Her Corporate Takedown: Entangled with a Billionaire

*CHAPTER 7: FIRST LOVE*

In any case, it had been quite a long night. If anyone told me a week ago about the unbelievable occurrences that I would have experienced yesterday, I would be in shock. The drive home was relatively peaceful, apart from the feeling of restlessness in the car. I glanced over to my left at Andrei, who was driving. He appeared to be calm as usual, so I must have been the only one who was feeling this way.

I looked back over to the window on my right, and took in the view of the warm sky dawned by the sunrise. Surprisingly, he didn't say anything during the ride. However, I wished he did; at least that annoyingly condescending tone could keep me awake. Falling asleep in the car of a guy I just met - I can't believe I'm making the mistake of showing such weakness again. Not to mention, I'm providing the perfect set-up for an a*******n…again!

As I was starting to doze off, my head was filled only with thoughts about this guy. I wouldn't be surprised if I had all kinds of dreams about him before reaching home. Speaking of Andrei, though, I don't really know anything about his life after junior high and, even though we went to the same school for three years, I hardly knew much about him at all.

I met Andrei on the first day of junior high. From the first moment we met, I had indescribable feelings welling up inside me. You broke the ice with your very distinct laughter and offered me your handkerchief, which I still have. I sat behind you in class by the window and I remember just watching you the entire day instead of paying attention to the teachers. I would choke up when I tried to talk to you, blush whenever you looked at me and couldn't maintain eye contact when you talked to me. Honestly, that whole ordeal is quite embarrassing to think about. I was extremely nervous just being in the same class on the first day, and it only worsened over the next twelve months. Every day I was a nervous wreck. As a result, we never had a proper conversation for five months.

I'll never forget the first time we really hung out. It was on a Saturday at the end of January in our first year of junior high. I decided to visit, with some friends, a nearby city which I had never been to before. We all made plans as a group, but there was a certain experience I saw online and wanted to go alone. At the end of the day on Saturday, I told my friends that I was going to stay over at my aunt's home. Since subways exist all over America now, it was easy to travel to-and-from most cities, but just in case, I got my aunt's okay to stay over if I needed to. After I saw my friends off on the subway, I quickly whisked away to my appointment for this special experience. I got on the bus at the nearest bus stop and it dropped me off at the foot of Mount Escoffry, where an evening tour bus was waiting. I was very excited and had been looking forward to this activity all day. I saw online that a photographer offered to take a portrait picture of you in one of the most beautiful sceneries in California.

As the bus drove up the mountains, the landscape bathed in the sunset was even more beautiful than the pictures I saw online. At the end of the tour guide, I followed the directions to the location of the photographer. I ventured off, innocently, not thinking about the possible consequences of venturing off into an unknown area alone. Although I lost cell signal, I found my way because signs were left on the ground or in the trees. The signs were secretly hidden by the photographer because it was his special location. It was fun to find the signs. It was like I was searching for clues to a hidden treasure, which it indeed was. By the time I had gotten to the location, the sun was setting. The gentleman I met greeted me amicably and showed me to the seat where I would take my photograph. It really was a hidden gem of a location; it was indescribably picturesque. I sat on a bench perfectly placed in a field of flowers of various colours. The flowers decorated the roots of tall slender trees in the background and contrasted with their off-white trunks.

I noticed that the man had set up to take pictures from the front, but there was another set of camera equipment to my right. A young boy came from behind the trees in the opposite direction from where I entered the location. It was none other than Andrei. At that moment, I felt like I wanted to run and hide, but I stopped myself somehow. When he approached the camera, he finally looked at me and paused. I continued looking straight at the camera in front of me, trying to smile naturally, but I could still see Andrei. At first, I caught him staring for about five seconds, but then he proceeded to take the pictures. With two photographers, they took several pictures at multiple angles. I was surprised since it wasn't mentioned in the advertisement, but I was still happy. They began moving around and they also asked if I wanted to get different types of pictures. I had pictures taken on the hillside overlooking the horizon, while sitting, standing and even in one of the trees. I was definitely happy with the service and it became one of my most treasured memories.

By the time the photoshoot was over, the sun had completely set and the moonlight illuminated the mountainside. The gentleman instructed Andrei to escort me back to the tour bus after he finished packing. He carried a couple of bags into the forest where he had appeared from earlier, then returned empty handed. He came up to me and said he would walk with me back to the tour bus. I shyly nodded in response and followed him. Even though it was night, the forest was bright enough to see the path and to see his face. Finally, I mustered up the courage to say something to him before getting back to the bus.

"You looked like you were having fun," he said. He ended up breaking the silence before I could.

"It was really fun. Thank you for taking such lovely pictures."

"You're welcome," he replied, smiling. "By the way, since the tour bus doesn't leave for another hour, do you want to go somewhere else with me?"

