Fan Fiction |
by Sensitivegal
Charlene wished that the earth would open up and swallow her up. She had got so far running away from her bodyguards and now they were going to take her back to her father. She finally thought that things were looking good for her. She wanted to kill Edison for calling her name out.
Daniel, Leo and Mel turned to face her. But as they did a big woman in front of her stood up quickly blocking her from her bodyguards’ view and turned to face Edison. But the woman didn’t notice a waiter coming out the double doors with a tray in hand filled with someone’s lunch. Her arm tilted the tray. The waiter tried to gain control of the tray only to make it fall straight on top of the woman’s husbands’ head.
With the commotion going on Charlene thanked God that she was saved. She took the opportunity and made a dash out the café. She made a mental note to pay Darcy for any damages. She didn’t stop running until she got in her work place.
She forgot she left Edison and Gillian ‘til she saw them entering the building five minutes later. She was back at her desk and working by then. Realization struck her then replaced by guilt.
‘What happened to you?’ Edison demanded making anyone who was around stop at their tracks and look at their angry boss.
‘I am so sorry!’ Charlene said.
‘We were really worried of you,’ Gillian spoke up. ‘Why did you run off like that?’
Charlene was stomped. She couldn’t really tell then that she was hiding from her bodyguards. She tried thinking up an excuse.
‘I… eh… forgot that I didn’t finish my work,’ she quickly rushed whatever came in her mind. She then bit her lips for coming up with a stupid excuse. She wanted to smack herself.
‘You…’ Edison was lost in word. He thought if he heard her right. ‘You…’ he began again. Was she crazy? ‘You ran because of that?’ he finally said.
Charlene gave a sweet innocent smile and nodded her head. The sweet innocent smile melted away his anger as much as he didn’t want to.
‘You’re so devoted to you work!’ Gillian exclaimed not at all bothered if the excuse was lame. ‘That’s so cute!’
Edison wasn’t convinced at the excuse. He was curious what got her to run like that. He was really worried after seeing the blood drain down her face as if she saw a ghost. And when he called for her she froze up like he shouldn’t have said it. She wondered what was going through that pretty little head of hers now.
Charlene was wondering when he was going to leave. She was really bad with her lies. If he didn’t go now she was sure she was going to blurt out the truth.
‘Edison!’ a man called. She didn’t recognize him. The man then stopped next to her desk and looked from Gillian and her then back at Gillian. ‘There are two of you?’ he said confused.
‘No,’ Edison laughed. ‘This is Charlene Choi, the new receptionist,’ he introduced.
‘O,’ the man made an o shape with his mouth. ‘I’m Nicholas by the way. His PA,’ pointing to Edison.
‘Hi,’ Charlene smiled in genuine. The phone rang along with another one. ‘I’d like to chat but I have to get back to work.’ She cleared her voice and picked up the phone. ‘Good afternoon, Chen Enterprise. How may I help you?’
Edison, Gillian and Nicholas made their way to the elevator. Gillian was quite all this time. She was confused at why Edison was too nice to Charlene. She wondered if there was something going on between them too.
‘Gillian,’ Nicholas waved him hand in front of her face snapping her out of her thought.
‘Huh?’ she looked at him.
‘Are you okay?’ he asked a little concern could be heard in his voice.
‘Uh, yeah,’ she said. She was glad that the elevator doors opened. They got out.
‘How did Charlene get the job?’ Nicholas asked curiously. ‘I’m sure I would have remembered her if we interviews her.’ He scratched his head thinking.
‘She was the late comer,’ Edison said. ‘I interviewed her.’
‘You gave her an interview after she was late?’ Nicholas looked baffled. He knew that Edison was the type that hated people who came late. He just won’t bother with them. But right now he stood there saying that he interviewed her. He wondered why he would do that. He knew if he asked Edison wouldn’t answer so he kept quiet.
Gillian watched Nicholas. He was somewhat shocked about Edison. She didn’t know why. She frowned. Did Edison like Charlene? He wouldn’t like his employees, someone had gossiped to her. The woman said that he kicked the last secretary and receptionist out because they fell in love with him. She hoped that he wouldn’t do that to her if he ever found out she loved him. The elevator stopped and they went back to their work.
Daniel frowned, thinking. He had felt her presence. For some reason he thought that the guy who was sitting by the window was calling out Charlene’s name. But he had said Char. It could be anyone. Like the woman who knocked the tray over. Her name was Charlotte and had demanded who he guy was calling her name. The guy apologized saying he thought she was someone he knew.
