Chapter Two
Screw him.
I wish I could wipe that infuriating smirk right off his face! The meeting replays in my mind over and over again like something straight out of my nightmares.
I’m back at my desk staring at the blank screen of my laptop as the cursor blinks tauntingly at me.
I peer over and see that Xander returned to his desk and is typing away furiously.
He does this often, gets in his own world while working, completely shutting out everyone around him.
I find myself thinking about the day we met.
It was my first day and I had just walked into the building, giddy with excitement.
I couldn’t believe my luck in landing a job working on one of the most successful shows on the planet.
Before that I had only worked on short films and indie projects, so getting this job would be a big deal to anyone in the industry, but especially for someone like me who had no connections, basically no experience and just a whole lot of enthusiasm.
I made my way to the reception desk, where I was informed that I was a couple of minutes early but that a ‘Xander’
would be down shortly to give me a tour of the building and show me the ropes.
I was waiting a while.
Seconds turned into minutes of me trying to look busy, playing on my phone and staring at my lap.
But I didn’t let that bother me.
This was a big show.
The biggest.
People were busy.
After an hour of the receptionist throwing me pitying looks, probably thinking I was some deranged superfan hoping to meet one of the actors, this ‘Xander’
finally graced me with his presence.
His tardiness should’ve been my first clue about the sort of person he is, but I’ve always been an optimist.
When the elevator doors opened, and I saw an Adonis walking towards me, I had to pinch myself because I thought that no man was that good-looking in real life.
Tall, broad-shouldered, with lightly golden skin and black hair that fell in perfect curls just slightly over his eyes.
He also looked around my age, which I was pleasantly surprised by.
Getting into the writers’
room in a very junior role like mine was rare, especially on a huge show like Claim to Power, so to see a fellow young writer was a welcome sight.
I thought we might become friends, maybe even more.
Almost instantly, he ignited a crush in me.
Nothing serious.
But Theo and I had just broken up and it was a nice pick-me-up to have some eye-candy on my first day.
I wish I could go back in time to snap some sense into myself for being so starstruck by him.
Thinking back now, I realise he looked slightly hungover that morning.
Unfortunately, he’s handsome enough to pull it off, but now I’ve worked for him for a few years I know his skin is usually unblemished by the dark circles he had that day and he was even moodier than normal.
Of course, at the time I couldn’t ask him for sure, but he had 100 per cent forgotten about me at reception.
He then proceeded to give me a half-arsed tour of the building.
I cringe to think how smitten I was back then, laughing too much when he showed me the ladies’
loos and said.
‘Maybe I’ll see you in there some time.’
Present-Me scolds my past self for being so naive thinking that maybe, just maybe, he could’ve been the Prince Charming to my story.
I found out pretty quickly that he was actually the villain.
At least I know better now.
The day draws to an end and the office starts emptying out, and it isn’t long before it’s just me and Xander left.
The days often end like this.
The two of us working across from each other at our desks, our computers blaring blue light to keep us awake.
But seeing as I have no idea what I should be working on, I’ve spent the whole day concocting a plan.
A genius one, might I add.
All I have to do is wait until Xander has left, which will give me the perfect opportunity to look in his notebook and find out what was discussed in that meeting.
Then I’ll be able to start work on this mysterious project. The sooner the better. We only have six weeks after all.
But it’s almost 7 p.m.
and Xander is still at his desk typing like there is no tomorrow.
Gah! Why can’t this man just go home? I have to up my game… maybe I can annoy him enough that he’ll want to leave.
I stretch out my arms and let out a big fake yawn, but I overdo it, because gravity fails me and I get flung backwards in my office chair.
As I crash in a heap on the floor, I see my life flash before my eyes: Theo, Elif, Mum, Dad, my friends, the half-finished book on my bedside table, Xander.
Why’s he always just there?
I’m sprawled out gathering my senses when I hear the thump of footsteps running towards me.
‘Yara! Hey, are you okay?’
He crouches down, reaching for me.
If it weren’t highly likely that I just inflicted a concussion on myself, I would think I hear concern in his voice. In fact, that’s a good test. If I ever genuinely believe Xander cares for me, then I have most definitely sustained some sort of brain injury.
Xander is clicking his fingers in front of my eyes.
‘Talk to me. How many fingers am I holding up?’
I stare at him dumbfoundedly. He can’t seriously be worried… can he?
‘Hmm, maybe four?’
I reply, as two fingers dance before my eyes. Two deliciously large—NOPE. Not even going to finish that thought.
‘Four? You see four? Right, that’s it, I’m calling an ambulance.’
He slaps his hands on his knees and makes a move to stand up.
‘Don’t be ridiculous, I know you’re holding up three,’
I reply, just to mess with him some more.
