Lily

I search for my phone, hearing it ring loudly and when I finally find it, I sit up straight in my chair with a smile. I hadn't gotten a phone call in a while.

"Are you Lily Hernandez?" A woman with the prettiest sounding voice asks.

"Yes ma'am, that is I."

"And you spoke to a man about an interview, correct?"

He kept my card!

"Yes ma'am, about three days ago."

"Mr. Acquire said you are approved for an interview for today."

I gasp, "Oh goodness gracious."

"Is that a yes, miss?"

"Why yes, of course, I am just shocked. I didn't think he would keep the card, let alone give me an interview. You see, the other day I-"

"Ma'am."

I shake my head and get back to the subject at hand. "Yes! Yes, that is a yes."

"Great, your interview is scheduled for eleven this morning."

The lady with the pretty voice gives me the address and his room number and I smile.

"Thank you so much! Bless your heart!"

She hangs up after I say this and I put my phone down. I dance around horribly in front of my bed in excitement. After I grow tired, I stop and flop on the bed.

It had been almost three days since I saw him. Throughout those three days I have been searching for another job before mama came back from her trip in two days. Before I got the call, I was getting ready to go search for a job again.

I place Vivo in his hamster cage and lock it. I had already taken a shower when I first woken up and changed my clothes, so all I had to do was fix my hair. I brush it a little as it is wavy. Once I have gotten it to my liking, I take my favorite clip that Diddy had bought me a few years ago and use it to put my hair in a ponytail.

I needed to hurry since it was already ten thirty and the address the lady gave me was sort of far from where I lived. After grabbing my bag and putting my sandals on, I take my blue coat that matched the blue dress I was wearing and stuff a sandwich in my bag before tossing it over my shoulder.

I rub Vivo's fur through the hole in the cage, "I'll be back sugar. You wish me luck, alright?"

I shake my head and laugh as I walk out of my room, "He can't even talk, Dum-Dum." I say to myself.

After turning all the lights off, I close the door behind me and get inside the truck. As I try to start it, it makes a weird noise and doesn't turn on. I hit my head on the wheel, making the honk go off.

"Oh, come on, don't do this to me, Betsy. Please work for mama."

I didn't have the money to pay to get it fixed, so it wasn't like I could do much. I decided to try the trick Diddy taught me. I take the key out and put it back in, turning it in the same position ten times in a row before stopping. I wait for about five minutes and try starting it again. I smile and pump a fist into the air when the engine finally starts.

After kissing the wheel multiple times I say, "Thank you Betsy, thank you! See, this is why mama loves you."

I turn on the radio and let my favorite station play as I drive to the coffee shop first. I wanted to get Mr. Boss a muffin and coffee to start the day with the rest of the money I had left. Everyone loves muffins and coffee, right?

Once I have successfully got the coffee and muffin, I make my way to the place. I get there soon and check my phone to see I am fifteen minutes late.

Oh shucks.

I place my bag over my shoulder and get out of the car. After locking it, I stare at the tall building in awe. I had only seen tall and expensive looking buildings and shops as I drove here, but this one topped all of them. This neighborhood was far more good looking than mine. Our carbuncled, burned-out, low-rise buildings were no match for their brownstone, high- rise and ionic buildings.

I felt out of place as I stepped into the building. Women wore pricey stilettos with even more expensive outfits, compared to my worn out sandal and twenty fifteen dress from Burlington. I didn't belong at all.

That is quite alright though. Everyone is not supposed to be the same.

I smile and prepare myself for the interview. I had practiced a few things in the car, so I knew I was going to nail this. Besides, I brought muffins!

It wasn't long before I found the man's office number. I say a short prayer before knocking three times.

"Come on." I hear him grumble.

I step inside with a smile and hold my hand out for him to shake. "Hi! Good morning, m-"

"Take a seat, Ms. Hernandez."

I listen and take a seat at the chair in front of the desk he is sitting behind. As I look closer at him, I see just how attractive he is. The grumpy man wore his hair in a hard part, pressed with gel that made his hair shine. A medium length stubble rested on his sharp jawline as well. But the part that had me blushing was his eyes. Eye bags rested underneath his emerald colored eyes looking as if he hadn't slept in weeks. I had never seen such beautiful yet mysterious eyes. Everyone had pretty eyes, but his had me mesmerized.

"Ms. Hernandez?" He says sternly, waiting for me to reply. I hadn't even realized he had asked me something.

"You have real nice eyes." I say and he doesn't reply.

There was something about him that had my feet tingling and heart racing just looking at him. I had only been with one man my entire life, and he certainly wasn't like this.

