Chapter Five: Artificial Intelligence

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I suddenly start feeling significantly smaller than usual. The huge headquarters looming over me makes me feel like the AI of a video game. Just put there to face the main character to ultimately die regardless of how hard they fight. Okay maybe I'm over exaggerating it a bit. gulp

It was late spring so I still had to wear a small jacket on top of my dress. I clutch onto my bag and, before I could change my mind, barge through the huge glass doors.

Or at least, look like a fool by running through the doors like a tyrant when they opened up automatically. I even made Godzilla noises to give me the strength to open them. Oh how the tables turned.

Everyone and by everyone I mean literally everybody in that humongous lobby turned to stare at me like I was an escapee from a mental hospital and just happened to enter the wrong building.

Someone up there must really hate my guts.

I start blushing like mad at facing such embarrassment and awkwardly smile at the onlookers to assure them that I was not a crazy person.

As fast as they stared, the employees continued about their business. Hustling to meet deadlines and getting a spot in the elevator.

I brush off invisible dust from my clothes as I walk over to the receptionist area. An immaculately dressed woman who had her chestnut brown hair in a bun was sitting at the desk. She was busy typing something into her laptop.

"Excuse me, I was wondering if you could tell me where I have to go for Mr. Lee's interview?"

She stopped what she was doing and in heavily accented English, said

"Oh. You're from L'École Polytechnique. C'est vrai?"

"Oui I have a... 9:00 interview with him for my university's magazine." I say cringing as I think about my tardiness.

"You say 9:00 but the time shows 9:15.", she says haughtily.

My temper started to rise at her tone, but I kept it in check.

"Exactly, so maybe you should stop pursing your wafer thin lips at me and tell me where the hell I have to go?"

Okay. Maybe I have to practice staying calm a bit more. It's not my fault really. It comes with the hair. Oh how I wish Adrian was here. He'd know exactly what to say.

But the look on her face was priceless so it was all worth it. Flabbergasted and shocked, she quickly looks at her screen and tells me I have to go to the 71st floor.

"71st floor?! How many floors are there in this building?"

"71. You forget that Mr. Lee is the CEO. He has requested for the interview to take place there."

My heart, if possible, starts beating even more in my chest.

"Y- You mean he's been waiting for 15 minutes?"

"20 now. Seeing as you're still talking to me instead of getting your arse to his office."

"SHIT."

"Shit indeed. He will definitely not be pleased. He hates it when people aren't punctual."

"Okbyethanksgottago!", I yell as I speed down the hallway to get to the elevator.

OH NO OH NO OH NO THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING. WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE SUCH A BITCHY PERSON IN THE MORNING? YOU'RE AN IDIOT AND NOW THE ONLY PERSON WHOSE OPINIONS MATTER TO YOU EXCEPT FOR YOUR FRIENDS AND PARENTS IS GONNA HATE YOU 'CAUSE YOU'RE A LATE KLUTZ OF A PERSON.

I keep berating myself in the elevator as Taylor Swift's Blank Space plays as the background score. It takes another whole minute to reach the 71st floor. Now a minute may not seem like much, but to me, it's the difference between life and death.

As much as I've not been able to see photos of Noah (can I call him that in my head?) I've read every single news article about him. And there's one thing that's strikingly obvious in all of them.

He means business. He's a no-nonsense, cold, hard and aggressive businessman and video game programmer who doesn't tolerate anybody's bullshit. At least that's what the articles say.

But I've always thought that there was more to the enigma that is Noah Lee. I'd like to imagine that behind all that toughness was a softie. Who liked big warm hugs and massive scoops of ice cream that end up giving you brain freeze. Stop it June. Your brain is going that mushy place again. FOCUS!

So yes I was scared out of my wits when I came face to face with the huge - honestly why was everything here so big - metal doors that led to my doom- I mean my interview location.

A feeling of dread settles in the bottom of my stomach.

Deep breaths June. You've got this. You're gonna walk in there and dazzle the pants off of him with your personality. Wait... what? You idiot I meant figuratively not literally.

Right. Now's really not the time to be thinking about Noah with his pants off. Great going June. Now you're thinking about it. Get a hold of yourself woman!

I set aside my internal turmoil as I knock on the doors.

I did it so softly. For fear that my hand would break into a million pieces with just a touch. Yes I was that scared.

At first, there was no reply, but as I made to knock again, I heard a deep voice say, "Enter".

This is it June. It's now or never. All the best. I'll attend your funeral. I am you, brain. So if I die, so do you.

I hesitantly push open the massive doors and my mouth dropped open...

at the sight of his office. Where one would find windows and a wall was just glass. Everything was see through. The view was, to say the least, incredible. Although you couldn't see the Eiffel Tower, it overlooked pretty much the entire city. I bet if I tried hard enough, I could even spot my apartment.

The office, by itself, was actually very simple and minimalistic. That, I didn't like that much. I liked cosy places that were comfortable and made you feel at home. My hopes of Noah proving the media wrong dropped as I saw how lifeless it looked.

A Macintosh OS PANTHER XII sat on a large mahogany desk having a myriad of drawers. The top of the desk was actually clean with the exception of a few papers and pens. There was a large moderately plush office chair seated at the front that was currently unoccupied and a few smaller seats that looked equally extravagant on the other side of the desk for others to sit on.

Despite how expensive and lush the setting was, it just wasn't for me.

