Chapter # 01

Arya's P. O.V.

"Beep-beep-beep-----"

"Ugh it's vacation time. Why is this alarm disturbing my sleep?" I said to no one in particular and didn't bother to turn the alarm off. All of a sudden it dawned upon me that it's the first day of my first job and this alarm was trying to wake me up for that.

I left the warmth of my bed immediately and sprang towards the bathroom. There I saw a note from Zara it said:

"I'm going early. You can come at 10:00 am because the boss is not coming today and breakfast is in the fridge.

Love you."

"Oh you don't know how much I love you Zara," I sighed in relief.

I took a quick bath and wore the outfit we had chosen earlier. I saw my reflection in the mirror. I really looked like a professional. I wore a white button-up shirt with a cream-colored pencil skirt and a heel. I made a high ponytail of my raven hair. Suddenly I realized I should check the time because I had to be there at 10. I checked my phone and it was 9:30 am.

I immediately put a little pink gloss on my lips and a thin layer of mascara on my long and curved lashes to curve them more. I took my cell phone and rushed towards the door and locked it.

I hired a taxi and asked the driver to take me to ALIM Enterprise. It was 9:55 when I reached there. After paying the fare, I half-walked and half-ran towards the lift. It was just about to close and I quickly entered and pushed the button to floor 9. I had come here a few times before with Zara and Tom.

I went to the desk where Zara was sitting and greeted her.

"You came on the exact time," she said.

"Yeah, how do I look?" I chimed in with excitement.

"You look very---," she thought for a while and then spoke, "good."

"Oh Zara, just good. You are always lacking in the complimentary section, "I told her. "If I had asked Tom, he would have told me correctly."

She replied laughing silently," he won't tell you truly he would just brag."

"Whatever," I retorted back, "I do look wonderful."

I felt nervous all of a sudden. "Zara, there won't be any problem? You checked everything?"

"No, there will be no problem at all. Just relax and come, sit here," she reassured me and pointed to a chair.

I went behind her desk and sat on the chair. I looked around and it was beautiful, to say the least. You could see your image in the tiles, such clean it was. The floor had only three rooms and a hall.

One room was of the boss', the second one was of Zara's, but because she was doing the duty of both personal assistant and receptionist that was why she was sitting outside on the desk and third one, I assume, was the kitchen. All three rooms had brown doors and I haven't seen any of the rooms from inside yet. The hall was where they held meetings.

I was here to be a receptionist to the boss of this prestigious company.

"Zara," I called her, "what should I do?"

She replied, "just sit here and if anyone comes to meet Mr. Wali, tell them that 'sir is absent today' and write their names and if they tell the reason for their arrival too. But I think no one will come today because the boss never takes a leave and if he does the news spreads like fire in the neighborhood."

"Okay," I said unsurely.

"I'll make you coffee," saying this she went towards the room which, I assumed earlier, was the kitchen.

I sat on the chair and started thinking about the scenarios that I will face if anyone comes to know of the truth. I shouldn't have taken this much risk. I think I lost the color of my face.

Meanwhile the lift clicked and a man wearing a black suit entered the hall. I stood up immediately and without giving me a look he went towards Mr. Wali's office.

I leaped behind him saying, "sir, I'm afraid, you can't go in there."

He turned and looked at me like I was out of my mind. He had a fair complexion with a nice tan. Overall he looked worth seeing.

Ignoring me, he went inside the room. For a second I thought he might be the boss but then I remembered Zara mentioning that he would be absent today.

So I rushed inside and saw him leaning on a cabinet.

"Sir please go out. Mr. Wali is absent. He is not coming anytime today. Tell me your name and your reason for coming and I'll inform him tomorrow," I said as respectfully and professionally as I could.

"I won't go," he said with an air of indifference.

"I have been very polite till now, but if you won't go in a second I'll call the security," I threatened him.

"Go call the security," he said with annoyance clear in his voice.

The doors opened and Zara entered.

"Zara-," before I could say anything else, she greeted the man saying; "good morning, sir."

And then turned towards me whispering," what are you doing here?"

I was too shocked to utter a single word.

She introduced me to the man. "Sir this is Arya, new receptionist."

I kept looking on the floor.

"It was nice meeting you." I heard him, quickly ran out of there and sat on the chair.

Zara came after a while and she just laughed probably understanding the situation I was in.

And I didn't have enough courage left in me to stop her. She gave me a bottle of water and I drank it all in one draught.

"Zara what was that?" I asked, still panting.

She just gave a hearty laugh.

"Do I have something to do or not?" I inquired.

"For now you don't have to do anything. I'll manage, you can go meet Tom," she suggested.

I felt relief washing over me on hearing this and went to Tom. I saw him in the cafeteria serving and waved at him. He waved back and I ran towards him and almost fell in his arms. He steadied me and himself. We went inside the kitchen and he asked what happened. I told him the whole story and just like Zara he started laughing.

"Don't laugh Tommy boy," I admonished him.

"That was something ridiculous," he commented.

Suddenly I remembered I never had time to eat breakfast that Zara made for me and I felt hunger pangs.

"Tom, I'm hungry," I whined.

"Wait a minute I'll fix something. What do you want to eat?" he asked.

"Your special burger with coke," I grinned.

I looked around and saw a few people giving me strange glances but I ignored them skillfully.

After feeding my belly I went back to Zara and took a nap and ate snacks cause I didn't have any work to do. It was almost 5 in the evening and I was dying to go home but Zara was a bit busy so I had to wait for her.

Meanwhile Mr. Wali came out of his office probably to go home. Not wanting to embarrass myself anymore I stood up and said:

"Good evening, sir."

He halted his pace near the desk and looked towards me with a slight smile on his face.

He took a wild strand of my hair in his hand. I was stunned.

He leaned towards me and spoke in a low voice but loud enough for me to hear, "next time don't sleep during the office hours."

Then he put the strand behind my ear and went towards his private lift.

I stood embarrassed in my place. I didn't know after how much time Zara came but when she did we immediately left for our apartment.

After reaching there I just hit my bed and went to sleep.