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Amanda was lost in her work, her world narrowed down to the glowing screen and the sketches spread across her desk. Her pen tapped against the page, then swept quickly as another idea came alive. Her brows furrowed, lips pursed as she muttered under her breath.
"Too sharp... no, needs balance. Stronger. Sleeker."
She barely registered the sound of footsteps until a voice cut into her focus.
"What are you working on?"
Amanda didn't lift her head, too wrapped up in the moment. "Campaign drafts," she muttered, pen still scratching across the page.
Silence lingered a beat too long, and when Amanda finally looked up, she found Ava leaning against the edge of her desk, brows raised, arms folded, waiting.
Amanda blinked, realizing immediately how it must have looked how clipped she'd sounded. Heat rose in her cheeks. "Sorry," she said quickly, setting her pen down. "That came out rude. I was just... really focused."
Ava smirked faintly, tilting her head. "I can tell. You didn't even notice me standing here for a whole minute."
Amanda chuckled softly, rubbing the back of her neck. "Yeah, guess I zoned out. Happens when I'm in the middle of something." She straightened slightly, softening her tone. "But seriously how are you doing? Do you need anything?"
Ava blinked, surprised by the sudden shift, then relaxed. "I'm fine. Thanks for asking." She shrugged lightly. "Just the usual chaos of Monday mornings."
Amanda smiled, nodding. "Yeah, I know the feeling."
Ava's gaze drifted to the papers scattered across the desk mood boards, rough sketches, notes scrawled in the margins. Her curiosity sharpened. "This doesn't look like your usual assistant work."
Amanda leaned back slightly, folding her arms across the desk. "It's for my campaign. I'm doing the final touches now so I can start setting the schedule for the photoshoot and production."
Ava's brows rose, impressed. "Your campaign?" She leaned forward, scanning a sketch of a striking silhouette against bold text. "That's not just ambitious that's huge."
Amanda gave a small, almost shy smile. "It's been in the works for a while. Just needed the right timing."
Ava straightened, her expression shifting into something more thoughtful than teasing. "Well... from what I'm seeing, it's damn good. You might surprise a lot of people with this."
Amanda nodded once, her smile softening. "That's kind of the goal."
"Keep at it," Ava said, smirking lightly as she started to step away. "Just maybe don't ignore people completely when they walk up."
Amanda laughed under her breath. "Promise I'll work on that."
Ava shifted her weight again, her arms loosening from the fold as she exhaled. "Honestly? I just... wanted to clear the air with you. Things got complicated between us, and I don't want it to feel weird every time we talk. I don't need all that tension anymore. I'm just looking for a friend now."
Amanda blinked, her chest softening. She leaned forward a little, resting her elbows on her desk.
"Ava... I'm sorry. For the way I handled things.
I should've been clearer, and I know I hurt you when I didn't mean to.
And I'm especially sorry if I ever made you feel like you needed to change who you were. "
Ava's lips curved into a faint smile. "I appreciate you saying that. I think part of me wanted to be someone you'd want... but I've realized I don't have to change. I just need to find the right person who sees me for me."
Amanda nodded, warmth threading through her voice. "Exactly. You deserve that. You deserve someone who gets you without you having to try so hard."
For the first time in a while, Ava's eyes softened, the guarded edge fading. "Funny thing is... I think I might've found someone. Or at least, I've got a crush. I don't exactly know what to do about it, though."
Amanda tilted her head, a teasing but supportive smile tugging at her lips. "A crush, huh? That's new. Who's the lucky one?"
Ava laughed, shaking her head. "Not telling you yet. You'll probably tease me."
Amanda chuckled. "Probably. But seriously... you should go for it. Life's too short to hold back, trust me. If you feel something, lean into it. At least find out where it could go."
Ava gave her a long look, like she was surprised by the gentle encouragement. Then she nodded slowly. "Thanks. I think I needed to hear that."
Amanda picked her pen back up but smiled warmly at her. "Anytime. That's what friends are for."
Before Amanda could say anything else, a light buzz came from her desk phone. Ericka's voice carried through, low and smooth. "Amanda, come to my office. The shades are ready."
Amanda glanced at the door to Ericka's office, then back to Ava with a small grin. "Duty calls." She stood, gathering her notepad, her tone lighter than before. "But hey if you need anything else, you know where to find me."
Ava gave her a small nod, almost grateful. "Yeah. Thanks, Amanda."