Breach

Chapter Seven

Margo was new in JM Junior High.

She was nervous coming to a new school. Her blonde hair was tied back into a messy ponytail as she hastily did it while running. She had been early if it wasn't for the wrong schedule she got during the orientation. She was still panting when the nerdy looking half-Chinese smiled at her.

Awkward...

They both just looked at each other. No one spoke. They just held their gazes for almost a minute before Margo gave up and looked away. She was nervous, but she didn't want to be bothered by someone with thick-rimmed glasses.

"Rude blonde," the boy whispered almost teasingly.

Margo turned too fast that she was sure her head might have come off of her neck. But she didn't really care. She could take on unfriendly, anti-social, loner, or even mean. But never could she tolerate being called rude.

"Excuse me?"

"So you can talk," the boy smiled, "I almost thought I'd be sitting down with a puppet while her ventriloquist looks for her."

"Of course I could talk, idiot. If I couldn't, I'd be in special ed and not wasting my time entertaining the likes of you."

"Oooh, Blondy is quite uptight here. Listen, new kid. You are lucky I am the first one who get to experience that sharp comeback of yours. But to the others, you might end up getting trouble," then he smiled again, wider this time, showing his perfectly clean white teeth, "But if there is anyone rude between us, it is I. Please do forgive me your majesty, how rude of me not to introduce myself. Sir Elrich Addison, at your service Madam." he bowed slightly for emphasis.

"Wow there, when have I been promoted from 'new kid' to 'Your Majesty' in minus two point five seconds?" 

He just laughed it off.

"Addison, huh. You look more Chinese than your last name gives out." She looked at him questioningly, although not meaning to. At that moment, all she wanted was for him to stop talking to her. But this, she was curious.

 "I get that a lot. It is actually a long story," he looked at her, grey eyes sparkling, "but I'm going to tell you anyway so get comfy. So my grandfather was this rich dude in China who had like what, five kids? Six maybe? I can't recall. But with such a lot of kids, the stress was on who would inherit the wealth of their dad. Old Gramps wasn't even in his fifties when they started fighting over who keeps the blue China and the place mats. Women." he sighed before continuing, "So here was Old Gramps wanting to relieve a little stress. I'm not saying Gramps was a dirty old ass. It is just that we guys really like those girls who understood us and cares for us. We are weak that way. You should take note of that when you want to marry someone in the future." He said to Margo.

"I ain't marrying a dirty old man and neither do I want to comfort a Chinese dude," she said without emotion.

"Ouch. Bummer. I thought I had a chance. Well, anyway. Here comes my Grandmother. Gran was his business associate and first love. But the funny thing was, Gran wasn't a pure Chinese so Old Gramps' parents didn't allow him to marry her but, instead, let him marry this rich old woman and so you get all that. And with all the stress, here emerges Mom. I never have met Gramps. Not even a picture. All they said was that I looked like him..." Then he paused, and after a while, he knitted his eyebrows, "Why am I talking to you about this? To a total stranger."

"Well excuse me. I didn't initiate this conversation."

"I like you, Blondy. So fiesty."

"So it's Blondy now? I have rather grown fond of being royalty."

Elrich raised his hands in surrender. "Well, don't mind me if Her Excellency is having an earful from her trusty knight."

"Oh don't worry, I don't even think trusty knight and Elrich Addison fits in the same equation."

"Can you not be not serious for once in this entire conversation?"

Margo opened her mouth for another witty response but shut it quickly. Her being speechless amused Elrich all the more. 

"Well, before you initiate another staring contest which you will likely lose for you cannot take my exceedingly charming good looks--"

"Oh please," Margo rolled her eyes. Elrich ignored and continued, " Would you grace me the honor of knowing Her Excellency's name?"

Surprisingly Margo could feel herself smiling, "Margo... Margo Schult."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It wasn't like Elrich hasn't been interested. He was. He made his move countless of times nearing the end of Junior High. He even made her promise to go on the same college with her just to drive her home every evening. 

But Margo knew how she felt about Elrich. Even with his boyish good looks behind those thick-rimmed glasses and charming comebacks. It's just that, Margo is more attracted to ambitious but with boy next door looks type of guys with messy hair. But what Margo noticed about Elrich is his wolfish attitude. Always the alpha male. Always has to dominate. There is always that glint of malice in his grey eyes that makes him look as though he is planning how he is going to tackle Margo. The same glint in his eyes was seen while he was staring at Margo right at this moment as a waiter placed her cup of cappuccino with his expresso on the table in between them. The Hot Brew was quite today and only a few people were lounging on the reading couches. 

Margo cleared her throat, "so shall we begin? So I can enjoy my freedom in peace."

"Ah, Miss Schult. Always in a rush." Elrich took a sip of his coffee and placed the cup back down, "Not as good as your mix. This is too sweet for me. You could be a great wife you know."

"Judge a woman's capacity to become a good wife by her mix of coffee," she whispered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. It's just that, there is nothing really in black coffee. You don't put creamer or sometimes I don't even put sugar on it on days when the publishing date is close by."

"Ah so that is why it comes out stronger when a major deadline is up. I appreciate that."

"But we are not here to talk about coffee, Mr. Addison."

"Certainly not, Miss Schult. I guarantee you that by the end of this conversation, you are left with a decision that only you could take."

"I already made my decision. I resigned weeks ago."

"A very sad loss if I say so myself. Your absence is an obvious miss in the office. Your colleagues are all swarming in my office asking why you've resigned and I cannot get anything done because of that." He looked at her with an unbreakable focus that she almost held her breath for a few seconds before she replied. "Forgive me if I have caused any inconvenience for you, but for me I think it was a timely resignation for I felt that I can no longer stand another day inside a routine. I have to live a little while I am still young and active."

"And I understand that perfectly, Miss Schult, that is why I accepted your resignation."

"Margo. Just Margo, please. We don't work together anymore. Let's drop the formality, El."

"Of course, Your Excellency," it wasn't even in a teasing tone that Margo thought that he was mocking her. 

He took a peak at his watch, "Well, before we waste any more time, I have a proposition for you."

"A job? There is nothing you could offer me anymore, El. Your new associate is Marko and I am happy for him. He has been doing better than I'd ever had with the job."

"Except making good coffee."

"Oh, grow up, Elrich. It is just coffee. But seriously, there is nothing you could give me that would make me go back there."

"Oh, do not insult me, Miss Schult," his grin made Margo shiver. He held her gaze for the longest time possible that Margo thought that he had been looking at her for hours.

Then he spoke.

"How would you like to run The Daily?"

[to be continued]