The Blue In Your Eyes

The job

What the fuck was I doing here?
In this big hotel room. With a view of the town. It was raining outside the panorama windows, and the room was dark. Cold.
This was not what I signed up for.

The assistant smiled half-heartedly.
"You can go in, he is waiting."
I took a few steps into the suite. Who could afford a room like this?
It was so big.
So silent. 

There was a man on the couch. His back to me. But there was something familiar about the person, something I couldn't quite pin down. He turned slowly, and I gasped. I knew him. I knew him. He was famous, like moviestar-on-top-of-the world-famous. Or was once. Now he was... I dont know... a wreck? A has-been? His hair was to long, to messy, with grey stribes in what was once blonde. His skin was pale, face blottet, unshaven... Eyes redrimmed and hard.

"So you want to be my personal assistant." His voice boomed. Way to loud in the quiet room. "You want your taste of the rich and famous?" A mean tone in his voice.
"Sorry..."
"Don't be sorry, get over here," he commanded. And I hesitated - but obeyed. He did not care, that I had no clue that he was famous, or rich, or whatever, until now. He didn't care, that I had applied for a job as a personal assistent to what I thought was a business man. So the million dollar question: What. The. Fuck. Was. I. Doing. Here?
When I stood in front of him, I could see just how bad he looked. And I knew from countless tabloids that he was an alcoholic. He wasn't sober now. Glass and small bottles on the table.

When he noticed my gaze, he just lifted the glass and saluted me.
"Gotta feed the beast," he smirked and emptied the glass.
I was just standing there. Speechless. This would be some story I could tell my friends. My five minuts with a former moviestar.

"How old are you?" he asked.
"25."
He raised a brow. "And a first-time personal assistant... I guess, you don't bring any kind of experience to the job."
"I'm sorry, but I think there has been a mistake." Was he just insulting me for fun?
"No mistake, even though, you look older than 25."
"I didn't mean my age!" I could feel anger rising in my throat.
"Of course you didn't.... You are not a typical beauty either, but you have a kind of powerful energy, I guess they liked that."
I didn't know who they where, but I did know that he was being a drunken asshole.
"There is also something earthy about you, something fresh..."
I mean - what?
"As I said, Mr. Shelby, There has been a mistake, this is not the job I applied for." My God, was I the best version of my self - and maybe a bit starstruck if I was honest.

"Yes it was. It was exactly the job you applied for. He scratched his face. "You look like you spend a lot of time outdoor."
"You look like you never leaves the room," words just flying from my lips. To fast.
He was quiet for a moment. Then he started laughing. Showing his straight teeth and all. And there in that laugh, I saw a glimse of the man, he had been, that milliondollar smile, that made women and men fall at his feet. He was just absolutely adorable - and kind of sexy. But the second the smile disappeared, there was nothing but the shell of the man in the couch. No colors, no warmth ... just a shadow. He filled his glass without even hesitating. I wanted to throw the bottle out of the window. What a waste of life!

"So Carol..."
"Karen!"
"You remind me of a Carol... Anyways, Karen, do you have kids?"
"No." The bastard had not even asked me if I wanted to sit.
"Boyfriend, husband?"
I hesitated. "No,"
"Does nobody like you?"
"So it was nice meeting you. Thank you and goodbye." I began walking away.
"Karen," he called behind me. "It was just a joke, wait a minute."
For whatever reason my good manners kicked in, and I stopped. Turned. He was standing. Still tall, still broad shouldered, but with no muscles, no power. His stomach pressing against the t-shirt.
"Its not an easy job being my assistant, but I like you, and if you want the job it is yours. You will have your own apartment at my house, you will have your own car, you will travel with me and see the world and crap like that."
"I don't even know what the job is," I said.
"Normal personal assistant things - you can do it. I know you can." He didn't know shit!
"Does it include me driving you to rehab once in a while?"
Blue eyes dead in the pale face. "No, I don't need to go to rehab, and I don't need you to take care of me. But I need someone who can control my calendar, make sure that my staff is paied and happy and that my exwife and my kids gets what they need."
Kids... I pitied them, having that awful man as a father.

"I appreciate the offer," I began, no way in hell I would ever work for that man! And then he just said what he would pay me, every month, without hesitation, and my head exploded!