Chapter 12: I Quit Bacon

There she was seated in Xavier's office, waiting for him because he told her to. Her patience grew thing as she bit the corner of her lips in discomfort. The ticking clock was distracting, snapping her out of her relaxed zone with every tick and getting her more apprehensive than she already was.

The sound of footsteps by the door brought her a wave of relief. She sat up immediately, clearing her throat as she waited for the door.to get opened. It eventually did.

"Well sir you sent for me and I've been waiting for you for over an hour," she said with a smile, trying to hold the anger she felt inwards. He made her uncomfortably wait for him and spent so much time getting to her. Most times she wondered if he did this on purpose or if it was just his nature. If it was his nature, God knows he needed help.

"Have a seat" he ordered her, walking towards his, without giving her any acknowledgment for the amount of time he made her wait.

"Ok" she sighed.

"Have this" he emerged with a heap of paper after rummaging his hands through his locker.

"What am I supposed to do with it?"

"You could give them to Marina again" he teased with a shrugged and she scoffed.

"This is a lot," Rachael said, running her hands through them.

"You have to sort them"

Rachael raised her eyes to look at him. Was he kidding? There was no way she could sort a document of over 50 sheets.

"All of it?" her voice came out in a whisper. The workload had drained it of its rhythm.

"Yes"

"Why does your company have so many documents"

"Because it's a company" he folded his hand, staring at her like she had lost her mind.

"But it deals with car manufacturing. Why do you all have to write so much? Actions speak louder than words you know" Even Rachael knew she sounded stupid at that point.

"That saying doesn't apply to this case Miss Anderson and we have to keep track of everything in this office. That is how things are done around here. Except you've got a company you run secretly, you can't tell me what to do in mine"

He didn't have to be so mean. Rachael thought. She was just sharing her opinion, especially when the only thing she had been doing since she got to work today, was running around because of errands.

"Yes sir," said Rachael, digging her fingers underneath the paperwork to lift it. Xavier stopped her.

"Don't take it to your office"

"Then where am I supposed to get it sorted?"

"Right here" he pointed to the floor and watched as Rachael gulped. There was no way she could sort the paper with Xavier in the same space. He had an odd taste for perfection and would send a deadly stare if she messes up.

"I could do it at my office. Makes things easier for me."

"When you are done, don't take it to the warehouse drop it here instead"

"So I can do it at my office now right?".

"No, I never said that"

"Oh" so much for taking her hopes up and bringing them down the same way.

It might not be as bad. She could just try her best and not say anything until she was done with the.

"Seat over there,"Xavier pointed at a seat

"Yes sir" Rachael muttered underneath her breath. Of all seats for him to pick, he chose the one closest to him. Just opposite where be sat. What was he playing at? she asked herself inwardly.

"In what order?"


"Alphabetically" he replied, getting back to his computer.

Rachael at first sorted the paper as quietly as possible, but when she couldn't handle the awkwardness anymore, she decided to engage in a little conversation with her boss.

"Why was I placed on this floor instead of the 12th where most people are?"

"Because you are new and I want to keep a close eye on you"

"You don't trust me?"

Xavier furrowed his full eyebrows. "Is that supposed to be a question?"

Yes, it was stupid to ask when she was the one who tried to ruin his reputation, but that was long gone. He ought to have forgiven her by now. Rachael concluded inwards

"Yes... I mean. I think staying on the 12th floor would be better since the warehouse is right there"

"If you are going to the top floor, you'll have to transfer all the documents from the 12th floor down to your office. Then you will be assigned to a new office"

The thoughts of transferring documents made her already exhausted. She could not imagine doing it again.

"I'm okay on floor 6 sir"

"I thought so," Xavier said as he returned to his computer. What was so important about what he was typing that he couldn't give it to one of his employees?

Rachael was about to ask that question but stopped. She was being too nosey and Xavier had already warned her about it. Plus she felt the need to slow down a bit on the sorting, judging from how intoxicating Xavier's cologne was and how she could smell it from where she sat. Her eyes left the documents for a while and landed on Xavier. That was soon regretted because she did not know how to avert her gaze from him. She was awed by how perfect he looked, punching on the keyboard as the light from the computer reflected on his olive face, radiating its beauty. From time to time, he tutted. That was a habit she noticed in less than five minutes.

Rachael's eyes drifted from his face and landed on his hand. Her hand furrowed in confusion when she saw it. A tattoo of small writing scribbled on his right, hand, close to his fingers.*VATOS LOCOS*. she tilted her head, still not taking her eyes off it.

"Is there a problem Miss Anderson?" he asked her, startling her. His eyes were still on the computer, but he took note of everything detail. Was he deity or something?

"Nothing" she spoke, getting back to her work. With the way her imaginations ran wild, it could only take a matter of time before she went insane. Questions like; what was VATOS LOCOS? why was it scribbled so tiny on his hand? kept going through her head.

"Nice tattoo" she commented, watching his every move, but he didn't give her the response she needed.

"Get back to work"

"Sorry... I just thought uhm" she pressed her lips together. "you know you don't look like a tats guy"

He didn't give her a reply as he carried on with his typing.

"You look like a responsible, rich man who wouldn't involve in anything shady" at this point she knew she was bound on making him angry but didn't care. "What is VATOS LOCOS? If you wanted to get a tattoo of it. It shouldn't be so small. Probably big on your chest area, back, or somewhere....."

"Miss Anderson" he snapped. Rachael smiled innocently. At least now she had his attention. He leaned closer to her, joining his two hands on the table as a smile crept on his face. "I do have a tattoo. As a matter of fact on my chest. Bold, gorgeous looking. I could show you if you like"

"Is that what I think it is?" Rachael peered her eyes at him, shifting uncomfortably on her seat.

"What do you think?"

"Mr. Callum are you flirting with me?" she asked and Xavier almost lost it in laughter. He leaned back on his seat with the smile not leaving his face. Rachael was stunned. This was the first time she had seen him laugh genuinely. He didn't fake it this time.

"I was being sarcastic" he corrected and she scoffed, picking the sheet in front of her.

"Can I go off tomorrow?" she asked after a brief silence.

"For what?"

"My mum is ill, I need to take her sightseeing"

Xavier was stunned. "Isn't she supposed to be taken to the hospital"

"The last place I want her to be is behind those walls"

"Why?".

"She is terminal. There is no point in taking her there. I want to spend some time with her. Until..." She stiffened. The thought of the aftermath of everything almost brought tears to her, but blinked rapidly to avoid it.

Xavier didn't say anything at first, but soon said "you can go off tomorrow and..." He paused for a while. "Send my regards to her"

Rachael's lips curved in a smile. "I will"

"Oh tell her I quite
Bacon too"

"What?" Rachael said amidst a chuckle.

"While she stayed at my house she didn't panic for a second. Instead, lectured me daily on the importance of vegetables and how bacon wasn't good for the system."

"That sounds so much like her. Thank you" she said with a smile.

Xavier was about to smile at her, but it suddenly hit him. He had never felt the urge to give anybody a smile of approval in the last two years. It had always been a rollercoaster of dissatisfaction and wrath that consumed his dark heart daily, but not today. She had that effect on him that no other person had. It was also crazy how he didn't find her clumsiness annoying, rather he overlooked it. That was something he rarely did. One question lingered in his mind. What was she doing to him?