| The Klutz for Me |
| �How do I look,� Brandi asked, twirling around in her gray pantsuit. She flipped her auburn hair behind her shoulders as she batted her blue green eyes, �Do you think I look like Cindy Crawford?� Her roommate, Lisa, sat up from her relaxed position on the sofa to glance at Brandi�s attire with a sigh she responded, �You look like my mom.� Brandi looked down her 5�7 frame, a wide smile on her face. �Do you really think so? That�s perfect for the first day of work! Can you believe I got a job with Jive? It�s so cool,� she cheered, skipping around the room. Lisa stared with wide eyes at her cheerful roommate, �Brandi, you�re a secretary! It�s not that great.� �I�m a secretary today, but who knows what I�ll be a few years down the road. You have to look on the bright side of everything, Lisa.� �Well, if you don�t stop jumping around like that, you�ll be on-,� Lisa began but paused when she saw Brandi trip on her own feet and fall down, �the ground. Told you.� Lisa grabbed her sides as she erupted in laughter at her clumsy friend. Brandi sighed and pulled herself off the ground. Dusting off her clothing, she wondered aloud, �What if I do that at work? I don�t want to make a bad impression on the first day.� Knowing impressions were important to Brandi, Lisa managed to suppress her last few giggles and tried to comfort her best friend, in her own special way. �Brandi, I�m sure you�ll make a great impression. Besides, if you fall all over your boss, he�ll be sure to remember you.� A huge smile grew on Brandi�s face; Lisa always knew how to make her feel better. �Bite your tongue,� she hushed in a joking tone. �Oh my, you really are my mother! You better get going.� Brandi quickly grabbed her purse and keys and hugged Lisa goodbye. �I�ll see you later.� She ran to her car, beating the rain that came pouring down. There was no traffic in the streets, so she made it to work in only a half hour. Everything was looking up, but of course, all good things must end. �I�m so sorry,� Brandi apologized repeatedly as she helped an elderly man pick up the paper he had dropped when she had run into him. She kept a smile on her face even though she felt like crying. Smile and you can�t cry, she reminded herself. When she accidentally hung up on the lead singer of Korn, and when she caused a paper jam in the fax, she always smiled. Brandi handed the old man the last paper, apologizing once more. She hustled back to the sanctity of her desk, taking a sip from her coffee mug. �Excuse me, miss. Could you tell Frank Cleaves that I�m here,� a soft voice asked. Brandi peeked over the rim of her coffee cup to see none other than Justin Timberlake standing in front of her desk, a grin on his face. Those blue eyes looking straight into her own were enough to make Brandi lose her concentration. The coffee cup slipped from her fingers, the contents flying all over her pantsuit. �No,� she murmured, wiping at the coffee with her hands. �Are you okay? I tend to have that affect on women,� Justin�s laughing voice delivered. He dug into hi s blue jean pocket and pulled out a subway napkin, �It�s fate. I just got back from subway.� She giggled slightly and accepted the napkin. �I�m not usually this clumsy. Ok fine, you got me. I�m always this clumsy. I think they posted my picture on the copy machine with the words �for the love of Pete, don�t let this woman near the copy machine� written under it.� �Hey, I just saw that sign,� he joked, handing her another napkin he found in his pockets, �don�t you just love these pants? There are so many pockets.� �They�re very nice pants. Oh, you wanted me to do something. What was it again? It�s my first day,� she offered as an excuse. He nodded as though it explained everything, �Could you tell Frank Cleaves I�m here for our meeting? I�m Justin, by the way.� I know, she wanted to scream, but instead responded, �I�m Brandi. I�ll get Mr. Cleaves.� �Actually, there he goes,� he said pointing at a bald man entering the lobby, �it was nice meeting you, Brandi. I hope the coffee comes out. See you tomorrow.� Brandi watched as Justin walked away. �Well, that was eventful,� she whispered to herself as she continued to wipe the coffee of her pants. To think, she had met the most handsome man on the planet and she spilled coffee on herself. �I wish I wasn�t so clumsy. I wish I was more like Lisa.� The next morning, Brandi emerged from her bedroom, twirling around to model her outfit. �So what do you think today?� �That�s mine,� Lisa stated incredulously looking at her friend, �You�ve never borrowed my clothes before, what�s up?� Brandi shrugged, grabbing her purse and keys. �I just want to look nice today.