Hop-On Hop-Off

Neun.

My breaths came out in short pants as I finally reached the front desk and pulled my ID card to verify myself. Pasting an awkward grimace-slash-smile on my face, I waited patiently as the receptionist confirmed that I really did work in this company before she told me the way to the room in which my language class was being conducted.

That's right. I was being forced to go through a Czech language crash course offered by the HOHO tours to assist their employees, like me who sucked at it, to get better and be able to communicate with people during work hours. 

I mentally sighed and lay over my made up bed to go back to sleep. 

But in reality, I just walked inside a very bright lit room C3 and came to a halt when I saw Felix rolling a pencil between his lips just as our gazes clashed. 

His eyes widened and the pencil spluttered from his mouth momentarily. I snorted to cover my own surprise and raised an eyebrow, "Well...if you like my company that much to have to go through my schedule, you could've just said so."

Pink tinted his cheeks but his brown eyes sparked with an interest, "You're the epitome of 'Originated from planet delusion' Thea."

Some of my earlier confidence subsided, my nerves turning into a wrecked mess of fast flowing blood mixed with constrained emotions, "Flattering, at least I'm wanted there." I made my way towards the empty desk behind his and set my tote bag on it.

He coughed once in his hand, muttering, "More like sent away from there."

I gasped in absolute offense but before I could form a retort to his comeback, a middle-aged woman in her forties entered the room and began the very first session of three month course I had apparently signed for.

With Carter's presence to haunt me even there, of course.

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"Language is the most important part of working in a foreign country. Now repeat after me, Ahoj, jak se máš ." 

I burst out laughing at Felix's squeaky voice and clear cut impersonation of Mrs. Smith from our class. Smacking his arm, I said, "Stop it. You're being mean..."

He narrowed his eyes at me as I gave in to the urge of letting the corner of my mouth upturn, "Do it more."

He wiggled his eyebrows in mischief, "Ooh-lala, who knew little Ms. Thea here is secretly a sadist?"

I scoffed, ignoring the way I could feel my cheeks heating up. "Don't impose your kinky fantasies over everybody else, Carter."

The coffee shop was filled with continuous activity and movement, but my only focus was on the guy sitting before me as he clicked his tongue, leaning forward on the table with his arms folded and said, "So let's hear all about your kinks today."

Anxiety curled inside me, knotting my organs into a taught string. I casually rubbed my arm to resist shaking my leg as I tried to be nonchalant with the whole ordeal of sharing things about each other, "What do you wanna know?"

God, maybe after this conversation he'd finally decide to get rid of me.

Felix raked a hand through his deep brown curls, a deep frown on his face probably due to concentration until he finally reached to a conclusion. "Favourite hobbies?"

I blanched at such a common question, "Really? That's why you were being so dramatic?"

He moved a hand around him, "Just answer me."

I mulled over what to reply exactly before settling on a final answer, "Well, I'm a writer. I write books, fanfictions and poems whenever I feel like. But as of now, I'm trying to become a published author for real."