Chapter 2

Alexia.

"What!?" Luis exclaimed in surprise. "The boss has a son?"

"Seems like it," I answered as I took a warm fry into my mouth, observing the overexcited specimen seated across from me.

"Judging from how hot the boss looked in the old company pictures, I bet that he's a major hottie as well."

I laughed. "Is that seriously all you care about?"

"What else should I care about?" She asked, confused.

I hummed. "What if he's not a good boss? How is his temper?"

"Girl, thats none of my business. Besides, anybody having you as a Personal Assistant - bad temperament and all - would instantly have their heart softened."

I smiled in amusement at that and leaned back into my chair. "And what makes you so sure about that?"

"You just have that kind of affect on people."

It was probably just pity. "Anyway, we'll have a new boss next week, Luis. So what if he is a greek god?"

Her eyes widened in surprise. "So what? I can kill to be you."

"Being me is not fun," I assured and she responded with a glare.

"You'll be his P.A, girl. I can't wait! I'll be stopping by regularly."

"Enough boy talk, I'm starting to feel left out," Antonio intruded as he sat next to Luis. He was currently sipping out of a juice box so, I figured that he was from the vending machine.

"Right on time, Tony. Let's help our childhood best friend set up a party," Luis said while giving his shoulder a light pat.

"A party for whom?" He looked at me and signed what he said.

Tony and I met at a hospital when we were kids. He also had hearing problems but his got sorted out since it wasn't as severe. Differently from Luis, Tony wasn't a loud speaker and he signed as he talked when he was with me or when I was in the conversation, just in case I didn't catch up.

"Michael," I answered. "The boss' son."

"Boring," he groaned. "Don't tell me that we have to be dressed formally."

I shook my head. "It's just a small celebration. No worries."

"The news has spread throughout the building like a wild fire," Luis said, not bothering to swallow the seasoned chicken and fries in her mouth, "everyone's talking about it."

"Ew," Tony said as his nose crinkled in disgust. "One more sentence and you'll be swallowing your tongue along with the chicken."

I laughed. "Don't count your chicks before they hatch, Luis. You'll find that the famous unknown Michael is an unattractive, grumpy man. After all, we are just bombarding him with our expectations."

"Don't rain on my parade, Alex," Luis said with a stubborn pout as she pointed a fry at me. "Allow me to dream, okay?"

I rose my hands in surrender. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry. I'm almost done with the preparations though."

"What shall I wear?" She mumbled thoughtfully. "You're attending, right?"

"I don't want to," I refused.

"You never show up to the parties you organize and I've been wondering why," Tony commented.

"She's scared of bumping into Sofia Blake," Luis scoffed.

"Sofia? The sexy brunette with the big tits?"

I groaned. "Please, let's not include her tits in this conversation."

"Why not?" He chuckled. "I could drown in her boobs and die a happy man."

"That's the only good thing about her. She's a beautiful woman with a bullshit personality," Luis complained and I nodded in agreement.

"Still got points for the boobs." Luis and I glared at him and with a shrug, he continued, "I'm a man." Seeing that we weren't impressed, he added, "Okay. I understand. I heard that she's sleeping with the head of the Sales Department now, but if she's willing to have a change of heart...."

"Tony!" I yelled as a threw a fry at him.

"Just come to the party. We'll be your shield," Luis assured with a soft look.

"You guys are always my shield."

"Is that a yes, I hear?" Tony asked, making me laugh.

"If you guys will be with me, definitely."

~

"Carl, is the music ready?" I asked our supposed DJ for the night, who was really a newbie under the Research and Development department.

He gave me a thumbs up.

"Great. It shouldn't be too loud, okay?" I repeated for the umpteenth time that night and he rolled his eyes.

"Yup, yup. I heard ya the first time, blondie."

"There you are!" I turned to face Luis, who wore a white blouse with beautiful laced sleeves together with black jeans and black heels. Her long, straight, black hair was in a loose ponytail and her face was graced with light make-up.

I wore a grey t-shirt tucked into a blue loose pair of faded jeans and black converse. My strawberry blonde locks were in a messy bun. If you had to compare the women in this room to me right now, they'd be the potato and I'd be the sack they came from.

