Calla's POV
I watched through the glass door of my office as James stood across from Julie's office which had a good sight as it was opposite to mine. He held a can of soda. He head turned to my direction,he waves at me and I smiled in return. Julie's yellow jacket stood out at the corner of my eyes, distracting. She was backing my office and I couldn't stop looking back in their direction. She had a key holder on her hand which she dwindles carelessly while her hands moved scattered around, describing whatever it was they were talking about. Julie was fond of that. Whatever they were talking about,if was thrilling for her. Even though I couldn't see her face,I could tell a big smile was spread from both of her ears. The first time I noticed was when I came to Halt Fashion as an intern five years ago. I began my job as a Vogue writer for fashion trends,but she eventually promoted me to become one of the creatives,when she came across my drawing book. Her creative vision has since changed my life and became a backbone of this business to thrive. I looked back on the drawings on the table as I arranged colours for color readjustments and every time I looked up,there he was, standing beside her. He always looked back,almost like he was expecting me to look ,It had become an unspoken rule between us. Staring with out saying much. During lunch,I took to the roof to get some fresh air. I stood by the balcony as my eyes wonders down the road. The street was quiet, nothing interesting ever happens in this side of town. I sat by a platform, taking up the view. I turned back only to see James walking over to me. He sat beside me and opened a can of soda, similar to the one he held earlier. He pulled out a box of cigarettes and lit it up. He offered it to me and I shared my head in disgust. "You know,that stuffs gonna kill you" I said turning back to face another direction as the smoke inhaled into my lungs. He shrugged and smirked. I stood up and moved to the edge of the balcony again. He threw his cigarette down and stepped on it. "I assume you don't like the smell" he said sarcastically. He walks over to me and stood beside me. "I haven't had one of these in two years" he said smiling. "What's up with you?" I said. "What do you mean?" He replied purposely keeping his self distracted. "Usually people run back to the past to seek comfort when the present becomes too shitty" I said, trying to open my can of drink. He waved it off , collecting the can from my hands and popping it open. He hands it back to me and placed his finger in my hairpin. I quivered, completely taken over by his random bravery. My face flushed as his hands came to my hair and moved away immediately. "That's distracting" his voice sounds husky. "Ermmm... okay?" I said confused. It was a small butterfly hair pin, barely visible,not dramatic enough to be distracting or whatever. I knew it from the playful grin on his lips,he was going to tease me. Something about the conversation from the bathroom had made us comfortable with each other. While he walked around the office and everyone treated him like a boss and the heir of a power billionaire. To him,he knew I saw through all that. "Calla Grayson were you expecting a kiss?" He quipped with a mischievous grin. He pulls out a dry leaf stick from him hands and showed it me."It was stuck on your hair?" He said , throwing it and looking sheepishly. "Ha-ha" I said sarcastically. I tossed his hands away and took a sip from my juice. Suddenly I felt unstable and I didn't want to feel like the teenager girl who got turned down. So I blurted out "I really don't understand why you'd take something that'd destroy your health" The same stupid smirk was plastered on his face. "Woah" "Yeahh..my mum's sick from that!" I snapped back, rolling my eyes. " I'm sorry " This reminded me of when I was in middle school and mum was constantly smoking. I had come home one day to tell her how we were taught that it was bad for ones health and but she shoved it aside. It got silent,we both stood quietly as million thoughts ran through my head. It wasn't my place to tell him not to smoke. I could feel the tension. We've barely had a conversation without apologies thrown around because we simply make it easy to piss each other off. "I met my dad ...it was actually a family business dinner " he began. His accent a little lost when he spoke. " We had a fight...thas why I've been a little off." "I'm sorry,if wasn't my place to ask...it wasn't my business. I just feel like between us, it's always an apology " "And so what?..." He said laughing. "You're obviously very annoying and you get on my nerves and I'm not exactly the least most arrogant person around...that's just us. We argue and we apologize." "We barely know each other,we met like...a week ago" I said in disbelief. "We don't know each other." "My God!,I want to know you then...I don't know if you've noticed,I like talking to you and I think you like talking to me too" he said. He's so arrogant and full of himself. "That's..that's not true" I denied. "You're not very slick when you stare" he chuckled "I want to know more things,you have the craziest lore and I want to know more." he finishes,his voice less audible,more soft. "I'm not your entertainment" I said defensive. "I never said you were." He still has the sheepy grin spread on