~Chapter 14~
Today was a really strange day at my workplace. While I had submerged myself into preparing a radio script, I saw that Chelsea was abnormally quiet. I had clearly missed out on a lot that had happened on Saturday night in the club.
Chelsea seemed upset and from the looks of it, I could tell that my friends had been too drunk to remember Skye's antics which I was more than grateful for.
"Hey, Sea? You all right?" I finally asked the bugging question and touched her arm in concern.
She reeled back from my touch with a start and gave me a questioning look. "Huh? Oh. Oh, yeah. Yeah, I am fine," she answered, doodling something on Illustration.
Not finding Chelsea in her usual chirpy self, I was sure of myself that something had absolutely happened to her. "I know that you're not fine. You can tell me wh-"
"I said that I am fine, Val. Just… please. Leave it, okay? I am fine. I am totally fine," she said, this time with heavy conviction.
"Okay, okay. I get it." I raised my hands up in surrender. I didn't want to force the talk out of her because if she needed space, I'd give her just that. I wanted her to open up about whatever was bothering her on her own terms and time.
A few moments passed as I was working on my script distractedly and glanced at Chelsea every few seconds to make sure she was all right.
Just as our lunch time was coming closer, I saw her fidgeting in her seat nervously. I wanted her to spit it out so badly but I knew that it was not what she wanted.
"Okay so…" She started, inhaling a deep breath. "So Keith and I had a clash."
I stopped writing altogether and turned toward her fully. "Why?" I was shocked but I kept my surprise a notch down to not make her feel uncomfortable.
She sighed and gave me an awkward smile. "I'll give you some background info so that you can understand better."
"Okay." I nodded my head.
"Um, so… we've both known each other for about five years since we both got recruited here at the same time and are both graphic designers as well. We've always had each other's backs, no matter what. It's always been just the two of us and we've never severed our friendship ties. Well… except for this one phase," she mumbled the last word, playing with her stylus.
I gave her an encouraging nod to continue. There was about an hour before we usually went to the cafeteria so I could say we had ample time for her to confide in me about her problem.
"And… it didn't turn out well. We'd dated each other like… for a few months last year. It got so complicated that we broke things off. In a mature way though because it was a mutual thing," she said, showing me her palms and looking at me before going back to her stylus. "We didn't want to lose our friendship because of one stupid mistake we made. We understood the problem and remained friends."
She took a deep breath as if the next part was really weird and bad for her to tell. "But boy, was I wrong. Keith has been acting really out of his character!" She exclaimed in a low voice so as to not catch anyone's attention.
"And you know the reason." It was more of a statement than a question.
She nodded solemnly. "Yes. So about two weeks ago, I went for a casual hike on the weekend. Fun fact - I love hiking just like I do graphic designing. So, yeah… I went hiking and I met this guy. His name's Daniel. Daniel and I hit it off so quickly, we started meeting each other almost everyday after work. We've been spending our time even on weekends together. I told this to Keith and he didn't take it very nicely."
"But he's your friend, right? Then why would he be so abhorrent about it?" I inquired with a frown. Keith is a teddy bear and I couldn't imagine him being so rude about something her best friend wants.
"I don't know! He's just jealous, maybe? But Keith and I… we can't be together. It's just… it doesn't feel right." She looked so sad and I couldn't even recognize the real Chelsea in there. "But I am scared, you know? I don't wanna lose Keith, not because of this petty issue. Our friendship is too strong to be broken over this," she whispered. She really looked frightened.
"Is that why Keith was so… off during the club night, the other day?"
She exhaled and nodded her head sideways. "Yeah."
"Look, Sea. It's your life, okay? No matter you've known Keith for five years, he shouldn't be influencing your decisions. If he doesn't like something that you do, he'll still have to live with it because you love it. And if you want to try yourself out with Daniel then go ahead, you do it. I know, it might strain your relationship with Keith but if he really does care for you then he wouldn't interfere and want what's best for you. Don't be scared, you do you," I told her and a small smile graced her features.
"You're right, I guess. But…" She trailed off, picking her nails.
"But what, Sea?"
"Keith is more important to me than anyone out there. Sure, I like Daniel but not on the account of losing Keith," she explained, sounding half bitter and half guilty.
I sighed and nodded in understanding. "I get it. But I don't like seeing you all downtrodden so you guys should solve it before it becomes ice cold, okay?"
"Sure." She grinned this time. "Gosh, I feel so much better. Thanks, Val." She hugged me tightly and I rubbed her back soothingly.
