My night was a restless one. The reenactment of last night kept playing on repeat. I need to talk to someone about this before I go insane. I decided to blow dry my hair instead of air dry it since I woke up earlier than usual and had the time. My natural waves were straightened out as I blew out my hair. Instead of my normal below-mid-length hair, it was now below my butt. I put on a full face of makeup seeing as time was going by slowly. I decide to go with a smokey eye to accentuate my hazel eyes.
My eyeliner is perfect and shapes my eyes into slits. I wear an off-the-shoulder white top with short sleeves, a pencil skirt that reaches above my knees and has a slit at the bottom, see-through black stockings, and white and black heels. I wear a gold bracelet, dangling earrings, a necklace, and a ring. Noticing I have thirty minutes to spare, I leave my room after making sure my work bag is packed and head to the kitchen.
I look for something to eat in the fridge and pantry but decide to go for the fast food route instead. I grab my bag and my key and head out. After ordering my usual, I head to my job. Is life ever going to get interesting? I seriously need to tell Luke everything after work but he usually goes home before me. When I get off, he's asleep. Our schedules don't match at all. It doesn't help that I practically worked seven days a week since I always have a buttload of things to do.
I try to play some pumped-up music to get me awake but it doesn't work. It is going to take a miracle to get me through this day but then again I say that every day. I'm starting to think I am the miracle. I pull up and take the elevator. I put all of my things on my desk including my food, and head to Jason's office, knowing he's here despite me leaving earlier than him. I'm about to barge in before I hesitate. I knock on his door and wait for a response. When it doesn't come, I decide to go with my initial approach.
"If you're going to ask me to knock the least you could do is answer," I say as I walk in. His face is buried in work and for a second I don't think he knows I'm here. At this point, I'm not surprised. After standing for nearly five minutes, he acknowledges me. Quicker than I thought. It annoys me to know I always have to wait for him to notice me to speak. But that is the definition of my job. This is the best fashion company to work at but am I really doing what I want to do or what I happen to be good at? That's the question many ask themselves. I don't enjoy my work. I enjoy being efficient because it makes me feel good and organized.
What's the use of that feeling if the only person I can tell anything to is Luke? I barely see him as is. I gave up a normal and social life to make this company my life. I gave up my happiness to satisfy this man and his partners yet can't receive a glance from him. But that's what Jason expects. He expects you to give your life away if you want this job because the reality is we're all disposable. The thought makes me sick.
"Are you going to keep ignoring me?" He says in agitation. "I'm sorry, what?" He was talking? A vein pops out of his head. This asshole. "Being ignored doesn't feel so good, does it?" He ignores me and says, "What the hell are you wearing?" I roll my eyes and don't bother feeding him a response. "I sent you the design of my dress. Check your email," is all I say before leaving his office. The sheer fucking nerve of this man. I'm tired of his shit. I never asked anything of him but to appreciate my efforts.
He doesn't owe me anything but he could at least try to be a decent human being. I see Luke on my way to my desk. That man is never on his department's floor. Does he work? That must be nice. I head toward him and interrupt his conversation with Carly, a curly-haired brunette who's had a thing for Luke since the beginning. "We need to talk. Now. We're leaving in my car," Luke's eyes bulged out of their sockets. "You're ditching work?" I roll my eyes. "Are you coming or not?"
"Yes, ma'am." He grins. I grab my bag and food. After locking up my files and taking the key, Luke and I head out. I jump into the driver's seat and Luke into the passenger. "What in the hell is happening?" He asks with a huge grin. I tell him everything on our way to the local cafe. "Holy shit girl. Why am I just now hearing this? Anyway, you totally have a thing for our boss," he says after taking a bite of his croissant. "That is not what I wanted to hear. Besides, he's going to be my brother-in-law. Holy shit, saying that out loud feels so fucking wrong,"
"There's nothing wrong with being sexually attracted to him. He's a hot guy, but I can't see you two in a relationship." No shit. "I never thought Saiya would go for his kind but look where we are," Luke bursts out in laughter. "His kind?" I nod my head. "Yeah, the vicious assholes that grow horns and live in a world engulfed in flames." Luke's laughter dies down and he suddenly turns serious. The action makes me uneasy.