his face. I paused. "You're insane..." I said..."okay" "How did you know you wanted to do this?... have you always known you'd get into fashion" "I want to be writer,then a nurse. At some point I wanted to be an actress. I'd stay up all night watching the red carpet waiting for Uman Truman. She had the most beautiful dress,I wanted to be able to design that. When we moved into our house,mum got me a machine--" I began to feel aware of my voice echoing so much words. "See..." He gave me the i-told-you look,still smiling. I smiled, feeling more comfortable,so I continued. "Well...I knew collage was out of the picture for me, I began to learn how to sew. I'd draw my own designs and I make them..." I said, recalling back before dad left to start a new family elsewhere. Mum had to take up a load because we couldn't afford the rent anymore. She fell into depression began to drink. On most nights we'd have to starve to eat and mum began spending so much on. "...this one just felt right." I finished. James full concentration on me,like he was reading subtitles on my face when I spoke. "What about you?" I said, clearing my throat nervously. "I don't really know... I'm 25years old and I don't know. I've never been allowed to decide all my life." His hands waved off in the air, holding no emotion I could read. "You'd know..." I said. A sense of comfortable silence befalls us as we stared out into the sky. My heart pounded in my chest. James Renault wasn't just the hot trust fund guy anymore,he was... My stomach twisted in knots with conflicting emotions of excitement and doubts. I could feel his eyes sneaking glances at me, I turned around the fifth time to catch me, staring at me hopeless. I feared the lust in his eyes were becoming more than I thought all along. His desperate plea and longing in his eyes pierced through my skin, leaving me standing...my knees weak. He watches me earnestly, waiting for my approval. His wasn't turning away anymore rather his eyes fell to my lips,then my eyes again. In all this,I stood frozen,my eyes locked to his, letting him give in to his sinful thought as his eyes wanders around my face...then my neck,no brace enough to fix his gaze lower than my neck. My breath tickles my throat. His looks back at me again. This time, almost like he had woken up from a trance, like he hadn't stood face to face mentally spiralling in his thoughts of me in his head. I pulled back, brushing my hair roughly with my fingers. He took a step back,flushed with embarrassment. "Woah...what was that?" I said awkwardly... frightened. He didn't say anything, instead he looked like he wanted to puke. He avoid my eyes and stared at the ground. The same eyes he had looked through a few seconds ago. I watched him retreating back and leaning away slightly "Ohh" he mutters ,he lingers for a few seconds,not wanting to leave immediately. "Ohh?" I repeated , neither of us could deny the awkward tinge that hung in the air,but I want to hear him say more. More than the stupid sound that he did. I wanted him to stop teasing me. But instead,he looked about uncomfortable. I took this as my cue to leave,and I let my legs spin around and began to walk away , before my other foot took another step. I felt a struggle and his grip pulled me close to him. His face buried into my neck,he didn't touch me. Just few inches to my skin,I felt his hot breath borrowing under my skin "Can I...?" He whisper daringly. I lost control of myself as my headed knotted. His lips pressed to my neck as he leaves soft hickes tracing his way to nibble my earlobe. I felt my heart racing as every touch felt like a work of art; like cold ice on skin after a sunny day. A silent moan escaped my lips. "You smells so nice...'' he mutters softly...he was teasing me and I hated him for it. I want him to kiss me. I wanted to know the taste of the tongue that teased me but he didn't leave my neck. His left hand was placed on my back and his right hand still held the can of soda. A loud noise came from the stairwell that lead to the rooftop, James pulled back and I pulled away swiftly. I looked back at him and he didn't look uncomfortable,he looked hurt . Everything was happening so fast. I looked to where we heard the noise as, Ravi,the new intern began to pickup the mannequin rolling down the stairs. He was backing us so he couldn't have seen us. I looked back at James again who now looks embarrassed,I took to my heels and walked quickly away back to my office , almost tripping on the mannequin head on the stires.James POV It's been four days and thought of rooftop kept coming back to me, leaving me reckless. It wasn't just the tension,it was the fear in her eyes when she looked back at me before leaving. I reached out to her but she didn't reply. She definitely hated me. She must have felt ashamed. Calla Grayson's footprint stained the pages of my story. I lurked through Halts fashion Pinterest page and came across a picture from five years ago. It was 2016,one direction had just began their indefinite hiatus and skinny jeans was still a thing. There it was,a picture of Calla from collage. It was a selfie with a Snapchat filter,the type with cat ears. She wore a stripe shirt and her hair wasn't brown with blonde highlights, it was the color or autumn leaves. I zoomed it, thirsting for more details on what can possibly be so endearingly magnetic about her. My hands almost dropped the phone when I receive a call from Vinora. Her voiced rings in my ear when I picked up the phone. She was enth
