pretty lunatic | billie eilish

ch. 2

Voices of various people kept droning on and on.

She wanted to blow her brains out.

The most exciting thing happening in this room was the skull splitting headache she had. She sat slumped in the cushiony chair that was placed at the head of the long table. Various executives and partners sat around her, some fiddling with their papers as they waited to speak. Although she hated the thought of even being on the property, she loved the power imbalance. Everyone looked like they were pissing themselves when she walked in the room. Her word is law around here. She could fire someone for being ugly and there wasn't shit they could do about it.

She'd most definitely be drunk on power and treat this business like a dictatorship if she didn't despise it. So, she guessed the employees were lucky to have Rob here.

Alex spun around in her chair with no regard of anyone around, head tilted back with the big sunglasses covering most of her face. As she was about to make her thirtieth lap as she felt the chair come to a harsh and sudden stop, sending her stomach into a nauseating spiral. Before she could bark out an order-like question of who the fuck did that, the big sunglasses were pulled off of her face, only to reveal Rob with a disappointed face and the rest of the table holding anxious ones. Except one. And that one was Oliver Richards. An older man who used to do business with her father. The two never really developed a liking for each other. To Oliver, Alex was a stubborn, spoiled brat who shouldn't even be within a thousand feet of the company's property. To Alex, Oliver was a crusty, old fuck who wouldn't know fun it it kicked him in the face with spiked boots. She's known about Oliver's distaste for her even as a child and her opinion on it has been the same for years, he could kiss her ass.

Alex blinked continuously whilst the fluorescent office lights felt like they were burning through her skull. She awkwardly blinked and moved up in her chair to cross her legs, looking away from Rob's burning gaze. "Um, what- What was the... question?"

The room sat in silence before he spoke up, "Tom just asked if we should continue going the 'eco-positive' route, even though it's costing us money." his voicing automatically triggering an eye roll from Alex. After she got that out of her system, she cleared her throat and sat up again. "Yes. We're sticking to it." Alex nodded before Oliver piped up again. "But if we switched to plastics and other mainly cheap materials, we could save money and make more of a profit."

"And we'd be making more of a shit stain on the planet than necessary." Rob lifts his eyebrows slightly as he glanced down at his papers, noticing Alex's tone is shifting towards aggression. "So, to make up for the so called 'shit stain' we have to lose pay?" Alex watched him lift his gross hands to make quotation marks with them, she wanted to throw a chair at him.

"I watched you pull into the parking lot in a Rolls Royce, you're not losing anything."

Before anyone could say anything further the sound of Rob trying to drink his coffee then choking and coughing filled the room, making Alex turn slowly towards him with a scrunched up face. He continued wheezing as he tried to gulp some air into his lungs while holding up his hand, apparently trying to let everyone know he's fine. "What's going on, are you having a heart attack or what?" Alex muttered next to him in a hushed matter, causing Rob to shoot a short glare her way. After his throat stopped burning he cleared it and spoke up, "I'm sorry, I'm good. Please, continue, Miss Michi." Alex looked at him weirdly at the formal way of saying her name. Turning her attention back to the cretin before her, she leaned back in her chair. "Anyway, we're keeping it. We're making good profits as it is." Everyone at the table nodded in agreement. Except one.

"I just don't think it's a good decision, business wise." Oliver urged, shifting his jaw in irritation. All air left the room, everyone seated switching their eyes between Alex and the older man. She stared daggers into his face before retorting, "Keep thinking. Believe it or not, the planet is in terrible shape and I refuse to contribute to that." Her eyebrows furrowed as Rob smiled into his coffee mug beside her. Stubborn just like her father, he thought. The audience before them watched intently, anticipation muffling the room. If he kept talking she was sure she'd stand up, pull out the knife from her pocket and slit his fucking throat in front of everyone here. "If the planet is in terrible shape, I bet it can take one more company. I mean, it's gotten this far, hasn't it?" The older man finished jokingly as he playfully jabbed whoever was at his side with his elbows. His coworkers let out awkward small laughs while Alex glared at them as well.

