3 Chapter 3

It's been a couple of days since the small and abrupt house party. Julie left for Italy to take photos of the scenery, it was a shock to me that her dream is photography. However, I can't get Adam's smile and words out of my head. Was he flirting or trying to get yelled at? I just can't bring myself to trust his words. I walked to the fridge in hopes of finding something sweet to eat. I looked in my 95% empty fridge then continued to open the freezer. It was worse there. There was nothing in there but ice. I have a bad habit of chewing ice when I'm stressed. Unfortunately, I wasn't in the mood for ice. I'll just get something sweet on my way to work. I close both doors and start my day. Shower, teeth, hair and makeup, clothes and out the door. Time to get my sweets! Really the only reason why I like to eat sweets so much is because it brightens up my mood. I get in my car and do a 15 minute drive to get to work. My company is called All as in we got it all! Honestly, if you ask me the only thing it has "all" of is gossip. "Good morning Elizabeth." Sarah waves as she walks towards me. "Good morning Sarah" I stare at her evaluating her choice of clothing today. Sarah always dresses nicely and work appropriate. Today, she was wearing a yellow floral summer dress with a white long-sleeve undershirt. To accommodate the dress her stocking and shoes are brown. "Today you're a potted flower." I accidently spoke my mind. "Yes, haha...maybe tomorrow I'll be the sky." Sarah gave me a weird look before leaving to join a friend calling her over. I'm not good at making small talk. ~Sigh~ "maybe I'll be alone for the rest of my life?" I began talking to myself. Since the small party Sarah, Janice, and Jake have been trying to figure out how to approach me. A simple hello was all they could muster. I'm fine with them not knowing and taking their time, it's Adam that has been bothering me. He is such a weird person. He finds out I'm the young shadow-king of the company and he acts like everything is normal! His attitude mind boggles me. I feel a gentle pat on my shoulder followed by a friendly "yo". It was Adam, "Ahem, hello to you to Adam." I turn to face the man that isn't intimidated by my identity. "Are you working in the clothing department this time or are you gonna go to customer service?" Adam smiled as we walked to the elevators. I looked to Adam and wondered if he had a complicated background like me. "You ask the same question everyday, why?" The elevator door opens and we walk in. "You really can't guess? Wow, hmm…" I look away from Adam to hide my flushed face. I don't know why he decided to be attracted to me. Just like I don't know why he isn't intimidated by me. I close my eyes and lift my head up as if to say it's beneath me to think about him or issues related to him. "Hm! If you don't want to tell me then you don't have to." Adam walks closer to me. We are the only people in the elevator so I was able to move back and retrieve my personal space. Adam walks closer and I find myself pressed at the wall. He then leans forward. "Wait,-" Adam presses the elevator button for the third floor. My cheeks become red hot as I realize I never pressed the button. "I think if I waited any longer, I would get in trouble with the team manager." Adam chuckles a bit before moving back. That little A$$hole! No way! That was so cliche...and I fell for it! I didn't think any guy would actually do something like that. I mean does it make sense? No! Why would any guy have the balls to pull that off. Wasn't that move supposed to only exist in korean dramas? Oh I'm so embarrassed! The doors open and Adam walks out. "You getting out or should I hold your hand? Since you don't feel like doing the simple things today." Adam put his hand to his mouth and tried to hold in his laughter. Too embarrassed to answer I walked out the elevator with my head slightly down. "Y..you know it's rude to tease a lady." Adam kept a smile on his face. We walked in the clothing department together. "Oh good you're here" the team manager said. He walked up to Adam and me and handed me 6 packets of unfinished work. "Here you go. I need this sorted and finished by tomorrow." The team manager then invited Adam to sit down and have a chat with him. His excuse being Adam is too new and still needs to be taught how things around here work. I wonder what his face would look like when he finds out I'm the chairwoman. Adam steals a glance at me as if to say "sorry you have to go through this." I plan on revealing my identity as the chairwoman next week at the annual company party. So I've pretty much had to ask the few who knew already to keep it a secret and act normal around me. The important executives also know about me too. They were more than displeased when my father introduced me, a "no experience" stanger as the next chairwoman. I'm almost sure the secretary was more than pissed when I came. I go to my desk. In the clothing department, I don't have my own office. So I sit at an assigned desk with the rest of the regular employees. I begin to sort through the documents handed to me. Some of it was labeled junk. ~Sigh~ that stupid guy always abuses his power. Looks like I need to do some cleaning when I come out. "Sorry, but can you help me with this? I need to get it done by tomorrow." I heard in the background. It seems there's this one person in the department that gets bullied because everyone thinks she got the job due to her connections. So they think she's like me. "But I already-" "thanks a bunch!" I turn to see who was the bully this time. Today it's Megan, yesterday it was Susan. I made it a habit to try to remember all the people involved in unjust treatment. "Sure, right away" the girl's voice sheepishly broke through her mouth. I turned to her and gave a judging side glance. "Have you thought of saying