We Were Rivals

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟝

As I drive down the main road to Jon's campaign office I am wracked with nervousness. My hands are gripping the steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles are turning white. What if Jon finds out that I read the journal? Shit. He's gonna kill me. Maybe he'll fire me first just to put me through even more pain. I have to return this journal. And fast. I start to speed up while I drive down the road, beads of sweat forming on the palms of my hands and my forehead.

I approach the office and carefully park my car in the empty lot. I speed towards the door holding my lead low, trying to avoid anyone who I may cross paths with. I pull out the keys to the office that were given to me by Sophia when I was first hired. I shove them into the doorknob and quickly unlock the door, sliding inside. I take a deep breath, feeling relieved that the office is certainly empty. I slowly head towards Jon's office to return his journal. I walk up the 4 steps that lead to Jon's office and I push open the heavy wooden door, sounded by a small creaking noise.

I hesitantly walk into the office heading towards Jon's small desk found near the corner of the room. I gently place the leather journal in the middle of the desk where it is easily visible and decide to write a note. I grab a sticky note off of Jon's desk along with a fancy fountain pen (of course Jon has a fancy ass pen), and ponder what to write. I think I should keep it simple and straight to the point, I don't want to anger him. I finally decide on the following.

"Hey Jon,

I'm sorry. About everything. Especially the dog.

-Y/N"

There. Short and not very sweet. I sigh as I look back at the post it note lying on top of the book. We need to sort out our priorities because this work relationship cannot fail for any reason whatsoever. I back away from the desk and take a sweeping look around the room taking notes on everything from the placement of novels on his bookshelf to the picture frames on his desk. I walk around to his side of the desk to look at the pictures. I sit down in Jon's plush leather chair and inspect the pictures more closely. The first picture I see is Jon with an older couple, who I'm assuming are his parents. The next picture I see is from the very night we last saw each other at college, seemingly mere minutes before I walked over to him. I give the picture a sad smile and place it exactly where it was before so that Jon has no reason to suspect that I was looking at his personal belongings... again.

I walk out of Jon's office hearing my shoes echoing in the empty room. As I exit the building I am sure to lock the door behind me. I do not need to be responsible for a robbery before I even have my first day at work. I get back into my car and play a song titled "Drivers License" by Olivia Rodrigo. I pull out of the parking lot right as the chorus begins to play. "And I know we weren't perfect but I've never felt this way..." I started to sing, getting louder by the minute. As the song begins to slow I start to feel overwhelmed with sadness. I probably shouldn't have listened to that song especially in my current fragile emotional state.

I turn off the radio in desperate need of clearing my head after hearing that song. After a few minutes of silence I begin to near my house. As I approach my home I am met with a nice looking & sleek, black BMW parked outside of it. This can only mean one thing. Jon.

I honestly debate simply driving by my house pretending to be somebody else, but I need to talk to Jon, no matter how much I don't want to. I let out a deep sigh and park my car, resting my head on the steering wheel to gather up the courage to have what I know will be an emotionally draining conversation.

After a few seconds I gingerly step out of my car, knowing that I am being watched by the one and only. I decide to cut to the chase and walk over to Jon's car, awaiting the consequences of his arrival. I hear the car's engine turn off as Jon steps out of his car, approaching me for the third time this week.