Chris and Hazel

'God! Please i shouldn't be late, please at least not today' prayed Hazel running up the stairs to the fourth floor in her office building.

'Come on Hazel! Get there, you are gonna reach it' she told herself as she reached the office's floor.

'Gotcha! I am saved' she sighed happily making her way to her desk.

As she sat down in her desk catching her breath, her friend Ava walked to her desk anxiously.

'Hey whats wrong? you looked tensed honey' Hazel asked her as Ava placed the files she was holding on Hazel's desk.

'Why the hell are you late?' Ava asked pulling her chair a bit closer.

Hazel looked at her quietly, for some time, before replying,

'Are you drunk Ava? I am right on time, in fact I am a minute early. And why are you angry? I have been late a lot before today and the new boss hasn't shown up yet. So, no worries girl, I got everything under control' she replied quite satisfied with herself for reaching the office on time.

Hazel made sure that nothing will go wrong today because their company was recently bought by a multi-national company and the new boss will be taking over from today.

Hazel was in one of the most reputed positions in her company, hence it was a given that she would be the one to give an overview of the company to the new boss.

Unexpectedly, she slept late preparing for the presentation that has to be presented today and hence woke up late. She was literally praying the entire way here that nothing should go wrong, especially today.

'New boss is here. He's been here for some time now' Ava informed cutting her short.

'WWhhhaaa....tt?' Hazel questioned astounded.

Her perfect image for the day came crashing down.

'But I wasn't late, how come he's here already? If this is a joke, just stop' Her tone grew serious.

'You are right honey, you weren't late. He was just early' Ava answered turning lazily towards her desk to continue with her day's work.

'Do you think I might get in trouble for this? I am the one who must be showing him around the office and enlightening him about our recent projects, I thought I would make it in time. I thought I can come in early and arrange the rest of the things but little did I know that our new boss is a goody-two-shoes' Hazel cried looking at her best friend walking around in circles, within the compact space between hers and her best friend's desk.

'Relax Hazel! Don't worry, alright? You are right on time and not a minute late so march in there with confidence' she replied trying to calm down her friend who was so close to having a panic attack. Times like this just made her wonder if Hazel was the goody two shoes.

'Really? Does that mean he didn't ask for me?' Hazel asked eagerly trying to find a thin ray of light to escape.

'Well...' Ava paused forming a chain of words in her head to make sure the answer didn't shatter much more of Hazel's confidence.

'Oh no, I don't like where this is going' Hazel said shutting her eyes, imagining all the worst possible outcomes that could outplay when she enters her new boss' office.

'Just listen Haze, he did ask for you but when we told him you weren't here he just told us to send you to his office when you arrived. So calm the hell down and don't keep him waiting any longer' Ava told Hazel, pushing her towards the direction of the new boss' office.

'Wait! He told me to meet him in his office when I arrive?' hazel questioned stopping mid way.

Ava nodded in acceptance.

'You should have told me that sooner. You fool! I am screwed' Hazel yelled frantically at Ava before rushing towards the boss' office.

As Hazel knocked at the office door, she heard a faint voice telling her to come in.

'Good morning!' she greeted entering the office.

'Good morning! You are?' he asked her turning his chair towards her from his desk.

Hazel opened her mouth to respond but froze in place looking at her new boss.

'Chris?' she mumbled.

'I am sorry?' he questioned her confusingly.

'You are?' she asked him absent-mindedly.

'I am Christopher Finch' He replied quite surprised by her question.

'And you are?' he asked her.

'H...ha..Hazel White' she stammered.

'Oh you are Ms. White, I was told that you will be the one providing me with the info on the recent works of this company' he told her closing his laptop.

Hazel stood there quietly looking at him; she didn't listen to a word he said as her mind was preoccupied by her thoughts from the past.

'Ms. White?' he called her, for the third time.

Hazel snapped back to her senses.

'Sorry! What did you say?' she questioned him.

'Well I guess you are supposed to show me around' he reminded her, amused by his own words. Did she not know that already?

She nodded faintly before answering him,

'Well let me go and get some files to get you familiarized with our company' she told him and rushed out of his cabin without waiting for an reply.

She hurried towards her desk and sank into her chair.

'Hazel, what happened?' Ava asked turning over to Hazel's desk.

Hazel looked at her, she has grown pale due to the shock. Ava waited for her answer with concerned eyes.

'Ava it's him!'

'Who?' Ava asked confused by her friend's strange behavior.

'It's Chris'

'Who?'

'ITS CHRIS!' Hazel said again, trying to get Ava up to speed.

'That Chris?' Ava asked, placing the pieces together.

'Yeah'

'You mean your college cru...'

'Yeah'

'The guy who rejec...'

'Yes and yes to all the other doubts in your head'

Hazel knew Ava only after joining office but as days went by they became best friends, so Ava knew almost everything about Hazel.

'So wait, our new boss' the one you liked back in college' This wasn't a question, Ava was just trying to cope her disbelief.

Hazel nodded crazily.

'So he remembered you?' Ava asked impatiently.

'Strangely No!' Hazel replied in a low voice.

'Well why should he remember me, after all I was just one of those girls who proposed him, right? It's not that surprising anyways' Hazel told Ava disappointed.

'So you still like him?' Ava asked her eagerly.

'NO.....NO Way' she replied laughing nervously, avoiding eye contact.

Ava raised an eyebrow at Hazel not satisfied with her answer.

'Really Ava, no' she answered firmly.

'So this didn't bring back all those memories?' Ava asked her suppressing a smile.

'Well no! It was quite hard facing the rejection but I've moved on, ok ?' She told Ava and turned towards her desk pretending to find her files.

Ava laughed quietly and returned to her desk not willing to tease Hazel furthermore. But she knew, things aren't gonna be the same anymore. Not for Hazel at least.