"It seems like you want to quit," Luke gives me a hard expression and I sign in defeat. "Honestly, I do. I want a boyfriend, friends, and a fucking pet. I want a life. I didn't live it up during my school days because I was always buried in work. I don't want to live out my days like this but if I quit, where do I go from there? What other job do I find that makes me happy? I know I'm good at managing shit but it doesn't make me as happy as I want to be. I'm not going back to school for a fashion degree. I think I've lost my passion for anything,"
Luke gives me a sad look, "You do know if you leave, so do I." I chuckle before realizing he's serious. "Luke, no. Don't do that," Luke sighs and suddenly he's tired. I can see the stress lines on his face. "You think I enjoy my job? The only reason I'm still there is because of the pay and you." My heart swells at Luke's confession. "Ok, then. If we leave, we leave together,"
Luke's smile returns and it creeps me out how he can deceive people with his face so easily. I never would've thought Luke was this miserable. "You can go into singing. You're really good at it," I roll my eyes. "That's the kind of thing you start when you're young. I wouldn't get paid shit. Besides, it's just a hobby," Luke snaps his finger as if a bright idea has appeared. "Of course, you can go into modeling. You sure as hell have the figure for it and in case I haven't already said so, you look fine as hell today." A blush spreads across my lips.
"Oh my god stop, you're making me blush. Keep going," I feign shyness. Luke chuckles. "In all seriousness, the best and highest paying models are the ones that work for Jason and his fashion line. I want nothing to do with him even if he doesn't directly work with them. I'm over this entire company, but until I find a better job, I'll stick with the one paying a salary of 226,543."
"Shit, when you put it like that, I don't think there is a better job. You get an hourly rate of 108.91,"
"Excluding daily living expenses but you're right. This is the best-paying job ever. But what's the use of having all of this money that I can't spend? I work five days a week yet I'm practically working seven to keep up with Jason's ridiculous schedule. I don't know how he does it. I get roughly four hours of sleep a day thanks to Saiya's house being two hours away and me and Jason having to be here an hour before everyone else. I'm completely and utterly exhausted. And that snarky ass comment about my outfit was unbelievable. How dare he not notice me for two years and then decide what I get to wear? The nerve I tell you!"
Luke shakes his head, "That guy is the hardest man to read. I can't even give you advice on him." My phone starts to ring and I pick it up to see 'Mr. Madden' on the screen. "Speak of the literal devil," I roll my eyes. Luke gives me a sorry expression. "Where the hell are you?" Woah, backtrack. Jason never spoke to me unprofessionally before, aside from earlier.
Where is this aggression coming from? "What the hell is your problem? Why do you suddenly feel like you can talk to me in whatever way you want as if I owe you something?" A growl erupts through the screen. I pull my face back in recoil. What the fuck is wrong with this man?
"I pay you and you work for me. Why aren't you in the building?" I scoff at his attitude. He cannot be serious. "Chill the hell out. I'm still working and you don't need me in the office right now. I should know, I made the damn schedule,"
"I didn't know sitting at a cafe talking to your boyfriend was considered working." How the hell? I look around until I see his figure outside the door. The sight makes my heart drop. "You fucking stalker. You're creepy my dude. Get a damn life. How did you find me here anyway?" I say while looking him directly in the eye. "That's not important," I quickly cut him off, "You're shitting me. Like hell, it ain't,"
"Be at your desk in four minutes." He hangs up and I see him walk away. I tell Luke to watch my stuff before dashing outside. I catch up to his long strides as he makes his way to his car, and pull him by his tie. I yank him until he's at eye level as I'm backed up against his car. "What is going on with you today? First, you ignore me which isn't out of the usual, but then you talk shit about my outfit, and have the gull to approach me about having lunch with my friend?" I emphasize the word friend.
"I wasn't ignoring you on purpose, I was encroached in my work. Your outfit is unprofessional and I came to talk to you about your dress. Come to find you're not even in the building. You're the one who's inefficient today." Oh, the strength it takes to hold myself back from shoving my heel so far up his ass.
"My clothes don't break any dress codes. Don't blame me if you feel uncomfortable with a woman feeling comfortable in her own fucking skin. Let me get one thing straight. You don't dictate how I dress. Period. You don't get to comment on how I look unless you're saying I 'look so fucking lovely today'. No, you don't get to have an opinion on anything I do or wear because it's none of your fucking business and you definitely don't talk down on me when we're at work. In my opinion, you were highly unprofessional and inefficient today. Not me."
The worst part about this is that he doesn't look remotely phased about anything I just said. It's as if I'm talking to a damn wall. "I have no idea what the hell Saiya saw in you to accept your proposal or even look your way." I turn to go back to the cafe until I'm yanked by my waist and thrown into the car.
"What in the actual hell?" I scream. Jason lands in the driver's seat and slams the door. "This is fucking kidnapping! Let me out of this damn car you jackass!"
"You know, you have one filthy mouth on you," Jason growls. "Jason, where the hell are you taking me?" I exclaim. "Do you ever shut up?" The vein in his head starts to pop out once again. I've been seeing that a lot recently. "Excuse me? If you want me to shut up, don't give me a reason to talk!" This man!