The Ex Best Friend

Chapter 5

Chapter Five

27…28…29…

I blinked furiously and slumped against the wall. Damn it, can’t this elevator go any faster?

The unlikely situation I was in made me smile. Third day on the job and I was late. For the second time. Technically, it wasn’t third day to be exact. More like third day working with Jake. It wasn’t really my fault. I woke up this morning thinking that it was Sunday and nobody had told me it wasn’t. Even though I lived by myself…but still, someone should have called.

The elevator suddenly stopped moving and I looked up quickly to see if I had reached the 35th floor. To my disappointment, I had not. Instead, a young guy—an intern, I suppose— stepped in, with his hands pressed against the door.

I looked at him curiously. “If you don’t move from the door, it won’t shut.”

“Yes, I know, but I’m waiting for my friend,” he laughed.

“Can’t you wait for the next elevator?” I asked.

“She won’t be long, I promise.” He looked at me reassuringly then turned his head back towards the office.

The second hand on my watch ticked quickly and I let out a frustrated sigh. I don’t have time for this. In fact, if time was like money, I would be in debt.

I took a step forward and with all my might, shoved the guy away from the door and pressed the close button.

“Sorry!” I giggled, unable to contain myself from laughing. I’m actually not sorry at all. It might seem cold hearted, but I was an intern once and nobody, not once ever waited on an elevator for me.

Luckily for me, the next few floors didn’t stop for anybody and to my relief, the bell finally dinged for the 35th floor and I ran towards my desk. When I reached it, I found Stacy and another girl who worked on this floor, Jenna Mason, leaning against the walls of my cubicle with worried looks on their faces.

“You’re late,” Stacy said matter-of-factly.

“I think I know that,” I said. I set the tray of coffee I was holding onto the table and ripped off my jacket and dumped it onto the floor beside me along with my bag.

“You’re very late,” Jenna added.

I sent her a dry look and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “You know, I’m not in kindergarten.

Bending over, I grabbed the clipboard from the tray under my desk and fetched the bag of cranberry muffins that was in my bag.

“Yeah well, you’ll wish you were soon enough,” Stacy muttered.

I stood back up and fumbled with all the stuff that I was holding with my left hand and the coffee I was holding in my right. “Why? What’s wrong?”

Jenna had a scared look on her face. “Mr. Marshall’s pissed.”

“Who’s Mr. Marshall?” I asked, confused. Did we get a new head-of-department or something?

“Mr. Marshall is our new boss, remember?” Stacy explained. I didn’t miss the glint of humour in her eyes.

“Oh right,” I said, ignoring Stacy. “What happened?”

Pulling me by the arm, Stacy led me to the meeting room. “I think it’s better if you deal with the problem yourself.”

With a gentle push, Stacy opened the door to a group of flustered looking models in the centre of the room. Behind her sat Tyler and Johnson, who looked like they were praying for their lives and pacing behind them was Jake, red faced, cold eyes, looking like he was going to kill or at least seriously injure somebody.