Mystery Lover
I was leaning on the wall while scanning the room for tonight was a celebration for the whole company. I don’t see the need to mingle with others. Not now at least. I guess I still haven’t move on from my break up with my ex last three months ago. I stared at my glass for no reason at all because I was really bored.
“Are you enjoying the party, Aimee?” A voice suddenly interrupted my thoughts. I turned to see who that voice belonged too and it was no other than my boss, Mr. Jackson.
“Mr. Jackson. Your the first person I have talked too since I came here” I said to him. He was my boss and I was his secretary. I have been working for him for 5 years and in those years, we developed a good friendship inside and outside of the office.
“Why are you hiding there, Aimee. We are here to celebrate for getting the Japanese company to sign with us. We should celebrate” He tried to convince me. It was true though, he threw this party to celebrate the company’s success. There were times when he was in a bad mood and the whole building knows that I’m the only person who can talk to him whenever he is in a bad mood.
“No thanks, Mr. Jackson. I rather stay here until midnight. Plus, you should be the one who needs to go around and mingle with you James Bond costume” I said while smiling at him.
“James Bond?” he said confusingly. Then he started to laugh. Why was he laughing? He is wearing a tux so I figured he was wearing James Bond. “You have a good imagination, Aimee. Well I have to entertain other guest. See you at work” He said as he left and wave is hand towards me. It was already 10 pm and I really want to go home. Maybe, I should. I not really enjoying myself. I was about to leave when a hand suddenly grabbed my wrist.
“Why is Aphrodite leaving so early?” I looked at the husky voice who spoke. It was Zorro, not literally, holding my wrist.
“Well Zorro, I’m actually Athena” I answered in a laughing voice.
“Smart and beautiful. Suits you very well” He winked at me which made me laugh a little. The song suddenly changed into a slow dance. “Care to join me on the dance floor, Mi Diosa?”
I was a little hesitant at first but I took his hand and led me to the dance floor. “Isn’t it weird if a goddess is dancing with a thief?” I asked in a laughing voice. He just chuckled at my question and started to dance. “If snow white can be with a pirate, why no?” He said as he looked at the couple dancing near us. I laughed at his remark. We continued to dance for half an hour when he suddenly pulled me out the room. He led me to the garden which thankfully wasn’t occupied.
“So, aren’t you going to tell me who you are?” I asked him.
“Isn’t it obvious” he said pointing himself. “I’m Zorro” I eyed him saying that if he was serious. He smiled at me then spoke again. “Well, I can give you a hint. R”
“R?” Maybe the first letter of his name.
“R u enjoying yourself?”
“I am now” I told him. For the next hour, we did nothing but talk to each other. It felt like we have known each other for a long time. I was comfortable with him. The best thing he said to me was this. “Did you know that in a party, a stranger will learn more about you in an hour than your spouse has learn in a lifetime?”
“Well, if that saying is true, maybe I should marry the stranger instead” I said jokingly. I laughed hard but he smiled again. He kept staring at me and that made me blushed. I looked away at but he touched my chin then guided me too look at him. I stared at his black eyes as he stared into mine. I felt our lips touch and it was the most passionate kiss I have ever had. We were clinging to each other for support. I felt our tongues dancing. I suddenly heard a bell, it was midnight.
He slowly let go of our kiss but I can feel he was still close. Then he whispered to me
“Until next time, Aimee”
Then he left.
___________________________________
Monday Morning
I was a regular day at work. I can hear everyone still talking about the party last week. I didn’t mind them and went ahead.
“Aimee!” Someone shouted. I turned around and saw my best friend walking towards me. It was Remi, my childhood friend and best friend.
“Hey, Remi” I answered in a greeting-but-bored tone. “Are you okay, didn’t you enjoy the party last Friday? Wait, did you even go or did you cry because of your ex?” He was so talkative that I laughed at what he said.
“Yes and no” I answered. He looked confused. “Yes for your first question and no for the second” He gave me an assuring look after my explanation. We both rode the elevator together but before it can close, a third party came.
