Skyler

I ate leftover pizza for dinner and watched television to pass my time but whatever I tried. My mind wandered off to Shane of what he must be doing. I look at the time and it was past midnight and my phone rang. I hoped it was Shane but it was Tyler."Hello, Tyler."

"Am I disturbing you this late?"

"Not at all. I was awake actually. What's up?"

"Yeah. There is this Gala hosted by my parents this Saturday. It's the Blitz's annual Gala. My grandfather used to host it and then it passed on to my parents. This Gala he will announce his retirement and hand over to Shane."

"That's great. I heard about it in the office. What about it? Do I have to prepare something or plan something?" The Gala. I know very well the Blitz Gala. Celebrities attend it and there are many other famous personalities. I remember watching it over the TV and dreaming of going one day.

"No. I need a date so I was wondering if you would accompany me." I was surprised that he asked me. Tyler was a charming and cheerful guy. There are a lot of girls who are waiting for this opportunity.

"I am sure there is a list of girls who would die to go with you, Tyler then why me?"

"You can't deny we have fun together. We are the best of friends. We can give each other company and I am sure we will have fun. Pretty please." Tyler is a nice guy. He has always been by my side since the beginning and with Shane, I don't know what's going on in that mind of his. Shane will be there too with that girl from today if she is his girlfriend. I should use this opportunity to make him jealous. "I would love too."

"Great, Emma will come by to help you get ready."

"That's unnecessary."

"It's the Blitz Gala. You have to look fabulous and since you are my date, You have to stand out. Don't worry. Emma is my cousin. She is great at this."I giggle at his statement and I knew I would have a nice time with Tyler. It would a great time off. I think I need this break.
"Alright.Good night."

"I will be looking forward to it. Good night." After Tyler hanged up. I took a look at the clock. It was 1 o'clock and he was still not home. Then I heard the jingling of the keys as he entered inside.

He took off his coat and placed it on the couch. He was surprised to see me awake."You are still awake."

"Oh yes."

"Is there any problem?" He asked taking a seat beside me. My mind was betraying me with him this close but I can't break character.
"No, why do you think so?"

"You left office without telling me anything and then you don't pick my calls and leave a message and after which you left my message on seen."
So what do you expect me to do? Greet and meet your girlfriend and be the third wheel between you two while you enjoy. No.
"I wasn't feeling too well."

He was concerned and looked at me. "Are you fine? Should I call the doctor?"

"I am fine. I came to ask but you were busy." Busy with your long-distance girlfriend. I roll my eyes and he looked at me confused.

"Oh yeah. You must have seen me with Hailey." Hailey is her name.
"So I left."

He had a wide smile on his face and I look at him. Damn you, why do you have to have such a beautiful smile. "I might as well ask you now since you are awake."

"What do you have to ask Shane?"

"The Blitz Gala is this Saturday. It's a really big day for me." He was nervous and I could feel it. He played with his fingers by himself.
"I know. Tyler told me about it."

"I wanted to ask if you will accompany me as my date." Now he is asking me. What about Hailey? Won't she be jealous when she hears about me? Here is my answer to play with my feelings.
"You are late," I tell him.

"Tyler already asked me to accompany him and I agreed to him."

He says without thinking."He can go with Hailey." Why does he want to go with me now that his girlfriend is back? He should go with her and not me and even if Hailey didn't exist. Tyler asked me first so by fair means, I will go with him.

"He asked me first so I will go with him. I am sleepy so if you are done I want to go to sleep." He takes deep breaths and I knew he was angry that Tyler was taking me.

He groans"I am not stopping you. Good night."

"Night." When I take a step, the rug underneath my feet shifts and I slip but before I fall. Shane catches hold of me and now there we go again. Moments of spark. We were looking at each other eyes while still in that position and this is not the first time this has happened.

He has his hand on my waist while holding my hand with the other. He smiles and I look into his eyes full of light. All my anger vanishes with that smile and his eyes.
"Somehow it is always ME who saves you."

"Thank you so much." I stand up and gave him a sarcastic smile and then run upstairs to my room. Who does he think he is? I will be sworn with his smile and then again he will do the same.

I go to my room and realize I forgot my phone downstairs. I came out of my room and I heard Shane talking to someone on the phone.

"Now you will have to accompany me to the Gala, Hales." I should not let him take over my thoughts but no matter what I tried. It stings. It hurt like hell and I didn't know what to do.

