02. Pixilated Feelings

"Mr. Johnson?" I looked at him in confusion.

"Yes?" He looked up from his computer. "Any doubt?" 

"What do you mean by 'The personal assistant must be with the CEO all the time?" I shook my head, furrowing my brows in confusion at the page. I really didn't get what that line meant.

I could see him smirking once again looking at me.

"That means you must live with me." He started with some different kind of emotion in his eyes that confused me. I didn’t get what he wanted to say by living with me. I guess he was intelligent enough to read that. “I’m not asking you to share a bedroom with me. I offer my personal assistants a room in my outhouse. So, you will have to stay there.”

"Oh! okay." I sighed and flipped the page rather quickly and gulped. "When is that then? I mean do I have to shift now?"

He didn’t look up from his laptop. His whole concentration was on his work. Now I realize why he is on top. But I still wonder how he managed to keep himself still hidden from the world. I need to know that. I guess I would learn that.

"As soon as you can, I need you at all times. I need to leave for many emergency business trips and assistants not being there causes difficulties for me. So, you need to move in with me and let me warn you one thing that is I don’t like irresponsible people. So, try to do all yours with utter perfection. I don’t bear mistakes.” While uttering the last line, I could see how dedicated he is to his works. 

“If I have to move in, then…..” 

“Don't worry about moving in,  you'll get your own space there. Of course, you will get your free time. About shifting your stuff, I'll have some of my men help you. What about Sunday?" He looked at his schedule. “That's the weekend, so everyone will have less work.”

"Sure." I took the pen and hesitantly signed the contract. I needed the money. I couldn’t think of anything else but this seems all too much happening at once. All this is unbelievable. 

"So, you have signed the work, so you can’t leave the job before two years, I hope you have seen that.” 

I nodded my head.

“I’ll ask Lily to show you your office and so, so that you can start your work next week." 

He got up and walked towards the left. It was a plain wall but a huge paintain was hanging on that wall. He did something there and a door opened there and it might be his restroom a bit smaller than this. It was decorated as beautifully as his office room. He could see the complete New York from the transparent wall of the room. I was bowled out by his taste once again. I was thinking how lavish his house will be.

"The view is beautiful." I couldn’t help speaking, walking up to the window behind him.

"Yes, it is." He looked back at me. He stepped back into the office and I stepped back into his office along with him. "Now there is one more feature I must show you. It can be transferred into a wall, one way glass, or two way glass." 

His phone rang. Before picking up the call, he gave me a last look. "Now write down your address here. Talk to Lily and go home now. My men will be over later."

I nodded my head and quickly wrote down my address. I started leaving but before stepping out of his cabin I heard him talking over his phone. I could see his calm face turning into anger. 

"What do you mean by the stocks have been messed up?" He almost screamed into the phone. "I don't care who did it, just fix it anyhow!" He hung up the phone and I ran out of there not wanting him to scream on me.

I came to the reception and met Lily there. She smiled seeing me. “Congrats, Nandini. You’ve got the job. I hope Mr. Johnson wasn’t very rude to you?”

I nodded and told her everything. 

"It's normal." Lily shrugged and got up from her place. "You'll get used to it after a while."

"You sure?" I chuckled as she gave me a nod.

“Let’s go, I will show you around.”

I walked behind her.

I was inwardly screaming in excitement. I mean he wasn't rude or anything. He was nice to me. I'm so happy he gave me the job. I guess my day is going well.

After Lily showed me the office, I drove back to my flat which was not gonna be mine anymore in a few days as I needed to shift to Mr Johnson’s place. I sighed and fell on my bed.

I had almost fallen asleep when I heard my phone buzzing. I groaned and started looking for my phone but my eyes  were still closed. I was damn sleepy. I couldn’t sleep properly last night due to the nervousness about the interview. Finally, I got hold of the phone and picked it up seeing it was a conference call from my friends. 

I don’t have a bunch of friends. Alice, Jeck and Aaron. These three have been with me since forever. I don’t know what I would have ever done without them. As soon as I hit the receive button, I heard a loud cry of Alice from the other side which made me remove the phone away from my ear for a while.

“How was the interview? Did it go well?” Alice asked.

Frankly speaking all of them were worried for me as they were already settled but I couldn’t find a proper job for me so that I could settle down. But the good part is I have grabbed the best job anyone can dream for. I wonder how they would react when I tell them about it.

"Umm… I think it went great because I got the job.” I said in a calm tone but a smile was beaming on my face but no one was around to see it. 

“Are you serious???” The trio shouted together this time making me flinch and I had to take away the phone once again from my ear.

“I guess I am.”

“Girl, you should have called us before and enlightened us with the news but no. Here we were getting worried thinking that Mr Johnson might have rejected you as he doesn’t have a good reputation about his behavior.”

As soon as Jeck’s words hit my nerves, my mind went back to the time when I was in that office with Mr Johnson and I was busy checking him out. I couldn’t help pondering with the thought of how it would feel running my fingers in his hair or would it feel ticklish if I rub my cheek with his stubble filled cheeks! 