“Remi! Saw you at the party and your costume was awesome” Great, it was Renz, the most annoying person in the whole world. At least for me. After talking to Remi, he turned his head to me. “How about you Aimee? Did you go as the evil witch or a troll?” He laughed. I punched him in the arm and I made sure that hurt. Ever since I started working here, he keeps teasing me. I am starting to think he has a crush on me. The elevator opened and we went to our respective offices. Being the secretary of the CEO, my office is outside Mr. Jackson’s office. I gathered his list of meetings and knocked at his door. I heard him said come in and I entered.
“Mr. Jackson, I have your list of meetings today. 9 am, you are going to have a breakfast meeting Mr.-” He wasn’t listening to me. He just locked his eyes in the documents he was reading. “Mr. Jackson. Mr. Jackson” I was getting annoyed that he was not responding. “Reese” I called his first name then he finally looked at me.
“Aimee. I’m sorry, what were you saying earlier” He smiled at me, and that smile he was teasing. Plus, he doesn’t like being called much with his last name. I told him his meetings for the day and told him the proposals that were waiting his attention. After that, I excused myself.
....................
It was now lunch time. Me and Remi always meet at the cafeteria. I couldn’t talk to him about the party because it would be a little weird to talk about it to a guy. Since I became Mr. Jackson’s secretary, most girls in the office didn’t talk to me. I can understand that. Mr. Jackson can double as a model or an actor. He was too young to be a business yet here he is. Me and Remi ordered our food and sat on the table that was a little bit faraway from the crowded tables.
“So spill the beans, what happened to you at the party? And what were you wearing at the party?” He asked really fast. I wasn’t even sitting down. I groan at his curiosity as I sat.
“What were you wearing at the party, Remi?” I asked him. I’m hoping he isn’t the mystery man because I treat him like a brother. “I was wearing a superman outfit. You know I still favor the superheroes” he said. Thank God, he wasn’t the mystery man. I answered all of his questions and I was already comfortable of telling him about ‘Zorro’.
“Wow! IT’s like Cinderella but you’re prince charming and he ran off before midnight. Plus, the blackout happened in the whole venue that’s why there wasn’t a single light. Did he gave you a clue of his identity? Do you have a clue who he is?”
“He said the hint was R, but it wasn’t clear. I just think it was the first letter on his name”
“Who are you talking about?” a third voice entered the conversation and it was Renz. And I thought I could avoid him the whole day. “Hey Renz, what costume did you wear at the party?” Remi suddenly asked. I looked at him with a shocked face. Does he really think that Renz is ‘Zorro’?
“Me, I went as prince charming. All the ladies were around me all night” me and Remi chuckled at his statement. It also gave me a sense of relief that he isn’t ‘Zorro’. Lunch time was over and we were about to go out when I suddenly bumped into someone.
“Sorry” Remi and Renz helped me up and I got too see who bumped into me. It was Raidon, my ex. I looked at him and realized the pain wasn’t there anymore and I was glad. “It’s okay” I said as I left the cafeteria. For some reason, I couldn’t help but wonder if he was ‘Zorro’ but I believe it’s impossible.
“Did you see Raidon at the party?” Remi asked Renz. Please don’t say he was ‘Zorro’. “Yeah, I did. He was wearing a ‘Zorro’ costume. Didn’t suit him, though” I can’t believe what I was hearing. Did he just say that Raidon is ‘Zorro’?
“Is he with anybody that night?” I could feel my hand sweating. He was the one who broke up with me. Don’t tell me he wants too renew our relationship? “He was with a girl wearing a white dress” I can’t believe what I was hearing. It’s impossible. I don’t want to think about it. I ran off to escape to my office because it feels like I was going to faint. As I was about resume work, I saw a note with a rose.
My beautiful Athena, we shall meet again soon.
Do not fret for I am just near you
-R
I felt myself blush because of the note. He really is near me but I shouldn’t think about it first, I have to work. Suddenly, Mr. Jack called me to his office. “Mr. Jackson, is there something you need?” I asked and he ignored me. I rolled my eyes then asked him again. “Reese, is there something you need?” he looked at me then smiled.
“Yes, I do not mean to pry but I accidentally saw a note and a rose on your table. As your friend and boss, I have the right to ask to know who’s it from?” he put his chin above his two hands.
“Reese, since when did gossiping became your habit?” I asked him jokingly while I was laughing.
“Just now, is it someone I know?”