His body tenses and I stop it before it goes any further.
‘Oh, relax, there are two. I’m fine!’
‘That isn’t funny, Yara, you could have been seriously hurt.’
He seems genuinely upset and I can’t help a niggling feeling of guilt in my stomach.
‘Look, I’m sorry, okay, it was just a fall, I didn’t realise you cared that much.’
I punch his shoulder playfully.
‘Obviously I don’t, but I was just doing the gentlemanly thing.’
‘My apologies, Mr Woods,’
I say, bowing and doing my best Lizzy Bennett impression.
Whatever warmth was in his eyes is gone and we’re back to our usual dynamic. The unease is still there, settling heavy in my chest, but I try to push it aside.
‘You should’ve seen yourself as you were falling. I wish I could’ve taken a picture of it and made it into a meme.’
He lets out a belly laugh and my face burns hot. I do a double take because not only does this man practically never laugh, but, the one time he does, it’s at the expense of me and my clumsiness.
‘I’m surprised you even know what a meme is,’
I throw out. He stands over me where I’m still sprawled on the floor. I make a move to right myself, but a large hand appears in front of me. As if it’s second nature, my hand naturally slides into his.
I’m surprised by how easily he lifts me up to my feet, but I shouldn’t be really, judging by his toned arms.
Which I definitely don’t ogle from time to time… For someone who claims that social media is making everyone too image-conscious and superficial, he sure does work out a lot.
I need to get my plan back on track.
‘So, were you about to head off?’
I ask innocently.
‘Why? You gonna miss me, Yazza?’
‘No reason, just curious.’
‘I was actually about to head out, but good job I didn’t. Otherwise who would’ve come to your rescue? I’m pretty sure I just saved your life.’
‘Saved my life?’
I guffaw. I can’t believe the audacity of this man! Saved my life, my arse.
‘You’re welcome,’
he replies with a huff.
He strolls back to his desk, taking his sweet time.
I sit back down and try to look busy until he leaves.
Once he’s packed everything, I see him place his notebook in his desk drawer.
The same one that he was scribbling in this morning.
Jackpot! Exactly what I’m after.
I type away mindlessly until I see the heels of his scuffed sneaker disappear towards the elevators.
Hmm, that’s kind of weird, he usually says some sort of farewell, a Sayonara, sweetheart or something similarly condescending.
Without giving it too much thought, I push myself from my desk and stride towards Xander’s desk.
I plop myself down in his chair and I’m hit with a waft of his signature cologne.
I close my eyes and inhale deeply.
For a second my mind flashes to earlier when I was on the floor and he was leaning over me with his hand waiting for me to grab it.
Suddenly, I hear a bang nearby.
My eyes fly open and scan the room.
My heart pounds in my chest.
Maybe it’s the building security doing their nightly routine checks.
I continue in my pursuit for his notebook.
My hand goes to the handle of his desk drawer and it slides open easily.
Look at that. Maybe fate is on my side after all. I start to rummage through, trying to keep everything in place. I find what I’m looking for and start to lift my hand out…
‘What are you doing?’
a deep voice echoes.
I make a weird squawking noise and drop the notebook, which falls back in the drawer with a loud thud. My gaze slowly moves up the figure of my rival until it lands on his amused expression.
Logically I know I’ve been caught and should just tell the truth, but I can’t stop the flow of nonsense that starts falling out of my mouth.
‘Yes, about that… I—well… I seem to have lost my phone! Yes, that’s it, I think you may have mistaken it for yours when you came over and “saved me” earlier.’
‘And you thought that it, what? Fell in my drawer…?’
‘Well, I couldn’t see it on your desk so naturally the next place to check would be your drawer.’
I manage a straight face but my heart is beating so fast it feels like it could explode.
‘So, you want me to believe that somehow I took your phone thinking it was mine, then I put the spare phone in my drawer and left it in the office overnight?’
When he puts it like that, it’s not as great as an excuse as I thought.
‘Yep, exactly. See, you can be smart when you want to be, Xander.’
I clap my hands together, then crane my head round as if I’m still searching.
‘Oh, well, it seems like it’s not here. I’ll just head back over to my desk then.’
I start to get up but his response freezes me on the spot.
‘I mean all of that would make perfect sense… Except for the fact that your phone is right here. On your desk.’
‘Oh, would you look at that…’
A delirious laugh leaves me. I can’t bring myself to meet his eye. There’s quiet between us for too long, the only sound the hum of the fluorescent lights above.
‘Let me tell you what I think happened,’
he says finally.
‘I think that you weren’t listening at this morning’s meeting with Meagan. And for some reason, you thought the best course of action would be to sneak around – terribly, might I add – and take the answer from my notes.’