� She hugged Lisa goodbye and left for work. The second day at work was much better; Brandi avoided every situation where she might show her clumsiness. �No coffee today,� she smiled to herself, sitting in her chair. �Hey Brandi. Having a good day,� Justin sweet voice asked. She sat erect in her seat, keeping her hands at her sides so she couldn�t knock anything over. �I�m having a great day.� Justin looked at her uncomfortable seating position with raised eyebrows. �Did you get the coffee out? I was worried about it all night.� �Actually, I think that suit is now a dust rag, but it�s okay. I was such a klutz yesterday, I was very nervous,� she offered as an excuse for herself, �I�m not usually like that.� He nodded. �I understand. Umm�Brandi, yesterday I wanted to�but I�do you want to go out,� he blurted out, tripping over his words. �Yes,� she answered eagerly. �Okay. How about dinner tomorrow night at 7?� She nodded, biting her lower lip to keep a goofy grin from taking over her face. �I�ll meet you at Don Gato�s. They have really good food.� �Sounds great,� he replied anxiously, �I�ll see you then. I have to go see Mr. Cleaves right now, but I�ll see you tomorrow.� When Justin finally left, Brandi released her perfect posture, slumping in her usual manner. �Yes,� she giggled gleefully, turning circles in her chair. The next day flew by in a blur for Brandi. She spent almost 2 hours picking out the perfect dress and fixing her hair and makeup until she looked perfect. �What are you doing,� Lisa asked as she watched Brandi walked around the apartment, her back as straight as an arrow. Brandi continued sauntering, watching her feet as she walked. �I�m practicing, so I don�t trip. I already made a fool out of myself in front of Justin once, so I�m making sure I don�t do it again.� �I guess that makes sense,� Lisa responded following her friend around, �What are you doing now?� Brandi placed the water glass she had just picked up back on the counter. �Practicing,� she sighed frustrated, �I don�t want to spill anything.� �Brandi, you�re my best friend, but don�t you think this is a little�well, crazy? Justin should like you for who you are, and you�re a clumsy person, it�s your quirky character trait.� �You didn�t see me with coffee dripping down my jacket,� Brandi retorted, �I have to go. I�ll tell you everything that happens.� Brandi pulled up at Don Gato�s a few minutes after seven to see Justin standing in front. �Hey,� she greeted him. He smiled at her, extending his hand to her. �I thought you had stood me up.� �Never.� She walked inside the restaurant slowly, making sure not to trip on her feet. Justin looked down at her feet quizzically, �are you okay?� �Yeah,� she responded, sitting carefully in her chair. She picked up her water glass just as she had practiced. �Brandi, are you sure you�re okay? You seem different.� I�m not knocking over things, she felt like saying, but simply assured him that she was fine. The dinner went fine, or so Brandi thought. �You know, Brandi. I think this isn�t going to work out. You seem a little more�stiff than you did that day.� Brandi cocked her head to the side. �The day I made a complete fool of myself? I�m clumsy!� �You weren�t a fool. I thought you were-,� he blushed slightly, � I thought you were really cute. I�ve never met a girl who would sit there with coffee all over them and joke about it. That�s what I liked about you. You�re clumsiness just make you more interesting. Every girl I know can sit like a bean pole at dinner; you make things more interesting.� She leaned back in her chair, shocked by his words. He liked her clumsiness. �Are you sure,� she asked, placing her elbows on the table. �Positive,� he replied, mimicking her position. �Well, why didn�t you say so earlier? My back�s killing me,� she cheered, shooting up from her seat. A glass of water fell on the ground, shattering to little pieces. �Oopps.� �Yup, you definitely make things interesting,� he chuckled, standing up from his chair, �but I like that. If I kiss you, will you hurt me?� �I�ll hurt you if you don�t,� she giggled, scooting closer to him. Justin wrapped his strong arms around her middle. Brandi watched as his grinning face lowered closer and closer to hers until finally his soft lips met hers. A cough interrupted their blissful moment. �Sir, I must clean the mess.� �Oh, sorry,� Justin apologized, trying to move out of the way. He moved to fast on the damp floor and lost his balance, and in an instant, Justin was on the floor surrounded by a puddle of water. �Well that seals it! You�re definitely the one for me,� Brandi laughed, looking down at Justin. He extended his hand for her to help him up. When he was finally on his feet again, he wrapped his wet arm around her shoulder and whispered in her ear, �I think you�re the klutz for me.� |