~Camille's POV~
I step out of my apartment carrying my bag in my right hand and using my left to wear my shoe. It's past 8 and I'm already late for work. I am definitely going to get an earful from the manager. Alice has been waiting for me for the past 30 minutes and she has been honking since. When I reach outside, I meet her waiting in her black ford 2022 model, with a frown on her face.
"What in the world girl? It's almost 9!"
"I am so sorry." I apologize quickly as I rush into the car.
"Why did you take so long?" She questions me before starting the car.
"I didn't wake up early."
She grins at me, "You were dreaming about the sex with rich playboy from the other night, yeah?" She teases.
I roll my eyes. Oh, Alice, she's not going to drop it.
"Oh please, Alice. Can we not talk about it? Let's just go to work."
She nods, "You know I am not going to drop it right? We still have to talk about it after work."
I roll my eyes, "Yeah yeah, whatever."
"I have a lot of work on my plate; I really don't know how I am going to survive throughout this week. The writer that the manager has given to me is giving me a headache. She is just too proud of herself, just because her books sell well. She can literally take a whole week to give me a chapter, can you even imagine that?"
"One chapter for a whole week? Is it a comic? Who's the writer?" I ask as I stare at the annoyed expression on her face. I can tell this writer is really stressing her out.
"Her name is Catherine. Wouldn't it be understandable if it was a comic? It's a novel which is no more than 60 chapters in total for goodness sake!"
Oh Catherine. Her books are very nice and readers love them but I didn't know that she would be the type to be giving problems like this. "Why don't you complain to the manager?"
"And who do you think will get blamed? The writer who is bringing income to the company or the editor?"
I heave a sigh, "The editor obviously."
"See?" She sighs. "I am just trying hard to cope with her because I don't want to lose my job."
"Don't worry, everything would be fine." I place my hand over her shoulder. After a while, we finally reach the editing company where we work. Artpro editing company is actually among the top 10 best known editing companies in the country. So many people want to work here and so it's really a privilege for me to be working here. They pay well and the staffs are very friendly as well. So many top writers have their works published with us and our company pays them well and gives their works enough promotion. So many scripts, newspapers and magazines are edited by our company and the outcome is always the best.
I step out of the car at the same time with Alice. I can vividly remember the day that Alice started working here. At first, I thought she was going to be like every other people who would turn out bitchy since her family is well to do. Alice is actually from a very well to do family. Her family runs a mini business of their own and she's not even supposed to be working here. Her father never wanted her to work in an editing company but rather wanted her to study medicine in Harvard University but she did not want to and so she went against him. She hardly discloses things about her family to me but I know that anything concerning her family always makes her unhappy.
The both of us walk into the building and quickly make our way over to the workers station to take our seats after signing in. As soon as we take our seats, Mr. Ron, the manager, walks over to us with a deep frown on his face.
"And why is the two of you just clocking in?" He questions us folding his hand across his chest.
I and Alice quickly stand up.
"We um…" Alice starts to explain. "We got caught up in traffic."
He gives us a disbelieving look. "Caught up in traffic yeah? The two of you should see me in my office later."
Okay, we're dead.
"Camille." He calls my name.
"Yes, sir." I answer quickly.
"I have a very important task for you. I choose you for the work because you're actually one of the best editors we have here and I can only trust you with this."
"Thank you very much Sir." I catch Alice smiling proudly at me from the corner of my eyes and I smile inwardly. "What task is it Sir?"
"There's this writer that every editing company wants to partner with because his works has never failed in toping charts. His name is Lester Lambert. I want you to get him to work with our company. If you succeed in doing that, I guarantee you a promotion."
Lester Lambert, Lester Lambert. Wait, Lester Lambert?! The very same author of The Demon's Lifeline? That book sold more than a million copies in just two weeks of its release. It has been the book topping the chart for months now. Lester Lambert has published most of his books on his own without working under any company and it's very hard for companies to get him to work with them. Is my manager actually asking me to get him to work with our company? How does he expect me to do it?
If better editors have tried and failed, what difference would it make if I do?
"But sir, it's not even easy to see him. How am I going to get him to work with us?"
"I am sure it's not going to be much of a hassle. I hear the writer is very respectful and very easy to work with, so how you are going to get him to work with us is your own problem."