“I don’t know. I just met him at the party”
“Sounds like someone has a secret admirer” he teased at me as he drank his coffee
“Reese, are you gay?” he suddenly chocked at his coffee and eyed me as if I lost my mind.
“I’m still your boss, Aimee” he gave me his scary death glare while I was laughing. That look may scare others but I am immune to it. “That doesn’t work on me Reese” I said while still laughing.
“Well, I also want to tell you that for the next few weeks before Christmas, we both have to work late because things tend to get busy around this time of year” he told me seriously. I can tell if he was joking or serious. Now, I can tell he isn’t joking.
“Anything else?”
“Yes. You have to work in my office because we need to be close while we are working with these projects. Is that arrangement okay with you?”
“Yes, sir. I’ll move my laptop here tomorrow” he nodded and I left the office. I continued my work until my shift ended.
.......................
After my shift ended, I gathered my things when someone suddenly entered.
“I have this flowers for Miss Aimee James” the delivery man handed me a bouquet of flowers and there was a note with it.
My little owl, wait for me
The day will come and you and I will see
-R
I am really curious to know who he is. As I was about to leave, I saw Reese about to leave to.
“Aimee, are you going home? Let me take you home” I was about to protest when he grabbed my wrist and my things with him. As we arrived at the car, we were silent in it. I was still holding the flowers, did he feel uncomfortable. We finally arrived at my place, I was about to get out when he suddenly stopped me. “Aimee, I just want to say that I will always be there for you. If you want to talk about something, please don’t hesitate to talk to me” He looked at me with sincere eyes and I couldn’t help but smile. “Thanks, Reese” I got out the car and walked inside.
....................
The hellish week began. Me and Reese barely had time to eat because of the mountain of work. Why do people send their proposals at the very last minute. I started to have lunch in Reese’s office. Surprisingly, it was the first time I saw him eating fast food. Every lunch time, a note from ‘Zorro’ would arrive and Reese would help me say the notes has clues but I don’t know what.
I slowly realized that spending time with Reese made me feel something different. I felt it ever since I started working but I ignored it. By the time, I didn’t mind the notes anymore. I was enjoying my time talking with Reese, my boss. By the time the hellish weeks end, I realized that I was in love with him. After the hellish weeks end, I moved my things back into my office. Then suddenly, Remi and Renz entered. I asked them what they were doing and they told me that they were called by Reese. They were there for half an hour and they went out, they were emotionless.
The day ended and I was about to leave and I notice a note.
I saw you happy with him.
Come to the rooftop and I’ll show you who I am
-R
This was it. I can finally meet him. I left my things and used the stairs to get to the rooftop. When I arrived I saw ‘Zorro’ facing towards me. I walked near him and he gave me a rose. He didn’t speak and he pointer his hat and masked, signaling me to remove it, so I did and I was shocked.
“Reese”
He smiled at me then knelt in front of me.
“Aimee James, I have loved you ever since you became my secretary. But sad to say, you were in a relationship with a another man. I took the position of being your friend but it still hurt me to see you being happy with him. I was happy that you broke up with him and anger for him for hurting you. I waited for you to heal and at the night of the costume party, you made my night when you told me I was in a James Bond costume. I am Zorro, you didn’t recognize me because I had a hoarse voice that night and let me tell you that it was the best night I ever had. I wanted you to fall in love with me before revealing who I am. For the past weeks, for some reason, I felt something from you and I hope that was the feeling I was waiting for. I want to spend the rest of my life knowing more about you than a stranger can learn” he pulled out a ring from his pocket. “Will you marry me and also spend the rest of our lives learning about each other?” I was speechless. Was he serious? I couldn’t talk so I just nodded and then tears started to fall.
“Yes. Yes!” He put the ring on my finger then hugged me. I can feel tears on my back, was he crying?
“You just made me the happiest man alive, Aimee James” our foreheads touched and I heard music. It was Renz holding a guitar and Renz holding a mic.
“Did you know, I have been dying to kiss you again since that night?”
“Why not be Zorro and just steal a kiss from me?” I smiled at him then he smiled at me. I heard music but I didn’t mind.
“I love you, Aimee” he whispered for my ears only.
“I love you too, Reese”
And we sealed it with a kiss....
END