Calla's POVA loud noise rang in my head as tears began to fall from my eyes. My legs were weak making my body heavy to carry,I collapsed on the floor beside the bed. The room was spinning and all I could think of was what had happened to my mother. I wanted to be with her. The rain splattered hard on the window steel and the sound of thunder echoes tremendous. My blurry vision could only amplify James running towards me as I began to cry profusely.He wrapped his arms around me and sat on the floor with me. "It's okay.. it's okay..." He mutters as he used his fingers to softly brush through my hair. A few minutes later,my bitter tears was replaced with silence and the pouring rain was replaced with cool breeze slightly hitting the windows. I sat up and I could feel James hands releasing me. He had a towel tied around his waist. He got up and began to wear his pants back. I tried to stifled the flush of adrenaline rush that consumed me. One moment,I was worshipping his body and the
James' POVI stood by her door and for the first time i felt completely useless. Calla snuggle her blanket tighter as I gave her one last look before leaving her room. The past 24 hours had been a complete spiral in her world and it killed me that I couldn't make it better. I walked out of her house and drove straight to see my Dad. Luckily,he was in Boston for a meeting.It was a quarter past 10 when I pulled up in the drive way of the hostel he rented. I placed a call but he didn't respond so I went straight to the lobby to ask to see him."You don't understand I need to see him right?" I pleaded urgently to the manager "Sir,I'm afraid I can't disclose the information about our guest" he said "Your guest? He owns the damn thing!" I said getting paranoid "Look, Jimmy... you've known me forever,you have to give me his card, it's an emergency ""James, your dad said I shouldn't let anyone up---" his forehead squeezed in his failed attempt to sympathize with me."Oh just give me the c
Calla's POV"Is it just me or sequels aren't as interesting as the original movie?""But Harry Potter was pretty good" I looked up "oh yeah" I said before approaching the coach again with another bag of potato chips. I popped myself beside James flung my feet on his laps. He pulls on my pink socks dramatically before laughing."What?""Nothing...""What?""Just observing...that's my job remember?" He said,before tearing open the bag of chip. "Will your Boss find this type of observation appropriate for the company?" I said raising my feet to his face as he playful pushes it away. He crawled over me and kissed my cheek before returning back to his position and fixing his gaze on the movie playing on the TV. "Three hours again you did try to kill me." He gaze still fixed on the TV as he puts a hand full of chips into his mouth.I smiled "But I didn't,did I?" A buzz came from my phone on the little lamp stand by the coach. I streach to reach it and it was an alarm I had set earlier f
James' POVI couldn't make an appointment yesterday so I went into the hospital first thing the next morning. My head ran a marathon today from my last conversation with dad but i was also busting with the thoughts of Calla' mum getting treatment and how Calla wouldn't have to worry about losing her mother. As I approached the doctor's office I was directed to the doctor in charge."Hello Doc." I stretch my hands out for a handshake. I'm met with a tight grip. "Please,sit down" his gesture at the seat beside me and sat down too at the opposite of the table. He sat down,his eyes refusing to meet with mine. " Sonny, I'm sure your Aunty already told you.""My Aunt?""The blond woman... aren't you here for Mrs Grayson?. It says here patient--Hannah Grayson."A loud puff, escaped my mouth unconsciously " Yes,I'm here to see Mrs Grayson, Doc is there some kind of problem?" I said wearily." What I'm saying is you can't make the donation you're here for because it's already out of control. S
Calla's POVJames came back up five minutes later. He walked slowly back to the table with his eyes looking from side to side nervously and sweat dripping down his neck. This collar button was undone and his tie hung loosely on his neck."Hey...what happened?" I said as a nauseating sense of concern and worry came over me. He sat down looking distracted a bit,his eyes still wandering around like he saw a ghost."Oh I think some young lad was admiring my car" he said as his hands brushed through his hair. He smiled at me and held both of my hands in his. "It's nothing the security was just worried." "Okay. Are you sure?""Yeah,I think he really like the car. The security took care of it,it's okay." He bite his lips but his assurance calmed my down.Another waiters came up to our table with our food. We got served I watched him taking in his meal slowly. His jawline moved in rhythm seductively,as his tongue licks the sauce remains from the spoon. I flickered at my thoughts of our unfini
