The Art of a Pickpocket

Chapter 5: First Day

The rest of the weekend passes by quickly and soon it's Monday. After dropping off Akira at school, I make my way quickly to Mr Cameron's office. "I can't be late on my first day." I thought.

Checking the time, I realise I have 20 minutes left to get to the office. "Faster, faster." I urge the driver, panicking slightly. Suddenly the car stops right in the middle of the road refusing to move again. "What the hell is wrong with the car?!" I asked the driver frustrated. "Uh-uh, the car d-doesn't want to start." he stuttered. "And why?" I asked, beads of sweat slowly forming on my forehead. "I- I think I-I'm low on fuel." he said nervously. "Can things get any worse today?" I muttered under my breath annoyed and scared all at once.

Getting out of the car, I throw the last notes in my purse at the driver, now completely aware of the commotion around me caused by him. "Way to go, Lyla." I said to myself as I pushed the empty purse in the pocket of my long coat and started with my marathon.

"In every situation, you're supposed to look at the good and bad side." I smiled, remembering the words of Mr Cameron. He was right. In a situation like this, I could use my skill in running to get to where I wanted. I'm a good runner, and a fast person as such and I was completely using it.

I checked my watch once again and I realised I had 7 minutes left. Muttering curses under my breath, I pick up speed, pushing between the thick crowd of people on the busy streets and managing to make it just in time.

I burst into the doors of the reception causing stares but I didn't care much. People shot daggers at me for disrupting the silence of the reception which they seemed to pretty much enjoy as they sipped their coffee, but, like I said, I couldn't care less.

The receptionist looked at me with eyes wide open as a result of my outburst and probably my look. Catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I quickly smoothen my hair which I had kept in a tight bun and adjusted my outfit.

"Sorry to have appeared this way." I said in a rush. "You see, the car... traffic.... runni-...". "Oh it's okay." she cut through flashing me her set of white teeth, "I understand." "Oh okay, thanks then." I said quite surprised. "Oh it's alright. I'll call Eloise to come and take things from here." she said, her ear to the receiver.

Soon after Eloise comes out looking as presentable as always and I couldn't help but feel a little insecure. Pushing those thoughts away, I make my way to her smiling as she approached me. "8 o'clock, now that's exact." she said smiling up at me as we made our way to the elevator doors.

"Yeah." I said, pushing my hand into the pockets of my trousers. I noticed Eloise looking at my hands in my pockets with a frown and pulled out quickly. "You're a boy deep down aren't ya?" she asked smiling but I was offended and skillfully masked it with a smile, avoiding her question.

Growing up with a bunch of guys on the streets was pretty hard, especially when you had to protect yourself and show that you're a tough cookie at the same time. Such was expected. I knew I was a tomboy and I had tried to change myself all these years, but it appears all efforts to change proved futile. But I'm not done, not yet.

The beep of the elevator doors brings me back to reality and I step out a little nervous. "Relax, you've been here before. What's the big deal? Besides Mr Cameron is a nice gentleman and remember he needs you, not the opposite." I pep talked myself, smiling with confidence.

We appear before the same door and Eloise knocks on it twice and opens. "Sir, Ms Anderson." she said, her eyes trailing on the floor. "Ah yes, it's you, come, come give me a hug." he said, standing up from his position behind the desk, arms outstretched with a big smile plastered on his face.

He pulled me into a hug and I couldn't help but feel weird from lack of such affection for a long time. I was happy though, since there was no harm in hugging him. He behaved like a father to me. I notice something was wrong from the corner of my eye. Eloise. She stood there with a frown and I pulled back gently from Mr Cameron's arms.

He checked himself thoroughly to make sure I hadn't taken anything and I chuckle. "Don't worry sir, I have no possession of yours with me." "Cameron," he corrected. "I said call me Cameron." and for the second time I notice Eloise's eyes widening in shock. "Right. Cameron." I said with a smile and he returned it with one of his own.

"For 3 days Eloise will show you around, where your office is, breakfast area, my schedule and other areas of this company. Then you can take it up from there." he said. "Alright Cameron." I replied. After telling Eloise where to start from and where to finish with my tour, we made our way to the door. "And yes Lyla," he called back. "You'll be meeting the managing directors of the company tomorrow at 2:00pm. Punctuality counts." "Yes please." I said in response and we left.

"Now that was a hell of a show you guys put out there." Eloise said the moment we were out of his office. "Hmm... why so?" I asked with an eyebrow raised. "The Mr Cameron we know around here
isn't anything like this. He must really like you to be this nice to you, or maybe there's more to it than a personal secretary." she finished shooting an arched eyebrow in my direction.

"Whatever that means, it's definately not that." I said and walked off realising I knew nothing about the place and turned walking back to her. She remained at exactly where I had left her, arms crossed with a smirk playing on her lips. "Shall we?" I asked, obviously not in the mood for any drama today.

We walked around the place throughout day with Eloise showing me things and places in the company. From offices with rich furnitures and carvings to well polished metallic artefacts. Somehow we had managed to patch as if we didn't have a thing against each other in the beginning. Finally, Eloise opened a door to a room and we both stepped inside.

This place was different, it had black on almost everything there. There was a sofa at one corner of the room a little coffee machine, a shelf with numerous files lined in alphabetical order, a weapon cabinet, a round table which stood right in the centre, behind it was a ceiling to floor transparent window, overlooking the rest of the city. This place was nice, but couldn't be compared to that of Mr Cameron's office. It was by far one of the best I'd seen today.

I turned to Eloise to see her smiling up at me with her perfect set of white teeth on full display. "I knew you'd like it." she said still smiling. "L-like what?" I managed to say still looking around me. "Your office. This is the office of Mr Cameron's personal secretary." she finished and I froze. "W-what?" I stuttered out completely shocked by what she said. "Yep, you heard me right. This is your new office." she said her smile a bit forced this time.

I left her at where she stood, and walked to the weapon cabinet, staring longingly at it, like a child taken to a candy store. "Uh, about that, it's new here. He probably brought it for you." I ignored her, lost in my own world. I moved to the table and scraped my fingers on the dark glass. "Black." I murmured under my breath still lost in my thoughts. "Damn, how much was his net worth? This office alone is worth more than what Akira and I lived in back home." I thought a little saddened.

I feel a hand on my shoulder squeezing me slightly. "It's getting late. Your daughter is probably waiting for you right now." came the voice of Eloise, almost a whisper and I knew she was right. She said nothing more but I heard the door of the office close and I knew I was alone in here.

I walk round the table to the chair and take a deep breath before slowly lowering myself into it. Placing my arms on the armrest, I close my eyes and spin the chair around as slowly as possible, enjoying the silence around me. This was a new feeling, one of a kind, it was very rare, actually I'd never felt like this before, this important, and I knew my life was changing for the better. I could just feel it.

A/N. Another chapter updated, please vote, share and comment. Love you all.