Ezra pov

"You are hired"

Did he really say that? Or was I hallucinating.
What was the catch this time? He can't agree so easily.

"When do I begin?"

I ask trying to sound confident and he smirks.
You see that smile, it's never followed by anything good.

Turning his back on me and proceeding towards his seat,he settles down, opening some folder.

"Now"

Now? As in now...now? Damn..this man was full of so many surprises.
I was not ready right now....his words...I still needed a minute alone to gather myself.
I may sound all brave and badass but inside ,the new information was killing me.
Did Mrs Reed really spent so much money on me?

"Now if you are done wasting the first minute of your work daydreaming. Why don't you do something productive?"

He asks and I nod.

Focus Ezra! Focus! We will prove it to him that your education was not a wastage.
After all you were there for 5 years and you topped once as well.

My thoughts are again interrupted by the sound of a folder being thrown on a table.

Gulping I look up to see him glaring at me.

"You have a really short attention span. Don't you?"

Stop thinking! Stop thinking! I remain silent and thankfully his phone rings, breaking the ice.

Seeing the number,he furrowed his eyebrows and ended it. Turning his attention back on me.

"Anyways...."

His voice trails as he takes a sip of his coffee and nearly spits it out.
Cursing under his breath.

"Damn it! They can't do one thing right!"

Showing me the cup,he urged me to take it and I move forward taking it reluctantly.

"First get a new coffee for me. This one tastes sh**"

I nod and proceed to leave outside. He doesn't has to tell me his choice.
I know it already.

Light coffee with extra milk plus half tablespoon sugar.

His favourite.

I see people staring at me while I worked on his coffee and I just ignore them.
Done in a matter of few minutes,I knock and enter inside.

He was busy on a call and didn't bothered to look at me.

"No the price is fine but it's the grade we are concerned about. I don't care about few bucks more or less but the quality....it should be the best."

He continues talking on the phone and I move forward to place the cup on the table,when he surprises me by taking it from my hands.

Our fingers touch and I feel anxious but he didn't even notice our contact.Busy with his call.

"Yes .. that's my point...you see-"

But then he takes the first sip of the coffee and I see him go silent for a second, his words lost as his eyes lock with mine.

He remembers it.

My coffee used to be his favourite along with my Lasagna of course.

He never said it directly but he always used to tell Mom to ask me to make it specifically.
It was just coffee though, nothing special.

Just a petty minuscule thing.

But back then also and even now it does something inside me. It makes me feel happy.

Stupid right? But what can I do. I was always like this only.

He breaks our stare and continues his talk , looking in front.

"Yes. No I am listening-"

Their business talks continue and I just stand there awkwardly.
Staring at my watch to see it's 5 already.
Don't offices finish at 6?
Meaning I just have one hour of work left,if we call it like that?.

But what's the use? He will not be paying me for standing like a statue. Will he?
Wait...was he even paying me?

Should I ask?

No Ezra. You will sound desperate. It's true you need it for some household expenses to help mother.
But, working here is like repaying Reed families debts on me by helping them.

It's wrong to ask anything. They have given me so much,it is my time to give.

"You are still here?"

I hear him sounding irritated, looking at me like an unwanted pest.
The phone call definitely messed with his nerves,he sounded angry than before

"You ..you didn't tell me what I am supposed to do?"

I say and he just sighs, messing his hair and picking up a file from his table, looking least interested.

"Here"

Taking the file from him,I see it to be a research proposal.

"Edit it, see that it's complete and submit it on the website officially. Check the last date of submission online ...I guess it's tonight."

I look through the papers to stop at the last page.

Page no 541.

Sh** man! They are too many. And what did he say? Tonight?
What was he doing messing with me all these hours? Couldn't he give it to me earlier.

I don't even know what it is about. How will I edit it? Do I look like a mechanical engineer to him?

And submit. Where? When ? How?
My mouth opens and closes in confusion.

I want to ask him but he looks too busy right now.
Picking up files and throwing them around searching for something.

What happened? Why did he looked so tense?

"Fuc* man! Where did I keep it?'

He says and I look at him. Not knowing what to do.
Should I help him? He looked really worried.

"Aaron-"

He doesn't reply,busy talking to himself.

"It's supposed to here.....where is it dammit?The investors are coming....what will I show them?

Under the table,over the table. Drawers, cabinets.
He was searching everywhere for something.
Beads of sweat covering his forehead.

"Aaron what happened? Can I...help in ...anyways...."

"Where is that pendrive?How can I loose it! How can I!!"

He was really loosing his patience. I have rarely seen him like this. He was mostly composed and calm.

But then taking over Reed industries was not a joke.
He had a lot of responsibilities on his shoulders.

And he was trying his best to make Mr Reed proud.
He was trying his best to be the perfect son.

Which he already was if you ask me.

"Aaron! Aaron!"

I try calling him again and this time he literally screams at me.

"What dammit! I am busy here! Can't you see?"

His words hurt. But I should understand that he is tensed.
He didn't mean to be rude.

"I ...I just wanted to help..."

"The only help you will be giving me Ezra is by going out of that door. Stop wasting my time and just leave dammit!"

He says. And this time nothing could justify it.
He was rude, heartless...and insensitive.
His words hurt...alot.

Turning around,I hug the file closer to my chest and make my way outside.
Stopping the tears that were again going to leak against my will.

Stop being a crybaby Ezra! Why are so damn sensitive!

Closing his door behind,I hear something falling but I don't turn back.
He doesn't want to see your face, why are you being so desperate then?

I look around to see everyone staring at me.
What was their problem again?

Seeing me look back ,they divert their gaze and continue their work.
While I sit on an empty computer desk and get to work.

Maybe world wide web could help? Because nothing else would.

We can do it Ezra. Just try your best.

