The recent weeks have been the biggest turning points in the moments of my life. I had witnessed a murder, gotten my life threatened by a murderer and a cheat, shared a delicate secret with a stranger I had just met, moved to another place for safety, quit my website that had been my only source of income for four years, found out my best friend was now a multi-millionaire who owned a nice car and managed a big company. And finally met up with the stranger again.
I cannot run forever, can I?
His eyes squinting as he took in the sight of me showed he either remembered me or was trying to recall where he had met me before. I hope he never remembers a thing.
'You are the new employee?"
'Not yet, sir." The blonde replied jumpily, her fake smile sloppy and unstable. 'She hasn't been interviewed."
He mouthed an oh and continued to stare at me. I cleared my throat and looked away.
'Oh," Zed said, suddenly remembering something. 'Before I forget, let me introduce you to each other."
I faked a polite smile and played clueless.
'Connor, meet my childhood best friend, Kenzie Seattle. Kenzie, meet my boss and CEO of Stars World Entertainment. Connor Meyers."
My head vibrated at his last words. CEO?
Does this mean I would be working in the same agency with a man who knows my deepest darkest secret? Why was my past catching up with me now even after all of the atonement I had done?
Connor's eyes twinkled in smiles as he locked a steady gaze on me and extended a hand.
'Nice to meet you, Miss Seattle."
I accepted his handshake and hoped my smile wouldn't slip off my face from the fakeness of it.
'It's a pleasure."
After the whole introduction and Zed feeding me the details of how he had met Connor and how Connor was like a brother to him, he finally walks me into the rest of the office much to my relief. We walked past staffs dressed in corporate wears and some in nice expensive jeans and blazers, all working away on their laptops, sparing a few seconds to greet Zed. When we took the elevator to the top floor, I almost gaped in awe.
This was more of the lifestyle section. A few Stylishly dressed people were sprawled across different tables with other employees, some talking away and other yelling and trying to cause a scene.
And is that Farley Bieber I see?
And Liam Songz? And Stephanie Rose?
The excitement in me grew. I tried to imagine waking up every morning and coming to work in a place where celebrities trooped in like a regular home. I swear I could die from overjoy.
'Our agency manages celebrities in the entertainment world. Singers, actors, models and the rest." Zed fed me the details as we walked past them. 'Hold on tight, Kenzie. This is going to take a while."
I frowned and tried to understand his last sentence.
He smiled at one of the celebrities, a young teenage boy with nice curly hair and too many freckles on his face. 'What's up, Walker? Ready to kill that audition?"
The boy's face lit up and he nodded in full confidence. 'Yes, Mr. Hadid. I'm going to get the part."
Zed laughed lightly and fist bumped the boy.
'That's the spirit, man. I'm sure you'll be perfect for the role. All the best, Walker."
We moved on and he makes other stops at a few other celebrities, each person with their own unique weirdness. Only a few of them are normal, I would say.
When we finally arrived at his office and my butt kissed the expensive leather seat, I moaned in gratitude. How long had I been standing since today?
Zed laughed at my reaction and poured me water from the fridge. I looked around the large spacious office, taking in the expensive lighting and artworks that adorned the room. Zed handed me the glass of water and I thanked him before gulping the water down. I watched him strode to the large curtain at the left side of the room and swipe it over, revealing a large window. I rose from my seat, staring at the sight before me. It wasn't just the window that caught my eye. It was the ariel view of the city and the way the sunlight flitted in through the windows.
I walked over and stood beside Zed and we both looked on at the towering buildings and skyscrapers.
'It is epic at night." He spoke.
'It is beautiful." I awed at the fascination of the view and the skyline.
I turned to look at him after a minute of enjoying the view.
I smiled at him, pride taking over my being. A flush of dejavu washes through me. It all felt like just yesterday back at the orphanage when I was fourteen and he was a year older and we would sneak up to the top building and watch the view of the city from afar, using a pair of small binoculars an old couple had gifted Zed when they came for a visit and that we had hid away from the views of the nuns so they wouldn't take it away. It was our own little secret.
The binoculars and the high building where we watched the rest of the world from. And dreamed. The dreams of one day owning one of the tall buildings in the big city and employing all of our friends in the orphanage to come work with us. Even though it was only Zed who actualized it, it felt like the rest of us had won as well.
'You did it, Zed. You got your dream life."
He reached for my hand and stroked them gently. A warm familiar tenderness emits from his hold.
'No, Kenzie. I got us our dream life."
My lips flattened in a smile and my insides swelled in pride. Who would have ever thought this day would truly ever come? We were just little kids who had run off from the orphanage home and ended up in the streets begging and working menial jobs to survive and not die from hunger and the unfriendliness of the streets.
'I tried to reach you. Tried to tell you about everything. I wanted you to work here, right beside me where I can protect you and give you the life we had always wished for. You and JoJo."
That was why he had called to tell me about a job the other day.
I suddenly felt the heavy feel of guilt weigh my heart again.
One year. One whole year, I had let him off into the streets without turning back to know what had happened to him. I had been so focused on making money to remember I had another part of my heart alone and scared in the world. What if something bad had happened to him? Would I have ever forgave myself?
'I have been a bad friend, Zed. I don't deserve any of the good things you are doing for me."
'Don't say that, Kenz." He reached out for my hand again. 'It was all my fault. I risked my best friend in a dangerous situation. I couldn't forgive myself for a really long time."
I looked away and blinked back the tears that clothed my eyes. I wasn't going to act weak now.
'You do know you can cry the way you want around me yea? I mean, I have seen you cry several times before. Not like it's the prettiest sight to see but I mean…"
I grabbed him in a swift hug and he stopped talking abruptly. He recovered from his shock and pressed me closer to him, his large hands on my small back.
'You talk too much." I whispered from beneath my breath.