Shane

Skyler went back to her cabin and I went in mine. Tyler came in and gave me updates on everything that happened in my absence. I completed all my work and someone knocked on my work. It was three in the afternoon. I was expecting it to be Skyler.

"Come in," I say my eyes still on the computer. Then I heard a familiar voice."I guess you seem to have forgotten me."

"Hailey, You are back."
I take my eyes off my laptop and see Hailey at the door. I was surprised to see her. I got up from my chair and walk up to her and hug her. It was after so long she came back and I was so happy to see her. She says with her eyebrows raised. "So you remember me."

There is no way I can forget Hailey. She was the one I spent my childhood with."Of course. How can I forget you, Hailey? I missed you so much."

I asked her. She moved to London for her studies and then it was only Christmas and New Years' we met."When did you return?"

I look at her and she is playing with the pen and paper on my table. She hasn't changed a bit and I smiled."Yesterday night. What's up? How are you doing?"

Hailey was the one I was free with.  I used to talk with her about all my problems and she understood me. Now that she is here I can tell her about Skyler."I am a lot more than fine. Finally, now I can talk it out to someone."

"We have a lot to catch up. It's so great to be back and guess what I am not going back again. I am here as for now."

"It's great news. I have to introduce you to someone first." I intercom her and it's strange she is not picking up. Let me call the receptionist. "Hello Lily, Can you inform Skyler to come to my office?"

"But sir I saw her leave for home." The receptionist said and I double-checked "Are you sure?"

"Yes sir."

"Thank you, Lily." I hang up.
What happened? Skyler never leaves like that and the last time she did. That's when she resigned. I will call her. What? Now she is not picking up my calls. Wait, A text.

Skyler
'I left for home early.'

Shane
'Any problem. Are you fine?'

Skyler
'Everything is fine.'

Shane
'As you say.'

Skyler
'When will you be home?'

Shane

'Don't wait for me for dinner.'

Skyler
'Can I ask why?'

Shane
'I am going to be out. Take care.
Call me if anything.'

End of chat

Left on seen. I don't understand what's going on in her mind. We will fine until yesterday. Things were more than fine. Hailey mumbles"Left on seen."

"Yeah."

She is all focused on me. Trust me if anyone in my family knows I have feelings for someone everyone will interest in that conversation."Who is this lady who took your attention?"

"Let's talk over dinner." I suggested and then she stood up from her chair handing me my coat."Only if you are paying."

"Fine. To celebrate your return."

I took Hailey to my favorite restaurant and I had so much to talk about with her. It's been ages. It was nice to have her back.
"I am so happy you are back."

"Yeah. I finished my graduation early so I didn't have a purpose to stay anymore." She exclaimed. The waiter came to us asking our order and I ordered our usual favorite and she smiled at me."Now spill, What you had to say?"

"I need your advice." If someone can help me. It was Hailey. She is the queen of advice. She has the solution to everything. I know for sure she knows what I should do.
I sighed."I am in love with som..."

She interrupts me in the middle of the sentence and spits out the water like a fountain. She gasped staring at me shocked. She looks around."Wait wait what? I am dreaming. Pinch me. Wake me up, somebody."

Hailey, always dramatic. I didn't expect less of a reaction I am getting. I was expecting a more dramatic response."Now Hailey is back. You were always this dramatic. Hales, can you be serious for once?"

She looks at me and understands the matter was serious and I wasn't joking."You are serious. Alright, It's hard to digest."
She takes a few deep breaths as she take in this news and I sighed. Why do I have people like Tyler and Hailey in the family?
"Ok go on. Who is she?"

I started telling everything from the start."Her name is Skyler. I bumped into her when I was going to the office walking one day. She judged me as one of the creeps. I hated her. Ty hired her as my assistant and after I said I won't work with her she complained about me to Dad and that made me furious. I hated her."

Hailey exclaims. Yeah, one more member added to her team in pulling my leg. "I already like the girl."

"Then I proposed a deal that I will drive her out. She bore everything I did. Slowly I started caring for more than I should. I would get jealous when she talked to other guys. I went to a party because she denied me when I told her not to go. I even took her to my spot." Hailey had a bewildered look on the face. The face because I took Skyler took my secret spot and the fact I went to a party.