"Well, just because you're close to death doesn't mean you have to take the rest of us with y-," Alex was cut off by the loud noise of Rob clearing his throat and placing his hand on her back. He's been doing that since she was a kid. It was his silent way of telling her to ease up, he's been accustomed to her attitude and outbursts but it still was rude.

She glanced at him before looking back at Oliver. This was his plan. It was common knowledge Alex hated being here, so he devised a strategy of irritating her to the point of her just leaving the room and eventually the building. Then maybe in her fit of anger she would say 'Yeah, sure, whatever.' to whatever was presented to her, and boom, pay raise. He raised his eyebrows raised at the insult and laughed at her unprofessionalism. When this company was created she didn't even exist yet she ran it. He couldn't believe this is who his boss was. The disgrace. "This is ridiculous, you can't even make sacrifices for your own company. You're just a child." He voiced his thoughts aloud with clear disapproval and dissatisfaction.

"And you look like a hospice patient. Are we done here? Any more questions? Concerns? Great, dismissed." Alex pulled her glasses back on her face and stood to walk out with Rob following, leaving the room to gather their things and Oliver shocked.

"You need to learn how to act professionally." Rob half scolded as they walked through the hallways leaving the board room. She scoffed and pressed the down button when they got to a nearby elevator. "It's my company, I can act however I want." Alex stood straight as the elevator took its sweet time getting to their floor, refusing to look at him. Rob sighed and didn't say anything else, he already knew what she was getting to and didn't want to get into a screaming match in the middle of the hallway. Once the doors opened they stepped inside. The lobby music flowed above them, Rob softly humming along to it while Alex continuously clenched her fists, she wanted to run them into the steel walls surrounding them. She hated Oliver. She hated everyone in that board room. She hated everyone who thought she wasn't fit to run this fucking hellhole. Even though she wanted to burn it to the ground.

"How about some sushi? I can feel the heat radiating off of you and sushi might fix it." Rob asked in a neutral voice. He hated when she was this angry. It seems like she's been angry ever since she was born. "I don't want sushi, I want to get drunk." She mumbled staring at the glowing buttons in front of her. Rob chuckled and nodded. "Sure, why not? It's only 10:30 but I'm sure it's five somewhere, hmm?" She took in his attempt at comforting her. But sushi isn't going to fix this. She'd rather break someone's bones with a crowbar. The thought rattled around her head for a few more seconds. Alex soon added that to her To Do List.

Her steaming thoughts continued until someone slipped into them. The small brunette from the café. The small, pretty brunette. Hmm. She was really pretty. Alex thought more about her as she subconsciously licked her lips. Some thoughts were appropriate, others not so much.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened, Alex stepped out to walk towards the big front doors at the lobby. Before she even made it to the entrance she made the spontaneous decision. She wants her.

And she'll have her. End of discussion.

A newfound grin stretched across her face, Rob catching sight of it and holding a confused frown. He's had a front row seat to Alex's mood swings for two decades but this was... unsettlingly odd. She looked like she was ready to kick a door down, but now she's smiling like the entire world didn't repulse her as always. He chose not to speak on it.

"So, sushi?" Alex grinned at the older man, Rob decided this was probably the most positive mood she'd be in all month so he agrees silently. Alex's body buzzed with excitement as she giddily skipped to Rob's car. Her brain fired as the her obsession settled in her bones. She didn't even know who the hell this girl was but she didn't care. She doesn't care about anything. But this.

Of course she wondered how she'd go about this. Would she just kidnap her? Catch her off guard in a dark parking lot with a gun pressed to her back, telling her to shut up and get in her car? Maybe she could keep her in her basement. And if she behaves well enough, Alex will let her into the house. But that'd be too easy. And boring. She continued racking her brain about how she'd even see her again. Doesn't matter. If there's a will, there's a way.

-

hmm.