At lunch hour, Skyla was already waiting for Zyair in his private lounge. Lawrence had informed her that they would be having their lunch here.
The lounge had an inbuilt bar on its west wall. Crafted from dark mahogany, it exuded sophistication. Miscellaneous premium wines lined the shelves, accompanied by crystal decanters and polished glassware, reflecting the taste of Mr. Zyair.
Soft ambient lighting illuminated the luxurious area, inviting both relaxation and a party mood.
The lounge was impeccably designed to cater to different needs and small events and Skyla could only guess that Mr. Zyair had his lunch in this very place as two separate tables had been set up in a row. Each had a single chair.
The huge window which made the entirety of the northern wall offered a picturesque view of the Angel City.
Earlier when Lawrence had given her the tablet she had asked in detail about the likes and dislikes of Mr. Zyair’s eating habits. She had found out that he preferred veggies and seafood. In general, anything healthy. So she created the weekly timetable according to that.
At exactly 1 pm the door opened and Zyair entered the lounge. His eyes instantly fell on an awaiting Skyla and he was impressed.
Walking in long strides he reached where she stood and stopped a few feet away.
"I am looking forward to seeing what you have chosen Miss Skyla. Both in terms of food and anime characters." Skyla’s face was covered in a meaningful smile at his words.
"I am looking forward to your opinion on both," she comfortably answered.
"Please, place the list on my table," he pointed to the table with a single chair that faced towards the mammoth window.
Skyla obediently did as she was asked and stepped back.
"Kindly, take your seat. Let’s start our lunch and we will continue the discussions in between," he instructed her and she comfortably settled down on the other table. Her chair faced away from Zyair so that their backs were towards each other.
Skyla understood the arrangement without him having to explain it to her. She observed that there was a crystal vase on her table with a single white lily resting inside it.
Zyair did the same. Picking up the napkin he spread it elegantly in his lap and removed the cloche to find Garlic shrimp alfredo, stir-fried veggies in olive oil and chicken soup. Zyair was impressed with her choice.
Taking off his mask, he placed it aside. Picking up the soup spoon he started his meal with chicken soup.
Silence prevailed as both of them ate. While Zyair ate in a relaxed state, enjoying every morsel Skyla was a bit tense. He hadn’t uttered a word since he had started eating and she had no clue if he liked or disliked the food and the list she had picked up.
She didn’t have enough time so she was only able to draw one character. Although Zyair had only asked for the list and not drawings, Skyla had decided that she would create them all on paper and digitally too.
Finally, Zyair diverted his attention to the characters and began to read. He was super impressed with the list she had come up with. It coincided with the one he had created two days ago. Only two characters differed on the list and he had to agree that the ones Skyla had picked seemed more appropriate.
But then his eyes fell on the single drawing that lay beneath the paper he had picked up. He never asked her for a draw up and yet she went all the way to create it.
Such finesse details of the costume she had made in the sketch. Pointing to every cloth piece she had written in detail which cloth she thought would be more appropriate for that specific part of the costume. Every meticulous detail was present, and nothing was amiss.
Zyair was lost in the elegance that a single piece of paper contained. He cleared his throat so he could grab her attention. She was already on tenter and hooks when he tenderly spoke her name.
"Miss Skyla!"
"Sir!" she instantly replied.
"Did you make this?" ’of course she did, you idiot. Why am I asking her a stupid question?? Didn’t I just read that she was studying to become a digital artist?’
"Yes, Sir!" ’I hope he likes it,’ she thought to herself as she crossed her fingers.
"You draw so impeccably, this is a very good idea. I am impressed," he didn’t hold back from praising her. Skyla’s cheeks instantly heated up and she beamed at being appreciated for her work.
"Thank you! I was short on time but once you will approve the list I will draw the rest of them as well. This was just a sample," she explained, taking a bite of alfredo pasta and letting it melt in her mouth.
"The list is approved, Miss Skyla. I would love to see more such samples. Take the time you need," his fingers traced the drawing. Skyla felt full because of his admiration.
"I will immediately start working on them. Can I bring my art supplies from home tomorrow?" she asked, staring at the fresh flower.
"Just make a list and hand it over to Lawrence. Whatever you need and he will bring it for you," Zyair picked up the napkin and wiped his face, his eyes staying on the drawing.
’She could be an animator with the talent she possesses,’ Zyair mused to himself.
"Thank you, Sir, I will do that."
"And thank you for choosing the luncheon menu, it was delicious and according to my taste," he appreciated her efforts and picked up his mask before placing it back on his face.
"I am honoured, Sir." Skyla wiped her face as well with the napkin as both of them finally got up and quietly turned around to face each other.
The blue of his eyes melded into the green of hers, her awkward smile was returned by his awry one but she couldn’t see it and yet in her heart, she knew her boss was satisfied with the work so far.
"I have a meeting to attend. You can continue working on these designs for now." He pointed to the folder and she swiftly bobbed her head. He exited the private lounge after that leaving a very happy and content Skyla behind.