Her

MASON

When twenty min. earlier I thought that the HOP will come and attend us.

What I thought was.

A tall man in a three-piece suit and styled hair, arrogance in tone and over smartness in walk would meet us.

Seeing that he didn’t think of us as much importance and ordered his p.a. to deal with us. I couldn’t seem to fit words like - smart, wise, reasonable, clever, inspiring in his description, but when the door opened and the person entered.

I can precisely narrate everything in slow motion because that moment is constructed in my mind like a movie in my own mind theater.

Yeah I know I used Sherlock holmes mind palace reference and used mind theater instead because for one this is what it felt like and two its was definitely better than twilight vampire reference.

So back to the point.

Carlson and Juana were making small talks about the office, coffee, and other surroundings while I was scrolling through my phone bored and irritated because I had to wait for mister arrogant HOP.

Not that I was in any place to show my anger and disappointment in them. We needed them, needed this.

This deal could change everything and no matter how irritated and agitated I might be I would have waited two whole days even weeks if needed be, Carson knew that and looks like so did the HOP.

I was halfway through rolling my eyes at their birt-art-on-the-wall discussion when the door clicked open and the HOP in question walked in.

The air around us changed.

Not literally of course, not like the 6 underground laughing gas action, no.

But like suddenly everything, everyone was silent.

Juana went quite so did Carlson, both of their eyes were fixated on the person who walked in, mine too.

For all of your kind information and a kick to my assumptions, the HOP wasn’t a he but a she.

A fine one at that.

I don’t know if it was aura or the vibe but it attracted attention, attention, and submission and it gave off authority and power in a very…intimidating…way.

her presence seeked sincerity as if in front of her everyone was ears and a head nod in acceptance.

The HER was around 5’6 or 5’8 maybe.

With night-black hair which fell straight down her middle back then curled reaching her lips, like a heavy black waterfall that danced around the ends.

I don’t believe in color but hers suited her well, she was pale.

Not about to die pale but like she was living in a cold place pale, but the weather around wasn’t winter it was barely around the corner though being mid-august, just a bit of rain here and there.

Her eyebrows and eyelashes were the same night-black though her lashes were longer and heavier than the earlier.

And her eyes. They were the lightest shade of blue, an almost grey type.

I wasn’t sure but it looked like either her eyes were the same crystal frost kind of bluish-grey or the frozen sea blue which had lost the color and turned grey.

Whatever it was one thing was sure, they worked like razors, wide and sharp, alert and ready.

If I didn’t know better I would have thought she was a different kind of superman with silver laser instead of the usual one, was it red or green I didn’t remember couldn’t…..remember it was all silver, bluish-grey for me.

Her nose wasn’t small, medium-size if there was one with a slope and then around point.

It was the perfect ice slope for my skating eyes.

And then were her lips, I didn’t forget her high cheekbones, I couldn’t.

But her lips were a stretched crossbow, full and beautiful. with everything about her was light beside her black hair and dark aura of course her lips looked like the only bright color of her life. A perfect shade of natural dark baby pink. Was that even a color?

Her eyes cut through Juana, slashed to Carlson, and slew to me.

If my brown was caught or locked in silver I’m unaware.

But I know one thing, they stayed that way.

Her shoulders back, head high, face straight.

She walked in like a warrior, maybe she was, or maybe it was just me………intrigued and attractive.

But she walked like that, like a warrior

Her posture, it smelled and spelled fighter.

Backbone straight, swaying rigid hands.

If I wasn’t witnessing it myself, I would have believed it to be a march but it wasn’t.

It was something in between.

No movement of hers was unconfident, no movement of hers was shy, it was something loud and clear.

Bold and strong.

This confidence, boldness. It made her god-like features so much more.

So much more humanly inhuman.

She walked past, me, and sat in Juana’s chair, we didn’t even know we stood involuntarily by her attendance, we seated too.

If I weren’t already aware of the country being independent and democratic, I would have thought she was the queen of the kingdom.

Maybe she was or maybe it was just me acting like the animal of Narnia after seeing Aslum.

I looked over to Carlson, then at Juana.

Oh! Thankgod I wasn’t alone.

I thought I actually lost my mind, goodness I wasn’t the only mesmerized baby who saw lights for the first time.

“Hello sir, Mr. Rodgers, Mr. Rodgers,” She said shaking our hands and we followed involuntarily, at least our jaws weren’t hanging open.

