11 Battle Of Tongues

Chapter Eleven: Battle of Tongues

Alexandria's POV

"Look here," I said, minimizing the current screen to view the Peachtree page showing the company's budget. "The budget does not add up with the actual expenses."

When I was sure he had a good look at the page, I clicked on the actual expenses page and looked up— behind me— at Mr Norman. "Now take a look at the actual expenses," I said looking back at the screen. "It differs from the budget."

He nods thoughtfully, "Yes, that happens a lot of time." "Changes in the economy," He added as an afterthought.

"Only that the economy is flourishing isn't it?" I asked with a smirk. "Moreover, the excess in expenses is rather low. $0.01 or $0.02 increase difference."

"Yes... and?"

"Did you scrutinize the receipts?" I asked, a small smile forming at the corners of my lips. "I'm sure the online receipts will vary from the offline ones," I tell him. "In addition to that, the excess expenses reflect on the receipts here but on the hardcopy receipts, it does not. It's a smart but stupid way to fraud a company."

"Wow," he said, exhaling against my neck. I swallowed hard— very much affected by that. "That's... A lot you have uncovered," he whispered, his breath fanning my neck. I took a deep breath attempting to fight off the new sensation trying to overcome my body. I desired his touch.

"You don't seem well," he said turning the chair — his chair— which I sat on to face him.

"I'm very fine," I told him with pursed lips not looking up at his face. "Of course, you will need to compare a lot of other documents in case I am wrong."

"I'll investigate the matter," he said. When I finally looked up at him, his eyes were hard and unstable. Anger was evident in them. They darted from one corner to another while he mumbled several things to himself. I stood up quietly and eased myself away from his presence.

His hands clasped my left shoulder from behind. I turned my head to face him. "Thank you," he said. His hands slid down my shoulders, his fingers brushing my back as he removed his hands. "Thank you," he said once more walking to my front.

I gave him a small smile. "Uh, I'll be taking my leave."

"Okay," he said, his gaze dropping to my chest. I looked down and discovered one of my buttons had come undone. With a red face, I hastily buttoned it. Giving him a polite nod, I proceeded to walk out but I was grabbed by the waist.

The all too familiar feeling of his lips colliding with mine made me gasp in pleasurable surprise. It seemed like he knew what I had been thinking. His tongue skimmed over the surface of my lips before slipping into them slowly. I held onto his neck, pulling him closer and deepening the kiss while his hands explored the surface beneath my shirt.

I pulled back momentarily, staring into his mesmerizing black eyes which were hazy— filled with lust and hunger. He pulled me closer, our noses brushing each other. Once again, we began the battle of tongues.

*+*+*+*

After leaving Norman's technology, I went home quickly and changed the shirt I was wearing to the one suitable for my work at the convenience store and something want because it has started to rain heavily and hurried there as quickly as I could. I was so intent on getting there by ten o'clock that I barely said hi to Danielle or Mr. Hensler because I had spent a lot of time doing something other than work.

I still had not resigned from my side job because I needed something to keep me busy during the daytime. Although this work was like a chore— I have a passionate hatred for chores— I continued it because the other people I worked with were like family. Plus the owners of the store needed all the help they could get.

Fortunately for me, I arrived ten minutes before ten. The store was almost as silent as a graveyard, save for the hum of the whirling fans, the pitter-patter of rain on the roof and the distant rumble of thunder. "Hi," I greeted, walking over to Dixon— a coworker. "Uh, need help?" I asked. Lightening flashed somewhere, giving the store extra light for a minute. I flinched. I was not a fan of this kind of rain ever since lightning had struck my family member dead, right before my eyes when I was only six years of age. It was not a moment I liked to relive but I had gotten over it. I smiled as I remember the time I couldn't go out in the rain in my teenage years. Now those fears were but behind me. I just took caution whenever the weather was like that day.

"Yeah, I need to fill in the freezers with drinks," he tells me after a while. "I missed you a lot. Our shifts haven't been together for the past few weeks."

"Yeah," I said taking a crate of drinks from his hands. He disappeared into the store while I stocked the fridge. Once I was done helping him, I walked over to the counter, swapping places with Jane, the owner's granddaughter. A seventeen-year-old high schooler. She mumbled hello and walked away. All the while, her fave remained buried in the novel in her hands.

"Jane I have told you several times not to read on your Job!" The husky voice of her grandmother shouted. It was a shrewd whisper— one that sounded distant. Even though she was shouting, she was almost inaudible.

Jane ignored her and continued with her book. Her Grandma — Mrs Nook who co-owned the store with her daughter turned to me and sighed. "Teenager these days."

I giggled. "We all were once like that."

"Her case is very different," she said. "I wasn't like that as a teenager!" She huffed in frustration.

Sometimes I wondered if she could hear herself even with her hearing aids. Unlike most old people who tend to shout because of their bad hearing, she was different. Everything was said in a whisper. Talking to her was mentally tasking because I always had to strain my ears so I didn't have to ask her to repeat herself. Nonetheless, I loved her personality so much.

"Your new work seems very convenient seeming you still have time for me," she joked.

"Yep," I said with a smile. "Very convenient."

Just then, a man in a suit walked into the store. He seemed to be in a rush. His legs carried him swiftly till he disappeared within the aisles. He looked very familiar so patiently I waited for him to come over to check out.

He returned too soon with a basket. In his left hand, he carried two umbrellas. It was the first thing he placed on the counter. When he lifted his face, he gave a polite smile and nod, recognition lighting up his face. He was Mr Elvis, Mr Norman's secretary.

I returned his smile and placed the umbrellas aside, scanning the bar code of the items in his basket. A can of pineapples, two Greek yoghurts and a pack of sugarless cracker biscuits. I looked up at him as I placed the items in a plastic bag. His eyes seemed to tell me to hurry. They looked painfully worried.

As he handed me a credit card, Another man walked in— towards Mr. Elvis, slightly wet from the rain. He placed his hands on Mr. Elvis's shoulder, leaning slightly on it for support. "I forgot to tell you to—" the tired voice fades away into nothing as we locked eyes with each other. It was Mr Norman.

My heart skipped a beat, not because of reasons you might be thinking of but won't because of how pale he looked. He seemed overly exhausted which was surprising. Was that not the man I made out with in the morning?

His eyes travelled to the plastic bag on the counter and he sighed in relief. "You already added it," he muttered. After payments, Mr Norman gave me a weak and shy smile before leaving in a hurry.

When he walked out of the doors, that was when I noticed Layla standing there— her famous camera she made use of as a journalist. "This will make headlines!" She exclaimed smiling at me.

"Huh?" I asked her, a bit confused.

"Mr Norman Jr. Finally displays emotions in public. What could be the reason?"

"Oh my gosh! Layla!" I huffed. "Be reasonable."

"Oh come on, it's a good story!" She whined. "Plus I'll blur your face and the counter out so people don't barge in here just to ask questions."

"You had better," I rolled my eyes. "Do you have to write on it? What if it offends Mr Norman? People are smart, even if they don't see the name of the supermarket they'll shill figure it."

"Yep, I must." she smiled. "Calm your tits. Anyways, I'm off to shop," she said skipping away. I could only heave a sigh.