James' POV( FLASHBACK)It was a summer afternoon in Ireland. Thirteen years old James ran around their beach house by the sea shores. He could taste the salty air as the storm gathers in the sky. He rushes into the house with his sandy feet and Vioner's Barbie doll swinging by his side. His sister chases him into the house and his runs even faster to hide away from her with her Barbie doll,when he nonchalantly bumped into one of his dad's clients. The man was tall and had a tan skin that made his appearance orange like that of an orange peel and his hair was a darker shade of brown like his shoes."Ohhh,hello lad" his Irish accent tingling in James' ears. He smiled at him and James smiled back.As James turned around to walk out of the room,he is met with the venomous stare of his father looking down at him. He looks at James with an obvious anger but no words fell from his mouth. James completely frightened,runs out and hide in the next room.James eventually gets caught in his chil
Calla's POV "Hey Calla,I need you help on this" Julie announces as she walks into my office. She had a measuring tape around her neck and she was barefoot. She hands me a vouge magazine that was turned to page 47. There is a picture of Zendaya and the other cast of euphoria with glittery eye makeup and a review of it as a retrospective fashion comeback."Ermmm..." I stood confused as my eyes couldn't help but stare at her feet--- she was barefooted. A little sigh of frustration left her mouth and she walked closer to me."Ohh ,don't ask. I ordered a new shoe and it's a size smaller and there's no return policy but it matches my dress and it's A LIMITED ZARA EDITION!" Her voice going from low frequency to a force of busting enthusiasm.Typical Julie,I chuckled at her randomness. She was more of a friendly colleague than a boss. It was just her being the nerodivergent ray of sunshine she is. "Sure,what do you need help with?" I asked ."We already contacted models to walk the show for
Calla's POV I haven't heard from James in days. It has been quiet--too quiet,it's almost like he had gone ghost. I had called about a hundred times but he's not picking up,I've left countless messages but still I'm left with no reply. I'm so mad that I can tear him to pieces.My half packed suitcase laid open on my bed as I stacked and unstack clothes in it. I was trying to hard to bury the raging feelings building up in my chest as I threw clothes out of my wardrobe onto my bed,the floor and literally anywhere in my bedroom,as they compile together like a thrift shop safe heaven. Finally,I had decided on clothes to take. 'Why will he do that!' my inner thought eludes out loud as I soliloquize. I stared at the mirror half way through my rant. 'woah,I look crazy.' I said,again. I wanna fight and I wanna scream at him for making feel this wayPathetic Calla. Poor desperate Calanthe. What was I thinking...I went downstairs to get a quick snack,I walked passed mum's bedroom door which
James' POV"There's a great chance I am traumatized from seeing dad's legs without his trousers on." I said. Vinora and I were catching up over the phone. I told her about everything, because she was my best friend. Her laughter burst through the phone as I told her about catching dad during one of his cheating escapades."What?!" a loud laughter came from the end of the phone. "Vino,in the US they call them pants not trousers" My sister, Vioner said."I haven't seen him since then,and the meeting's tomorrow." I said devastated. "I wonder why Mum puts up with him.""Probably Stockholm Syndrome... I'm so over them." She said."So what about the fashion girl? Are you guys together now?" "Yeah,but it's complicated.""What's complicated about it. It's official,it's not a situationship right?""No, we're dating." I sighed despite the tickling feeling I got from admitting she was mine and I was her's out loud. Yet,it felt like a crash waiting to happen. "It's just... there's so much going on
Calla's POVThe ruckus from work was beginning to get through to me. The fashion show was in just five days time and I knew how perilous it would be for Hault Fashion if we weren't properly ready. I had gone over the list of items we had to ship to France before the day and my hyper fixation on making everything perfect was becoming a little edgy."What!" I screamed as my eyes twitch maniacally."I wanted to know if you wanted anything. We're about to order lunch." The new intern whose head was poking through the half opened glass door of my office,asked. His lips pout forward as he stares at me and I just know he was judging so bad."No sorry, I don't need anything." My voice lowering as I realized I had shouted at him.He walks away and the door shut behind him.The weight of my body fell on my knees as I knelt down on the floor of my scattered office going over everything tiny detail like my life depended on it. Soon after, Julie came busting through the door and I cured to seat on
James' POVI stared at the blue letters on the desk as the mystery of who sent the three of them races through my mind. It's past midnight and it's been hours since I drove Calla back home yet I still can't fathom the lore connecting the blue letters with me.The recent letter had my name written in red ink just like the last two and a paper in it. It read:Tu ne sais rienWhich translates to "You know nothing." I whispered in the dark as my fingers ran through my hair. One of the best days of my life has suddenly been replaced with crippling anxiety from a someone whose name I didn't know and whose face I've probably never seen.The vague message consumed my mind as I lurk for hidden messages in the prints. I brought the lights closer to paper hoping there was more writing in invisible ink. Alas, nothing.Tu ne sies rien,was a common phrase in France. Grandma use to say it to remind us of how vast life is and how we should be humble because we can never know everything about everythin
