Chapter 12: Déjà vu

Waking up is probably one of the hardest things ever, especially when dreams are much better than reality.

That’s what I’m kind of feeling now as I am faced again with a stack of papers that are waiting for me to finish. The last event ended just a few days ago and now I’m starting to prepare for a new one. Even though my last event wasn’t a dream, it felt like one. Despite the overwhelming stress that I was in, I am glad that the event was an overall success. I couldn’t help but become disappointed as the high from the event started to wear off.

It’s crazy how just a few days ago I was surrounded by important people from the entertainment industry, luxurious items that decorated the room, and busy employees running around the event. Now I’m back at my desk in front of my desktop computer with my torn notebook lying open on my left side, and a stack of papers sitting under a turtle-shaped paperweight at my right.

A smile crept to my lips as I suddenly remembered the moment Arthur and I spent together after the event. My heart fluttered at the thought of him being close to me as I could feel the heat growing in my cheeks. I propped my elbows on the table and cupped my warm face with both of my hands. I moved my head discreetly to the side as I tried to get a good look at him.

My eyes furrowed in confusion when I realized that he’s no longer in his office. Where is he?

“Looking for someone?” A familiar voice teased softly. I snapped my head towards the source of the voice as my eyes widened in shock. Arthur suppressed a smile. He could probably tell from the blush on my face that I was caught in the act.

“I got you coffee to make it up for the last time.” He smiled apologetically as he handed me a warm cup of coffee. My heart leaped up for joy as I felt a surge of happiness. He has been kind to me lately. I’m glad that he’s slowly opening up. I grinned widely at him as I smelled the aroma of the coffee.

“Thank you.” I said genuinely as I moved the cup to my lips and took a sip. The coffee has a crisp, bright flavor, with subtle hints of citrus and rich chocolates. I let out a satisfied humm. “It’s really great. Where’s it from?”

“It’s a secret.” He said cheekily with a wink as he sat down at the edge of the desk next to me. I furrowed my eyebrows at him and he chuckled at my reaction in amusement. “Anyway how are you doing so far with work?”

I set down the cup as I held my chin, pretending to be deep in thought. “I’m fine, I guess. I have a lot of work.” I said, gesturing to the stack of papers on my desk. “But I don’t mind.” I quickly added after.

It was then it hit me like a brick. “Wait,” I said, slowly dragging each letter as I looked at him suspiciously. “Why are you asking me? Am I in trouble?” I asked nervously as panic started to rise. Memories of the small fire that occurred last event started to flash before my eyes.

“Relax.” He said calmly as he placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “You’re doing fine, I promise.”

“Whew, I thought I was gonna get fired!” I sighed in relief, wiping an invisible sweat on my forehead. My dramatic gesture made him roar with laughter, making the both of us gasping for air.

“It’s been a while since I had so much fun.” He voiced out after we recollected ourselves. His eyes looked sad as he said this. It made my heart clench with sadness seeing his heartbreaking expression. I wanted to hug him tightly but I held it in.

“How come?” I lightly touched his arm trying to comfort him.

He let out a long and tired sigh. “I’m just not happy with my work anymore.” He answered truthfully, which had me taken aback by his reply. He’s one of the most successful CEOs today, running a successful multinational company. No one would get why he would be unhappy. He’s handsome too. He can literally get whatever he wants and yet, he doesn’t take that to his advantage. Instead of just bombarding him with questions, I just silently sat there waiting for him to continue.

As if he read my mind, he continued talking. “You might think that just because I’m running a huge company, it would automatically make me happy. At first it did but now I don’t think so.” He added, tilting my head to the side not quite following what he was saying.

“What do you mean?” I pried more for him to elaborate.

“It’s just that nowadays, the entertainment industry seems so shallow. The trend tends to focus more on looks rather than talent.” He responded seriously, I nodded as I understood what he was trying to say. “I went into this industry thinking that it was the other way around. I’m naive for ever thinking that.”

“You’re right. I also noticed that too.” His eyes sparked with excitement as he heard me say this. “As a makeup and hair stylist, they often voice out their concerns to me from time to time.” He nodded in response as he let out a dry laugh.

“It’s ridiculous, honestly. I wanted to host these events and awards shows to bring people together and show real talent to the world.” He tilted his head and looked up at the ceiling. “I mean, I do bring people together, but everything is just so shallow and--” He cut himself short as he glanced at me.

“I’m sorry for ranting like this all of a sudden.” His eyes fell sadly to the ground as he ran a hand through his dark hair. “I am not usually like this, don’t worry. I just needed to let it out.”

“It’s okay.” I said softly as I placed a reassuring hand on his knee. As our eyes met, I felt a blush creep to my cheeks. There was a glint in his eye that I couldn’t decipher as they probed deep into my soul. It made me conscious about my appearance and nervous that he would be able to recognize me soon enough. I quickly looked away in embarrassment as I bit my lower lip, trying to suppress the smile that was itching to form.

“Anyway…I just wanted to say that I was here to listen.” I said as I awkwardly flashed him a thumbs up. I slapped myself internally. What was that?

“Thank you, Sandra.” He said in relief as he took a deep breath. “And it’s not just that…” He trailed off. He then proceeded to tell all of the things he was dissatisfied with in his career. From his major concerns even down to some minor detail he dislikes, he enumerated each of them frustratedly. It made me listen attentively to what he was saying and added in some of my opinion on certain topics. We were so engrossed in our conversation that we hadn’t realized how much time we spent talking.

“Wow, I thought I was the only one who thought that way.” He said as we finished discussing our ideologies with each other. He looked at me in amazement realizing our similarities.

“Me too!” I replied smiling at him, admiring his passion and dedication in his field. I felt like I fell for his charms all over again. It made me remember our first meeting at the bar.

“I never really talked to anyone about this before.” He stated shyly as happiness instantly swelled within me.

“I’m glad that I was the one that you chose to talk to about it.” I said genuinely as I gave him a small smile. A quiet contentment spread through the both of us because of the talk we had and the feelings that we shared. We then just fell into silence for a while, enjoying each other’s company.

“Sandra…” Arthur broke the silence, making me look at him. His eyes darkened as he moved his head towards me. I felt my skin tingle in anticipation for what he’s about to do. It made me feel excited and nervous at the same time.

“What…” I breathed out while I slowly closed my eyes. I sensed his warm breath hover over my lips. This felt like a dejavu, remembering the day of the big event. Let’s just hope it won’t disappoint me like last time. Waiting for what felt like forever, his warm lips finally connected with mine. It was a soft, sweet kiss. I missed the feel of his lips. It made me crave for more but he gently pulled away to look into my eyes. We both stared into each other’s eyes.

What am I going to do now?