I ignored her reaction for a time being and continued."Then the next day she barges into my office and says she is resigning. I made Ty go behind her and she said she needs time. After ten days when she didn't return, I went to her place her grandmother had passed away and she was all broken. I hugged her when she passed out in my arms. I took her to the hospital when the landlord kicked her out. So I offered more like ordered her to stay with me."

She had a blank reaction on her face. I expected a sarcastic comment by now. She gulps.
"Who are you? Are you Shane Smith? Because I might have mistaken you with someone. Shane Smith allowed a girl to stay in his place. That's impossible." There it is. I glare at her. I know it's hard to believe but then it doesn't mean that it cannot happen.

"I could make a movie about your story. It would be a blockbuster. Hate turning into love. I can even think of a title. Arrogant Boss and his Sassy Assistant. Okay, coming back to the topic. What help do you need from me?" I think of our moments together of how we started. I made her work so much. I realize how rude and cold I was. Now here I am thinking of ways to confess my feelings.

"I can't find the courage to tell her."

Hailey says and I remember Dad's words. He said the same thing.  "Girls don't wait for long. You will lose her if you are late."

Hailey thinks about something for a moment and suggests."Ask her out for The Gala."

Why didn't that idea cross my mind? I will ask her today itself.
"That's a great idea. I will ask Her To Be MY DATE for the Gala."

I drove back home dreaming of taking Skyler to the Gala. I had it all planned. I will gift her a dress and then I will take her to the Gala. When Dad does the announcement and I am done for the evening, I will take her to our secret spot and confess my feelings for her.

I went back home to see the lights were on. I opened the door and saw Skyler sitting on the couch.
It was pretty late. When I opened the door I was not expecting Skyler to be awake. After placing the keys on the cabinet and taking off my coat. I sat beside her by the couch."You are still awake."

"Oh yes." She said coldly. She had her arms crossed on her chest.
"Is there any problem?"

"No, why do you think so?" She was acting strange which was surprising."You left office without telling me anything and then you don't pick my calls and leave a message and after which you left my message on seen."

"I wasn't feeling too well." She said and I was worried. I looked at her.
She should have told me she was not feeling well and I wouldn't have gone to dinner. "Are you fine? Should I call the doctor?"

"I am fine. I came to ask but you were busy." She reassures me.

"Oh yeah. You must have seen me with Hailey."

"So I left."

I wanted to wait till tomorrow to ask but now that she is awake. There is no need to wait."I might as well ask you now since you are awake."

"What do you have to ask Shane?"
She glances over at me. I was anxious and my palms were getting sweaty. I say nervously."The Blitz Gala is this Saturday. It's a really big day for me."

"I know. Tyler told me about it."

Just ask the question, Shane. It's not that hard. I have never felt like this. My heart was beating faster than ever. I sighed and finally let it out."I wanted to ask if you will accompany me as my date."

"You are late."

"Tyler already asked me to accompany him and I agreed to him." Tyler, my little brother. When will you stop interfering in between? I want to go with her. Tyler can go with anybody else."He can go with Hailey."

"He asked me first so I will go with him. I am sleepy so if you are done I want to go to sleep." I frowned. Tyler, you will pay for this.
"I am not stopping you. Good night."

"Night." Skyler slips but I caught hold of her before she fell. We were looking into each other. I always felt this connection with Skyler. We didn't know about each other a lot yet I feel like I have known her for ages.

I tried to read her eyes and I could see anger as well as love. Time seemed to stop and this time there was no oven timer to interrupt us.
"Somehow it is always ME who saves you."

"Thank you so much." She lets go of me and smiles sarcastically. Then she storms off to her room.
What's happening with this girl? What wrong did I do now? Why is acting so ignorant like this?

Things were great in the morning. She must be tired of working after a long break. Someone rightly said that it is really hard to understand girls. I call Hailey to tell her that Skyler said no.

"Now what do you want?"

"Tyler asked her out first and she agreed. I told her Ty can accompany you but no, she won't go with me."

"Relax. At least we know she will be there at the event. This would not happen if you talked about it to Tyler."

"I know and I don't know why she is acting a little distant?"

"There is something you don't know. We will find it out soon. For now, don't worry. You have a lot to do and prepare for."

"Yeah. Now you will have to accompany me to the Gala, Hales."
I can't believe I am not the one accompanying her. It is a really big day for me and she is not going to be on my side. I wanted her to be with me. Skyler, What are you doing to me?

(Now that Skyler agreed to accompany Tyler. Will Shane be able to see them together? What happens at the Gala?)

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