no, or just not doing it. Since it won't be your problem if it isn't handed in?" I asked from across the small but wide space between us. "I have thought about it, but in the end they're just gonna give more work to teach me a lesson." She sighed and put her head down. "My name is Elizabeth, and I'm giving you permission to slack off during work." I was more than mad that this girl had been suffering for so long and couldn't get any reckongnization for all her hard work. "Thanks Elizabeth, but I think I shouldn't take that advice. My name's Grace by the way." Grace smiled and went back to working. I get it. She doesn't know who I am yet, nobody she knows, knows. "Alright, I can't exactly force you to." I shrugged my shoulders. "Do you want to get lunch with me?" I asked, trying to change the subject. "I am thankful you asked, but I'm gonna have to decline. I have too much work to do. I'll just take a bagel and cream cheese as I work." Grace looked really disappointed that she could not come with me to eat. "Grace I…" I hesitated for a moment. "I'm sorry it's not that I don't want to eat with you, I just really do have a lot of work." Grace reassured me of her feelings. My heart sunk as she pretended to be strong. I want to help her but now's not the right time. This is frustrating. ~Sigh~ "alright, I understand." I said silently as I immerse myself into my own work. After long hours of sorting I go to the cafeteria in order to calm my new found raging headache. I had forgotten to eat breakfast so I also felt sheepish. In the line that I stood in I could see Janice and Jake talking. I took a couple of steps towards them in order to let them see me coming. Jake notices me, gives me a smile then looks away. Right, they still need more time to adjust to the secret information. I go to the back of the line and try not to stare at anyone. I don't blame them for acting that way with me. I mean I never spoke to them before the small party and if it wasn't for Julie they wouldn't even know I worked here. Maybe it was a mistake, coming to the cafeteria? I was in deep thought again. I do want to be friends with them, yet they aren't comfortable around me because they know too much. I felt a heavy arm plop on my shoulder. "Having a hard time choosing? In that case you should go with special A." Adam breaks my train of thought. "Adam, remove your arm from my shoulder." I stare at him intensely. "You're in a bad mood today?" Adam asked as he removed his arm. "I like personal space" I rebuttal, he looks at me and laughs. "That's what you're calling it." He nudged me to let me know the line moved. I walked up and stopped only when I got close enough to the person ahead of me. "Are you gonna get the special A lunch set too?" I turn to Adam slightly glad I now have company to wait on the line with me. "No" He quickly answered me. I was a little confused as to why he would recommend something and not take it. "Hmm, does it not taste good?" "it's good, I would just like to try as much of the food as possible. That way I can decide on my main three go-to meals." Adam throws a smile at me. I've gotten used to Adam's smile. It no longer irritates me. We both walk up to the plates and get our food. I get the special B instead of A. Adam gets the special C. "You know, it doesn't hurt to put a little faith in me." Adam gives me a disappointed glance before sighing it away. "It would help to recommend something you are going to pick too." I began walking to my usual seat by the window. "Hey! Wait up!" Adam rushes to my side. The past few days I've seen Adam more and more like a puppy. He's cute, yet doesn't like being alone. "Don't you have other friends?" I ask as he takes a seat. "You're really not in a good mood today, you should hurry up and eat." Adam laughed as he started eating his food. I honestly think Adam has figured out my character in less than a month of getting to know me. I don't know if it was because I was overly hungry but, my first bite sends me to heaven. I stuff my mouth with my food forgetting to breathe. I start choking on my food. Adam gets up, walks over to me and pats my back with enough force to not hurt me. "Even a kid would know to eat slowly to not choke. Why are you in such a rush?" In this moment I felt like Adam was babying me. I drink some of my water. "Adam ~cough, cough~ I'm fine." I glare at him letting him know there's a limit to his cheekiness. Adam looks at me "obviously you're not, you should tell me what's bothering you." Adam returns to his own seat. "I'm fine, is not gonna work with you huh?" "Nope." "Fine, do you know Grace? She's being overworked and I'm worried about her." I spill my concerns to him. "Oh, her. I heard she pulled some strings to get hired. So I guess people have been taking out their frustration like that." Adam continued eating his food. "That's it! No 'that's not right' or 'I should do something to help out?" I looked to Adam a bit angry that he does not feel the same sympathy I feel for Grace. "Okay, you should do something to help." Adam nonchalantly eats his food. "Adam!" I sternly cross my arms. He stops eating to look at me. "I'm sorry, what do you expect me to do? Did you forget I'm just an intern?" For a minute there, I did. Right there's only two people who can fix her problem, Grace and me. I've got a nasty idea. I chuckle softly indicating I'm up to no good. If only Julie was here, I could include her in the plan. Adam reaches to me and tapps my hand to get my attention. I look at him waiting for him to speak. "Yes" I finally break out after a few seconds of silence. "Oh ok, I'll pick you up at 8. Didn't expect you to say yes." Adam looked to his food with slightly pink flushed cheeks. It took me a good minute to comprehend what he was talking about. Oh crap! I didn't pay attention to Adam who suddenly asked me out again….and I said yes.