All Over You

No Better

Keira grins at me from across the office, her smile is so warm and inviting. She's turning thirty this year, and although only a few years older than me, I do sometimes see her as the mother figure I never had. The corners of her eyes are beginning to wrinkle from all the smiling she's done in her time and she styles herself in vintage clothing, meaning she has always given me a maternal feel. Today, she is wearing a retro floral dress which falls just past her knees. Her sunshine blonde hair is curled in ringlets and her side fringe is perfectly fluffy. I envy her sense of style, she has always had herself figured out and I admired this about her. She probably never went through all the phases I did when growing up. This includes the gothic phase and the embarrassing rock music obsession I had in my teens. I always think about the box of photos that exists somewhere of Hayley and I in our flat with thick eyeliner and heavy fringes.  

"Are you ready for Bramble Studio's annual showcase tomorrow night?" Keira asks in her sweet, calming voice.

I sit down at my desk, adjacent to hers, and nod warmly. Her desk is scattered with pink trinkets and memorabilia that people have given her. Our office is actually quite cosy, but you can squeeze a lot into these four walls. Behind Keira and I is Geoff's desk and a plush sofa which is so comfy even with all the cracks in the leather. A large metal filing cabinet is pushed against the opposite wall and everything seems to fit so perfectly, which is a huge metaphor for how well our department works together. You can tell who sits where based on the desk decorations. Mine is mostly empty, my stationary organised into drawers neatly. Keira's is always a mess and she's much too pure of heart to throw anything away without a heavy sense of guilt. Geoff's is a mess too with small geeky models lining the base of his computer. Hayley often comes in and rolls her eyes at the childish figures, but I've always thought they were quite wholesome. 

"I'm going to get our uniforms dry cleaned after work tonight." She informs me, taking care of business which I note as very motherly.

"We actually have to wear the uniforms?" I groan, like a stubborn teenager.

Keira shakes her head at me fondly. I have a point, the showcase uniforms are horrible. A knee length pencil skirt which clings in all the wrong places along with a crisp black shirt and a waistcoat. It's a requirement that we have to wear bright blue bow ties which match the company colours. All they do is scratch my neck for the whole night.

"The uniforms are beautiful!" Keira smiles softly.

Of course she would think that, Keira would look amazing in a bin bag. She doesn't have to worry about the terrible possibility of bumping into Liam and him thinking I look like a sack of potatoes which isn't exactly the look I'm going for.

I roll my eyes for what seems like the twentieth time today.

"I haven't taken my lunch yet, I'll get the uniforms dry cleaned for you." I sigh.

Keira thanks me enthusiastically and hands me a plastic bag full of a irritating black material. I head to my car which, much like my house, is modest. It was all I could afford, but it seemingly drives fine. I open the faded red passenger door and throw the bag inside. I always take my rubbish out the back and whip it through a car wash monthly. It makes me feel better to truly look after my belongings.

As I back out of the space I have unofficially claimed since working here, I catch a sight of Liam further down the car park. I feel my stomach twist itself into knots immediately. I hate the way he has such an intense effect over me without doing anything at all. He wanders up and down the concrete on perfectly lean legs, a muscular arm stretched up to his face with his phone in his hand. He seems to be having a very heated conversation and my mind ponders over who he is talking to out in the freezing cold. Shivers run down my spine as I realise he is most definitely breaking someone's heart.