CHAPTER 7

I ran as fast as my legs could carry me to a bus stop. Luckily, I got a south Brooklyn bus as I soon as I arrived at the stop. I looked at my wrist watch. 9:50 am. The ride took fifteen minutes so I arrived at Hollen Tower's premises at 10:05 am, which meant that I had exactly twenty five minutes to find myself behind my desk. I already had my employee pass so I wasn't held up by security. I ran to the entrance and into the elevator, up. I didn't care who saw me acting like an animal that was making a run for it from the zoo. I found myself behind my desk at 10:15 a.m. There were three faces sitting across from me, looking at me with sarcastic pity. The interviews! My mind recollected. I heaved a sigh from exhaustion and got myself busy immediately. My line rang. ″Send in the other person.″ 'Who is the other person, Sir?" I asked him. ″If you were here on time then you wouldn't be asking me that stupid question now. Send in anyone! I don't care!″ His words were hurtful like a craving knife cutting away at my flesh. Why was he so mean? 'Next person please," I said to the applicants. A young woman, she could of been around my age, got up and walked towards Mr. Hollen's office and the tears crept onto my chest, waiting to be spilled out my eyes but I was not about to cry at my desk. It became too heavy. I excused myself from my desk and went to the bathroom and cried for five minutes. I wiped my eyes with some tissues, gathered myself again and went back to my desk. I stopped short of my desk when I saw the same young lady who went into his office a few minutes ago, behind it. 'Are you Miss. Blackman?" she asked me. I nodded yes. 'Mr. Hollen would like to see you in his office immediately," she said again. She already sounded and looked professional. Oh no, he had already replaced me and if he used the word ‘immediately' to seek someone's presence in his office, trust me, that's not good news. I headed towards his office, knocked and turned on the door's handle. I opened the door and walked in. Fear putting a slow pace on my movement. His back was turned towards me. He swiftly spun around in his chair and faced me. His eyes locked on, getting darker and darker by the seconds. That's definitely not good. Evan's POV I watched her standing at my desk in my office. I was antagonized by her behavior. She had already arrived late and when she eventually arrived, I called her desk and she wasn't answering the line. I had to put an applicant in her place because Miss. Blackman was nowhere to be found. She of all people should know better. I hated slackers and she was becoming one which was very disappointing. She was one of the best employees I ever hired and I really didn't want to regret hiring her. 'Miss. Blackman, what's the meaning of this?" I asked her, referring to her absence a while ago at her desk. She hesitated to answer. More like she was scared of saying the wrong thing. I looked at her carefully and noticed her makeup had be smudged. She was crying. Maybe because of her mom. What's really wrong with her mom anyways? 'I'm.. very sorry Mr. Hollen," she stuttered and lowered her head in trepidation. She was trembling, sending all the signs of fear because of being in such a position, a position where she could be fired. 'Clean out your desk," I said to her and she flinched at the words. She turned slowly on her heels and without another word, she walked out the door. My cell phone rang on the desk. I looked at the caller's ID and flashed a smile immediately but I let it rang out. I then threw back my head and laughed when she called again. It was Jessica Hills, my ex girlfriend from high school. Apparently, Jessica wanted to reconnect with me and become friendly. The last I heard from her, she was travelling to Canada to go live with her cousins. 'She must be back in Brooklyn now," I said to myself. ‘Why else would she be calling my cell phone?' ‘And how the hell did she got my number?' ‘She must of called my family's mansion first. Dad would give my number to anyone.' Ughhh!! I switched off my phone and walked out my office. Miss. Blackman was gathering the last of her things, throwing it into a box. The applicant I hired was at the desk, taking calls and glancing at Miss Blackman from the corners of her eyes. I had dismissed the other applicants to the other level each where they'll be interviewed. I was not up for it anymore. After Miss. Blackman had reached the end of her packing, she walked out from behind the desk and stood a respectable distance away. 'Thank you for the opportunity Mr. Hollen. I really did appreciate it and it was a pleasure working for you," she said, tears in her throat and she slowly turned on her heels and began walking towards the elevator. Where the hell is she going? 'Miss. Blackman," I called after her. Her pace slowed down, she turned to me. 'It's okay Sir, I'll be fine." She turned to leave again which only caused me going after her and stopping her right before she got into the elevator.