Chapter 4

"I come here a few times every week." Miss Rose said as she walked into the changing rooms, "Boxing has always been a healthy outlet for me. I thoroughly enjoy it, and as my PA you get to thoroughly enjoy it as well."

I highly doubted that.

I was standing next to Miss Rose in the changing rooms, she had made me arrive at the office extra early this morning, only to drive me up to the gym. I extremely hated any physical activity besides running and I knew that boxing probably wouldn't be any different.

The highlight of this whole thing was getting to see Miss Rose in a sleeveless shirt and shorts. Her limbs were so toned and her arms were covered in tattoos. I knew she had tattoos but I had never seen so many on an individual at once, I found them beautiful.

"Come on Muna, you've gotta change too"

I immediately snapped out of my thoughts and my brain went into panic mode.

"I can't, I didn't know we were coming to the gym so I didn't bring any clothes"

Miss Rose just smiled with a devilish look in her eyes. Reaching into a locker she produced a full set of sports clothes, down to the trainers.

"These are all in your size. I got you covered." She said winking as she handed them to me.

I caught a glimpse of a sports bra in the pile of clothes, there was no way that was my size.

"What does this even have to do with my job," I basically whined in a last attempt to get out of this.

"I need to know you'd be able to defend yourself if it ever arises. Think of boxing as a work extra-curricular activity, you know, like they have in school."

I wanted to roll my eyes so badly but I remembered she was still my boss and instead went into one of the cubicles and began changing.

Defend myself? I was working as a PA not for the freaking FBI.

"Come on Muna, you're taking forever," Miss Rose said from the other end of the door.

I closed my eyes, sighing deeply before stepping out. Instantly Miss Rose scanned my body and I watched as her green eyes seemed to darken, my heart quickened and I bit my lip. Immediately her eyes were drawn to them, I couldn't tell if this was actually happening or I was just hallucinating the whole thing.

"Come on." Miss Rose suddenly said as she turned around, I trailed behind her as we left the changing rooms.

We walked past the crowded gym to the room where she had private sessions to practice her boxing. My mind went blank when I felt her arm snake around my waist. People nodded at Miss Rose as we walked past and stared at me. It wasn't in a mean way but more of a curious manner.

"Here we are"

I ignored the empty feeling as soon as Miss Rose removed her arm from around my waist and instead focused on the instructions she was giving me.

I watched as she walked over to a punching bag and began ripping into it, her muscles lean and her tattoos began glistering as the sweat trickled down her skin. I began to sweat too, but for a different reason. She made a grunting sound like such time her fists came into contact with the bag, and it made me wonder what she sounded like-

"Muna. It's your turn."

My thoughts halted and I felt myself heat up as I positioned myself in front of the punching bag. I felt Miss Rose's eyes on me, the atmosphere was so quiet compared to the noisy gym we had just walked through. I punched. It didn't even budge. I punched again. Nothing.

I heard Miss Rose chuckle and my face began to heat up. My arms were noodles and I had zero muscles, there was no way this was going to work.

"Let's try something else," Miss Rose suggested.

I could hear the laughter in her voice and I watched panting slightly as she put white padded gloves over her hands.

"Okay, punch here instead." Miss Rose said as she raised her hands up in front of her.

I did.

"Channel your anger and stress and punch here"

I did so again, Miss Rose didn't even flinch.

"Are you even trying?"

Was she serious?

I punched again but it was pretty weak as well.

"Come on Muna."

I mustered all my energy and threw another punch. I miscalculated and my fist connected with Miss Rose's nose. I let out a gasp as I stared at her. She looked back at me in shock. We both just stood there, surprise all over our faces just staring at each other. That was until slowly but surely a red substance began to ooze out of Miss Rose's nose.

Miss Rose took off her gloves and reached up to her nose pulling away and staring at her fingers that were now a bright crimson color before slowly turning to look up at me.

This was it, I was going to lose my job. I had not been working here up to a month and I was going to lose my job. I just assaulted my boss, hell, I was probably going to get arrested too. No grad school was going to take me in with a criminal record.

"Wow Muna." Miss Rose said in astonishment.

I stared at her wondering if she could see the intense fear in my eyes.

"Miss Rose I- please, I'm so so sorry. I didn't mean it. I-"

Miss Rose's serious face suddenly broke into a smile, before I knew it she was doubled over laughing. It was shocking and I just stared at her even more scared than I had been before.

"That was a good punch Muna."

"I-"

"The First Aid Kit is in the changing room. Don't worry, I doubt you broke my nose." Miss Rose said as she reached up and touched her nose bridge.

I quietly trailed behind Miss Rose to the changing room still in a daze. I had just punched her and she responded by laughing?

"I'd clean it up." I said taking the First Aid Kit from her.

It was the very least I could do seeing as I was responsible for the damage. I meticulously began to clean the blood that was now smeared all over her face. I was so close to her and could smell the iron in the blood. Miss Rose quietly watched me as I cleaned up the last droplets of blood.

"Wow Muna, you've got some balls giving your boss a bloody nose," Miss Rose said once I was done.

She laughed slightly and shook her head. I knew she was teasing me but I couldn't help the immense guilt that I felt.

"I'm really really sorry Miss Rose," I mumbled staring at her wide-eyed, "I really did not mean to."

"I know you didn't mean to," Miss Rose said the tone of her voice was suddenly serious, "otherwise, you wouldn't still be here. I can assure you of that."

I didn't know if that was a joke and if I was to laugh because Miss Rose was looking at me intensely. I noticed this was something she tended to do often, switch between making jokes one moment and being dead serious the next.

Before I could figure out a reply, the changing room door swung open and a woman walked in. Up until now, Miss Rose and I had been the only one's in the changing room.

The first thing that stuck out to me was just how beautiful the woman was. She literally looked like something off a Victoria Secret runway. She had wavy red hair, a skinny frame which was apparent in her sports bra and leggings, and slender long legs.

Her bright blue eyes widened once they caught sight of Miss Rose.

"Anastasia, is that you?"

She knew Miss Rose?

Miss Rose stood up awkwardly, "hey Caroline, um, what are you doing here?"

"Uh, I don't know Anastasia... what do you think I'm doing at the gym?" The beautiful woman said laughing, she was now standing in front of Miss Rose with her hands resting on her skinny hips. "Why haven't you been replying to any of my texts or calls? I miss you babe."

Babe?

"Um Caroline, this is my new Personal Assistant, Muna," Miss Rose said, completely ignoring her question.

I stood up from my seat abruptly and plastered the most realistic-looking smile I could muster on my face. The Caroline woman seemed to notice me for the first time since entering the room and she looked at me like I was something she had found at the bottom of her shoe.

"Hmm. I wonder how long this one is gonna last," Caroline said looking at me from head to toe. I felt myself unconsciously covering up my body that was basically on full display.

"Stop frightening her Caroline. She's my PA, be nice." Miss Rose said rather sternly as she grabbed my arm and pulled me to her side. She seemed a bit irritated but I could bet it was nothing compared to the anger and embarrassment I was feeling in that moment.

"I'm just saying," Caroline replied, fixing her eyes on Miss Rose's hand that was holding unto my arm, "whatever. I'd see you around Anastasia."

She blew a kiss at Miss Rose before turning on her heel and walking away. Her hips were swaying ferociously as she walked, it was a surprise it did not just fall off all together.

"Just ignore her," Miss Rose said loosening the grip she had around my arm, "Caroline is a little bitchy sometimes"

Just a little?

I kept my thoughts to myself and nodded my head instead.

Who exactly was Caroline to Miss Rose?