"You look amazing. Although I thought that I made it clear that this is just a casual get together," I teased, making her wave a dismissive hand at me.

"Have you seen what the others are wearing? At least I'm simple but cute. The others look like they are competing to be the next Miss. Universe."

I laughed along with her, "Where's Tony?"

"He said that he had to arrange a one night stand before the new boss steals the ladies."

"I thought that he had stopped sleeping around," I said, a little surprised that he was. I remembered a night when a drunken Tony decleared to never sleep around because he got heart broken.

"What? Tony would rather dance nude in front of the white house than spend a night alone."

"Could you guys chat without disturbing people? You're blocking the entrance," a voice I knew, and dreaded, said.

I turned to face the queen of my nightmares. "Hello, Sofia. You look lovely."

"And you look as plain as always, Alexia Dog," she sneered and her two minions laughed along with her.

"It's Dawson," I corrected silently as I watched her walk away.

"Quit being nice to them. They don't deserve an ounce of your kindness," Luis complained.

Sofia was indeed a really beautiful woman who became my enemy for reasons unknown to me. Unpleasant though she was, she did her work well so nobody complained much. I didn't like her or her friends, but I unfortunately wasn't that good at standing up for myself. Or I just wasn't pushed hard enough.

"Have you seen Sofia?" Tony asked as he rushed towards us in casual black jeans and a Nirvana t-shirt with his hair stylishly ruffled.

"The wicked witch of the west? Sure. Sure.... We saw her," Luis answered sarcastically.

"The low neckline on her dress is giving her boobs a spectacular view," he said with a smirk.

"I always forget that our third musketeer is a devoted breast worshipper."

"Don't give up on him yet," I joked. "The music has already started. Let's have fun."

"Let's get piss drunk!" Luis roared in excitement.

"No alcohol for me though, I have to assist the guest of honor. Speaking of which, I wonder where he is."

"You have his picture?" Tony asked.

"Just one from twelve years ago," I said as I showed them the smiling black haired, eighteen year old boy.

"He looks cute," Luis mumbled as she looked at the picture. "I wonder how he looks like now."

"Go ahead without me. I'll join you guys later," I said before making my way to the entrance.

She nodded and held Tony's arm. "Let's die tonight!" With that, she dragged him into the crowd.

This party was simple but elegant. It had so many balloons and streamers that it almost looked like a highschool reunion. The food was very delicious, ordered from the best restaurants in the city. The venue was at a popular hotel that I usually booked for Mr. Clarkson's last minute functions. Being his assistant really had its perks.

An hour had passed and I was still waiting for Michael. Despite having to guess what he looked like, there weren't any strangers in the room. I groaned internally. What if he had decided to not make an appearance?

I turned and bumped into someone. Taking a step back, I noticed that it was Sofia and I wondered if my night could get any worse.

"I'm sorry. I didn't see you there," I apologised.

"You're blind now?" She asked with a laugh. "Didn't your mother tell you that using your disability to gain pity is bad manners?"

I wasn't willing to involve myself in her antics tonight. "Excuse me." I began to walk past her when she stretched out her foot and I tripped. My hands held the nearest table but it gave out and I tumbled down with it. The punch bowl turned over and before I knew it, I was soaked with the sweet smelling punch.

"Oops," Sofia said with a small smile before reaching out for me. "Need help?"

The people around us looked at me sympathetically while others ignored the situation entirely. I wondered why people behaved like this when it came to her. Was I that unlikable? Pursing my lips together tightly, my eyes stung from the tears threatening to spill out and the last thing I wanted was to humililate myself further by crying in front of everyone. I slowly stood up with a lowered gaze and left the room.

Entering an elevator, I pressed the button taking me to the undergroung parking lot. Just who the hell did she think she was? She's a grown woman not some highschooler.

My vision blurred at the events that had just occured. That was so embarrassing! I wanted the ground to open and swallow me! The tears began to fall and I tried my best to wipe them away. What did I ever do to her? Why did she only target me? Where were my "shields" when I needed them?

I squeezed the front of my shirt and the sticky liquid poured through my spaced fingers and onto the floor. Why me?