But then, I stopped taking in my surroundings as I found the object of my obsession- I mean inspiration with his back to me, staring out at the skyline.

Even by looking at his back I can tell that puberty hit him like a rocket at full speed. Gone was the awkward, slightly endearing gangly adolescent boy I saw when I was 14. Standing before me, was a tall man, well above 6 ft. With broad shoulders at perfect angles, a cough not that bad yeah right not that bad butt and muscular, defined legs that went on for miles. I hadn't even seen his face and I was already drooling. He was dressed in an extremely refined black suit that hugged him in all the right places.

And then he turned around, and I swear I heard angels singing or should I say devils because hot damn that face.

His hair, the colour of obsidian, pushed back sexily in a coif that framed his features and made him look even more irresistible. It was styled perfectly without a strand out of place. Yet to me, it looked softer than clouds.

His perfect nose, angled just right, enhancing his beauty, more than diminishing it. His plush naturally pink lips that looked oh so kissable. Bad June. Bad. Get your head out of the gutter.

Then his body. Though covered, his suit stuck to his slightly muscular frame. His biceps flexing with every move. I could tell he had abs. All in all, it was a masterpiece. Like the sculptures you find in art museums.

Ugh he's killing me.

God bless puberty. If I thought he was attractive before then imagine what I'm thinking now.

But there were two things I realised, that never really changed. And I found that quite endearing.

His eyes, a light chocolate brown colour that reflected off the sunlight and whose gaze could turn anyone to a puddle of goo or make them run for the hills just by the intensity, were currently staring at me, sternly, hard, critically, in a reproaching manner making me feel like a little kid who had done something wrong.

They scanned over me curiously, at my face, red and flushed from exertion and also because he looks so sexy dammit and he's acknowledging my presence. Then over my outfit. I try not to fidget as he takes in my dress and extremely uncomfortable high heels to match. Chill June. You look fabulous. You have nothing to worry about. Yeah right, he looks like a freakin' God. Nothing to worry about, my arse.

And his ears. They were still large and elf like. Had it not been for his cold demeanour and suit, he would've looked quite goofy. And I don't know why, but I found that sight too adorable for words.

As I continue to visually evaluate him, I realise that we were both silent for quite a while.

Then by gathering up every last shred of my now torn confidence - those eyes were dangerous - I meet his unwavering and still reproachful gaze as I boldly say,

"H- Hi! I- I- I uh um I mean yeah I'm J- June a- and I- I'm here f- for the i- interview f- for m- my um my university's uh um magazine?"

And the award for the most poorly crafted sentence in the history of mankind goes to the one and only Juniper Enola Holmes. Go ahead and claim your prize. You surely made an immensely positive and lasting first impression on him. I'm sure he'll love to marry a stuttering nincompoop like you, my dear.

Now is not the time now is not the time now is not the time you stupid brain.

I continue to meet his gaze even though I wanted to bolt out of there the second the statement or should I say question left my mouth.

His eyes are unwavering but I see a flicker of amusement for half a second but it's once again replaced by his patented cold, hard stare™.

And then he opens his mouth to speak.

Now before I tell you what happened next, I must tell you how hard it was not to collapse then and there and how you should all give me an Oscar for the acting that took place on my part.

His voice oh God his voice. Like velvet. So deep and masculine and sexy. It's like the feeling you get while eating chocolate but so much better. It wraps around your senses and fills you with warmth. It made my knees go weak and my heart palpitate at alarming rates. I almost melted into the ground.

Having a voice that low, sinful and sexy with his looks should be illegal. It's a lethal combination.

What kept me on planet Earth though, were the words that came out of his mouth.

"Ms. Holmes, welcome to Ubisoft Headquarters. How great of you to bless me with your presence 20 minutes late. Why don't you take a seat so we can discuss the consequences of your reckless actions?"

I should've been scared. I should've. And if looks could kill, he'd be charged for murder with the deadly glare he shot at me. His tone was cold and aggressive and he practically growled every syllable.

But why was I attracted to it? He was the flame and I was the moth. It made me want to push his buttons. I wanted to rebel more. And so I did,

"Look here Lee, I tried my best to come on time. If it wasn't for the mannequin at the reception not doing her job properly, then I wouldn't have been that late."

And as soon as I said those words, I realised with a heavy sense of dread, that I had dug my own grave.

And that ladies and gentlemen, is how to make a death wish. A tutorial by Juniper Holmes. Now available in Barnes & Nobles.

I wanted the Earth to swallow me whole.

Someone up there most definitely hates my guts.

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A/N: Okay you will not believe how nerve-wracking writing this chapter was. To tell you the truth, I was so embarrassed the whole time. But like I said, there will be romance and so I have to write mushy gushy stuff as well.

YAY! Noah finally made an appearance! I hope I managed to write about his attractive looks and voice properly.

But honestly, have you seen Noah? Just look at him heart eyes ugh And I'm not joking about his voice either.

The picture is also one of what Noah's office would've looked like (I couldn't find one exactly but base it off this).

Could you sense the tension between June and Noah? She definitely made a lasting first impression, but not necessarily in a good way.

(I'm still embarrassed because I've never written anything like this. It's my first time. blushes)

Hope you liked this chapter! I made it long. Just for you guys. You can vote, comment, add it to your reading list, library and follow me if you want :)

Next chapter will include a very pissed off Noah, a super embarrassed June and an interview that... might crash and burn? Who knows? Stay tuned.

Whether you follow me or not, I love you for just reading this <3

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