Scrap what I said when I said all the staffs here are nice, not all of them. This man is always giving impossible tasks to us and expects us to perform magic.
"But sir…"
"You should even be happy that I gave this opportunity to you. Do you know what it means to be Lester Lambert's editor?"
Well I am not his editor yet and I don't even think that would even be possible. The writer rarely even works with editing companies, getting him to work with us won't be easy.
"Sir…" I am able to press on but I pause when Alice nudge my shoulders gently. I quickly understand that she's telling me to not argue and just agree.
I heave a sigh, "Okay, Sir. I will do it."
Mr. Ron smiles, "Good, now that's the spirit. I am looking forward to hear from you, okay?"
I roll my eyes inwardly, "Yes, Sir."
He turns to Alice, "When are you going to submit chapter 35 of Catherine's book, Alice?"
"Um, she hasn't written it yet." Alice answers and I can detect the annoyance in her voice.
"Why are you always taking forever to submit her work? Don't you know the readers could lose interest if it takes too long?"
Alice sighs, "I will try to get her to speed up her update time, Sir."
Mr. Ron shakes his head, "Alright, be quick about it." He turns around and starts walking away.
Alice slumps into her chair with a frown on her face.
I take my seat as well, "I think you should complain to the chief editor about this writer."
"What difference would it make, Cam? The chief editor would ask me to bear with her because they can't drop her half way and besides, her book is really loved by the readers."
"True." I nod my head. Just as I'm about reaching for one of the files on my desk, two figures walk over to me. I don't need to raise my head to know who they are. They're Tessa and Ashley, my co-workers who were also my classmates back in school then. They don't like me and I know it, I don't fancy them either because they're annoying.
"Hey, Camille." I hear Tessa says and that's when I raise my head. What on earth do they want?
"Hello Tessa, hello Ashley." I feign a smile at them.
"Um, there's going to be a reunion dinner and everyone from school is going to be there. We were wondering if you will come." Ashley says.
A reunion? I don't really have time for that right now.
"No I won't." I answer honestly.
"But why? It's been so long since everyone saw each other and it would be on a Sunday, everyone would be free." Ashley presses forward.
"I can't make it."
"Oh, sorry, we totally forgot that Max broke it off with you so it would be awkward for you to be there…" I gulp hard when I hear her say that. Forgot? That's a lie, they know vividly well that I and Max had broken up or you could say, Max dumped me. "I am sure he's going to be there with his wife, Ava, which would be too much for you."
"Yes, we're sorry we asked, you should take your time to heal, okay?"
I clench my hand in a tight fist as I bit my lips. Although, that wasn't the reason why I don't want to go but they're still right. If I don't go, it will seem as if I am still moping over that douche bag but if I go, I will only be punishing myself, it's not worth it.
"Can you two fuck off? She said she's not going." I hear Alice says to them in an annoyed voice.
"I feel bad for you, Camille. I can imagine how to feels to get betrayed by the two people you trust the most. People can be very…"
I stand up and turn to them making her stop talking. "You don't have to feel bad for me because I have already moved on as well. I am even in a relationship right now."
What the fuck did I just say?
The two of them stare at me in shock and I can see the shock expression on Alice's face from the corner of my eyes. You should have just shut the fuck up, Camille! How do I get out of this, now?
"You… You are in a relationship?" Ashley asks in surprise. The shocked expression on her face is really satisfying but how am I going to get out of this now? What if they ask me who my boyfriend is?
"Who is your boyfriend?" Tessa asks. I said it!
I gulp hard and run my hand through my hair, "That is none of your business."
Tessa scoffs, "I don't believe you, I am pretty sure you made that up."
"Why don't you come to the reunion dinner with him?" Ashley asks with a smirk.
Great! Nice one, Camille!
"I don't need to prove anything to you guys. Please leave me alone, I have to work."
"Don't worry, we will help you tell Max and Ava about how you are faring." Tessa says and they both laugh before walking away.
Ugh!
I slump into my seat and slam my head against the desk.
"A boyfriend. Really, Camille?" I can sense the disbelief in Alice's voice. "You could have just ignored those stupid girls!"
Exactly! But how was I supposed to do that when they were making it feel like I'm the one still sulking about my failed relationship with my ex, Max. I have to go that reunion and show those betrayals than I doing perfectly fine but how am I going to do that without a boyfriend?
XOXO