Complicated

Chapter Two

It was Monday today and I was just starting my first day at Grey’s Designs - my dream job. And I still couldn’t believe it… I was working here! It’s true when they say “dreams do come true” because mine definitely did.

I arrived right on time, 9 o’clock sharp at my desk, right outside Mr. Grey’s office.
I was getting my laptop and phone from my bag when he walked out of his office. I didn’t want him to catch me staring, so I quickly glanced over him, but he didn’t even notice my presence.

“Tiffany, I need you to get Sam Brooks to call me by noon. And where the hell is the new damned intern?” he yelled at his receptionist.
“I’ll get on it sir, and sir?” he looked back at her while she softly whispered, “she’s right behind you”
I noticed his shoulders relax and he turned around to come face to face with me.
New damned intern? That’s what I was?Sighing, I greeted him, “Good morning sir”. I forced my lips to form a smile on my face.
“Ms. Jackson” he nodded his head and walked over to my desk. “I need to go to a meeting right now, but when I come back, which will be around 10:30, I need to talk to you in my office. Until then, you can work on the documents I emailed you. Okay?”
I nodded, “Yes sir”. And with that he walked to the elevators, which took him to the fifth floor. The receptionist looked at me with a weak smile and shrugged before going back to work.
Wow, who knew he could turn out to be like that? On the outside, he looks like a soft guy who’s really passionate about his company, but apparently he’s not so soft on the inside. Damned intern?I rolled my eyes as I began my work.

I opened my laptop to see the email he sent me yesterday on the new fashion line the company was going to start. It was cute, but a bit overdone. I wanted to let him know my ideas, but since I’m just a “damned intern”, he probably doesn’t even want to hear them!

Scrolling through the document, I opened the pictures separately and tried to plan out a proper presentation to go along with it. What’s going to be needed? What type of cloth will they need? How much? What’s in the budget?
I completed my work by 10:15, mainly because I started working on it last night as well. With fifteen minutes to spare, I dug out my sketchbook and drew out some possible ideas to incorporate into the new fashion line. I may be just a damned intern, but I do want to do something more.
As I was finishing on a dress, I felt someone breathing heavily on my neck. Quickly, I turned my head to find myself face to face with him.
“Hi” I whispered softly, unsure if he even heard me.
“Hi” he looked at me then at my drawings, then back at me, “Care to explain why you’re doodling on your first day at work?”
“Oh, um...I wasn’t doodling. I was done with the work you sent yesterday. I started most of it then and continued today. Um...sorry, I won’t do this again” I stuttered as I closed my sketchbook.
“No. Let me see” I handed him the sketchbook as he sat on the edge of my desk. His legs softly touched mine and sent goosebumps all across my body. This man has so many affects on me just by a simple move.
“Hmm” he looked at each page and design carefully as if he was trying to find something more in them.
“I was just sketching a few ideas. Um...I noticed the designs that you sent were good, but I thought maybe I could incorporate something into it as well?” I asked; my voice got quieter as I continued.
“What’s wrong with the ones I sent?” he asked, completely disregarding what I just asked.
“Nothing. Nothing’s wrong with them. It’s just...they seem a bit too overdone” I replied frankly.
“Overdone?” he rubbed his chin with his thumb and forefinger as if he was trying to think of what it meant.
“Like the designs are beautiful, don’t get me wrong there, but who’s going to wear them? Models? No regular person would possibly wear any of that” I spat out. I quickly covered my mouth after realizing what I just said.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean that” I said quickly.
“And who can wear these?” he pointed to my designs, “‘Normal’ people?”
“Yes. I do think normal people would wear them. I’d wear them”
“Because you designed them”
“So you designed these outfits” I pointed at my laptop screen, “will you wear them?”
“Those are for women, Ms. Jackson”
“I’ve designed men’s clothing too”
“Really?” he cocked his head to one side.
“Yes really”
“Did anyone wear it?”
“Yes, my friend wore it. Plus, I was able to sell a few off the clothing too”
“Do you have the designs with you right now?”
I looked down, “No, I don’t. They’re in my other sketchbook”
“How many of these do you have?”
“A few”
“And how many of your designs have you sold?”
“A few” I replied.
“I need a number Ms. Jackson”
“About fifty”
“Fifty?” he shook his head as a smirk plastered across his face. “Ms. Jackson, I’ve sold more than fifty thousand designs” he enunciated the amount, “and you’re judging my decision?”
“No, I’m not. I just...” my words were lost and my mind betrayed me. “I’m sorry” I looked down at my knotted fingers in my lap. “This won’t happen again”
“It better not” I still didn’t dare to look up at him. I knew he was angry. Beyond angry. I could tell from his tone that he didn’t want anything to do with me, but yet didn’t tell me to leave.
“So you’re done with the work I sent you?” Whoa! Quick change of tone. I looked up and noticed he had a small smile on his face.
“Yes. Should I send it to you?”
“No. Come in my office and we can discuss it. Bring your stuff”
I nodded and got my notebook, sketchbook, laptop, and phone, and walked over to his office. He held the door open for me and walked over to his seat.
As we were about to start, his phone rang, “Christopher Grey” he looked over at me and pointed a finger, motioning it was going to take a minute. I couldn’t hear who he was talking to, and I didn’t want to eavesdrop into his conversation either, so I just started to play with my fingers and twirling them in my hair. I noticed my nail polish was peeling off as well. Mental note to self: put new nail polish once I’m back home. I didn’t know how long I was just playing with my hair and fingers until I heard a small chuckle come from him.
“You seem so amused by such little things” How long has he been observing me?
I quickly let go off my hair and recomposed my posture, “Sorry”
“What for?’
I shrugged, “What I said earlier”
“It’s okay. I see you have passion, but right now, you’re an intern. You’re going to learn why we’re successful and if you want to incorporate your work into this company, you should start by stopping yourself whenever you have to doubt my decisions. If this was your company, then do whatever. But it’s not. And you work for me here, so you better start fixing up your attitude if you still want to stick around a bit longer”
I nodded. His eyes were glued onto me, “Answer me”
“I’ll listen to you sir, and I won’t judge or doubt your decisions. I’m sorry for what I said earlier. It won’t happen again”
“Good. Now where were we?”