Mr. Hollingsworth.

Ch. 1 Heating Pads.

    I ran to work, once again I missed the bus, and once again in our rainy town, it was basically hailing outside, and rain was thundering everywhere. It's a wonder I didn't get a concussion from all that stupid hail, but I used my poor, poor purse to protect my head. Ms. Joy would kill me for not showing up early, damn it. As I rushed inside, my thoughts clouding my mind, I ran into someone. My purse fell to the ground, leaving a puddle, water dripped from my clothes, face, finger tips, hair. In short, I wasn't exactly presentable. The gentleman went to reach for my purse for me, but I knelt down and grabbed it. "So sorry sir, that was all my fault. I apologize profusely, I wasn't thinking, it was stupid of me," I apologized repeatedly, and when I looked up, he was in a suit. A nice suit, that was now stained with water from my unceremonious run in with him.

    "Oh gosh! I got your suit wet!" I exclaimed frantically, he seemed important but I didn't know who he was. Probably a lawyer or something. He had chestnut brown hair, dark, intense, brown eyes, tan skin, muscular, a strong jawline. I worked out on weekends but that took years of training. When I realized I was absently staring, I widened my eyes in horror, "Sorry for staring sir, I'd offer a handkerchief but mine is soaking, let me grab a paper towel, don't move." I said quickly, he'd opened his mouth to say something but it was too late. I dashed to the ladies' room and grabbed a couple paper towels, and ran back out. He seemed frozen in surprise.

    Awkwardly I dabbed at his suit, and then I realized my hair smacked his face when I ran into him, and his face was dripping. "Sir would you mind using this to wipe your face?" I asked, slowly, he took it, and dabbed his face with the paper towel. "Do you need heating pads?" I asked, reaching into my purse. "You carry heating pads in your purse?" He asked in surprise, "You don't?" I responded, then I realized, of course he didn't have a purse, he's a guy! They don't have purses. "I mean of course you don't! You wouldn't carry a purse!" I exclaimed blankly as I pulled out a box of heating pads. "You might need these in case you catch a cold sir, rain water often does that to people, especially if they are quick to get ill." I advised, he inspected me and I realized that I was sopping wet, and he was completely dry by now, but my mind wasn't quick to process that.

    "What's your name sir?" I asked politely, "Mr. Hollingsworth." He answered slowly, as if I should've known. I racked my brain for that name, but I couldn't remember anything. "Huh," I murmured, then I looked at the time. Three minutes until Ms. Joy would be screaming in my face for being wet, and not early. My eyes widened in horror, and I flashed him a bright smile, shoving the pack of heating pads into his hands. "Well I'm Alice, see you around Mr.Hollingston!" I exclaimed, and as I ran off, he called, "Hollingsworth!"