The feeling was like she had never felt ever before; she was beyond happy. She felt as if the purpose of her entire life was completed then and she was extremely excited to give her parents the news. But, she wasn't sure what kind of reaction to expect from them.
She knew her Mother and Father would just be as excited and proud of her as she was, if not more. She just couldn't wait to spill the beans out.
But she knew she couldn't because Professor Fehling didn't tell the alternative yet and she could not tell them them about the real thing.
Working as an assistant to one of the MI6 officers was one very big deal, it was a secret investigation bureau and she couldn't fathom how she landed in it. Sure she hoped to have a placement there but suggested by the college itself? She would never have guessed, and she wasn't one for daydreaming nor was she complaining.
So after the long weekend of waiting for Professor Fehling to fill her up on the new status of her internship, Nova finally decided to take a stroll after dinner.
Locking the door and stuffing her hands in the incredibly big and appreciatively warm coat, she made her way into cool, misty environment of the nighttime in late October.
Now, she wasn't a big fan of the winters, in fact she preferred summers and sunlights over cold and misty winter, but she seemed to be doing a lot of winter night strolling lately. The warm and much bigger coat helped her feel cozy, though.
She couldn't help but glance at the tall dark house across from her own. It had been all dark most of the time, lately. Whoever the owner of the house was, he had to be either working really late, or he might like the darkness, or he just never cared to get home.
He earned good, though, this much was more than clear. The guy had two incredibly expensive cars, one motorbike and the state in which his house seemed to be in simply showed that he did earn well and Nova was curious about it. What possibly could be a job that required to never come home or be home really late? He didn't have a family living with him either, the guy screamed danger and mystery.
She was gone in her mind, entangled between her own thoughts so much that she realised that she had been out for one hour straight and it was near midnight. When she remembered she had to get up early tomorrow, she decided to head back home.
Home.
She understood what was so captivating about the word. She was used to referring her living place as her house, she never used home and it wasn't even intentional. She had been living in that house for three years now, but never once had she referred to it as home. Of course it mattered, though; that house gave her a shed on her head, a place to live, warmth, comfort; that house provided her of everything she could have needed.
For however long she'd been living in her house, she had been living alone. She didn't mind really, but she couldn't not notice it either.
To her, home was back in London.
Well, up until then, because not just seconds ago had she finally accepted her 'house' as her new - or lets stick to - second 'home'. Speaking of which, it stood in front of her. Or rather, she stood in front of it.
Sighing to herself and thinking that yet again her mind kept on racing and swirling in her own thoughts all over the place she made her way inside. Getting there she went into her room, changed for the night, took a bath and came back down to get water and went back up to her room again and finally called it a night
She was about to drift off when her phone chimed.
It was past midnight which meant it couldn't be her Mum or Dad or if it was them then the news won't be good. Either that, or it was someone else. Only one way to find out.
Lazily getting out of bed she took her phone from the nightstand and made her way to the window of the room. Bad idea because she noticed a car stopping by the house across from hers which, just like every other time, diverted her attention entirely.
A man stepped out of it after parking it to the garage which meant it was the same guy. This time however, he wasn't wearing any hoodie. He was in formals. White dress shirt and pants, coat gone and hair a mess. She couldn't see his face, again, and she wasn't even surprised by the coincidence.
Nova was beginning to doubt if she'd ever even get to see his face.
Sighing she looked at her phone and noticed that it was an email. An email from... The MI6.
Her heartbeat accelerated.
From: [email protected]
Date: October 25th, 2019
Subject: Internship
DO NOT REPLY
Ms. Newton,
This is to inform you that in result of your hard work and intelligence that you have showed for the past three years in The University of Cambridge, you are accepted to work as an intern in our investigation/intelligence bureau.
The college board must have informed you about this beforehand and we expect you to visit us the following morning at 8 A.M.
Further clauses shall be discussed there and you shall be introduced with your superintendent.
Many congratulations,
Team, MI6.
Nova read the email once, she read it twice and she couldn't help but keep reading it over and over again until she lost count and thought that she need a Psychiatrist for herself
This email just confirmed that all of what was happening wasn't a dream, yet she thought of getting a reality check just to make sure. At this point, she was sure her face was glowing, lips opened wide and smiling and her eyes twinkling. Closing her eyes she took a deep breath.
This is happening. This is finally, actually happening, she repeated in her head.
Putting her phone down she looked out the window one last time only to find the lights of the room right across of hers turned on. It was dimly lit though, but she could make out the outline of the owner of the house...
...who was looking her way while sipping on something that his mug contained.
