A tiny drop of air conditioned sweat trickled down his spine, chilling him to his very extremities.
He felt his hand reach out shakily towards the glass of clear mineral water, reflected shimmeringly in the spotless glasstop of the table facing him like an adversary. He raised it to his lips, taking a single swallow, measured precisely, as if the slightest overdose would kill him.
He slowly lifted his eyes and discreetly studied the man at the other bank of the glass river. He had never seen someone who resembled a wizened lion more. The conservative black suit with razor sharp edges; the immaculate black hair with the slightest tinge of graceful grey, as royal as the wild king's mane; the perfectly groomed beard, matching the authoritarian air to a T; and the gaze.. the gaze that was slashing his self-confidence to ribbons, like a lion's sharpened claws rip their victims to shreds.
"So, Mr. Delvehesh, what makes you think you are the man for this job?" the suited lion asked him in a quiet voice. He gave a start, he had expected a roar. "Err.. sir, well actually..", he stammered
"Yes?" , the gaze sharpened, even as the question was asked in a voice as quiet as the one before.
"Well, I am efficient and, and confident and I would love to do the work you are offering, " he tried valiantly, in a stuttering voice, that sounded so unlike his.
"I am sure you are all these things, but then so are the hundreds of young men standing outside that door. So, why should I chose you and be unfair to them all?", came the question, a subtle strain of mockery entwining with the quiet authority in the voice.
He opened his mouth, closed it again, swallowed and opened it again, but nothing came out.
He knew he couldn't afford to lose this job. He was at his wit's end.
He had gone numb, there was vaccum where his thinking machine of a brain had been a few minutes back.
He went into a sort of fever, losing control of what he was saying as he burst out "sir, well, I ... I am a peoples' person and.. and I can drive and I desperately need this job and I.. i can draw and and I can err.. dance and I am gay, " he clapped his hand over his mouth as he realised what he had just said. Torturously, in that moment of pure humiliation his mind was again crystal clear.
H clearly saw the the rocky grey eyes from across the table flicker for a moment before rippling back into a solid mass.
"That will be all Mr. Delvehesh, you can leave now." He staggered onto his feet weakly and struggled towards the closed door.
"And yes, tell the lady outside to cancel the rest of the interviews.. you are hired as my personal assistant." He whipped around in disbelief, a strange light entering his eyes, only to leave immediately as he saw the lion languishing in the chair, a lazy smile luxuriating on his lips. The penetrating gaze was replaced by a feather, freely roving over his body, marking him its owner's property...
"On second thoughts, you can stay right here and start immediately," the cat purred slowly, stretching himself invitingly...
PS: sorry guys got two examz tomorrow and haven't studied anything till now.. will pakka se reply to all comments 2mrw
tc
He felt his hand reach out shakily towards the glass of clear mineral water, reflected shimmeringly in the spotless glasstop of the table facing him like an adversary. He raised it to his lips, taking a single swallow, measured precisely, as if the slightest overdose would kill him.
He slowly lifted his eyes and discreetly studied the man at the other bank of the glass river. He had never seen someone who resembled a wizened lion more. The conservative black suit with razor sharp edges; the immaculate black hair with the slightest tinge of graceful grey, as royal as the wild king's mane; the perfectly groomed beard, matching the authoritarian air to a T; and the gaze.. the gaze that was slashing his self-confidence to ribbons, like a lion's sharpened claws rip their victims to shreds.
"So, Mr. Delvehesh, what makes you think you are the man for this job?" the suited lion asked him in a quiet voice. He gave a start, he had expected a roar. "Err.. sir, well actually..", he stammered
"Yes?" , the gaze sharpened, even as the question was asked in a voice as quiet as the one before.
"Well, I am efficient and, and confident and I would love to do the work you are offering, " he tried valiantly, in a stuttering voice, that sounded so unlike his.
"I am sure you are all these things, but then so are the hundreds of young men standing outside that door. So, why should I chose you and be unfair to them all?", came the question, a subtle strain of mockery entwining with the quiet authority in the voice.
He opened his mouth, closed it again, swallowed and opened it again, but nothing came out.
He knew he couldn't afford to lose this job. He was at his wit's end.
He had gone numb, there was vaccum where his thinking machine of a brain had been a few minutes back.
He went into a sort of fever, losing control of what he was saying as he burst out "sir, well, I ... I am a peoples' person and.. and I can drive and I desperately need this job and I.. i can draw and and I can err.. dance and I am gay, " he clapped his hand over his mouth as he realised what he had just said. Torturously, in that moment of pure humiliation his mind was again crystal clear.
H clearly saw the the rocky grey eyes from across the table flicker for a moment before rippling back into a solid mass.
"That will be all Mr. Delvehesh, you can leave now." He staggered onto his feet weakly and struggled towards the closed door.
"And yes, tell the lady outside to cancel the rest of the interviews.. you are hired as my personal assistant." He whipped around in disbelief, a strange light entering his eyes, only to leave immediately as he saw the lion languishing in the chair, a lazy smile luxuriating on his lips. The penetrating gaze was replaced by a feather, freely roving over his body, marking him its owner's property...
"On second thoughts, you can stay right here and start immediately," the cat purred slowly, stretching himself invitingly...
PS: sorry guys got two examz tomorrow and haven't studied anything till now.. will pakka se reply to all comments 2mrw
tc