We will prove him that we are no less than the rest.

.....................................................
                   11:20 pm

A yawn escapes my lips as I stare at the desktop with my tired eyes.
Just the last page and then it will be done.

The entire floor is empty,they all left hours ago but I was stuck here.

I don't feel bad though.

I felt productive, like I stretched my boundaries to do something beyond my comfort zone.

Like I helped Mrs Reed in some way.

Done with the last page,I scan through the documents again.
Done! Now I only have to upload it.

Simplest task of all. Right?

Wrong. It was the worst of all.

First I wasn't able to find the stupid website where it is to be uploaded. Then the site kept on crashing and finally when I reached the last step

It fudging wanted me to prove that I was not a robot!

And once it did prove me as one when my tired eyes interpreted an i to be a l
Making me repeat the entire process again.

I fought against time guys, literally.

11:58 was the exact time the proposal got submitted and I had that big smile of victory on my face after it.

Stretching myself I came back out of my oblivion state to look around.

My stomach grumbled in protest and a mild headache made me rub my forehead.
Just the 1 st day and so much stress.

Phewwww

But it's over now. Getting up I decided to leave when my eyes fall on his office window.
The light was still on, I wonder if he is still there?

Debating,I turn and decide to look at him once.

I knocked to get nothing in reply. Is he even here?
I knocked again.... nothing.

I turn the handle to see it was open, pushing it I peep inside.
To see something I didn't expected.

The room was in chaos. Everything was thrown around like someone just vented out their anger.
Like a storm just passed through.

And in the centre of this storm was him.
Sleeping on his chair peacefully.

He still wasn't able to find that pendrive? It looked very important.
Should I help him.

Slowly closing the door behind. I enter and approach him.
My stare fixed at his face.

So beautiful and calm.

Those eyes that are always looking at me in malice were closed, making me notice his long and slightly curled eyelashes.
Do boys have such beautiful eyelashes?

My gaze goes lower to see his perfectly Greek shaped nose,and next I couldn't help stare at those kissable lips.

Ezra! Come out of the daze stupid! Do you want to fall in love with him again and again?

My heart was audible in my ears and I lower my eyes.
Stopping myself.

I see papers and folders thrown around at the floor. Everything looked uprooted and disorganised.

Very rare for a neat freak like him but maybe it was an emergency.

Sighing ,I place down my bag in a corner and got ready to work.
He will not let me help him directly,so why not like this?

I just hope he doesn't wake up and throw me out.

Picking up the papers from the floor,I start arranging them and putting them in their respective files.
Arranging the files back in the cabinet in the alphabetical order.

Half an hour passed and I was sitting on the carpet floor.

Tired.

My headache has worsened and I can feel my eyes dropping in fatigue.
But I have to help him...I can't leave without it.

Getting up ,I start my search for the little monstrous pendrive that was messing with me.

1 hour

And.....I found it! This stupid Aaron searched everywhere except for the pen stand on his table.
Laying below the pens, hidden from his eyes

It's really true sometimes.

You upheaval the entire world searching for something when it was always there.

Right in front of your eyes

Cleaning his table and placing it in front of him,I smile seeing his sleepy face.
If only I can kiss his forehead.

Shaking my head of these dumb thoughts,I just pick up my bag and leave.
Stopping near the door to look at him one last time.

The room looked perfect now, just like him.

And I couldn't help stop that smile that came on my lips.
That feeling in my heart that told me I did well.

The happiness it gave me to help him.

Closing the door slowly,I make my way outside.
Searching for Ben's name in the contact list.

He picks up at the third call, his tired voice making me feel guilty. Was he sleeping? Did I disturb him?

"Cupcake... what's it?"

"Were you sleeping?"

I ask to only hear him chuckle.

"It's just 1. Don't you know me?"

I roll my eyes. Of course this is the time his party starts actually. The very reason I called him and not Neil.

"I want you to pick me up from Aaron's office"

"At this time? You were working so late? Is my ass of a brother bullying you intent-"

"No Ben.Some urgent work came up.He is himself stuck in his office right now."

"Oh. Then it's fine. I will be there in 10 cupcake."

"Thanks Ben"

I say sounding tired myself.

"Anytime"

....................................................

               Aaron's pov

I jerk up from my sleep, my eyes widening at the realisation that I slept.

How can I sleep! What time is it? Our company cannot loose this dead at any cost! Dad has done so much for it!

The pendrive! Yes!

I look at the watch to see it was 3:10.
Did I slept for 3 hours straight?

My aching back and neck were a evidence to it. That I just managed to sleep on my chair.

Sh**! How can I! I have to find it!

Running my hand through my hair,I sigh and look at the table to only bring all my worries to rest.

The pendrive.

It was there. Laying in front of me. I picked it up surprised and inserted it into the laptop.

My heart finally found a stagnant pace and I laid back on the seat in relief.

Thank god!

It was there. Everything was there. I can't tell you how that euphoria felt like ,but I felt that I could breathe finally.

Looking around I saw everything organized and placed in their respective places.
Wait a minute.

Last I remember,this room was a mess.

And that's when I stare at the pendrive in my hands.

Who did it? Who found this pendrive? Who was my savior?

I am sure Angels don't visit in real world.
Then who?

It was late, who will come at this hour? The staff already left.

And that's when I open the laptop and rewind the recording of my room.

And what or rather who I saw made my heart to beat rapidly in my chest.

The second time I felt it beat for her

Ezra.

She was here. Looking at me with those innocent eyes...... arranging the chaos in my room..... searching for my pendrive.
To finally place it in front of me on my table.

I closs my eyes, slamming my laptop shut.
To only lay back on my seat.

Why are you like this Ezra? Why?

Wasn't I hurting you enough to hate me, then why don't you stop being nice to me?
Why do you still care for me.