This

Chapter 3

 “Can I help you?” a blonde woman said as she teetered past me on her sky-high heels. She had a dozen or so coloured folders in her perfectly manicured hands, and her hair was pinned up with retro-style curls.

“Yeah, uh... I sent it my resume about nine months ago, and-” the blonde woman started to walk away from me rolling her eyes.

“I've been calling every day for the past few months and I got the same answer every time; 'it hasn't been reviewed, call again tomorrow', and I've flown all the way here...” I followed the blonde woman up some stairs and into an office.

“I'm sorry, but it hasn't-”

“Hasn't been reviewed yet, I know! Did you listen to a word I was saying?” I interrupted. The blonde sat down, staring at me disapprovingly.

“I don't have time to listen. Harper Collins isn't easy work.”

“I know that, but I think I deserve at least a conversation and a chance to prove myself after flying halfway across the globe just to come here and see you in person.” The blonde woman sighed at me.

“Sit, Miss...?

“Elle. Elle Fraser.” The blonde woman raised a single eyebrow at me before sighing once more. So apparently all New Yorkers weren't as nice as I originally thought.

“Miss Fraser, I'm afraid we don't have any positions suitable for you at this point. Your resume was rather... empty, you have no prior publishing experience and your only job has been in a fast food joint selling fries. Give me one good reason why we should even consider you.” I could feel my chest starting to burn and my hands clenched into fists.

“If I didn't give a shit about this place, I would have sent in my resume and left it at that. But I waited for nine months until I decided that I was worth finding out why I wasn't good enough, and all I needed were reasons so that I could work on them, but I got fobbed off every single day for three months. I spent hundreds of dollars calling here just to be rejected, and now I've gone and spent thousands to get myself to New York, so I should probably hate this place right now for being such a hassle yet here I am sitting in your office begging you to tell me why I'm not good enough.” I exhaled after not breathing for my entire rant, and the blonde woman, who's name according to the sign on her desk was Elizabeth Rivers, smiled at me.

“Your persistent and patience stands out to me, Miss Fraser, so I'm going to make you an offer. If you turn it down, that will be the end of your Harper Collins dream.” I felt myself lift out of my shoes and float out of the window. She was giving me a chance.

“I can get you some work doing the tedious tasks; filing manuscripts, getting coffee-”

“I'm happy to be people's bitch,” I said. Elizabeth frowned at my language, but waved it off. Opening her desk drawer, she pulled out some forms and held them out to me, her eyes not meeting mine.

“Take these upstairs to Stanley Stone, fill them out, do whatever he asks you to do, etcetera.” I took the files from her fingers, feeling my cheeks ache from my grin as I stood up from my chair and started to walk backwards to the door.

“Thank you so much, you have no idea how happy I am with-”

“Oh, Miss Fraser?” Elizabeth interrupted.

“Mm?” I asked, watching her as she stood up to file some paper in to her filing cabinet, her back turned to me the whole time.

“Shut the door behind you,” she finished shortly. For someone who just hired a new gopher, she was a lot grumpier than you'd expect her to be. As I closed the door behind me, I tried to find my way to the floor where I could find Stanley Stone, and the only helpful person was the lady in the office right beside the elevator who instructed me to go up to floor five. I made a mental note to shout her a coffee for her kindness.