'Official Pandemonium'

Prologue

Disclaimer: I do NOT own GH.

A step to the left.

"… arranged that meeting tomorrow at eight…"

The voice that comes out of my throat sounds strangely disembodied, a strained whisper as if I'm restraining myself from doing something desperately close to my want. It is after a few seconds that I realize this is true. The truth of it strikes me with all the power of a cannonball lodging itself into my stomach.

Another jerky step. This time to the right.

I keep talking. Talking is safe. Heh, talking just might distract me from any of the insanity brewing in my mind.

"...the reservations have been made at the hotel of your choice, all the arrangements can be altered as you request…"

A spin. His fingers tighten around mine for such a fleeting moment that it just might have been my imagination.

He raises an eyebrow as if trying to understand why the hell I'm speaking during a slow dance.

GREAT. Even the narcissist knows the etiquettes of slow-dancing.

I lower my eyes because right now staring into his brilliant, hard ones would rather be like walking into a trap I've so assiduously worked to avoid. Not that avoidance has done me a bit of good. The butterflies in my stomach might have just turned into gigantic bats.

This situation is slipping. Fast. I'm slipping. Fast. Hard.

Talk!

"… all the documents have been copied and saved on your laptop. Hardcopies on your desk. The contracts open at page three…"

Maybe it is my overwrought imagination but I think I might have just seen his lips twitch. He looks immaculate in that black suit, lean as he towers over me, every inch the powerful CEO. I think I might be ogling.

Not very professional, Mai.

He's supposed to be a jerk, I remind myself as he spins me again, the warm contact sending everything inside me in some kind of frenzy, he's supposed to be the biggest jerk on the planet. The jerk. A whole new definition of jerk.

It's all a lie to keep me in my place.

"… Madoka has reduced the thesis to points so that sponsors don't fall asleep during - I mean… so they don't have to spend too much brain thinking it… over…"

His unnerving, unblinking stare halts all thoughts. All words. I'm a goner. Geez, all that hard work for nothing.

I move to the left again, my movements automatic, completely in tune to the music that reverberates in the room and for a desperate moment I wish that I hadn't been pulled into this mess and he would have come here with one of his perfect model dates as per tradition. God, I'm an assistant! A freaking assistant for crying out loud! Though the women who have been eyeing him covetously since the last hour probably don't realize this, they've been giving me the 'you're-so-dead' looks ever since he dragged me to the dance floor. Literally dragged. Only because I know how he hates physical contact with all these made up women whose gazes track him like hungry vultures. Perhaps they'll puncture my heart with their heels once I walk out of this room, out of this dancing business.

"...Yasu will send the presentations over tomorrow, they should arrive by seven thirty…"

Technically, he was supposed to reject the whole idea of dancing because I never thought it would suit someone as serious, as focused as him but when he relented to it (just to please the damned sponsors who threw this whole party thing…) I realized how little I knew him. Not Oliver Davis but Naru.

Slow-dancing was probably created just for him.

"… I'll check them for any errors and forward them to your inbox by eight fifteen at the latest…"

Don't stare. I plead with him internally, a puddle of conflict, a muddle of emotions, my mind working to recall all that I'm paid to tell him. Recalling business. Our real reason here. Don't stare at me!

"… I will also be there at the meeting with all the n-notes and…" I gulp, noticing the stutter, internally cursing. "... should there be something that -"

I stop abruptly when I hear an irritated huff. His. Eyes narrowed and glinting dangerously in the dim lighting.

I gulp again.

"What," He questions in a deceptively soft voice, slowly pulling me closer. "...will it take to quieten you?"

Gulping becomes a routine. My new habit.

"You see, Taniyama." He begins, head tilted to the side, moving us around the room effortlessly. Gracefully. "We are waltzing. Reminding me of my itinerary during this process is not conducive to rhythm, is it?"

"Sir -"

"Answer me."

"I…"

Then before I know what is happening I'm the one staring. And then it's me who's moving closer to him, held by his gaze. The only thing holding me back from encircling my arms around his neck is the promise I've made to Martin. Even that doesn't make any sense now.

"I see." He murmurs, nodding at a couple that dances right past us before his mouth tilts into a smirk. "But then again, grace and coordination have never been your strong points."

And that is when I know he's unleashed something uncontrollable in me with that soft, challenging murmur.

I put those arms to good use. Link them behind his neck. Tip my chin up. He can fire me for overstepping boundaries but this one dance is mine. I've had enough of being reduced to a confused pile of mush, enough of being conflicted by his contradictory actions. Done. This is time for action.

I blush but the lack of light conveniently hides it. No vulnerability. Ever.

"What do you have to say now?" I smile up at him, reveling in the proximity, rejoicing his surprised misstep. "Sir…"

He watches me, eyes widening fractionally.

Flustered. Just a little bit.

His impeccable rhythm falters for a second before that mask of nonchalance replaces my favourite expression.

That's when the irony of my situation hits me. Martin's request. My promise. The whole reason I'm here.

And when I look up, he almost smiles down at me and it is a punch to the gut.

I step back to his surprise. Turn around. Flee. Never once looking back at him. Like the coward I am.

I hate him. Hate that I can't hate him for long. Hate that he is well aware of this. Hate him for not being the jerk that I thought him to be. Hate that I will be betraying this man.

Hate that eventually he is going to hate me…

A/N: So this is a new style I'm trying and I hope it works out as well as I think it should. Hope you enjoyed this prologue. More to come in the chapters. Updates will be plenty; I suppose since I have most of this planned out! Review and put in all your suggestions. Hoping to hear more from y'all.

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-borntoflyhigh-