"I'm not" she said firmly. "If you are not on make up then you would have gone for sauna" she asserted confidently.
"Sauna!" He gave her a irksome look. "I think you are still in your dream land and you are not thinking right" he ridiculed.
"Meaning?" She asked firmly.
"You are dumb" he replied casually.
Melissa's mouth hung open but she didn't say anything but just glare.
"Why didn't you come to my office when you arrived?" He asked bossily.
"I came but your secretary told me you are not in" she replied quickly.
"And what time was that?" He gave a disagreeing look.
"Sir, it's not as if I won't see you today. Moreover, there's a meeting scheduled to give report of my trip and with that I need a little rest before the meeting which just ended now" she retorted but not loudly.
"What are you pointing at? Is it that I don't have the right to know about your trip before hand?" He asked with a strict voice.
Melissa knew she just angered him. "Never said that" she pouted.
"What would you have insinuated if not that?" He asked sternly.
Melissa dare not look at him. She bowed her head just to avoid the look of his temper.
"It is not totally your fault. It was I that thought to check on you when you didn't show up at 8y office as expected. That's what gave you the effrontery to talk back at me" he dart he a hot glare.
Melissa gazed at him underneath her eyes, pushing her lower lips out and she closed her eyes after she inhaled and exhaled. She scolded herself for her big mouth.
"I know what to do?" He said and left in feign anger.
Drew really enjoyed her cowering in front of him and he smiled as he left.
Melissa sat on her table with a huge frustrating sigh and hit her head slightly ruefully.
"Why am I such a big mouth" she chided.
By the time she got to the meeting room, everyone was seated including Drew. She quickly checked her time to see if she was late but she was still five minutes early.
She wondered why Drew came this early. He do walk into their meetings at exactly two minutes to the time so as to avoid looks.
This time he seems not to care because Joanna was beside him talking and laughing at the same time, even though the person she is talking to seems totally uninterested.
Joanna wasn't suppose to be seated beside Drew because that's Melissa's seat but seeing her Melissa who wasn't ready to sit beside angry Drew took her seat beside Larry who gave her a surprised look immediately.
"Ma'am why are you beside me?" His voice didn't hide his surprise even though he whispered.
Melissa smiled at him.
The rest looked at her but Nick couldn't hold it.
"Ma, you shouldn't be sitting there" he said. "And you when did you get the right to sit on that chair?" He asked Joanna sternly.
"Let her be. It is my choice to sit here" Melissa said softly with a smile.
"That I won't accept" Vivian objects. "Ma, you need to go to your seat while this nitwit go to her rightful place" she invect looking dourly at Joanna.
"Hey be careful there! I never said I won't vacate when she comes and I don't even know what's your business that you start barking and howling at me" she said crudely still seated.
To say the truth, she was not ready to leave. She was glad that Melissa didn't mind her sitting with Drew.
Her words invited more words from the rest. They kept arguing and Drew didn't seem to care. This seems to be their lucky day because no one dares to talk not to talk of argue when he is seated. But since they saw him arrive early, they knew his mood was tolerable.
Drew knew why Melissa refuse to sit beside him so he wasn't moved. He didn't even do as if he was there, talk more of correcting Melissa or Joanna. He was waiting patiently for his meeting time. Immediately it was time, he slammed his hand on the table gently and they were all called to order.
Some thought he was waiting for the meeting time to address the issue but to their surprise he ignored it and just ordered Victor to give a opening prayer.
Victor did the prayer very well for about three to four minutes. Some of his colleagues gave him unpleasant expressions during and after the prayer.
Melissa was the first to give account of where she went, then followed by others who were given delegations. Some where applauded while some where reprimanded for not doing a perfect job.
While the meeting was on but it's intensity has reduced drastically which means it is almost coming to a close, Melissa brought out her phone secretly and messaged Drew.
Hey man stop staring. I've got holes on my body.
When his phone backlight flashed , he looked at it and saw Melissa has the sender. He looked at her and wondered what she sent so he checked. When he saw it he couldn't help but smile and looked at Melissa who widen her look to say she is serious.
People who were seated saw him smirk and they almost got a shock. They couldn't believe what they saw. Some in the company thought he doesn't know how to smile nor give any expression and that's one of the reason he was mostly feared because no one can predict his emotions at any moment. They wondered what brought the smile on his face. Even Joanna tried to peep but received a gloomy glare that made her to adjust.
It was Barbara that was talking when her text came in.
You've got the courage to talk to me now? He texted back not minding that everyone had their eyes on him.
This is the very first time Drew would be in a meeting and he would hold his phone to text. It seems to him that Melissa is making him break lot of his rules and he seem to enjoy it.
Melissa didn't know that she was that obvious to Drew. She never knew he would guess that she was a bit scared of him that's why she was sat afar.
I'm not scared of you. She texted.
Then explain why you are seated there.
That's because I don't have strength to be persuading someone to leave my seat. She saw something to hinge on.
No one noticed Melissa's phone because she was sitted in a balanced way and her phone was well hidden under the long table but Drew's was visible but none dare query him.
"Are you listening sir?" Joanna asked.
"Yes I am" he replied dryly. That's a blatant lie. All you wanted is for me to keep seeing you. He texted with a smirk on his handsome face and he looked up to answer a question thrown to him.
The ladies seated were almost swooning at his smile. He was more than handsome to them when he smiles. They felt the Lady bringing the laughter was indeed lucky.
Poppycock! She texted.
You are also paying so much attention to me that's the reason you were able to claim that I'm staring at you.
He texted when he was done treating the questions asked.
Me, pay attention to you? Tsk. She texted and made the tsk sound before she realises it.
That drew Larry's attention to her. It was then he realised she was also chatting on her phone but he said nothing.