ELETTRA

3

3. Elettra

I'm in the middle of a road. I don't know how I got here. It's dark and I don't see anyone else. Suddenly I hear a child crying. A little girl. The crying gets louder and louder and then I remember it all. I know who is crying. Ellerie

Ellerie

Ellerie

Ellerie

Ellerie

Ellerie

"Please stop. Please stop." I beg over and over again but it only gets louder and louder. "I'm sorry baby I'm so sorry I swear I didn't mean it." I sob and sink on the ground. Suddenly there is a car speeding in front of me heading my way. I see the driver and it's Lucas. I don't have time to get up. It gets closer and closer until-

I wake up gasping for air. I'm covered in sweat. I think I was crying. My face is wet from my tears. I haven't had a nightmare for months. God I miss her. I miss her every day, but nights like this are really hard. I wish I wasn't fighting wish Lucas that day. I wish I waited till we were home. I wish I was the one who died that day.

I open my phone and see that it's only 5:30. Great. Only five hours of sleep. Work still starts at 9 so I have plenty of time to go for a run. I wear shorts and a tank top and some running shoes. I enter the kitchen and pour myself a glass of water, and peel myself a banana. I eat it while staring at the window. At the building in front of me. At the windows opposite to me. At my boss's window. I still can't believe he is my neighbor. I have never seen him before. I only saw a little girl there a couple of times. I even once waved at her and she waved back. She must've been his daughter. But he didn't look surprised to see me yesterday. He must've seen me before here, wait does that mean he knew I was his neighbor when I interviewed yesterday. I'm confused about the whole situation. Maybe that's why he asked if we knew each other. I thought it had something to do with the years before. I guess not.

I finish eating and leave. The sun hasn't fully risen yet and the air is chilly yet refreshing. I start running. I love the feeling when the air hits me. It makes me feel alive. When I run I think about nothing and everything. I ask myself where am I? How much did I achieve? Am I proud of myself now? It gives me time to think everything through.

By the time I run back its 7 AM. I ran about 7 miles today. I get back just in time to see Jeremy Lockwood exit his building. I guess he leaves for work now. He looks me over and then I look at myself and see that I'm covered in sweat and I'm sure my face is too while he looks amazing in his suit. We hold eye contact until I smirk and repeat his actions from last night by saluting him with two fingers and enter my building.

I shower and get ready for work. I wear a white blouse and grey mom jeans. To me this is the closest thing from formal you can get me to wear. I finish getting ready and leave for work.

When I arrive there its only 8:30 meaning I'm 30 minutes early which I guess is a good thing. I'm excited about this. I miss it. I was good at what I did. Until I lost it. I lost everything and everyone. And her.

I enter the building and say good morning to the receptionist . I get in the elevator and press the top floor. When I reach my floor Amelia greets me

"Oh hey you're here early" she says

"Yeah I was up early anyways. So um what should I do now?" I ask her because I have no idea where is my office. Do I even get my own office?

"Let me show you to your office first then you should go ask Mr. Lockwood where to start." She proceeds to show me where everything is. The break room which has a coffee machine and two tables and some other drinks. Then my office which is actually pretty good. It's simple. A desk with two chairs on either side. A couch on the left. Amelia tells me that I can decorate if I want to, but I don't think I will.

Finally she leaves and I go to Mr. Lockwood's office to ask where I should start. I knock on his office door. I enter when I hear a 'come in'. He doesn't look up from his laptop when I come in. umm rude.

I clear my throat "good morning Mr. Lockwood. Amelia already showed me where my office is but told me I should ask you about what I'm supposed to do now." I inform him. And he finally looks up from his laptop. He opens his mouth to say something but then closes it when he looks at me, or rather at what I'm wearing.

" Miss Carson-" I cut him off.

" Elettra. Please call me Elettra" I tell him. Miss Carson just sounds old.

He just ignores me and continues "You are working in big company and in a big position. You will meet big clients. So I expect you to dress more formally please."

Damn it. I hoped I wouldn't have to. And he is right. I will meet big clients and it is a big company. I'm not going to argue with him on that. "Yes sure I apologize about that" see I can be a mature grown up. Sometimes.

"Thank you. As for your work, I'm going to give you a small project. It's actually just something to see your work. I'm not going to give you real projects yet. I don't want you messing something big today. So here are the files with all the details you're going to need for this" excuse me does he think I'm going to mess it up. He really wants to get on my nerves this guy. Its working

I don't take the files from his outstretched hands "why are you so sure I'm going to mess it up?" I ask him

"Well I have no Idea it's just your first day. I haven't seen your work before and you haven't worked for almost three years I can't just hand you a big project. I need to see what you're capable of first." Damn it he is right again.

"So if I did good on this one, are you going to trust me with projects or...?" I ask him.

"No I won't. Elettra I'm not looking for good here. I'm looking for amazing. I need you to give me all you've got." He waves the files in his hand again and I take it. I plan to work hard in this company. I really want to get back on track. To own my company again. When I'm ready.

"You got it. I won't disappoint you" I assure him. He stares at me for a moment

"Thank you" he says

"At least not yet" I joke while grinning to which he just glares at me. Wrong thing to say okay. I leave and head to my office and start working.

                            __________

Its 6 pm now and I'm still working on this 'small' project. It's nothing from small. I still haven't finished. It's time to leave now but I still need to finish this. I want to finish it quickly. In normal circumstance, this would take around two or three days, but I'm sure I can finish it today if I worked non-stop.

I'm currently sitting on the floor working. Yes the floor. I like to work on the floor, it's easier this way. Anyways I have my headphones on. My back is to the door so I jump when I see Jeremy's face in front of me.

"God you scared the shit out of me. Couldn't you just say you were here or maybe knock?" I ask him annoyed.

"I've been knocking for 5 minutes now but you couldn't fucking hear me with your headphones" he says through gritted teeth.

"oh. Sorry about that."

"What are you still doing here and why are you on the floor?" he asks

"I'm working. I like working on the floor"

He sighs "Elettra, its 6pm you can leave now and continue tomorrow. I didn't expect you to finish today."

"Oh I know but I don't really have much left. I'll be done in a couple of hours" I tell him. He looks at me shocked. He kneels down beside me to inspect my work. He gets closer to me to get a better look and now he is too close I could smell his scent. Oh god. I scoot backward to put some distance between us.

"What do you think?" I ask him after a moment of silence.

"Elettra this actually not bad." He says.

"When you say it's not bad do you mean it's not bad it's amazing or not bad not bad?" I ask him fishing for a compliment.

He just gets up and chuckles "go home Elettra" he says. I think he means its amazing. I don't go home. I stay until 11 pm working on it and then I leave it in his office so he can see it when he comes tomorrow.

I leave satisfied with my work