Meeting Mr. Rollins

Let's Get Down To Business

"...You're graduating soon with the highest degree in Business Management. I may not know your mother but I guarantee that she is proud of you. Trust me, this is only the beginning of something epic." Seth gave me words of encouragement. It was really sweet of him to say and it gave me that tingly feeling inside again. Just as I was going to ask him something, I was cut off by him saying, "With that being said, let's get down to business. Shall we?" ...

(Paige P.O.V)

"Wait, no. Actually, let's not get down to business just yet." I said, shutting down the business talk. "Oh, is there something you'd like to talk about, Saraya?" Seth asked me and I nodded my head a little hesitantly. I wanted to ask Seth just a few more questions of my own, but I wasn't so sure if I should wait until the next time we have...a date. We've taken the time to get to know each other pretty well this evening, so maybe I had a little more to find out about him. Just not right now. So, I brought it onto myself to ask him out this time around, for our second date. Maybe just maybe, he felt the same way as I did. There was only one way to find out.

"I was just wondering...if you...uh... had any plans for the upcoming weekend?" I stuttered but still managed to ask him. "Well, I am a busy man, Saraya. Have a lot of things already planned out for me everyday of the week. Usually work related. Why do you ask?" Seth said, which made me frown, but not too noticeably. "Oh well... I just wanted to know because Renee and I are going out to this cool club with a few of our friends. It's the end of finals week this Friday and we're all going to celebrate. Was just wondering if you'd, ya know, like to come with us or join us. If you can..." I explained. "Are you asking me out, Saraya?" "I...well, no I just...I mean yeah sure if you want but..." I tripped over my own words. I was usually very outspoken. If something was on my mind, I never hesitated to say it in front of anyone. But when it came to Seth, suddenly, I never knew what to say.

"Sure. Sure, I'd love to go out with you... and your friends." He smirked. "Just tell me when and where. I'll be there, as soon as work is done." Seth smiled at me, causing me to smile back. I was happy that he agreed to come. Not only did that let me know that he was interested in me, but it also let me know that this was totally a date and he was more than interested to go out on a second date with me. I couldn't wait! "I'll send you the info now, so I won't forget by the time I'm back home." I said as Seth nodded when I pulled my phone out. After typing in all the details for Friday night, I sent the message straight to his phone then placed mine back onto the table top. "Message, sent!" "Great. Anything else?" He asked and I shook my head no. Although a few more questions were constantly running through my mind. "Perfect. Now, let's get down to the boring business stuff, right?" Seth asked with a soft chuckle. I chuckled as well before saying, "It doesn't have to be boring, but sure. Let's get down to business."

With that being said, Seth took out a few papers from a briefcase he had brought with him. He's definitely a business man. He came prepared for this unexpected 'business meeting' or date, whatever. "Saraya, the moment I saw you, I've seen nothing but greatness in you. Greatness and great success in the business field." Seth said to me. I don't mean to toot my own horn, but the way Seth spoke about me had me feeling myself. He saw things in me that I never thought I'd see in myself, even though he's only known me for a week. "As you know, I'm a business man. A business man who's always looking to invest in great things. An investor, if you will." Seth explained. "The moment you walked into my office, well, fell into my office... I knew that I wanted nothing more than to invest in you." Seth said which made me look at him with an confused expression on my face. I wasn't exactly sure what he was getting at.

"You want to invest in me? Why?" I asked. "As I said before, I see nothing but success in you, Saraya. You have that look and when you told me that you were in the Business field, management and marketing to be exact, I knew that you'd be a huge investment for my business. Not only you, but Ms. Renee Young as well. I'd like to further both of your careers as soon as you both graduate." Seth said. You'd think that this would be a huge dream come true for not only Renee but for me as well. After we graduate, we didn't really have any plans on what to do next with our lives. But here I was, at a table with one of the most successful people in the world looking to launch a career for me and my best friend, as soon as we were done with College. Dream come true, right?! NO. FUCKING. WAY.

"I...I don't know what to say, Seth. That'd be awesome... but I just can't take you up on that offer. I'm sorry." I said and he gave me a look of confusion. "I don't understand. You don't want a career in Business? Do you not want to be a success? Everything is laid out here on the table for you, Saraya. Your next chapter in life is all right here. All you have to do is graduate and let me invest in you..." Seth explained as he spread all the papers out on the table so I could take a look. I only took small glances at them, not really paying much attention to detail but I could see blueprints and a contract that I wasn't willing to sign at all.

"That's just it, Seth. My life could be laid out right here in front of me on this table, on those papers. My life is practically being handed to me right now. It could all be so simple. That easy. But... I don't want it to be that easy. No, not at all. I want to earn my life. I've worked my entire life to get to where I am today. I've had to scratch and claw my way out of the shithole called Norwich, England. I've fought to get over here to the states, just to make something of myself. BY MYSELF.... and you think that I'm gonna let some uptight business prick try to convince me to sign my life away on that contract? You are sorely mistaken." Suddenly my outspokenness came back. I wasn't going to sign that contract if my life depended on it. Everything I've achieved so far in life, has been earned through nothing but hard work. I'll be damned if the most important decision of my life is handed to me by someone higher up in the world than me.

"Saraya, it isn't like that at all. If you just give me a second to explain the investment, then I promise you..." Seth said but I couldn't allow him to finish. "And here I thought you actually saw something great in me." I shook my head at him as I remembered all the things he had said that lead up to this moment.

"This is the start of something epic.

I see greatness and great success in you.

You're a smart, intelligent, and very beautiful young woman. Your future is bright. Believe me, I can see that."

All of that, just to make me believe I could achieve such great things in life. He never wanted to further my career or invest in me, he wanted to use me as an investment for himself. To further his own business by using my knowledge in that field. I should have known better than that. Only person who believes in me is me. And mum, of course. "So much for thinking you were really interested in me. Guess this wasn't a date after all. Just a business meeting that didn't quite go as you planned, huh?" "Saraya, you don't understand..." "Oh, I understand it pretty well. I'm leaving. Thanks for the coffee." I said as I quickly stood up from the table and rushed over to the door of the coffee shop. "Saraya! Wait!" I heard Seth shout as I opened up the door and headed out. Luckily, he was right behind me because I was so angry that I hadn't noticed that I was about to be hit by a couple of bicyclists.

"Watch out!" Seth grabbed my arm and pulled me close to him. Saving me from what wouldn't have been a deadly crash but a pretty nasty one. Nonetheless, I was grateful he chased after me. I looked up into his memorising brown eyes again as he held me closer. Our faces were only inches apart and I could swear this was the part where we would kiss and make up. But those types of endings only happen in the movies.

"Goodbye, Mr. Rollins."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Would you have taken Mr. Rollins' once in a lifetime offer?

Did Paige overreact or did she do the right thing?

Guess it was a business meeting after all...

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