One Chapter Shorts

Missing Out

Prompt: You love someone you can't have.

Persephone tucked her strawberry blonde hair behind her ear and continued taking notes on the day itinerary. "I need those letters sent out as well, okay?" James rattled off as he paced around the studio. "Yes Mr. Spader." "Percy please, you know I prefer James." James said looking at her. "My apologies." Persephone's face grew a bright red as she grabbed the letters off his chair and walked them to her car.
Persephone Jameson was one of two personal assistants that helped actor James Spader go about his day to day life. The other assistant was Murray and he was such a klutz. He was fresh out of college and quite unsure what to do with himself or life and it showed. Persephone has been James' personal assistant for the past 6 months so she wasn't perfect at the job but developed a level of understanding with James Spader in order to better assist him and from her experience, he was a difficult man to please.
On her way walking back from her car, she gazed at James while he texted on his phone. She had a major crush on James and was practically obsessed with him. She never showed it to him in fear of being pushed away but all he knew was that she was a fan of his and enjoyed working as his personal assistant.

James looked up from his phone and saw his girlfriend Leslie strutting towards him. "Ah, there you are, dear." He said standing up to hug her. She hugged him back, though seemingly with minimal effort. Her blonde hair flew around her face in the window as she adjusted her sunglasses. "We need to go.." she said as she looked at her watch.
James looked around the studio briefly and went, "I have two scenes I'm prepping for still, I can't." "Well I'm going to leave without you. I don't want to miss the show." Leslie lead pulling out her phone now and scrolling through it. "Okay, love." He said as he turns to her and gives her a kiss on the forehead.
Percy walks up and goes, "anything else, James?"
Leslie throws her a dirty look. "That will be all, sweetheart, I'll let you know if I need anything." He rubs her shoulders before she walked off

Persephone hated Leslie. Not only for the fact that she was dating James Spader but because she treated him weirdly, she felt.
Every time she saw the two together, Leslie appeared uninterested, not motivated and surely not in love.
Murray stumbled into the studio with a paper cup of coffee, his voice slightly shaking. "I'm just going to go hand him this now." He said pointing to James as he passed Percy. "Murray, he doesn't n-" Persephone went to explain but decided it wasn't her problem to fix. By this time of day, James had already had 2 cups of coffee and was fine without anymore but Murray had come in an hour later, not seeing that James lol " had two cups and not just the one.
James nodded, giving Murray a soft smile and waiting for him to leave the area. He slowly sipped it, "extra coffee never hurt anyone." James said to himself. Percy smiled to herself, seeing how soft he could be.
"She ain't it for him." Persephone told Murray, joining him at the catering table. "Who?" He asked obliviously. Murray rocked a reddish/orange "Jew-Fro" and was covered in freckles. He wore thick glasses similar in shape to Harry Potter. His bright blue eyes was his most captivating feature as his smile was not, being that his teeth grew in naturally crooked.
"Leslie. For James? She seems like such a bitch." Percy leaned against the countertops while her coffee brewed. "Don't all models have RBF?" Murray asked curiously. "If I was with him, I wouldn't." Percy replied. "I don't know? He's pretty stuck up and annoying." Murray said. "In what way!?" Percy got loud.
Murray raised his hands saying, "take it easy. You know he's OCD & a perfectionist. Plus, no one really likes him on set." "I do...." Her voice softened as she spoke. She grabbed her coffee from the Keurig. "You're not with him 24/7." Murray said as Percy went to sit. "It doesn't matter..." she said sipping her coffee. She was clearly agitated as she had romantic feelings for James and everyone seemed to look down on him in a friendly way because he was very guarded. Though Percy did feel like she knew him better than most as being an assistant requires you to have more access to things than others.
James walked into the catering area and dragged a bagel quietly. Percy watched him methodically as if she studied him. Everything about him appealed to her. The way his hands grabbed the bagel softly and the way he opened it carefully yet firmly. She watched intently as he grabbed a knife, led with his index finger and scrapped cream cheese onto the bagel. She felt as if every move he made was well thought out, done with precision and executed with the softness of a caring man. She watched as his hands, aged with spots, calluses and veins, closed the bagel back up and grabbed a napkin from another table. He turned around, his mouth curled as if he was playing with his tongue. That was her favorite quirk about him. He squinted for a moment and walked over between Percy and Murray to sit.
He groaned as he sat, being that he is 62 & likely in some form of joint pain.
"Busy Busy." He said as he took a bite from his bagel. Percy's face stayed stoic as she watched him deeply, allowing all his moments and actions fill her with joy without her physically showing it. She truly loved him. There was no wrong he could do in this world that would keep her from loving him.
"Persephone." He said, wondering why she looked so out of it. He snapped his fingers. "Oh shit sorry. I was zoned out." She collected herself realizing she was staring. "Day dreaming?" James chuckled as he chewed. "Sure, I'm sorry!" She apologized, believing it was an issue. "Keep the mind active, we all gotta do it." He said taking another bite. Percy nodded shyly.
"Spader, come here." The Director walked over and motioned James to follow him. James got up and went. "Why don't you ask him out."  Murray whispered over to Percy. "Are you out of your fucken mind! He's with Leslie!" Percy whispered yelled back. "You said she isn't good for him!" "Well she ain't but he likes her." "You have nothing to lose!" Murray responded. "My job, you twat!" Percy snapped at him. Murray lifted his hands again as if claiming innocence.
"Persephone, sweetie, come here." She could here James shout in the distance. He was still with the director. Percy jogged over, "yes?"
"Make me a few copies of these changes would you? I need to make sure I remember to look these over and I'd like a few copies in key spots. Thank you." He said putting his hand on the back of her neck. Goosebumps appeared all over her body as she felt his hand squeeze her neck slightly. "Hmm" he hummed to himself as he spoke with the director.
He lifted his hand and Percy quickly went to make copies. When she came back, James was alone in the catering area waiting for her. "Where's Murray?" She asked. "Eh, I sent him off." James said pointing randomly with one hand as he grabbed the copies with the other. "Thank you Persephone." He said.

"Can I...ask something?" She began.
James looked up at her quizzically, one eye brow raised. "Am I reading us wrong?" She asked softly. "What happened to you and Murray?" James responded. "No...us. You and I?" Percy clarified. James grew silent. "Reading US wrong?" He emphasized before answering, "what is there to us?" "Um, star and assistant?" Percy began to nervous fiddle with her bracelets. "Okay? So then what?" He asked again. "I'm so sorry, Forget I said anything." She muttered not sure where to go from there. "If you're coming up with anything more than that, I apologize. You are quite helpful and a joy to be around, yes, but I am happy with my life and family." He said, making eye contact with Persephone, before she stood up and left the room.