My thoughts were getting dirtier, thankfully Alice’s voice got me back to my senses putting a halt to my thoughts. I mentally slapped myself for having a wild imagination about my ‘oh-so-sexy’ boss.

“Yeah.. Yeah… I’m listening. I was… Umm… just thinking of something.” 

“I asked how was Mr Johnson? You must have seen him and he must be like those nerds who always stick to his books.” Alice repeated her words.

I gulped down my saliva as Mr Johnson’s features flashed in my mind once again. I couldn’t tell them the truth.

“Kind of.”

“I knew it.” I heard Aaron speaking for the first time in between. I had almost forgotten that he was there too.

“As I have finally got a job in the EJ Corporation, so we're going to celebrate it tonight.” Jeck declared.

Alice jumped in supporting him. “Yup… We’re going clubbing.”

We knew she would support him after all there is something cooking between them but they are denying it too bad. I hope they realize it and get together soon. It feels nice to have someone of my own. 

Sigh!!!

“I, are you even hearing?” Aaron asked.

“Yeah… We’re seeing you’re getting lost too much today. Is everything okay?” I heard Jeck’s concerned voice.

A smile appeared on my face. I’m glad that I’ve got them in my life. “I’m fine, guys. Don’t worry and I’m in for clubbing. After all, we all will be busy from next week so it’s better to catch up before that once.”

“That’s like my girl.” Alice cheered.

“Great. Me and Jeck will pick up both of you by 8.” Aaron declared. 

Then we hung up the call. I looked at the time. I saw there is still enough time for me before I start getting ready so I decided to take a nap. 

It was evening when my slumber broke and I was finally feeling fresh. I freshened up and filled my stomach. I didn’t have anything after morning. Then I moved toward the cupboard and took out a red dress. It was a gift from my friends on my birthday. I got  ready for the party. The dress hugged every curve of my body, giving a exotic look. I let my hair fall open over my shoulder and applied minimal amounts of makeup. Did I mention I hate applying makeup unlike other girls?

A few minutes later, I got a text saying they are down waiting for me. I gave a last glance to myself and picked up my brush smiling to myself. “Ready to have the time of my life." 

When we walked into the club, I saw it was already filled with young people. The dim flash light along with loud music wasn’t helping me much as I hate coming to a crowd. It’s very rare when I come to these clubs. Today I couldn’t deny them and here I’m.

We moved to a side when Alice shouted, "Are we getting drunk tonight?" She grinned.

"I think we totally are." I chuckled whereas the boys hooted.

“That's the spirit!”

“Let us get a drink, you both wait here.” Aaron said, looking at me and Jeck went behind him.

As soon as they were out of our sight, Alice leaned to me and grinning whispered to me. "I think Aaron is into you."

I threw a glare at her not wanting to buy it. “What are you saying? We’re just friends.”

"You are looking bizarre and this dress is so hot he could not tear away his eyes from you." Alice snapped, kicking her hand over my shoulder. She was not ready to leave the matter.

But I couldn’t help blushing when she complimented me. "Well, thanks for your compliment. But you are way prettier than me."

"You are so sweet but you are underestimating your beauty. You didn't notice when the boys were checking you out when you walked across them." Alice whispered, passing a smirk.

I snapped to her letting out a sigh. “I am not used to these places. You know that.”

"We are going to change that." 

"I doubt that's what I want.” I was still unsure. “But I told myself that tonight I'm going to have fun with you all.” I tried to sound cheerful.

"Then let's start with some drinks.”  We didn’t realize when the boys dropped there. But I’m glad that they didn’t hear Alice teasing me with Aaron. It would have made things awkward between us since we have been friends for the longest time. 

We all gulped down a few shots at once. I wasn’t very used to having drinks so I stopped but they all were still having them.

“Guys, will you all get drunk now only? Or you want to do something else too?” I tried to stop them as we had just come.

“Nandini is right. We should do something else too.” Alice supported me.

“What about dancing?” Aaron suggested. 

“Yes.”

Jeck dragged Alice with him. Now only me and Aaron were left there.

"They are something, aren't they?" Aaron asked, looking at the way where Alice and Jeck were dancing together. We could see the spark between them.

"They are. I was afraid that they would realize it later as they keep on denying it.” 

"It's good that they leave us alone." Aaron told me out of the blue, making me nervous. I didn’t want what Alice was saying to turn true.

"Really?" I pretended to be surprised.

"I love spending time with you. I am here because of you." This time he directly looked into my eyes.

I had nothing to reply.

"Would you like to dance with me?”

"Ohh.....  Ok….." 

Aaron took my hand and dragged me to the dance floor. He put his hand over my hips turning me to face him. My hands fell on his chest. I tried to maintain distance between our bodies moving with the beats of the music.

"You are beautiful, Nandini."

I gave him a simple smile. As soon as the music got changed I got away from his hold and moved away from the dance floor.

"This is the best dance of my life, Nandini."

I heard Aaron’s whisper from my back. But I was adamant not to turn back. I couldn’t let him think that his actions were doing something to me. They weren’t actually.

Thankfully I didn’t have to bear him any longer. Alice and Jeck returned there. 

“What are you both talking about?” Alice asked with a grin.