Have We Met Before? By Olivia Hillier

The first four pages...

He could see something beyond this world. I could see it in his eyes. He could see lands far beyond his current landscape. His energy beamed with future possibilities, but he was always right here, in the present moment with me. Nowhere else but with me.

He shied away a part of his magic from the outside world. He hid it behind self-doubt, but in the most intimate moments, I got to revel in his spark. His blue eyes twinkled; his dimple showed. His cheeky smile unleashed from his face, exposing his tongue lying on the roof of his mouth.

He was alluring. The more I discovered about him, the more I wanted to uncover and undress. He was always embracing the present moment whilst mystically keeping his eyes, hands and heart open to the adventures of the future.

Maybe it was the fact he was human that completed his beauty. The fact a mind so untamed and expansive could live behind the imperfections of human cells and flawed bacteria. How a man with deep creativity, curiosity, intelligence, and a soul beyond this world could still feel anxiety. Could still be made nervous and stumble from my own words, shocked me.

His magic now felt like our magic. His energy became my art, and my soul became his songs.

I lay with him amongst my white sheets, his arm underneath my head. I closed my eyes, revelling in the peaceful moment that was. --

My eyes opened to the feeling of his hand brushing against my cheek, tucking my long brown hair behind my ear. His lips touched mine before my eyes could fully open. As he kissed me, he rolled his arm out from underneath me, kissing down my body, softly, tasting every inch of my skin. He kissed each inner thigh and looked up at me, smirking. His eyes spoke to me. They said I’ve got you, they said trust me. As he pressed his creative tongue against my skin.

There we lay together, sharing nothing but a moment of pure presence, warmth and intimacy, one that seemed to last forever, one that never pulled us away. My blue veins. His blue eyes. A deep connection of oceanic mystery.

Chapter 1 - Her

‘How do you feel about that, Emma?’

Oh shit. I swivelled around in my chair, sitting up taller, while everyone sitting around the boardroom table glared at me. Their eyes smiled, but their lips were closed and stiff.

‘Um, yep. I think that’s a great idea,’ I said looking up at Adam. His brow narrowed towards me, I flashed him a toothy grin, with a hint of ‘fuck you’ hidden in my clenched jaw.

‘Huh, well you can be the first to show us your results in next week’s meeting then,’ he said, pursing his lips and rolling his eyes. If there was anything I had learned in the past five years of working here, I was safe in any meeting I had zoned out of if I answered with, yes, great idea or it’s all about balance.

‘Perfect. Can’t wait,’ I said, not leaving his gaze or dropping my smile

‘Okay, guys, get back to it,’ said Adam. Everyone in the room stood up at once, I watched them line up at the doorway as one by one they rushed back to their cubicles. I slowly cued at the end of the line, wondering what the daily hurry was,to stare mindlessly at their computers all day. I strolled over to my office door, leaving it ajar and slumping down behind my seat.

I heard a slight knock on the door and before I could answer, Jack walked in, dropping a notepad onto my desk.

‘I thought you might need these notes,’ he said.

‘Thanks, Jack.’ I sighed, I could always count on him, my right-hand man, my best friend.

‘Are you okay? You seem a little out of it today. Actually, you’ve been a little out of it this week. Are you sleeping well?’ he said, his forehead creased, and his eyes trying to read behind mine.

‘My sleep is fine. I’m okay,’ I said, sitting up out of my slump, forcing a smile. ‘But thank you, for your concern.’

‘Are you sure? Just with the break-up and everything.’ His words slowed, and his eyes brushed me up and down. ‘You know, you haven’t really talked about it much, you seem even more absent at work lately, I don’t know, I’m just worried Em, I care,’ he said, his voice softened.

‘Jack, it’s been two months, I’m fine. I guess, I think I just need a holiday to take some time off maybe, you know.’

His eyes widened and his jaw dropped open, letting out a giggle. ‘You? Take a holiday? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you have a break or do anything fun, in fact.’ He laughed, ‘I mean that’s great. I think you should take a holiday. No one gets to your position at twenty-four without working your ass off. It’s about bloody time you had one, I just don’t think you know how to take one.’

‘Emma,’ Adam called out, poking his head through the door, ‘the next quarter’s calendar is out. Can you please come and review it with me in a second?’ he said, slamming the door shut behind him before I could reply. I sighed looking down at the time on my computer. It was one p.m.

‘Forget a holiday, I can’t even take lunch,’ I said, sinking deeper into my chair, looking around the enclosed four white walls of my office. I can’t believe I had wanted so badly to be here. In a tiny concrete room with a comfortable salary and gold badge from a society that deemed me successful to the fellow members of my small hometown.

‘Maybe you just need some fun. Come to my gig tonight?’ said Jack.

‘I think you already know my answer,’ I said.

‘Oh, come on, don’t be like that. I think that you need a night out. Plus, I’m supporting a pretty big name tonight,’ he said, smiling, blinking his eyes at me, hoping for the positive reaction to side hustle that I only supported from a distance.

‘Clubbing is not my scene,’ I said bluntly, I turned towards my computer, flicking through my emails.

He stood emotionless, his eyes flickering me up and downlike I was sitting in a therapist’s office, trying to figure out what to diagnose me with. Was I stupid? Closed off? Or just a downright bore. Then he shrugged and turned towards the door.

‘Okay,’ I blurted out, just as he grabbed the door handle. ‘I think it’s probably about time I watched you play.’

‘What? Are you serious? Hell yeah, it’s going to be such a fun night! Meet me there at ten,’ he said, closing the door behind him, before I could change my mind.

Ten p.m.? Fuck. I’d have to fit in a nap somewhere after work to be able to make it to ten.

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With lots of love,

Liv xo