I'm No Cinderella

Chapter 22

As the sky turned darker by twilight and the office starts to get quieter, I feel a sense of déjà vu. This is the same situation I was in the first time I met the Lion – how is it that things end up to back where it started. The only difference is this time he’s not in the office, instead he’s out there enjoying his night with two hot ladies. At about eight at night, I went to make myself a cup of coffee. As I turned on the coffee maker, I made a mental note to myself to keep and extra change of outfit in a bag in my car – for the next time that the lion loses his temper and expects me to stay back at work.

                If I didn’t finish the report today, I might need to stay over in my office like the last time. Carrying my cup of coffee back to my office, I was surprised to see the Lion standing in front of my office door. I froze as I saw him and he stopped in his motion as he saw me. What is he doing here? Isn’t he supposed to be out painting the town red? Where’s Leah?

                “I thought you left?” he said as I sipped my coffee, not taking my eyes off him.  

                “I had work to do – how can I leave,” I answered as his eyes darkened.

                “You don’t have to be like this,” he said as I looked at him puzzled.

                “What do you mean?” I asked him, “I have a job to do – and I’m doing it.”

                He just stared at me, not saying a word. His clenched and unclenched his jaw before turning away and walking to his office.

                Is he angry with me? Why should he be? I am doing my work, aren’t I?

                I shrugged my shoulders and got back to work, a thousand thoughts running through my mind. He did get off work this evening, didn’t he? I thought I saw him leave. What is he doing here right now? Did he fetch Leah’s friend from the airport or not?     

At about eleven, I was almost done with my report when Leah called me, asking me when I will be getting off from work as she needed me to fetch her from her friend’s hotel. Apparently the Lion did fetch her friend and sent them to the hotel, telling them he had work to do and left them. I told her that I might be leaving at twelve and that I will call her once I’m done.

                I finished my report just as my wristwatch shows twelve am. My eyes were already drooping from sleep. All I wanted to do was to get back home and collapse on my bed. Oh no, I realized that I have to get Leah first. I called her to say that I’m finished and that I would come and get her in less than half an hour. I wonder if the Lion is still in his office. Only one way to find out.

                I took the printed report papers and headed to his office – the light under the door is still on, which means he’s still around – knocking on his door tentatively. He grunted an answer and I entered to see him going through some reports. He looked up as I entered, not a smile on his face. I actually missed his smile.

                “I’m done with the report, sir,” I said, enunciating on the word ‘sir’. Placing the report on his table, I watched him as he looked at the report and back at me, expressionless. Where was that young, carefree man that I had fun with last week? Why is he replaced by this zombie lion? “I’ve re-read the manuscript and re-written the report – in detail. You can check it right away if you don’t believe me.”

                “Just leave it there,” he said quietly as I just watched him. I’m not scared of you, lion.

                “I’m leaving now,” I said, as he nodded his head. Rolling my eyes I turned and left, feeling hollow inside. What happened to us? Oh, I remember – he likes to play with girl’s hearts, and girls like me are merely toys for him to throw around when he feels like it. If I was Leah, he’d actually drive all around running errands for her. It hurts a little, but its reality. I cleared my desk, turned off the computer and headed for the car park.