External | HS

1.

2 years ago

Everything everywhere all at once.

I didn't have much time to get to the store so now I'm rushing through the busy streets of London hoping to make it before they close.

I've been runnings errands for my mother nearly all day. In between my own appointments, I had to stop by the office and pick up her paperwork for the meeting tonight. I didn't realize that these clients had to sign papers stacked the height of my head so now I'm fumbling with the weight of a small brick held tightly to my chest. My purse in my other hand along with my favourite book, keys, phone and coffee.

Crisp orange and red leaves crunch under my pointed heels as I walk quickly under the gloomy sky. Every step echoing against the walls of the alleyway.

I have to be back in time for a business meeting with my parents and their new partners to go over the excruciatingly long details of their contract and what's expected of this partnership. I've never met or heard of these people before but my mother said they're absolutely darling and one of the top investors in our area. Ever since my parents' company Hart Inc. hosted a charity event to raise money for cancer, they gained hundreds of new clients which means they need to get their funding up and build even more clientele before the London Gala being held in two years. It's a major event that includes the fanciest table cloths you've ever seen along with the most shiny decor you wouldn't need a mirror to touch up your makeup. It honestly makes me sick.

I'm still not sure what exactly my parents do. This will be my first time sitting in on a client meeting with them. I have to start learning the tricks of the trade if I want to take over when I'm older. My father won't let me forget it.

Sometimes I wish that they had another child so I wouldn't be the only one they could rely on. I've never been interested in their lifestyle and all those fancy business deals but I'm eager to learn what exactly goes on in these lengthy meetings. If it means my father won't be breathing down my back so much then it's worth a shot.

In my hurried pace, I round the corner of the alley onto the main street fixing a few pages that came loose from the folders they're in. My mother is going to kill me if these folders are messed up. Making sure these pages don't crumple, I bump into a hard figure head first.

My coffee squished in between my chest and the man's stomach spilling all over us. The now damp files are lightly scattered on the ground as I groan to myself internally. The only thing I'm thankful for is that I only drink iced coffee.

I softly touch my forehead to make sure it doesn't feel too tender. I wouldn't want to bruise. As I'm pushing my hair out my eyes, I look up to the man I just ran into. Eyes staring at the scene of the crime - his lower stomach - a white shirt soaked with my delicious iced coffee. His slender fingers are pinching his wet shirt off his body causing me to get a glimpse of his taught abs. He then flattens the shirt down again before groaning, "are you fucking kidding me?"

Realizing I'm still staring at his shirt, my eyes shift to his and my breath gets caught in my throat. He has a cold stare and his jaw is tightly clenched. Dark brown curly hair lighting whisping over his eyes in the breeze.

"I- I'm so sorry. I wasn't paying attention to wh-." He cuts me off.

"Just get out of my way." He looks down at me, eyes dark with rage and a placid face. His posture is tense, almost like he was already having a shitty day and I just made it worse.

I feel like I can't move. I continue to stare at him for a second before bending down and quickly grabbing the files and my belongings. Fumbling a few times so I can get out of his way.