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Kate was working on her desktop when she heard a knock on her office door. Who could that be? Has Willy finally decided to come out from the shadows before the agreed time? Maybe it’s not him, maybe it’s John—that pester! Kate looked at the door and sighed. She stood up and went to the door counting her steps. She’s sure she doesn’t want anybody in her office presently. Not when she’s busy with the agency’s works. She had stayed back from going home to help her round up the projects she’s doing and then she would go to the college party to see what that Willy looks like. He must have got nerves to be playing with her feelings for quite a long time. She only hopes he worth the games he’s been playing with her. She only hopes she’s going to like him. Like him? A guy that could be sending her flowers and her portrait then the request to meet with her in a party must be one bold guy or man. And not like John who’d spend his whole time loafing around her office and then the usual blushing looks and the boring chats. Damn! He’s just too boring! She wonders often why such a handsome model would lack the skill with which to woo the lady of his choice rather than being pathetic and passive. To be candid, John is a lovely guy with a loveable heart but everything is just complicated. He first brought the impression of him not being interested in Kate and she loves him for that. How ironical! But just when he began to show his true feelings, Kate became irritated with the fact that he covered up his true feelings to get closer to her—and that seems to be the only way. A man that knows what he wants wouldn’t have done that.
However, whatever John looks like, Kate still nurses a soft spot for him in her heart. But Willy, that seems to be an escape from the bounding ties that ties her heart to John. She definitely can’t wait to be at the college party. The only fear is what if Willy is a sucker just like every other blind date she had been into? What if that Willy turns out to be just the perfect (I’m not sure there is a perfect being) person she wants? What if Willy turns out to be John?
She sighed just as she was about to turn the knob. She then swallowed hard. She’s tensed and anxious. She turns the knob and slightly let the door slides towards her as she stares face to face with someone that’s she’s not expecting. Not at this moment when everyone had gone home.
“I guess you’re not expecting me at this time since it’s not a formal meeting!” The guest said as both walks back into the office with Kate motioning to the guest to take a seat.
“No! Not when I’m busy!” Kate said while she stole a glance at the one sitting in her front. “What brought you to my office at such an odd hour?” Kate asked leaning forward over her desk.
Ella sighed and leaned forward too.
“The answer you wish to find in the college party!” Kate countenance changed to curiosity. She adjusted herself on her seat and leaned even more forward.
“How do you know about the college party…? I mean how come you know I’d be going?” Kate asked curiously.
Ella smirked and chuckled.
“Anyone like you who has been receiving strange gifts from an unknown person would want to go!” Ella said and stared into Kate’s eyes and was like, haven’t you been collecting strange gift from an unknown person? Kate blushed and leaned backward totally perplexed. Does that means everyone in the agency knows about the mysterious gifts? Gosh! She has been working in an agency that pries into her privacy. This must be from the receptionist. That woman can’t keep a little secret. Kate was exasperated at the thought of everyone knowing about the gifts.
“Em… I don’t understand you.” Kate stammers as she tries to find the right word.
Ella leaned backward too and stared at the frames on the wall. She scanned the frames and got her eyes transfixed on one. It’s the portrait of Kate. She turned to Kate and sighed while she smirks.
“You sure want to know who had painted that without your knowledge!” Ella said pointing at the portrait on the wall. How on earth did she get to know about that?
“Do you know the artist?” Kate asked more perplexed. She is not even sure if she’s asking the right question. She just wants to know what Ella knew.
Ella sighed again and stood up. She walked leisurely around the office while Kate’s gaze follows her about. She stopped at the window and turned back to Kate with her back against the window shielding the penetrating sun.
“You’ve never liked me as a co-staff. That I know. But you’re going to need me throughout the party today if you want to know what I know; that some people are crazily in love with you without you realizing it.” She said and walked to Kate’s desk resting her arms on it.
“Rendezvous point: The Garden Park. 20:00; from there we move to the college to seek your answers!” Ella concluded and walked out without looking back.
Kate was left transfixed on her chair with her gaze locked on Ella as she strides out of her office. Kate has never liked Ella—and that’s just the truth. Ella is the type that actually cares less about what other thinks of her. Some thinks of her as a slut; and that never bothers her because at that moment, she was dating the CEO of the agency and the managing director at the same time. And some has gone to describe her as the very ‘corporate-hooker’ of the agency. For all she cares. No one having such label is ever found in Kate friend’s list and Ella is not an exception.
It’s no secret that Ella was once having a crush on John even to the point of inviting him over for a dinner and then seducing him… John had to pick a fake call to break free from her. Friends of Ella said she once told them that she allowed John to go not that he was able to trick her; but she was beginning to find him boring and passive. The call was an escape for not only John but also Ella. And she’s not ignorant of the fact that John is trying to win Kate’s heart. There’s hardly anything hidden in the agency.
Kate sighed as Ella closed the door. She ran her two palms against her hair and down to her face. She let out a deep sigh and shook her head out of frustration. Whatever Ella knows about her portrait and the artist and the mysterious gifts, she too wants to know. And she can’t wait to be at the Garden Park then the college. Whoever this mysterious Willy is, she can’t wait to meet him and demand an explanation for the gifts. But wait, what if Willy has not being the one sending the gifts but just the portrait—that’s one thought Kate don’t want to nurse.
While buried in her thought, she got an idea. She’s going to call Willy now and clarify some things. She picked her phone and dialled Willy’s number and it begin to ring.
“Hey Kate! What’s up with you?” The voice of Willy came through from the other end of the call.
“Willy…” Kate ignored the pleasantries. “Do you know a lady called Ella? She works in my agency.” Kate asked pressing the phone against her ear.
VI.
The sun gradually draws the cloud against itself. The air blows languidly across the horizon. Then the mild drizzling of rain and the lightning and claps of thunder. The sky glows as the lightning passes through the thick layer of clouds now forming into clusters. The clustered cloud broke forth with a heavy clap of thunder and down came the fast-pouring and hard-hitting rain, hitting hard on the roof. As the rain pours down heavily, the darkness sets in. The rain would cease for a while and then it will begin again. It does this continuously as if it is on routine…
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