kill for it

Part 12 I Willow tree

Willow

I walked along the deck with my ice cream and watched the turquoise water lapping against the sandy shore. I've always loved walking on this deck, watching the water. I've dreamed about sharing it with someone but so far that someone has never shown it.

I heard someone behind me, their boots clunking against the wooden deck. I turned around and saw a girl. She was tall, with dark brown hair flowing around her shoulder in waves, gray eyes that held secrets I wanted to uncover, and light skin that looked softer than I could ever have imagined.

"Uh hi, can I join you here?" She asked, tucking a wave behind her ear.

"Oh yea sure." I said feeling my chest bubble up with happiness. Something about her was fascinating. We stood there awkwardly for a minute eating our ice creams in silence. I was begging myself not to mention politics or the weather, anything that might scare her away.

"Um, are you new here?" I barely got the sentence out without stumbling on my words.

"Oh yeah, I actually just got off my plane." She said smiling, she looked like she was happy to be talking to me.

"Oh cool where'd you fly in from?" I asked her as we started walking off the dock.

"I came from New York. It was a short flight but surprisingly I fell asleep and woke up to palm trees, and tropical weather." She said looking at the sun.

"You fall asleep on planes? I could never!" I laughed thinking about the uncomfortable economy seats, and crying babies.

"Well I manage, my company paid extra for my flight here so I flew first class." She said smiling and looking up.

 "Well that's always been on my bucket list, I've never flown first class before." I said thinking about what it would be like.

"Oh, we'll, I'll definitely have to take you sometime!" She said throwing away her napkin.

"That sounds great. Oh I don't think I got your name yet, I'm Willow." I said.

"Neo." She pulled back her hair into a dark ponytail.

A sparkling white limo pulled up to us, startling me.

"Oh there they are. I'm getting driven to the new company building here." Neo said getting in the limo.

"Well I guess I'll see you later then Neo, bye for now." I closed the door and watched the limo drive away.

***

Neo

Walking into the air conditioned building, the sudden temperature change threw me off for a second. I think it'll take me a while to get used to Florida's heat.

"Right this way ma'am." A very distinguished looking man came up to me and led me around, giving me a tour.

"Right up here is your office, with sleek furniture from Europe, and redwood from California." He said, looking proud to tell me how expensive my office furniture was. I honestly didn't care if the furniture was from Tesla, or IKEA.

"I must go down and show the new agents around." The guard said before he walked out and closed the door behind him. 

I sat on my office chair and spun around on it, there was the faint buzzing of the lights, and the gentle hum of the air conditioner.

I walked over and looked out the window. The palm trees swayed with the gentle breeze and people bustled around the streets, their talking and laughing made its way up to my office.

After walking around and getting a feel for the office, I decided to call Willow.

I dialed her number and was pleasantly surprised when she picked up on the third ring.

"Hello? Neo?" Her voice drifted through the phone reminding me of her smile.

"Hi, uh is this Willow?"

"The one and only." She said

"Hi I got to the office, and they showed me around and now I'm bored." I said and fiddled with the stapler on my desk.

"Well how about you.. come over, I just went shopping." She asked with a hint of caution.

My heart fluttered, I was glad she invited me over. I was always terrible at inviting people to hang out.

"Of course, I'd love to." I said and hung up.