NA'

wha

Joe in his office. The presentati

nd me. "Oh my God, you stood up to Joe! The ugly menace

t for long. How are we going to pull this o

. Main point here is witch Nicole didn't

e

hat's im

d a chance, and when there's

she smiled, stepping back. "Think about pa

stantly leaving me. The printer. "Yeah,

like a horse before it's slaughter filling the air. "Argh, so fucking lo

it suit

est of department filed in. Marking the end of lunch bre

ed more

get

the key to ma

****

' reminder of my not so glamoro

the presentation. Or, if Nicole and her dearest lover-Joe were intentional

" She'd said with a smirk. A stack of folders landing on my

o the management about all her 'dealings' in the company, a

knew

t was better to just suck i

the way my life currently was? Losing was

o said, applying concealer to our eye bag

e money anyways.

the office bathroom the next morning for the presentation sin

han ever to make this work. B

, cause i didn't expect anything to go

**

signify. Breath caught, "You're up." She said simply and vanished

esperate prayer. A silent cry to the heavens to

all at once she pushed

old unbelievable air saturated in the room

ze us to death before ou

the table. The conference table in the room. The unmistakable figure

Didn't even realize my feet had slowed to a halt at the middle of the room. Neck angled, eyes

st tig

uldn'

n't be h

dn't ac

ont of the room I was supposed to be at. "Is everyth

a forced smile, legs moving forward immediately. Too fast. Cause my heels let out a loud screeching sound as I we

bruptly pulling myself together from

g me like a cloak. "You okay?" Cleo whispered

ati

s high

rehead, feeling the wetne

rted yet and I was all shade

er." I said, bowing slight

d us. I watched him move to the head of the table.The same

first. Those unmistakable green orbs that I could've sworn

staring

e

even worse as a solid truth i coul

ma

as Rom

e

Cleo whispered, her words regis

houghts all in one minute, washing all over

s he do

t Oxygen's pitch r

ow? And why the hell was h

hey still carried that same pull, that same danger. With r

. Not now. Not ever. But what w

ed, do they? And just like

ic, sadness, the hospital. And then the blood. All of it coming

rned you, he's just like y

ke that, I

lips, air rushing back in rag

what th

ocat

been, suck the life out

le to even have the chance to make something out o

that up. Never goi

I was rattled. I didn't respond. Just took those few moments to calm

after, "Perfectly

t bills

My eyes on that head of the table again

eturning to his seat, so I took that for a yes

're capab

d-step. "E

walked in here like a nervous intern and expect me to be

g to my face. "Why don't I prove

k ghosting his lips. "I don't thin

h

hat unceremoniously but that shouldn'

entation, sir. Not right now." I

waiting for his

enting Boldlines Creatives. I'm here with my pa

t my name. Eyebrows

on confir

my work. Slides rolled behind, lights dime

l make extra profit while also creating a

in relief

ot so

ines..." he started,

u

is lost. You call this 'temptation' and sti

use

re?" I shot back, "What, come in with a lingerie

hell wont either. We've seen enough women try to sell ideas

parted, f

ng to complain about the presentation but it was another to

l does he t

tioning to work at your lounge. I am a Creative Consultant, one that

on't get it. Do you, Alina? I am the reason you're here. Reason you got up on that podium. This is my project.

d? Of

o go fuck and die... that's your s

be allowing you to

oolly, grabbing my stuff. Cleo following suit

not

be