Calla's POVIt's Sunday morning but the sun was hidden in dark clouds. The rain had been falling for the past two hours. I stood by the kitchen counter as I heated up some coffee for myself. I could hear Aunty Kathy and mum chatting in her room. The walls of the room were padded so sounds were nearly impossible to hear but the mumbling noise was hard to ignore.I opened the jar for sugar in the cupboard and added it to my coffee,as well as some creamer. I tugged on my robe and headed back upstairs. It was almost past 11am and I had slept over in mum's room with her last night. This week was the final week to get everything on track before we flew to Paris and it sure as hell was going to be a busy one. So I had just today as my last free day before the rustling week ahead and I was ready to sleep in all day.I pulled out my laptop and began to scroll through my I* feed when I got a call from James."Hi" I said into the phone,my heart flushing like a teenager."Baby..." His calm voice I
James' POV"Hello ladies" I greeted as they walked towards my car. Calla rolled her mum's oxygen tank beside her as she assisted her mother's slow steps up to the house."Hi" Calla said as they walked by me,she gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before continuing to pull the oxygen tank behind her. Her mum,who walked beside her looked at me and immediately lower her gaze."Hello James" she said. Not a hint from her tone could give away the intense curiosity between us based on our conversation from nights ago. She looked weaker than the last time I had seen her. Her arms were lanky and she wore a yellow beanie on her head. Her brows were scanty and she seemed exhausted.I followed behind them, taking the tote bag Calla hung on her shoulders and carrying the oxygen tank through the stires in the front pouch leading to the house. An art work poked out of the bag and it was like a canvas of some sort.The smell of condiments filled the house immediately we walked in."Hiiii" aunty Kathy a
Calla's POV "Hey Calla,I need you help on this" Julie announces as she walks into my office. She had a measuring tape around her neck and she was barefoot. She hands me a vouge magazine that was turned to page 47. There is a picture of Zendaya and the other cast of euphoria with glittery eye makeup and a review of it as a retrospective fashion comeback."Ermmm..." I stood confused as my eyes couldn't help but stare at her feet--- she was barefooted. A little sigh of frustration left her mouth and she walked closer to me."Ohh ,don't ask. I ordered a new shoe and it's a size smaller and there's no return policy but it matches my dress and it's A LIMITED ZARA EDITION!" Her voice going from low frequency to a force of busting enthusiasm.Typical Julie,I chuckled at her randomness. She was more of a friendly colleague than a boss. It was just her being the nerodivergent ray of sunshine she is. "Sure,what do you need help with?" I asked ."We already contacted models to walk the show for
James' POV( FLASHBACK)It was a summer afternoon in Ireland. Thirteen years old James ran around their beach house by the sea shores. He could taste the salty air as the storm gathers in the sky. He rushes into the house with his sandy feet and Vioner's Barbie doll swinging by his side. His sister chases him into the house and his runs even faster to hide away from her with her Barbie doll,when he nonchalantly bumped into one of his dad's clients. The man was tall and had a tan skin that made his appearance orange like that of an orange peel and his hair was a darker shade of brown like his shoes."Ohhh,hello lad" his Irish accent tingling in James' ears. He smiled at him and James smiled back.As James turned around to walk out of the room,he is met with the venomous stare of his father looking down at him. He looks at James with an obvious anger but no words fell from his mouth. James completely frightened,runs out and hide in the next room.James eventually gets caught in his chil
Calla's POVJames came back up five minutes later. He walked slowly back to the table with his eyes looking from side to side nervously and sweat dripping down his neck. This collar button was undone and his tie hung loosely on his neck."Hey...what happened?" I said as a nauseating sense of concern and worry came over me. He sat down looking distracted a bit,his eyes still wandering around like he saw a ghost."Oh I think some young lad was admiring my car" he said as his hands brushed through his hair. He smiled at me and held both of my hands in his. "It's nothing the security was just worried." "Okay. Are you sure?""Yeah,I think he really like the car. The security took care of it,it's okay." He bite his lips but his assurance calmed my down.Another waiters came up to our table with our food. We got served I watched him taking in his meal slowly. His jawline moved in rhythm seductively,as his tongue licks the sauce remains from the spoon. I flickered at my thoughts of our unfini