CHAPTER TWO

I put on my boots, I took my bag and I made my way to my office. I slept well that night, and I woke up ready for that interview. As I already said, I didn't know what to expect.

When I arrived at the building, a weird silence was fluttering. Nicole didn't even "welcome" me in the parking lot, and it was really bizarre. That's what I was dealing with: monotony.

I made my way to the vending machines to have a coffee and that's where I met Rebecca, who was drinking her usual ginseng coffee. "Good morning, Tracy." She said smiling, as if she was encouraging me, she knew I was about to have an interview. I smiled too, looking for some coins in my wallet.

My doubt about Nicole disappeared when I saw her reaching Rebecca. "Good morning, Tracy Barkley." She said. Rebecca rolled her eyes, and she told her to go to her office since there was so much work to do.

I kept looking for some coins, since I didn't have enough, but at that moment one coin fell to the ground, rolling towards an unknown corner of the room. I started looking for it everywhere, but doing it I hit my head against someone, falling on the floor. I found myself with my butt glued to the ground, and with the little patience I used to have, I checked who it was.

I saw a male figure. He must have been as old as me, if not older. With his impressive height and his toned and muscular body, the guy had two skinny and long legs, covered by a pair of black tight jeans. He was also wearing a grey t-shirt, and on his arms I saw some tattoos. The thing that impressed me was his ollivander complexion.

I figured out he didn't even worry about the fact I was still on the ground, so I stood up. "Excuse me." I called him back. "You make me fall and you don't even apologize?" I asked.

He turned towards me, and I was caught by a pair of brown, almond shaped eyes. His face was adorned by a slimy smile, a weird nose and a pair of plump lips. His hair was curly and messy.

He took a breath. "To be honest, you were the one who fell." He smiled. "I just wanted to have a coffee." He pushed a button on the vending machine. "By the way, did you hurt yourself?" He asked me, and I could barely stand his behaviour. Typical asshole answer.

"Don't worry, china." A strange pet name who wrongly came out of my mouth because of his almond shaped eyes started everything, but I liked it from the first moment. I was thankful for that pet name. "It's not the world's fault if you're too stupid and you don't see me." I provoked him. I knew he was being an asshole just to pleasure me, I just had to pull out his real nature.

He rolled his eyes up, giggling. "Okay, baby girl, stop." Done. "First of all, I'm not stupid. I said you were the one who fell. You were bent down, you were looking for something, but that doesn't justify the fact you weren't paying attention to your own moves. Has anyone ever taught you politeness?" He said. He liked to stand up for himself, and it wasn't that bad, but I couldn't stand him. No one could talk to me like that. No one. "Second thing, don't you dare call me that way again." He huffed. "Maybe I won't see you anymore and that is just a pleasure to me." He started looking at me from head to toe, bringing his gaze back to my face. "But damn, it's a disgusting pet name. Neither did my mum." He got closer to me, and I smelled his intoxicating smell. He lifted my chin up with two of his fingers. "Last but not least." He took a break. "I'm not fucking Asian." He said those four words and he moved away.

I felt like I just met a new challenge, the right challenge to put my behaviour back into the game after years and years being closed in a room. He was the perfect guy, the one who was annoyed by everything but loved to be teased. I couldn't stand him, but I loved to tease him.

I remembered the interview. "Well, okay, china." I said, teasing him again. "See you again, or maybe no, and that is just a pleasure to me." I repeated his previous words, looking deeply at him. "It depends on how much I'll want to see your little Asian face." I winked at him, leaving the room.

He seemed to be a cool guy. But when he started talking, his aura disappeared. I knew something - my mom taught me that - the emotionality of a woman, it doesn't matter whatever her behaviour is, is always challenged by assholes. Even my best friend Caitlin was on this theory, but I was calm and strict and I couldn't afford emotional accidents.