"No problemo." I pulled away from her with a laugh and patted her shoulder. "It's good to see the old Sea back."
She laughed and winked at me. "Oh, and your advice won't go to waste. I'll keep that in mind." I beamed at her.
We talked some more for a few minutes and went back to doing our work. Not even a minute had passed when I heard the low clicking of heels.
Looking up, I saw Skye's secretary, Ms. Kutcher, walking toward me. "Ms. Jones," she said as soon as she stopped at my cubicle.
"Yeah?"
"Mr. Williams wants to see you in his office," she told me in that same businesslike tone.
"In his office?" She nodded her head. My eyebrows furrowed at the sudden news.
Just as I was thinking about it, Chelsea spoke beside me. "Ooh, you've done something awesome to have caught his attention. What's it?" She smiled excitedly.
I shook my head in perplexion. "I don't know." With that, I turned back to Ashley. "Lead the way."
The walk to the elevator which moved up on the eighteenth floor didn't register much in my head. I was occupied way too much with my thoughts. Skye wanting to see me didn't sound good at all.
That night in the club flashed in my head and my eyes widened with another fear. What if he remembers everything and is embarrassed on the verge to fire me? Because I saw him at his worst? Or what if he sues me for reading his personal clippings?
I clicked my tongue at those baseless and preposterous thoughts. As I was walking behind Kutcher, something else occured to me. The unknown woman's silhouette across the bridge. Was she Skye's secretary herself?
My eyes fell on her outfit which included a shirt and pants with a suit jacket. She's a few inches shorter than me. I've never seen Ms. Kutcher in anything other than the trouser pants, especially not a pencil skirt. It couldn't be her because that female was tall and skinny, wearing a pencil skirt.
Who was she then? I thought the same thing for the millionth time now since I'd seen her. I didn't have the guts to ask Skye so I guess, I might just die with the mystery.
"Here." Ms. Kutcher's voice brought me out of my reverie before she pointed to a double door. The floor I was on was huge and spacious with not many cabins in here.
"Okay. Thanks, Ms. Kutcher."
Giving me a polite smile, she walked away with an iPad in her hand. Biting the insides of my cheeks, I knocked and heard a faint, "Come in."
Hesitantly, I pushed open the doors and I was marvelled at how sleek Skye's office was. The walls were all painted in pleasant blue while the furniture was mostly brown and beige. The huge window at the far corner was adjacent to an elongated desk in the middle. The couches faced the window with a refrigerator on the opposite wall.
I heard a clearing of the throat in the midst of my judging the office and I finally looked at the source himself. Skye was donning a black shirt with his suit jacket draped on his leather swivel chair where he was seated. "Ms. Jones."
It felt so weird to hear him call me that when I have been accustomed to him calling me by my first name. "You asked for me… Mr. Williams?" It sounded so bad on my tongue but I quickly covered it.
Skye looked restless with his eyes wide and his jaw working. He was gulping every few seconds. "Yeah… um… I wanna apologize about the other night. I am so sorry for causing you so much trouble." It was genuine and the giddy feeling from the club night was back.
A feeling of relief washed over me. I had actually lost a few brain cells over there when I'd thought that he would fire me for knowing his secret stuff and drunk behavior. "Oh, no. It's all right. Don't worry about it." I waved it off with an awkward chuckle. "I mean… I thought that you must have forgotten about it."
"Yeah about that. Actually, I do remember a few bits and pieces," he told me, narrowing an eye and trying to fight off the blush coating his cheeks already. "Plus, Ivan, uh, he showed me the video." This time, he literally turned red which reached even his ears.
"Oh." I pursed my lips because I remember him shooting the video of our little moment. "That."
"Yeah… that. God, I was so cringey." He ran his hands on his face and groaned in mortification.
"Well, I was no less… cringey," I said, stiffly shrugging one shoulder.
"That makes the two of us, I guess?" He asked unsurely and I laughed, nodding my head. He joined me as well. "I can't believe that I behaved so carelessly." He got up from his chair and rounded the desk, leaning his hip against it.
"Like I said, you've got nothing to worry about. Your secret's safe with me, Mr. Williams." I winked and he averted his gaze with a small smile. Did I just flirt with him by winking?! "And Ivan too."
"That's what I didn't want. That guy is unstoppable."
"Right." I rocked back and forth on the balls of my heels with my hands behind my back. We didn't say anything for some time and I couldn't tell if it was my cue to leave.