“I am clare, the head of the project” She continued her voice did two things.

First brought my mind back to the real world.

And second…… well whatever you read above, honey coat it with her voice because of her voice.

“Mason” I tried to speak

“Hi, I am Carlson” Carlson introduced himself stepping on my toe.

‘Bro I am already back in the world’ I wanted to say but resisted.

“I am sorry you had to wait, I had to visit the hospital urgently and had to wait more than planned so I asked Juana to keep me on call”

She explained, she was polite yet authoritative, easy going but not I couldn’t figure out. She went to the hospital but my thoughts were jumbled and messed.

“Are you okay?” I asked, my voice was apparently very confident and almost normal.

And gosh if I wasn’t proud of it, I was grinning like Grinch from the inside while wriggling my eyebrows in showoff.

“Oh yeah, I am absolutely okay, and I apologize again, can we commence the meeting,” She said and we both nodded.

She wasn’t arrogant or over smart but still, it frowned me that she had no emotions what so ever and the thought that she didn’t smile.

Not once not from the heart.

Her smiles, small smile the whole time the meeting continued, they were all a show, all of her expressions were actually and it looked like it was just me who noticed.

It was like besides her straight face every emotion may it be dilemma or confusion they were all fake.

And with the way, the other two reacted Juana either didn’t notice or was used to her…….hollowness.

Carlson didn’t notice a thing.

And I either read too much between the lines or something else entirely.

When the meeting ended and we shook hands it was time we headed out, I hoped carl was here but I prayed he wasn’t.

I had to see her more, I wanted to see her again and I will in the future but not like this, not in the formal atmosphere.

Somewhere we could actually talk somewhere I could see her normal, free personality, not with walls of the warrior kind but the opposite.

When Carlson opened the door of Juana’s office and walked out, I followed and so did clare.

As soon as I walked out I saw carl standing from his chair outside.

“took you long enough, had to wait an hour extra man!” He said annoyed looking at Carlson then me.

I was about to reply but her eyes fell on clare and he jumped.

A big smile on his face, he JUMPED and HUGGED clare.

What the hell.

“hey, clare! It’s so nice to meet you again!” He said releasing her

“hi carl,” she said in her mature self way.

“Wait are you signing with my brothers? I thought you were smart” He asked enthusiastically pointing at us.

“I’m signing with them because I am smart carl” She deadpanned with her straight face.

With one eyebrow raised, I said “you know clare”

“Oh yeah she is the one I stayed with last night, you picked me from her house,” He said

“We did? Thankyou clare that was very kind of you” I said

“Oh no it was fine,” She said dismissing, giving me that hollow smile again.

“Oh, by the way, clare! Surprisingly dad is in town today! You should come to meet him, it’ll be like a get-together!” He said enthusiastically (did it run in his blood instead of RBCs I have no idea), and she knows dad?!.

“Ah, no carl I have work and stuff,” She said but carl stopped her and continued.

“No finish your work today, tomorrow it’s a get-together, you are coming and bring your special someone too,” He said and I had this strong instinct to punch him, is he even my brother.

YOU MOTHER GOTHEL!

IDIOT!

Ignoring my tangled reference, it was a relief when she said “have no someone”

“Fine come alone then,” He said then looked at me sharing a look and I wanted to

BEST BROTHER EVER!

BRILLIANT!

“You should come too Juana” Carlson invited with those same tom and jerry red heart eyes.

“No, I …” Before Juana could deny carl interjected.

“no-nos you are coming too,” He said looking at Carlson giving the same look.

“Okay,” Juana agreed.

“Good its set then, cya tom.!” Carl said waving a bye and we walked out.

“Didn’t give her our address” I stated coming to a halt.

“I’ll text her” Carl said and I started walking, he had her number!?

“How does she know dad?” I asked

“She owes him something, she recognized me and helped,” He said like it was no big deal.

“Free three days lunch dinner and laundry by me for her number” I announced putting my shades on.

“Fuck you!” He said but then continued “But deal” Smirking I climbed in my car.

“Do you have Juana’s ?” Carlson asked

“I don’t walk around being the damsel in distress for girls and collect their numbers!” He deadpanned and before Carlson could reply we both said together “SHUT UP!” Silencing him.

After he climbed in slamming the door we drove back home.