At first, I stared at him puzzled and shocked that he asked such a thing, but my adventurous spirit quickly took over. "Sure, I'll go!"

Midway back to the tour bus, Andrei stopped and turned left to go up the mountains. We embarked on an unknown trail further up the mountains where it got more chilly. A second later, I felt warm again; Andrei's grey jacket had been thrown over my shoulders and it was comfortably warm. I'm pretty sure I was smiling and blushing like a fool, but I didn't care anymore. The butterflies from the flower field twirled in my stomach and I couldn't control these feelings anymore. I ran excitedly ahead of him for a few meters until I was pulled back suddenly. The jacket fell to the ground but I was still embraced by his body heat. His hands grasped my arms and I had been pulled back against his chest. I slowly looked behind me, my face was as red as strawberries, and made direct eye contact since we were both the same height. Seeing my flushed face must have made him realize the situation as he reflexively blushed.

"You should be careful here," he said. "You almost fell."

I looked down and he was right. There was a steep hill just a couple of feet away and I would have fallen if I kept running.

"Thanks," I replied sincerely, grateful for his good deed in saving my life.

"We're going this way," he said, pointing to the right. He walked a few feet ahead, then turned around while extending his hand. I took his hand and walked up the steps carefully until we reached a dense area of foliage. I clasped his hand tightly while looking at the ground. I heard a soft chuckle but he returned the favour and tightened his grip. Just that small gesture made me so happy. He then parted the large dark-green leaves and we entered a secluded territory, hidden from the rest of the world. He must have been the only person to know this part of the forest exists. The condensation on the leaves and on the ground glittered like the stars and brightened the entire area. It was so bright that I couldn't focus on one spot. We walked further inward and there was a small waterfall to the right hidden by rocks. We climbed to the top of the rocks which were behind the waterfall and sat down for a few minutes to take in the scenic view, which was just as beautiful as the first place.

"Do you love photography?" I asked him.

"Yea. Not as much as I like just coming up here in the mountains. But I saw him the first couple of times that I came here and he offered me that part-time job."

"I don't think we are allowed to do part-time jobs until ninth grade."

"Then you'll have to keep this a secret for me," he said with a carefree smile. "In return, I'll show you another one of my secret places."

"You have a deal," I replied like an excited puppy and I forgot that I was still holding his hand. As I recall it now, I'm sure I was blushing non-stop, my flushed face contrasting with the deep-green scenery. I could also see a light pink shade of blush on his face and the butterflies twirled again. Yet, my nervousness disappeared and we were talking normally. With thirty minutes to spare, we carefully hurried down the mountain to the tour bus. We made it just in time to have some of the barbecue at the star-gazing party before leaving this mountain full of unforgettable memories.

That was the story of my first love. After that day, we talked a lot more during class and after school. We often had lunch together and went home together. The most anticipated event occurred later; I got to see your second secret spot, which was a huge surprise. In the summer before the end of the first year, you took me to the VIP area of a kitten cafe using your VIP pass. I didn't even know those places existed but all of the kittens were so adorable. If you were wondering what the difference was between the regular café and the VIP areas, in the VIP area you get to play with so-called ultra-rare luxury breed kittens in a private den while being served unlimited desserts and a five-star menu by a butler. The whole concept appeared as crazy as it sounded, but it was real. At the end of the day, we really enjoyed ourselves and I got to see another cute side of Andrei, so it was all the more worth it.

Although this was love-at-first-sight, it definitely persisted throughout the three years of junior high. Sadly, we were separated in our second year and we never met or talked at all that year, but I never forgot about you. However, I met Daniel and he started to override the romance I enjoyed with you just one year earlier. I thought that if you were serious about me, you would have come to find me but you didn't. I'll admit that I was just as guilty for simply moving on to the next guy that seemed interested. As time went on, Daniel showed more tenacity at wanting to be together and I thought that was also for the best. I thought I loved him just as much as he loved me…just as much as I loved you. The truth is, I never felt the same way with him as I did with you.

Then, by the middle of the third year, something happened that made me want to forget you and everything that happened between us. I wanted to completely overwrite you with Daniel, otherwise I wouldn't know what to call the feelings I had for Daniel. I never wanted to admit that I loved you way more than him; that I wished I was with you instead of him and that I felt miserable because of it. So, when you transferred schools, I discarded our memories forever.

Andrei drove into Leiya's apartment complex and parked in an open parking space. He shut off the car and looked over at her sleeping figure, with her head against the window. He reached his hand over and gently touched her face, then brushed her loose hair back.

"I said that I was always waiting for you, but I never said that I was waiting patiently," he muttered in a deep voice while he brushed her hair back.

He sweeped his fingers over her shoulder blades and down her left shoulder, coming to a stop as he rests his hand on her shoulder.

"I'll give you as much time as you need to get over that guy." He paused for a bit then started chuckling. "But let's see how long you can keep denying your feelings - assuming you can even keep resisting me."