"And, Ms. Jones?"
"Yeah?" I looked up from my feet to him.
An emotion crossed his eyes but I didn't pay much attention to it. "I… remember everything you said in my tree house and I really appreciate that. Thank you so much."
I got all shy just like how I had two days ago so I laughed it off. "Pfft, that's okay and you're welcome. But is that the "bits and pieces" that you remember?"
"Maybe." He grinned.
I wanted to know the reason for him getting out of control drunk but I knew my limits. I knew that I was just an employee to him. The one that needs to be paid so I kept mum.
"And I didn't get to properly praise you for your singing skills. I loved the lullaby," he complimented me with that same intense look. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and crossed his legs at his ankles.
Damn, he's hot! I thought dreamily. His comment though did something to my insides. There was a fluttering feeling in my stomach. "I - thank you."
"And somehow, I had managed to get on my bed that night." His voice was laced with confusion and I restrained the urge to hide myself in a corner with all the furniture covering me.
Before I could give him a reply, his office telephone started ringing and he shot me a look that I couldn't quite comprehend. I felt something foreign in my heart and I took that as my opportunity to leave his office. Does liking someone make you feel so different because it has never happened to me? Like ever.
Skye picked up the phone and he was about to say something to me but I pretended as if I didn't notice and left his office.
A feeling of guilt washed over me for being so rude but I couldn't help myself. This feeling could get me into trouble and I didn't want any of that.
When I made my way back down to my cubicle, my beating heart slowed down a bit. I put a hand on my chest and sat down on my chair deliriously. Closing my eyes, I massaged my temples.
I was so confused with everything going on with me, especially my catapulting feelings. Sometimes I assure myself that it's just an attraction and other times, every part of me comes alive indicating that it's more. But the question of all is, is "more" just limited to a like? Or something more than like?
"Urgh." I huffed, pulling at my curls.
"Hey, Val? What's the matter, girl?" I opened my eyes to see Chelsea shooting worried glances in my direction. I thought that she wasn't here just a few minutes ago. As if sensing my question, she answered. "Just came back from the cafeteria but don't you worry, I packed the lunch for you. Here, take it." She nudged an aluminium foiled box in my hands and I took it.
"I am fine," I lied. "Just a headache." That was the truth.
"Wait, did Mr. Williams say something?"
"No, no…" I needed to come up with a lie and that too real quick. "He just confused me with someone else. There must be another Jones here, I guess." She nodded her head at my convincing lie. Another guilt trip but I would tell her once I was sure about it. "And the headache because there were some remnants in there from the other night," I said teasingly and she laughed.
"You could have come to the cafeteria! You missed the drama about Keith and I making up," she told me, lifting her shoulders up and down.
"Didn't feel like it but was there a kiss involved?" I clapped my hands lightly.
She groaned and scowled at me. "Shut up." She slapped my arm. "You're so gross."
"I try." I winked.
Our conversation ended there and so I silently ate my favorite schezwan rice while Chelsea busied herself into making the social media posts for the campaign.
I was so engrossed in eating my food that I didn't hear the rushing of feet until they shouted. "Jones! Ms. Maxwell needs you in her office and you, Hyland, in my cabin. Now. And try to call the entire designing team as well. It's urgent!" She didn't even stop and sprinted inside her cabin.
Chelsea and I looked at each other with almost the identical expressions. Dumbfounded. "Samantha's always like that. In a hurry, you know?" She jabbed her thumb behind her and got up from her chair. I followed suit.
"Okay... be right back." I waved at her.
Before I could take a step further, her statement stopped me in mid-track. "But you're being called twice in a day by the most important people in quick succession. I smell a promotion coming." Chelsea grinned, wiggling her brows.
"Sea," I used my chastising tone on her. "Mr. Williams just mistook me for someone else."
"Oh, right. Forgot." She slapped her forehead and threw me a wave over her shoulder while taking off in the opposite direction.
I just stood rooted on my ground because I could sense something. And I had a feeling that it wouldn't be anything even remotely close to good.
Why am I feeling like this? Does my super subconscious know something that I don't?
My legs carried me to Ms. Maxwell's office and I heard two familiar voices coming from inside. The door was closed so I decided to wait outside until she finished talking with Sebestian.
Liar. You're just stalling and you know it. I sighed and shook my head.
"I don't care about anything, Sebestian. I need that radio script. You've been delaying for so long now that I am almost losing my patience," Ms. Maxwell's angry voice boomed.
