ALEX

I had been rather surprised when Raquel came to actually see me. At some point I grew convinced that she had been a figment of my imagination from my sleep deprived mind. And given the horrible week I had had, seeing she somehow gave me a reason to smile especially as I sit here thinking back on the events that took place after my brother called.

Flashback

"You really aren't going to tell me what happened?" my voice, I'm surprised sounded controlled which is ironic considering I wanted to lose control and bash my knuckles into the wall.

"Like I told you for the millionth time, I fell down the stairs," Rebecca rasped out as she lay in the hospital bed. Her once flawless alabaster skin was decorated in patches of black, purple and blue. She looked terrible with her swollen emerald eyes and bruised up pink lips. Internally the damage made my blood boil considering she had broken ribs and a broken arm.

"Must be some stairs you got there sis," came Sam's snarky response as he sat casually in the chair beside the bed staring off into space. Being the baby of the family, Sam was always in the middle of any arguments that took place between my older sister and I. She may be the first to have popped out but I always had to bail Rebecca out of some shit she found herself in and now I'm quite fed up.

"Oh shut up Sam! Considering you're the one who called him after I told you not to. You have no right to say anything right now."

"If your ass just fell down the stairs, why wouldn't you want him to tell me?" I snapped.

She refused to meet my eyes, keeping her gaze fixed on her lap." Honestly Becca, why can't you just leave him?"

"He loves m-"

"Getting treated like a punching bag isn't love. Don't know where you got that nonsense from."

"Well mom and dad served as a perfect example in the aspect of punching bags."

I swore I blacked out at the mention of that low life. Yes, my mother and father's relationship was dysfunctional but it hurt having to see Rebecca choose the same route for herself.

"So, you aren't even going to consider how this is affecting your own daughter?" said Sam who took the very question out of my mouth.

Her shoulders sagged at the mention of Jamie, the only light in all our lives. If there's anyone who could possibly give Becca the push she needed to leave that drunk, it will certainly be her.

Shaking my head, feeling a weight being placed on my shoulders I laughed even though I felt like crumbling in tears just thinking...

How did we get here?

***

The sound of Raquel's voice snapped me back to reality, the spotlight was on her only and the brightness made her appear ethereal to me. I managed to notice the stares she was receiving from some of the men in the audience and I can't blame them.

I watched her, already feeling drawn towards her.

Calm down, she isn't yours.

"Hi everyone," she paused calming herself as she took a breath," I don't usually do this. But this poem is really close to my heart and it's called It takes more."

My breaths grew shallow as she began; wrapping herself to my mind's eye to convince that maybe I might just have to give up my arm. After all I have just stumbled upon the perfect, flawless genetic make-up of Raquel.

Flashing pictures, hold lies handing

Fantasies to blind bodies 

Convincing us love's simple melody. It's a complex orchestra

Requiring parties involved to feel the same tune, now that I 

Think on past mistakes. Someone should have told me,

Love takes more than uttering it,

Love takes more than flesh on flesh.

She closed her eyes as if in a trance and by then some form of deeper emotion seemed to root itself in her head. It felt to some degree as if she was baring her soul. Sharing her thoughts and sharing a part of her.

Love takes gazing on a torn picture

And still see a masterpiece...

Loves takes putting the skeletons

From the others closet into the ground for them.

Love should never conform to media.

In its raw form it takes more.

As soon as she was done the audience were in silence it seems, until they all clicked their fingers showing their approval for her poem.

She smiled shyly and made her way back to the booth.

"I can't believe I just did that," she covered her face in her hands. I find her actions quite adorable.

"You know you owe me now for going up there."

Settling debt usually fuses annoyance, still when she says it; I don't mind owing her the keys buried in me.

I will take any chance to see her again.

"Yeah... I know."

***

Maybe I can somehow plunge this stapler into my arm, to stop myself from choking the life out of my boss. For this past week he had been absent and completely fell off the grid. For a split second I was convinced he died and planned on celebrating. But after phoning him, I realised he was busy engaging in other affairs after he picked up.

Now he showed up today, throwing a fit at the team for going for a meeting where they practically covered for him.

I never knew doing your job could result in you getting scolded like you're some child.

It's bad enough he's cheating on Raquel. It ticked me off even more when he sent me to go buy jewellery for Serena, one of his many regular girls. She was beautiful but the devil has a way of wrapping up pretty packages and giving them a terrible character. She was no different with her tendencies to look down at everyone who was just a subordinate. Just because some of us don't have brand names on our clothes, gives you no excuse to not treat us as people.

Patrice made it a point today to add a little more spit than usual into his coffee and for that she officially became my hero. With the files piling on my desk, another late night was in the cards. Thus I barely took any breaks to at least leave before 1 in the morning.

"Davenport, order flowers to be sent to this address. Preferably lilies, this is a simple task so I know you won't screw it up," he said as he came towards my desk and plopped a card along with his credit card. Staring at the card my heart beat quickened.

Raquel Hughes

76 Bandersville RD

Mystique Designs

In record time I left the office during lunch, stimulated to have found some excuse to see her. At the flower shop I opted for irises instead of lilies.

The idiot can't even get her flowers right.

But given the amount of women in his life, he is bound to slip up in remembering such details. Entering her building, the grin on my face wouldn't dissipate no matter how hard I tried. 

I opted to deliver the flowers myself, wanting to see her in her own working environment. After receiving directions from the receptionist, I made it to the top floor.

My eyes moved around the area until I saw the double doors to what I was assuming was an office opened to reveal Raquel laughing with another woman.

Whatever they are discussing must have been comical judging from the bubbly laughter coming from both women.

She turned her head in my direction and stopped laughing once she caught sight of me. The smirk she wore hit me right in the gut and I swore the blood rushed to my crotch.

Get it together man!

"Are you stalking me now?" she asked walking towards me. The smell of her perfume tickled my nose immediately ruining my ability to function.

"Actually your good friend sent me to deliver these to you," her whole face lit up upon noticing the flowers in my hand. I wanted to take credit for them, but it would have raised a lot of suspicion if I gave her flowers since we aren't together.

"That's so sweet of him," she gushed sniffing them.

"Uh yeah it is..." I cleared my throat to feel less awkward about this situation and opted to change the subject." So this is where you work?"

"Is that a trick question?"

"Just trying to start a conversation here," I laughed scratching the back of my head to ease my nerves.

"Since when have we struggled in finding an adequate conversational topic?" I was about to answer her when another throat cleared reminding me- we weren't alone.

"Oh sorry where are my manners. Alex this is my best friend slash assistant, Angela," she motioned towards the woman. They were around the same height, whilst Raquel seemed a few inches taller. Angela was equally the same shade of chocolate holding a beauty of her own with her high cheekbones and hazel eyes.

Shaking her hand, she analysed me under her gaze and looked to Raquel as if asking her a question.

"It's nice to meet you, Angela."

"Same to you and please call me Angie." her face and tone remained neutral not giving anything away and it was a bit unnerving.

Without much else she turned and left and I chuckled nervously unsure of what to do." She seems nice?"

"Don't mind her. She's just very closed off when meeting new people; however, I can tell she likes you."

"What makes you so sure about that?"

"She offered for you to call her Angie. I know it's not much but trust me she doesn't allow just anyone to call her that."

"I never knew women could be so subtle," I replied sheepishly making her giggle.

A light came across her face once again. She was glowing and going back to work to have lunch alone wasn't an option. But I might as well take my shot, despite the odds not being in my favour. She's the boss's girl...who I want.

Such that I blurted out the words," Have lunch with me."