Daniel knew she was here somewhere. The question was where?
‘I'm getting the feeling that she’s close by,’ Daniel said what he thought out loud.
‘I thought it was only me,’ Mel said. ‘I thought I felt her presence close by.’
‘I didn’t feel anything!’ Leo exclaimed feeling left out.
‘We have to find her before the boss comes in two months time,’ Daniel informed the other two.
Leo gasped. ‘We won’t ever find her!’ he cried out making people around the café turn to look at him strangely.
Mel smacked Leo. ‘Stop thinking negative. We’ll find that girl.’
‘We really have to find her before the appointment he has with the Chen Enterprise,’ Daniel said sighing. ‘What girl would runaway from the luxury life she had?’
Charlene thought that finally in her life she loved it. She was glad that she left that ‘luxury’ life her father says he gives her. What her life lacked was love. And that was what she wanted. He didn’t give it to her.
She packed her things as she was done for the day. It was half five. She was meant to leave half an hour ago. She put on her jacket and swung her black bag on her shoulder. She glanced at her desk if she was missing anything. She wasn’t. She walked out the building and to the bus stop. She sat on the seat in between a couple and an old man and waited. She wasn’t looking out for the bus. She was looking down at her feet lost in thought. She drained out what the couple was saying. Her thought was on her father.
Even though her father didn’t agree with her most of the things. Well, all of the things. She still missed him. She wondered how he was and what he was doing. A loud roaring made her jump. She got off her seat. A red motorcycle just halted by the curb in front of her. The engine died down. The driver took off his helmet and grinning at her.
‘Hello, gorgeous, how about a lift?’
‘My mother warned me of guys like you,’ Charlene mumbled, a smile forming on her mouth.
‘That’s the trouble with mothers,’ Edison’s grin stretched wider. A devastating dimple marked one cheek. ‘They never look beyond the surface.’
She raised one eyebrow, arched her neck, and gave him the slow once-over. ‘And a very nice surface it is, too.’
He smiled, amused with the open flirting. ‘So are you coming?’ he asked. He loved the flirting but he didn’t like people watching as they were waiting for the bus. They were watching openly at them amused.
‘Only if you let me drive,’ she said smiling innocently.
That smile! He thought. Why did it always make him weak and obey her sweetness. He hesitated. ‘My mother warned me about women like you.’ He got off the bike putting the helmet on the seat and getting out the spare one from the back. ‘I presume you can ride one?’
‘Do bears pee in the woods?’ Charlene took the spare helmet from his hand and put it on smiling to herself that was easy. She flung her leg to sit on the bike. Edison got on feeling much better after knowing they’ll be sitting close and he gets to hold on to her.
‘You realize what this means, don’t you?’
‘I have the responsibility for a forty-thousand-dollar custom-built machine?’
‘More like sixty. But that’s not the point. The real issue is that you now meet the first of my ten requirements for a perfect wife.’
It was Charlene’s turn to look confused.
‘Long ago, I decided that I would marry a woman who knows how to ride a motorcycle,’ he said.
‘Well, that’s something. I’m sure women would be eager to know. But at the risk of a little too much adoration we must go.’
She flipped her helmet shut and roared the engine to life. She zoomed away from the curb and onto the busy road.
By the time Charlene stowed the bike in front of the motel room she was staying at the sun had already set.
‘Thanks for the ride.’ Charlene took off the helmet and handed it over to Edison.
‘I should be the one who is thanking,’ he grinned. She smiled.
‘I’ll see you tomorrow.’ She made an attempt to leave but Edison snaked his hand over hers and tugged her causing her to stop. She turned to face him questioningly.
‘Aren’t you forgetting something?’ he asked.
‘Urm…’ Charlene thought hard if she was. She frowned. ‘Am I forgetting anything?’
‘My kiss,’ he said.
A smiled was quick to form on her mouth. ‘I’m sure you would have got it if you actually gave me that ride,’ she said.
‘But I did let you drive it,’ he said eagerly giving her a puppy look.
She negotiated in her mind. ‘Okay,’ she said. She leaned forward to kiss him on the cheek but he turned his head slyly making her kiss his lips. He pressed his lips on her. She pulled back. ‘That was not what you were going to get.’
‘I know.’ He put the spare helmet back at its place and roared off.
She touched her lips. She shook her head and walked in her room. He was one great guy!