"Ms. Maxwell. I am on it and I swear, I'll hand it over to you within the next two days," Sebestian assured her but from the tone of his voice, I could tell that he was kind of scared of Ms. Maxwell.
"You better because our entire campaign is supposed to go on air in two weeks. And I really, really want you to hand over the script to me before this week ends. Because my voiceover team's ready, my music team is ready and all that stuff. I want to review the entire campaign before the public sees it. Even the post production of tvc is almost done. If you can't give me the script, just lemme know. I can hire someone else," Ms. Maxwell said, sounding really passionate about her work.
"Preposterous!" Sebestian exclaimed.
"Agreed. I would have done it myself but I am already jam packed." She sighed, sounding distressed.
I took that moment to knock on her office door, deciding to grace them with my presence. I couldn't take the mystery of her calling me anymore. Is this about the radio script? Because I really hope that's the case.
"Come in."
Opening the door, I stepped in. Ms. Maxwell didn't seem so fazed but Sebastian gave me a weird look, not expecting me at all.
"Valerie?"
"Ms. Jones," Ms. Maxwell acknowledged me with a firm tone.
"You here to hand over the script?" Sebestian's voice sounded so hopeful that I almost felt the third guilt washing over me in one single day but I reminded myself that it's not my fault.
"No…"
"No. I asked for her," Ms. Maxwell spoke for me and Sebestian's face fell in an instant.
"Oh, okay. So, I'll just…" He pointed toward the door and Ms. Maxwell nodded her head.
"We'll talk about this later in the meeting and I'm hoping that the next time we see each other, you better make me happy with that script, okay?" Her demanding tone left no space for argument. I wouldn't even dare to go against her words.
"Of course, Ms. Maxwell." The door clicked shut behind me and my frightened gaze landed on my boss.
She had her fingers intertwined on her desk while she was already looking at me. I traced my right thumb on the back of my left hand to calm my anxiety because Ms. Maxwell's signature stoic look was not a good indication. "Have a seat, Ms. Jones."
I did as she told me to and was pulled back to those high school days wherein the principal would call in the troublemakers. I had been there once and honestly, it wasn't a pleasant encounter. My eyes fell on an envelope on her desk beneath her hands.
She must have followed my vision because she sighed heavily and put it in a drawer under her desk. "Do you know why you're here?"
"No," I answered timidly.
"You know, Ms. Jones, you're a really valuable employee for this enterprise. You've done a lot for this campaign and my reverence for you is nothing but sincere. I know that you're gritting and hardworking when it comes to your work."
Her compliments would have given me the over the moon feeling any other day but right now I was sensing a 'but' here. It didn't sound so good and I don't think I was ready.
"And I would really hate to remove you."
That simple statement stilled me. I was trembling and I had no control over it. The way she chose her words were not so threatening but there was a sense of mild warning in them. Mild because she used the word - would. My hands were fisted so tight that I imagined my bones breaking and cracking. It got to the point of it being utterly painful. "Wh-what… do you mean?" I managed to croak out.
"Don't worry, I am not gonna carry that out because like I said, I don't wanna lose an employee like you." That kind of brought me out of my pathetic misery. Never in my wildest imaginations and dreams would I want to be fired from this huge establishment. "Anyway, have you read the job manual that we'd emailed you after you were hired, Ms. Jones?" Her question almost stopped my breathing again and all the color left my face.
Why would she ask me that?! I've definitely stepped on her wrong foot, haven't I? I clasped both my hands tightly on my lap. "Not really, I mean… I had just skimmed through it." I laughed nervously.
Not a single muscle in her face moved and she didn't even react. "Hmm." She drummed the tip of her index finger on the table. "I'd suggest that you read it this time. Without skimming and especially Clause 8 (6)."
"Sure… Ms. Maxwell," I said with a timorous smile.
"That'd be all, Ms. Jones." With that, she got up from her chair and walked toward her right. I stood up on my wobbly legs as well and watched as Ms. Maxwell poured herself a mug of coffee with her own, personal coffee maker.
Just before I exited, an image flashed into my mind. With one last look at her, I had a feeling that the silhouetted woman was none other than Ms. Maxwell. I observed her attire while she was pouring herself some coffee. She was wearing a pencil skirt and her body figure was exactly like that of the silhouetted woman - tall and skinny.
I just wish to be wrong. I sucked in a sharp breath before I left her office.
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