Beautiful Things

Silence

        "Abigail! Can I talk to you?" Fiona asked on their first day back.
        "Of course. Let's go to my office." Abigail and Fiona went up the elevator.
        "Have a seat."
        "I was wondering if I could have an assistant." Fiona was trying to get Alison a job. Alison wasn't in a state to do anything too hard. Fiona didn't want to leave her alone.
        "What would they do?"
        "Get me food and communicate with other people on my floor," Fiona replied.
        "And I'm assuming you have someone in mind?" Fiona nodded.
        "They are very qualified to do this."
        "You can go and bring them here. I would like to meet them first."
        Fiona went back to her floor to get her phone. She saw Jess and smiled at her. Jess glared at her and stomped away.
        "Hi, Will." Will gave her a worried look as he pulled her in for a hug.
        "Do you like Matt?" He whispered into her ear.
        "Maybe a little." She replied.
        "Matt and Jess broke up over the break. Jess did it over a 27-second phone call." Fiona was shocked. This was what she wanted, but it didn't feel as good as she thought it was going to.
        "Why?" Will shook his head.
        "I don't know. Matt's been in his office all morning. I can't get him to come out."
        "I have to go. Make sure he doesn't leave. I want to talk to him." Will agreed.
        "Jess broke up with Matt."
        "That's a greeting," Alison replied.
        "Sorry. I'm just shocked. My boss wants to meet you. As long as that goes well, I'm assuming you can be my assistant."
        "Thank you," Alison said.
        After introductions, Fiona left Abigail and Alison to talk. She knocked on Matt's door.
        "Matt? I know you're in there. I heard what happened. I'm so sorry."
        "Can I come in?" Matt didn't respond. She pushed lightly on the door, and to her surprise, it was unlocked. Matt was on his computer.
        "What are you doing?" She walked up to him, resisting the urge to look at his computer. She was trying to respect his privacy.
        "Work." He responded quietly.
        "Ok. It's ok to be sad." He nodded.
        "I'm next to you if you need anything." She walked out.
        "How is he?" Will asked.
        "Not good. He's doing work, and I barely got him to speak."
        "Maybe the slam tonight will cheer him up." It was a Monday, but they were going to a slam. Will was about to keep talking when Jess walked up to Fiona.
        "Are you happy now? You can date him. Isn't that what you wanted?" She said rudely.
        "Why did you do this?"
        "I felt like it." Jess shrugged.
        "You felt like breaking his soul in two?" Will asked. His ears were turning red.
        "If he's hurt, that's his fault. He shouldn't have gotten attached." Jess walked away, and Fiona noticed she was wearing heels with a short skirt.
        "What changed?"
        "I have no clue." Will and Fiona both checked their phones as they dinged. It was their email. Abigail had sent an email telling everyone to come to the main room.
        "First, this is Fiona's assistant." Alison waved at everyone and walked up to Fiona.
        "Now,  Jess has a poem to share." Oh no. Fiona saw Matt standing in the back of the room. There was no way this was going to go well.
        "Everyone shut up and let me do my poem!" The chatter stopped, and everyone stared at Jess.
        "Go to my office. Now." Abigail said firmly.
        "You are dismissed. Let this be a lesson to all of you. Don't be disrespectful." Fiona and Alison went to her office, where Fiona filled her in on who all the people were.
        "Hey. I'm Will." Will said.
        "I'm Alison." Lots of people introduced themselves to Alison.
        "Is Matt the one who was standing alone?" Alison asked.
        "Yes." Fiona changed the subject to the slam they were going to and invited Alison. She agreed to come.
        At the slam, the judges made their speech. Will and Fiona led the group to their hiding spot. Fiona noticed that Matt didn't join them.
They came back when Matt was picked. He seemed fine with it, and Fiona knew that he was going to read a poem for Jess. She saw Jess in the back.
        Matt tapped his leg anxiously while the other poems were read. He was called on stage, and Fiona didn't know what was going to happen.
        "Hi. I'm Matt. This is called Forever and Always." He wasn't off to a good start. He closed his eyes for a second. When he opened them again, they were no longer filled with anxiety. They were filled with sadness.
"Once upon a time, I believe it was a Tuesday when I caught your eye.
And we caught onto something
I hold onto the night, you looked me in the eye and told me you loved me." Matt started.
"Were you just kidding?
'Cause it seems to me, this thing is breaking down
We almost never speak
I don't feel welcome anymore
Baby, what happened? Please tell me
'Cause one second it was perfect, now you're halfway out the door." Matt walked back and forth on the stage.
"And I stare at the phone, she still hasn't called
And then you feel so low you can't feel nothing at all
And you flashback to when she said, 'Forever and always.'" Matt looked really sad, but he wasn't crying.
"Was I out of line?
Did I say something way too honest, made you run and hide
Like a scared little girl
I looked into your eyes
Thought I knew you for a minute, now I'm not so sure." The judges were captured by the poem.
"So here's to everything coming down to nothing
Here's to silence," Matt paused for a while, demonstrating the silence.
"That cuts me to the core
Where is this going?
Thought I knew for a minute, but I don't anymore
And I stare at the phone, she still hasn't called
And then you feel so low you can't feel nothing at all
And you flashback to when she said, 'Forever and always.'" Matt received a massive round of applause. He walked off the stage, and the judges began to talk.
        Alison looked at Fiona with tears in her eyes. It was clear she had been affected by the poem. She walked over to Matt and began to talk to him. Fiona was going to stop her but realized she might be the only one who knew what Matt was feeling.
        "We have decided not to do elimination rounds tonight. The winner is Matt with Forever and Always." Matt received more applause that didn't seem to help him.
        "I'll see you tomorrow." Alison said. She left with Matt. Fiona watched them leave with their arms around each other.
This was fun to write
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Clue
🎶I know my love should be celebrated🎶- Tolerate It by Taylor Swift