Suddenly remembering what her Mum and Dad had told her to do, she shut the window with the brown curtains, turned around and went straight to bed with one thought running around her mind: It wasn't like she'd been following their advise up until now...
*
The following day, Nova woke up at half past five in the morning, went for her daily jog, came back, freshened up, ate her breakfast, read the newspaper and by half past seven, she was ready in her formals.
She had no idea what to expect of that day, and she was unfortunately a perfectionist, which only added onto the psychological pressure and the need to just know more.
She didn't know how to reach her destination, she didn't know which route to take, she couldn't tell Tim because she just couldn't tell anyone because she just didn't know anything.
She couldn't even reply to that email and ask them questions to clear her quarries.
And 'how' wasn't the only problem here; she didn't know where to go, either. She didn't know how to represent herself, she did not know what to expect, she didn't know what she was going for, and if she kept tormenting her brain by asking questions she had absolutely no answer to, she was sure she had a migraine in waiting.
Because she had no idea, how, where or why she was going out today, she decided to go all formal for it. With a navy blue pencil skirt on, paired with a white dress shirt and a navy blue coat, she was ready. Finishing her look with a high pony, minimal, subtle make-up she was ready to go with her black block heels.
She hadn't taken over this look in a very long time and that was why she felt extra jittery.
In all honestly, Nova had no idea if she was just being tricked and no such thing was happening but that thought vanished when she heard a car honk in front of her house.
Peeking through one of the windows she saw a black Audi waiting in front of her house. But waiting for who?
You.
Oh right.
The speed in which she went to the main door and opened it, should be appreciated because at one point she thought she was going to slip.
On the driver's seat, there was a man with Bluetooth device stuffed in his ear and black sunglasses on. He must have been in his early thirties or late twenties because he didn't look like he was that aged.
She was still on the main door and she could tell the man was talking to someone on his device. Not long after, he came out of the car and in front of her.
"Ms. Nova Newton?" He asked, he voice smooth and kind of soothing to hear to.
"Yes, that will be me," she replied as professionally as she could.
"This way if you will, please," he says and she realised that that was it.
She was a nervous wreck, yet she didn't let it show. She was sure she wasn't letting out any other aura than confidence but internally? only she knew what happened.
The ride was taking an awfully lot of time. She wasn't even paying attention to her whereabouts which was a very bad thing, so she decided to do that then. Looking out she saw that they were headed to London.
So they were heading to the SIS building... or not. London didn't exactly mean The headquarters after all.
*
After one and half an hour, the car finally stopped and she felt nervous all over again because London, apparently, did mean The Headquarters.
But this time she refused to give in to it. She swore would keep her head in check along with her sanity. So when the driver opened her car door, she stepped her foot out with my head held high.
"I apologize for not introducing myself earlier, I am James, and this is the MI6 headquarters as you must know. I presume you received the email sent by us?" He asked and she replied him with a nod of her head along with uttering out the word itself, "Yes."
"Alright then, shall we proceed?" He asked again and she nodded my head while saying, "sure."
The headquarters were just as she had imagined them to be. The Internet did them no justice. All her research faded to nothing when the view came into sight, it was just phenomenal.
James lead Nova inside, switching her attention back on work and introduced her with the receptionist and many other people - who were dressed like her, so she felt like she did the right thing after all - they made their way to the lift and James pressed sixth floor.
In the lift came the second wave of jitters, reminding her again that it was actually happening.
Sixth floor arrived shortly, and the next thing she knew, they were standing in front of a door James was knocking on.
A muffled 'come in' could be heard and so they went in.
This was it. It was finally happening.
Taking a deep breath in, she prepared herself and followed James.
When they went in, she saw a very spacious looking room which she was sure belonged to the officer whose assistant she was going be working as. The said officer was currently busy going through some papers, only his set back hair visible.
What is it with people not showing their faces? She thought to herself when she realised the coincidence.
Wait, he looked familiar... her subconscious spoke and something suddenly clicked.
"Good morning, Mr. Adams. Ms. Newton is here as you asked," James said and upon the nod of Mr. Adams, he left.
What, now? What was she supposed to do?
"Take a seat Ms. Newton," came a voice from behind the set of papers and - now that she noticed - an ipad. She made her way and sat down in front of him and decided to at least greet him.
Weird man, though, she couldn't help but think.
"Good Morning, Officer -"
" - Mister Derek Adams."
And that was when she realised she definitely knew him.
Because when he put all off his stuff down, her gaze caught his eyes first thing.
Blue, crystal blue.
It's him. The guy who lived in front of her.
Who also happened to be her boss.