like he would fall in love with his assignment.
But silence wasn't enough for her. She wanted him to say it. She wanted him to admit that she wasn't alone in this crisis. She wanted to know straight from him instead of filling in the blanks.
"Donna," he said softly. That was the first time he called her by her first name. So unprofessional of him but she doesn't care. She needs an answer now.
"Harvey," she replied in the same tone. Harvey wanted to say something. Anything. But he can't bring himself to say the words. Donna sensed this and decided she wouldn't wait anymore.
"Like you would fall for me? Tell me, Specter. Tell me you wouldn't think about me if things were different. Tell me you wouldn't want me to be yours," she said while walking towards him.
They were so close to each other now. One more step and they'd kiss. One push and their lips would connect. One word and everything would never be the same.
Donna was looking at him but he wasn't. He was directing his gaze to somewhere else, stopping himself. "Look at me," Donna whispered. He still wouldn't budge. "Look at me or you're fired."
That did it. Harvey was now looking at her. First her eyes, then lips, then back to her eyes again. He thought it was a subtle move but that didn't go pass against Donna who felt hot all of a sudden.
The room was so quiet that you could hear their breathing in sync. Donna unconsciously licked her lips not knowing what to do which made Harvey close his eyes. He took one step backward and glanced away.
"We can't," he breathed, avoiding her gaze. "I'll be outside, Miss Paulsen. If you need anything, just say my name," he added, then leaving her all alone.
As she was standing there looking at nothing, she knew one thing. Everything's changed.