I took my block notes and the recorder from my office and I made my way to the conference room, which was repainted and re-decorated. I used to do all of my interviews there. When I found three guys sitting on the couch in front of my armchair, I gulped. If they were Smashing Guitars, there was one less, because they were four, or that's what I read on the papers.

I started looking at every one of them. The first one, sat and careless while he was looking around himself, seemed to be already prepared and not afraid at all. He was wearing a Sex Pistols t-shirt, a pair of jeans and a studded belt. His hair got me speechless, it was indigo coloured. The second one was definitely taller than the first one. His curly blonde hair was the frame to a pretty face. He was wearing something similar to the first one, except for a black leather jacket. His hands were filled with scars on his fingers. He must have been the drummer. The last guy had perfectly skinny legs, blonde hair and a pair of blue eyes. Last but not least, a lip piercing.

The second guy came towards me. "I'm sorry for the delay, Miss…?" He stopped, asking my name.

"Tracy." I said, smiling.

"I'm sorry for the delay, Tracy." He said again. "And most of all, I'm sorry for the accident, since the last member of the band suddenly disappeared." He never moved his gaze away from me while he was talking. He was a nice guy, his eyes were brown but also green. They were warm. They seem to be smiling as well.

"Don't worry about that." I said, calming them down. "Even though I don't have all this time, this interview is the main priority in my assignments today." They smiled, asking where the last member was. In my mind I thought he was such a careless person.

After fifteen minutes, I decided to go take a bottle of water, since the last member hadn't come up yet. Maybe he was lost. When I opened the door, someone fell on me, and I fell on the ground for the second time. I was laid under someone's body. The funny thing was that he wasn't a casual person, he was the guy I met some minutes before at the vending machines.

I pushed him back, but for a moment I could just notice his rare beauty. He was extremely attractive. "Listen to me, china." I said, settling my t-shirt. "I'm trying to be kind with you, but if you make me fall again my knee will meet your balls." I crossed my arms.

He waved at the three guys behind me, and the curly one came to us. "Oh, you've already met, it's great!" He said, with a happy smile.

I turned, looking at each one of them. "What?" I said. "No! I don't know him. Usually I go out with nicer people." I could pretend to be angry with him, while I was hitting his weak point. I knew sooner or later he would have lost his patience. It was just a matter of time.

"Well." The Asian one answered. "I'm sorry, blondie." No one ever called me like that. "But yeah, we know each other. I met her half an hour ago at the vending machine. Her balance is something for sure." He looked at me and I flashed him with my eyes. At that moment, I started losing my patience.

I turned to the curly guy. "What about you? Do you know him?" I pointed at him. It was exhausting, but I was having fun.

He cleared his throat, getting closer to me. "Well, I'd say yes, but I'm the bassist of Smashing Guitars." He smiled. "For your information." I was speechless. I could have wasted a job opportunity by behaving this way, but something was telling me that none of them was mad or angry, they seemed to be amused.

The blonde one with the piercing gave me his hand. "I'm Lawrence." He smiled, welcoming the curly one. "Aaron." I shook his hand, before I was in front of the funny guy with indigo hair. "I'm Malcolm." I smiled. He was certainly shy, but he seemed to be a nice person.

The bassist got closer to me, giving me his hand and looking at me. My gaze fell on his big hands, with two tattoos in the corner between the thumb and the index finger. His knuckles were prominent and his fingers were slender. They were wonderful. I didn't know wht, but despite the fact he was arrogant and touchy, he was the one who had a sort of effect on me. There was something mysterious about him. "Connor." He said.

I gave him my hand. Even though my hormones were going crazy after having him so close and feeling him with his eyes constantly on me, I was strict and composed. I smiled. "You three already know me." I said to the three guys. "By the way, I'm Tracy." I sat down.

Everything was ready to begin. I just had to interview a bizarre band. Aaron was extremely happy, Lawrence was too silent, Malcolm was a bit shy and Connor, well, I think I can avoid this thing until he makes me fall one more time.