The night before Dante told me he loved Diana, I had been talking to this man on the internet for about three months. Now, looking back on it, that probably wasn't my best idea. One day, he decided to meet with me and I was thrilled. He came by and convinced me to give him my virginity. He had promised me marriage and everything before that. But after that morning, he blocked me on everything and I never saw him again.

This man is nothing like that, though. He was merely a boy, but he was a man. A very attractive man at that.

I giggle at my thoughts and he rolls his eyes, "The interview will begin now, Ms. Hernandez."

"Wait!" I handed him the coffee I had sat on his desk and the muffin from my bag. "I brought you breakfast."

He stares at the coffee and muffin with the same frown he has had since I met him.

I bet he'd look just adorable if he smiled.

"I didn't ask for this." He says.

"I know, but everyone loves coffee and muffins."

He pushes it back to me, "I don't want it."

"It's all right, you can take it, Mr. Boss!" I say, pushing it back to him.

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

I pushed it back to him. "Please, I spent the rest of my money on it. Oh please take it, Mr. Boss."

He stares at the muffin, then at me, then back at the muffin before accepting it and I smile happily. "I don't want the coffee." He grumbles.

"Thank you." I take my glasses out of my bag and put them on. "These are only reading glasses. " I say, adjusting them.

"I didn't ask." He replies and opens the muffin.

As he begins eating, I decide to eat my sandwich, taking the crusts off before taking a bite. There was nothing like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I finish quickly and laugh, staring at Mr. Boss.

"You like muffins a lot, don't you? It's not going anywhere, you know?" I say, watching him devour the meal.

He looks up at me as if remembering I am here and wipes his mouth, throws the muffin in the trash next to him, and sits up straight.

"The only reason you are even in this building is because you need to pay me back for crashing into my porch."

"I underst-"

"Let's start. What is your experience in working, Ms. Hernandez?"

"I've had about ten jobs since I was sixteen. "

"Education?"

"I have a Bachelor's degree in education."

He looks at me in shock, "Then why aren't you a teacher?"

"I had to take care of mama. See, it's a long story, really. Wh-"

"Ms. Hernandez."

"Yes?"

"I do not care."

It's a good thing he stopped me. I was over sharing again. Thank you, Mr. Boss.

Mr. Boss asks me more questions like my age, how I am right for the job, etcetera. He also tells me what the job is about and what I will be doing as his assistant. Shortly after, he says to wait in the waiting room while he and his team discuss it.

I play with the toaster in the kitchen of the waiting room as everyone else glances at me. A black haired woman with beautiful pink nails approaches me. She appears to be at least thirty. I smile. "I'm Lily Hernandez!" I say, holding my hand out for her to shake.

She looks me over before shaking my hand, "Kelly Erez." She replies slowly, "You're not from around here, are you?"

"No, what gave it away?"

"Well, the accent is strong, you're this cheerful at eleven in the morning and…" Kelly glanced at my sandals, "No one around here would wear such hideous shoes."

I like Kelly. Kelly is very blunt and kind of scares me, but I like her.

"Well, my diddy got 'em for me. I know there not much of a looker but they work."

Kelly gives me a small smile and pats my shoulder. "I like you, kid." She moves over to a table and I sit across from her.

"I'm being interviewed for Mr. Acquire's assistant." I tell her.

"The boss? Good luck girl."

"What do you mean?"

"Mr. Acquire is known all over this city. He's grumpy, cruel, and most of his assistants usually quit within a week. You seriously think you stand a chance? He'll ruin your kind soul and turn into the grouchy pants he is. Look around."

I look around at everyone else in the break room and don't see not one person with a smile. There is only sadness in their features and that breaks my heart. I just want to give them all a big hug and tell them it's going to be okay.

I turn back to Kelly with a smile, "Well, if I get hired, I will not quit! Mr. Boss is nothing I can't handle!"

Just as I say this, his office door opens and I gulp at the sight of his full body.

Oh my, I want to see what's underneath that suit.

My mouth goes agape at my thoughts and I hit myself. His tall figure, about six four, stood against the door frame. His muscles were visible through the tight white shirt he was wearing and my mouth watered.

"Ms. Hernandez." He calls and I face Kelly.

"It was nice meeting you Kelly!"

"If you're lucky enough, I'll see you tomorrow."

I walk to his office and he closes the door behind me. As we take a seat, I bite my nails as he speaks, "Your resume was horrible."

My face falls, "Oh."

"You talk an awful lot and you're most certainly not the right choice for this position. But my team believes you are just right for me, which shocked me."

"Mr-"

"You're hired. Don't annoy me as much as you already do right now, come on time, and you might last longer than a week."