Control Freak

1 | you're a secretary?

"Now this is the time to close your eyes and invision yourself in your happy place." A chorus of soft, relaxed exhales crescendoed around the yoga room.

"I don't care if you have to grab him by the balls to get that money," I snapped into my Bluetooth in my ear as I went into position on my yoga mat, bending at the waist, butt raised stretching as every head in the class turned to look at me.

"I don't care if he's trying. Trying doesn't pay the bills." I scolded, getting so loud and passionate to the point that my voice overpowered the peaceful, nature ambience in the back as one hand moved animatedly while I spoke.

"Um, okay, keep the downward dog everyone-"

"My head is on the line here and if I don't get my payment soon, his head will be on the line too, and I'm not talking about the one on his shoulders." I continued before I felt a light tap on my head, causing me to raise it in confusion as I made eye contact with my yoga instructor Shesh in his neatly tucked turban and baggy orange flowered robe, peering down at me with a tight smile.

It was then I became aware of all the women who were staring at me, all of us aside from Shesh still in downward dog on our own mats as I looked around with  a slightly irritated frown, causing all the girls to look away with a quick drop of their heads in panicked unison.

I looked back up at Shesh, his fake, plastered smile twitching as he waved at me from above.

"Sorry, just another business deal- I'll, I'll turn it off now." I let him know with a forced smile of my own, pressing the pause button at the side of my Bluetooth as he closed his eyes, grinning and slowly inhaling before nodding.

"That would be most appreciated Ms. Coetzee." He said, his calm, melodic voice tinged with a thick Indian accent as I slowly nodded, looking away.

"Okay, I gotta go grandma. Tell grandpa he still owes me. Yeah, love you too, see you both on Christmas." I whispered, ending the call with a press of the button at the side of my ear before I sent Shesh a closed lip smile.

He sent one back, turning on his heel, his back facing me so I couldn't see when he would drop his grin as my own smile fell, my annoyed gaze lingering on my teacher for a moment before I closed my eyes, taking in a slow, deep breath thinking about my happy place.

Money, money, shoes, shoes, some dick, money, money.

The sound of rushed footsteps suddenly entered the room, followed with an urgent, apprehensive whisper.

"Noelle -sorry everyone, you're all doing great, I just- Noelle," A low masculine voice quietly beckoned me from the entrance before I heard someone from the front shush him.

I kept my eyes closed, already knowing who that deep, British, slow-like voice belonged to before Shesh spoke up again.

"And now, slink down into the cobra pose-"

"Noelle-"

"Shhh!"

"Right, sorry, sorry I just really-"

"I said shhh!"

I went to a cobra pose, no longer bending and letting my lower front touch the mat as I arched my back, head tilted back slightly while I kept my eyes closed, slowly inhaling and exhaling.

"Either you grab a mat and join us," Shesh began in a fake, overly cheery voice. "Or get out."

Someone took in a slow intake of breath, the room quiet for once before the sound of a mat dragging across the wood floor resonated near me until the noise paused.