Office Diaries

In the midst of a dreamy place, with its classy interior, the low-keyed chattering of patrons and seductive music she sat. Quietly, at the end of the bar, on the farthest seat which she usually occupied, she nursed her second glass of foreign whiskey. The bitter spirit calmed her very weary soul as she focused on the song from the band Hole that played in the background.

"And the sky was made of amethyst, And all the stars look just like little fish.

You should learn when to go. You should learn how to say "no,"

Might last a day, yeah, Minus forever.

Might last a day, yeah, Well, minus forever…"

As the singer crooned her song with the title akin to the hue of her eyes, the amber liquid she nursed worked their way down her throat, drawing a line of fire, burning and yet refreshing at the same time.

Work had been difficult and very demanding. She just got back to Victoria City from Lille, France a couple of months ago where her French mother lived after she divorced her Hong Kongese father and remarried. It's also where she stayed most of her life until she graduated from university. At her biological father's request – her dying one, she returned to Hong Kong to work for the company as his father's replacement.

Her new employers were satisfied with her work but she couldn't help but feel anxious all the time. Her father was, after all, a tough act to follow. Filling in his shoes was taking its toll on her both physically and mentally.

 Alone and friendless in a foreign land – well at least to her who grew up somewhere else, Hong Kong was still that….foreign. Her only sanctuary was this ritzy bar where she could unwind and drink in peace.

But it seemed like peace was forever evading her. Here in Hong Kong, her unusual set of amethyst eyes drew more people than she was willing to talk to – well scratch that. She wasn't willing to talk to anyone. Period. But alas, no matter how much she cut them with her cool, aloof tone of voice, they still came.

It irked him that for some people, she was somehow a prize and that talking to her was somehow a challenge. Why people couldn't just leave her alone, she wondered unhappily. She wasn't the only half-foreigner in the place after all.

Having decided she had enough, she was about to pay her tab when the master placed another glass of expensive whiskey that she favored in front of her and she stopped.

"Excuse me," she called the master who turned to her with a smile. "I-I didn't order a third glass," she said and the master shrugged as he pointed at a group behind her.

Turning around, she tried to make out the people sitting at the place the master indicated but she couldn't see a thing. She was short-sighted and all she saw was darkness. There were some flashes of light as the lighting reflected on the mirrors, and she frowned.

"You don't have to pay too. Your tab's already good," the master informed her as she tried her best to see the person he was referring to. "You sure have lots of admirers here," the man added and she turned his attention back to him.

"I'm sorry. I don't think I can accept the drink – and I don't think I'd accept anyone paying for me," she said as she pushed the drink back to the master but the man shook his head.

"It's not my business anymore. You go talk to him," he told her as she felt an electrifying presence right behind her that she turned around again.

"Hi," a cheerful baritone greeted, the voice reverberating down her spine, sending shivers to her system and she fished her eyeglasses from her pocket.

She wore them to see better and frowned at the stranger's face. But her scowl vanished, replaced by a wary expression as soon as she took a good look at him.

The stranger was tall, with broad shoulders. His body radiated power inside the dark suit he wore. He had a small handsome face with intelligent almond eyes and full lips that were spread into a huge smile, flashing a perfect set of white teeth.

Standing just a few inches away from her, she could feel the heat coming from the other's body, drawing her to come closer but she stopped herself. Unlike the others who approached her, this one was totally different, and she felt like cowering. The man was a predator of the highest kind – and that predator wanted her, she knew, just as she knew that this interest was just a fleeting fancy for the man.

"When they get what they want, they never want it again

When they get what they want, they never want it again"

Ironically, the song playing in the background fitted the man in front of her: a player – someone who loved them and left them. But this one, unlike the others was someone no one could resist – she, herself included. It was futile to spurn him. But she would try.

With guarded eyes, she watched as the man sat on the stool next to her.

"My name's Alex – Alex Li," the man said and she frowned. The name sounded familiar but she couldn't place where she heard it. "How about you?"

"T-thank you for the drink," she replied hurriedly instead and she mentally kicked herself upon seeing those almond eyes danced in amus.e.m.e.nt.

"Well, that's a pretty long name," the man called Alex commented mockingly.

"I meant, thank you for the drink – but you didn't have to buy me one, or settle the tab for me," she countered irritably, embarrassed that the man made her lose her cool. "I'm leaving," she announced but a firm hand clamped on her arm as she did.

Turning around, her violet eyes wide like a cornered prey, she saw the man's almond eyes – l.u.s.t-filled eyes narrowed on her.  

"Let me go," she whispered as her eyes lowered on the man's hand on his limb. The man had beautiful hands for a male. She couldn't help but admire them.

"Do you see those guys over there?" Alex pointed at the area where he came from earlier.

She squinted at it and she saw silhouettes of people.

"Those guys placed bets on you. They're trying to compete as to who could take your attention and win," he told her and she inhaled sharply, her suspicions realized.

"And you're one of them I take it?" she hissed as she pulled her hand back, but Alex wouldn't let go.

"I just got here. I just saw you earlier," he said as she turned to him. "But that was it. I saw you, and we both know that when you laid your beautiful eyes on me that you felt something too," the man stated confidently making her stand still, her fight leaving her.

The man, Alex, was right. She'd never felt so…vulnerable – so needy as she did upon laying her eyes on him.

"What do you want?" she asked breathily despite knowing what a dangerous question it was. There was no need to ask in the first place. She knew. They both knew what each other wanted.

"You," the man answered simply and she swallowed hard as she closed her eyes, only to open them when she felt a tug on his arm. Alex was leading her from the place.

"Where are we going?" she asked in a desperate attempt to gain control.

"Somewhere we both want to go," the infuriating man answered with that boyish grin as he glanced at her and she wondered how many poor souls had been enslaved by that smile. As she followed the man outside the bar, the last thing she recalled was the song, singing her resignation to fate.

 "Go on, take everything. Take everything I want you to

Go on, take everything. Take everything Take everything I want you to…

And the sky was all violet, I want it again, but violent, more violence

Well, I'm the one with no soul, One above and one below…

Go on, take everything. Take everything I want you to

Go on, take everything. Take everything I dare you to…"

There was one thing though; she, the one who had those pair of amethyst eyes the people in the bar seemed to admire would only give what she was willing to give. Nothing more.

=====

Ashley Zhang woke up with a start.  She lay in the middle of the bed alone and she frowned. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was already close to one in the morning. After work, she changed clothes and also went somewhere to drink. But after a glass, she had lost interest and decided to go home and wait for her fiancé until she fell asleep.

But Alex was still not home…

She bit her lip and she let out a heavy sigh. Her hand reached the other side of the bed and her frown deepened at the smooth, cool surface. It's been a while since she had to sleep alone, and she was not used to it anymore. At times like this, she couldn't help but remember the past and felt raw fear in her c.h.e.s.t that she even had nightmares.

She didn't know why, but she's very anxious. She felt that something bad would happen. But deep in her heart she prayed that she was wrong.