Convergence

Chapter 21

Allafair inhaled deeply, taking in the refreshing scent of Manchester. He was smiling from nearly one ear to the other and couldn't help being happy—he was home. As he walked along the street towards the BRIT headquarters, he smiled at each man, woman, and child that passed him. When he came to the corner at which he had to cross the street, he ran his hands over his freshly shaved chin. Exhaling heavily, he beamed ever wider. It was a good day to be free.

Allafair stepped into the office building, moving, without slowing his pace, towards the elevator at the other end of the room. He was yards away, mere feet, when he heard a voice that he never thought he would hear again. "Hey!" a young woman called out. Allafair faltered but did not stop to turn. "I was talking to you!" the woman said. Allafair felt a hand grasp his elbow and he came to an abrupt stop. Before turning, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"Hi," Allafair said in as kind a tone as he could muster. He glanced back at the elevator, which was beginning to close at an agonizingly slow pace, taunting him.

"I thought..." the ginger-haired girl from before said, trailing off as she let go of his elbow. She seemed to be overcome with a sudden burst of shyness when Allafair met her gaze. Swallowing, she began her sentence once more. "I thought, after I lost you near the elevators last time, that I would never see you again, or perhaps you might have even been a figment of my imagination." She let out a burst of nervous laughter, which soon died away when Allafair did not seem amused.

"Is that why you grabbed me, then?" he asked. He could still feel the nerves in his arm recovering from her grip—she'd had a strong one. "To make sure I wasn't just a figment of your imagination?"

"Oh...no...well...perhaps," she said. Nervous laughter filled the silence that followed her stuttered response. "I suppose I just wanted to stop you and say, 'Hello'..." Allafair nodded, acknowledging her intents, then went to turn back towards the elevators. "But I also wanted to ask if you had plans!" she suddenly burst. "Had plans this...this evening." She blushed furiously as he turned back to her and seemed embarrassed to have spoken at all.

Allafair's eyebrows shot up. "I am currently occupied with...a project," he said.

"Now and then it'd be good to take a break, don't you think?"

"No," Allafair said flatly. This woman had wasted far too much of his time, so he turned on his heel and closed the remaining distance between himself and the elevators; He was determined to be on the next trip to headquarters. When he came to a stop before both, closed elevators, he exhaled deeply, relieved to be free of the red-haired chatter-box. He scanned the building floor—what he could see of it, that is—and lost his impeccable posture at the sight of the ginger-haired woman rushing after him.

"I understand if you're a workaholic!" she said over the dim chatter that filled the room. "I don't mind working, either! We could work together! I love learning new things and—"

"Pardon me, madam, but I do think that man is looking for you," a familiar voice said from behind Allafair, who had turned to brace himself for the young woman's arrival. The ginger-haired woman turned to see who the voice had indicated and immediately turned several shades paler.

"Oh dear, that's my boss," she said in a hushed tone. "Has my break passed already...? Oh bother, he's in a state again." She turned to Allafair for a moment and shoved a card in his hand before taking off in the direction of an angry-looking brunette.

A hand clasped Allafair's shoulder and the voice said, "Good on you, old boy! You got her number this time." Allafair felt a smile spread across his lips as he realized who had just saved him from a bothersome job.