He hit the nail on the head.
He might be the bane of my existence, but unfortunately he is one of the smartest people I know.
If only he could understand the show’s characters as astutely as he seems to understand me. Maybe then he could write some character development on his own one of these days.
I start to come up with an excuse, but I know it looks bad and there’s no point in prolonging this torturous experience any longer.
‘YES! Fine. You got me – congratulations! Would you like a medal?’
He nods towards the drawer.
‘Take it out,’
he demands in that deliciously deep voice of his and my mind starts wandering to other things. Much more sinful things. But then I remember who I’m talking to and I’m snapped straight out of that fantasy. He says it again.
‘Go on, take it out.’
‘W-what?’
I sputter.
‘The notebook. What else could I possibly be talking about?’
I feel a blush start to form but try to remain composed. I reach into the drawer for the notebook and flick through the blank pages until my gaze finally lands on one that has just a single sentence scrawled on it:
JUST ASK NEXT TIME, YAZZA DAZZLER
That blush I was trying to keep in check? Yeah, it’s now bursting like fireworks on Bonfire Night across my cheeks.
He knows. And he knows that I know that he knows. This situation genuinely can’t get any worse.
‘Was I really that obvious?’
I groan into the notebook and dare to look up at him.
‘I mean considering you were trying to get me to leave so you could snoop around, yeah, I’d say you were being slightly obvious.’
He cocks his head at me.
‘Bearing in mind you’re one of the best writers I know, you really should brush up on your acting skills.’
My ears perk up at that.
‘I’m one of the best writers you know?’
I say with slight disbelief.
‘Did I say that?’
He runs a hand through his hair, looking exasperated.
‘Ah, it’s late, I’m barely making sense.’
‘Nope, I know what I heard and I will forever hold it against you.’
‘Out of this whole situation, that’s the one thing you pick up on… Seriously?’
Xander scoffs.
I tilt my head and smile up at him.
We stare at each other for what feels like a small eternity but only a few seconds pass.
He clears his throat and looks away first.
Well, that was weird, but I won’t think into it too much, otherwise my mind will start drifting into dangerous territory.
Places that I’ve not been to in a long time.
That crush I had on my first day was pretty fleeting in the grand scheme of things.
‘Well…?’
His voice trails off.
‘Well, what?’
‘If you want to play it like that, then fine. Guess I won’t be needing to go through the meeting notes with you.’
He starts to turn but I run up to him and latch on to his arm, which tenses under my touch.
I rip my hand away.
‘Look, I’m sorry that I went through your things. It was an invasion of your privacy. I truly am sorry.’
His gaze softens but it’s quickly replaced by a look of mischief.
‘Apology not accepted. You’re going to have to do a lot more than that to earn my forgiveness.’
‘Thanks, Xander, I knew we could both be adults abo—’
Wait. What did he just say? My sentence comes up short.
‘Umm, I don’t think I heard you properly.’
‘Nope, you heard me perfectly, Yazza Dazzler. I’ll decide when I forgive you. Until then I own you.’
‘I own you,’
I mock him.
‘Do you think you’re in some sort of Mafia romance?’
‘Mafia… What?’
He looks confused but it’s all an act to keep up his pretentious persona. He knows exactly what I’m talking about. It’s one of my favourite genres and he’s definitely overheard me in the office talking about them before.
I squint my eyes at him.
‘Never mind! Are we going to talk about what happened in that meeting?’
He walks over from the doorway and plops himself onto his chair, then closes his eyes and sighs.
‘Right yes, the meeting. I’ll keep it nice and short. Meagan wants us to work together to write the season finale. Both our names on the episode. Not just writers’
room credits at the end.’
My stomach does a somersault. This is everything I dreamed of. I’m going to write the season finale? I can barely believe it. I feel my face start to break out in an enormous grin, a yelp of excitement rising in my throat. I’m just starting to consider the implications – Xander will be complete a nightmare to work with and annoyingly I’ll have to split the achievement with him – when he raises his pointer finger, stopping me in my tracks.
‘But, whoever she thinks does a better job, she’ll put their name first and give them the lead screenwriter credit. The season finale of Claim to Power, watched by twenty million people around the world…’
He looks down at his lap, that wicked grin pulling at the corners of his lips.
‘Written by Xander Woods – with Yara Aslan. You can see it, right?’
And all that rising energy comes crashing down.
What. The. Hell. He cannot be serious. This is the biggest moment of my career – everything I’ve ever pushed for. I don’t just have to work with my rival, but I have to share the credit with him. Worse than that, he wants to fight me for top billing?
I bury my head in my hands. How on earth are we going to make this work?