I'm used to it.
I'm used to it.
"You can do this Mia. This is Benjamin. It isn't a big deal" She said to herself and shut her eyes when she heard the start of the music.
Soon, she felt Benjamin's hand on her upper arm, repeating the same movement he had done for two times already. Her body stiffened once again.
His hand went down to her lower arm and then he locked their fingers together.
Everyone especially Mr B watched in apprehension. They could only hope and pray for Mia to do it well this time.
When it was time for her to spin around, she did and Mr B sighed in relief.
Mia and Benjamin came face to face and his lips slightly curved up in a smile as he pulled her closer to his body making her boobs press to his hard chest with only their clothes in between.
She sucked in breath and he took note of it.
"Just relax." He said to her in a quiet voice, his eyes never leaving her face.
She heard him clearly despite the music because their bodies were pressed closely together.
She still managed to follow the rhythm, trying not to get distracted. One of his hands led hers to his shoulder and the other hand snaked behind her to hold her waist.
"Eye contact Mia. Eye contact." Mr B reminded her.
"Imagine him as your boyfriend or someone you like." She remembered Mr B telling her earlier.
Yes, he was someone she liked so she can do this. She said to herself and reluctantly raised her head to look into Benjamin's eyes but what she saw startled her making her lose balance and almost fall but Leo– no Benjamin held her firmly.
"Do not stop. Continue." Mr B said impatiently but Mia didn't hear a word.
Why was she suddenly seeing Leo? She wondered in shock as she saw Leo smiling at her while he held her hand and spun her around twice before she fell into his arms.
She continued to look at his face like she was hypnotized and no longer paid attention to the dance.
He moved behind her to hold her waist. She was supposed to turn around immediately but she just stood there, staring into space in confusion.
"Stop the music!" Mr B roared in frustration.
He threw the note on his hand on the ground before stomping angrily to his office.
Mia looked at the others apologetically. She turned to look at the guy beside her and he was back to being Benjamin.
"I'm sorry." She said in a small voice before getting down from the stage.
She walked straight to Mr B's office and was about to knock on the door when Benjamin appeared behind her.
"I'll talk to him." He offered.
"I'm sorry I'm putting you all through this." She said apologetically without meeting his eyes.
He sighed deeply and placed his hands behind him as he bagan to talk.
"It's fine. Mr B already told me you do not like being touched. I'm sorry I made you feel uncomfortable." He said with an apologetic smile.
"You are quite a good dancer." She said, hoping he would drop the topic.
He put his head down and smiled.
"I was a better dancer than this."
"Oh..."
"We can talk about it some other time. Now is the time to make Mr B less angry." Benjamin said and was about to knock on the door but just then, the office door opened and Mr B came out.
He looked at the both of them before he opened the door wide.
"You both come inside." He said in a stern voice before he went to sit on his chair.
He looked at the both of them again before saying...
"I think Mia is still uncomfortable because she isn't really used to you. I would suggest you both get to know each other better so she can be comfortable." He said looking at Benjamin.
"Mr B–" Mia tried to speak but he continued.
"I'm not saying you have to hang out everytime. You can start with phone calls and probably meet once between now and Saturday. I believe you would be more comfortable then— oh, you mentioned you both attended same school right?" He asked looking at Benjamin.
When they both nodded, he continued. "Makes it easier. You could both hang out in school and get to know each other. Let's continue from here on Saturday evening. And I hope things would be better."
He said before dismissing them.
*************
"Pull over there." Chloe said to Jeremy as she pointed at a corner.
"Why? We aren't yet in your place." He said as he parked the car.
"We are almost there. I do not know whether my parents are in and do not want to bump–" She suddenly stopped talking and cleared her throat when she realised she was talking too much.
"Oh..." Jeremy was able to grasp it quickly and nodded.
"Uhm... I know I'm not supposed to say this—"
"Then don't" She quickly cut him off before getting down from the car.
Jeremy looked at her through the windshield as she walked towards his side and scoffed. Shouldn't she at least hear what he had to say?
He also got down from the car but didn't move away from the door.
"What is it?" She asked and surprisingly, she wasn't frowning that he was obstructing her.
"Can you reconsider?" He asked.
"What?" She asked in confusion.
"Those men.. The manager and the security team tonight.."
Chloe sighed even before he finished his sentence.
"Stay out of it." She said in a stern voice.
"Please... people's lives depends on these little jobs we take up. Maybe you won't be able to understand since you–"
"Don't you dare say because I was born into a rich family!" She cut him off sharply with a raised hand.
"I am tired of trying to prove to everyone that I'm more than just a 'rich family's daughter'. Can't you all see my ingenuity?"
Fine, maybe her family had helped her set up the mall. But she was able to build it on her own to where it was without her family's help.
Jeremy looked at her in surprise. He hadn't expected such outburst from her.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound that way."
Chloe blinked a couple of times before exhaling sharply.
"I'm just saying their lives could depend on this job and if you fire them... you know..." He paused.
"Remember when we studied management? The classical and neo classical and... and... something else school of thought." He said with wrinkled brows when he couldn't remember.
"But you remember Frederick Taylor talked about the Human relations school of thought and—"
"It was Elton Mayo who talked about it." Chloe interrupted but kept a straight face even though she felt like laughing.
"Oh.." He said in embarrassment before scratching the back of his ear.
"But my point is... people make mistakes. So, you can just overlook this one and you know... forgive them. You'll also save yourself more enemies." He said with a shrug.
She studied his face quietly.
"Why aren't you saying anything?" He asked.
"Because I want to also fire you."
"Wait what? Why!?" He asked looking at her with wide eyes.
"Don't you want a better job?" She asked eyeing him up and down.
"A better job?" He asked looking at her curiously.
"You told me you could become my bodyguard or was that a joke?" She asked with her eyes narrowed at him.
"You.. really want me to become your bodyguard?" He asked with shiny eyes.
"I guess I'd need your services for now and do not think about saying you are going to do it for free just to get me to like you cause–"
"I actually wasn't planning to do it for free." He interrupted with a grin.
Chloe's mouth formed a thin line while she tried to hide the fact that she was embarrassed.
"Good. We can talk about it in school tomorrow." She said before signalling for him to move away so she could take the driver's seat.
Once she got in, she closed the door and started the car.
She dipped her hand into her pocket and took out a few notes of cash before handing it to him.
"What's it for?" He asked as he looked at it but made no effort to take it.
"For bringing me here. I don't know where you live but I'm sure you would be able to catch a cab with it from here." She said and waved it for him to take it from her.
"You don't have to. I offered to drive you home. I'll just catch the night bus."
"It's going to be uncomfortable."
"I'm used to it." He said with a small smile.
She gave him a weird look before keeping her money. She was about driving off when he stopped her to ask...
"When do you want me to officially start?"
"Tomorrow. School." She said reminding him she had said they would talk about it at school.
"Aren't you bothered about what people may say seeing us talking together?"
"What's the big deal about it?" She asked quirking a brow at him.
"If you know me well, you should know I don't care about what people think or say about me. See you in class."
"Wait..." He said stopping her again.
"What?" She asked quietly.
"What about those people? You'll forgive them right?" He asked hopefully.
Chloe simply shrugged her shoulders without saying a word.
Jeremy smiled. He could tell she was reconsidering.
"And Jeremy..." She called just before she began to drive.
"Hmm?" He looked at her wondering what she wanted to say. It was the first time she was calling him by name.
"Make sure to always pay attention in class." She said with a smirk before driving off.