Chapter 3 The Proposal #3
"Then make the decision based on what you want."
Orm gave a small laugh.
"What I want?"
"Yes."
"I want to keep my job."
Ling's expression changed slightly.
"You won't lose it."
"I know."
Orm looked down.
"But I also want to prove I deserve it."
Ling was quiet.
Orm continued. "I'm new here."
"I know."
"I don't want people thinking I'm only getting opportunities because I'm standing next to you."
Ling looked at her.
"You earned the Aurelia position."
Orm blinked.
"You really think that?"
"Yes."
"But you criticised my proposal."
"I criticised your proposal because I thought you could make it better."
Orm stared at her.
Ling continued calmly.
"You were talented."
She paused.
"But you were trying too hard to prove that you belonged."
Orm's expression softened.
"How did you know?"
"Because I was watching."
That answer made something strange happen inside Orm. She didn't know what. So she ignored it. Ling stood.
"If you agree, I'll make sure you're treated as the creator you are."
Orm nodded.
"And if you don't?"
"I'll still work with you."
Orm studied her.
"You promise?"
Ling looked slightly offended.
"Of course."
Orm smiled faintly.
"Okay."
Ling reached the door. Then stopped.
"If we do this..."
Orm waited.
"We need rules."
Orm frowned.
"What kind of rules?"
Ling's expression was unreadable.
"Rules that keep this from becoming complicated."
Orm almost laughed.
"With us?"
Ling looked at her.
"Exactly."
Then she walked out.
?
Orm returned to her desk. Bow immediately looked up.
"Well?"
Orm dropped into her chair.
"They want me to pretend to date Ling."
Bow's mouth fell open.
"What?"
"For a few weeks."
"Why?"
"The photograph."
Bow stared. Then looked toward the executive offices.
"And you?"
Orm sighed.
"I don't know."
Bow studied her.
"You're considering it."
Orm looked at the Aurelia campaign on her screen.
"I have to."
"Because of your career?"
"Partly."
Orm was quiet for a moment.
"Mostly."
Bow nodded.
"You really care about this job."
Orm smiled faintly.
"I do."
She had worked too hard to get here. She wanted to belong. She wanted to prove that the new creator could hold her own in a company where everyone else seemed to know exactly what they were doing. This was terrifying. But it was also an opportunity. And perhaps that was what made it so difficult.
Across the office, Fluke was speaking with Ling.
Their conversation looked casual, but Orm knew enough now to understand that Fluke wasn't simply another colleague.
He and Ling had years of history at the company.
He knew her habits. He knew when she was actually angry and when she was pretending to be annoyed.
He knew when she was thinking. And, apparently, he knew when she was hiding something.
Fluke glanced toward Orm. Then back at Ling.
A grin slowly appeared on his face. Ling immediately frowned.
Orm couldn't hear what he said. But she saw Ling's expression change.
A few seconds later, Fluke laughed. Ling shook her head.
Whatever they were discussing, Orm suspected it wasn't entirely professional. She looked away.
"Great."
Bow glanced at her.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Then Orm's phone buzzed. An email. From P'Cherry.
PRELIMINARY AURELIA PROMOTIONAL PROPOSAL — CONFIDENTIAL.
Orm opened it.
She stared at the schedule.
A few weeks.
Several appearances.
Photoshoots.
Interviews.
Events.
Ling.
Ling.
More Ling.
Orm slowly closed her eyes.
"This is going to be a disaster."
Bow smiled.
"Maybe."
Orm looked at her.
"That's your reassurance?"
"No."
Bow grinned.
"I'm just saying..."
She glanced toward Ling.
"...it might be entertaining."
Orm shook her head.
She couldn't believe she was considering this.
She couldn't believe her career had somehow arrived at this point.
And she certainly couldn't believe that the woman she had spent weeks insisting she couldn't stand might soon become the person she would have to stand beside in front of cameras, clients and thousands of strangers.
For a few weeks. Just a few weeks. She could survive that.
Probably. Orm looked toward the executive offices one last time.
Ling happened to look over at the exact same moment.
Their eyes met. Neither smiled. Neither looked away immediately.
And for one strange second, the noise of the office seemed to disappear.
Then Ling gave her the smallest nod. Orm returned it. It wasn't agreement. Not yet. It wasn't affection. Definitely not. It was simply an acknowledgement.
A silent understanding that tomorrow morning, they would make a decision that could change the course of both their lives.
Orm looked back at her screen. The photograph was still there. The accidental moment that had started everything. She shook her head.
"Six weeks ago, I was just trying to get through my first major campaign."
Bow looked at her.
"And now?"
Orm sighed.
"Now apparently I'm supposed to get a girlfriend."
Bow burst out laughing.
Orm grabbed a pen and threw it at her.
And for the first time that afternoon, she laughed too.