News With The Neverseen

Episode 15

[T/W: Car crash. No injuries, no blood. Unless you count the poor car... and the bagels. And of course the devastating loss of Gethen's dear BlackBerry.]

[A/N: May have had a little too much fun with this chapter...]

Gisela's POV

"I need to call Fintan," Gethen pulled out his BlackBerry phone and tapped a few buttons. Nothing happened. "You gotta be kidding" He shook the phone a few times, and water droplets dripped down from inside the phone.

"Uh oh" Gethen turned a few pegs on the car, blasting the heater. He put his BlackBerry on top of the vent.

"Yeah, make yourself at home." I grumbled. I don't think Gethen heard me, because he began pushing his seat back. I was about to reprimand him–the seat thing was the last straw–when the bag of bagels flew into the windshield. Surprised, I swerved automatically.

"Gisela–LOOK OUT!" Gethen yelled, but it was too late.

The car went through a huge puddle of water and flipped onto the sidewalk. The airbags deployed.

"Gethen? Are you okay?!" I called.

"My bagels!' Gethen moaned. "I was so hungry!"

I took that as a yes.

"Gethen, get out your BlackBerry." I ordered. "We need to call the police."

"It flew out the window! Rescue the bagels!" Gethen dove out of the car, picking up bagels and putting them back in the bag.

There wasn't too much damage to my car, unless you count the side where it was very dented where it had landed. I silently cursed the bagels. I didn't have a job. How would I pay for a car repair?

Gethen and I sat on top of the car, waiting for the repair company to arrive and save us.

"So, Gisela," Gehen awkwardly put his elbow on the car. "What are you doing for work now?"

Excellent question, Gethen. Ya know, maybe trying to look for jobs after making a series of bad choices that ended me with losing two of my only friends.

"I'm... looking." I told him.

"I'll try talking to Fintan," Gethen told me. "Maybe he'll reconsider."

"Wait. Really?" I was shocked. "I thought you hated me."

"Well. I mean, you did kinda rescue me. And ruin your car." He motioned down to my car, which was starting to fill with rain water.

We sat in silence for a while. I didn't know what to say.

Suddenly, headlights appeared in the pounding rain.

"They're here." I slid off the roof of my car, and my soaked wet shoes squeaked when they landed on the pavement. I rung out the bottom of my shirt the best I could have, and greeted the tow truck driver.

Gethen's POV

"I'm back!" I called to the office.

"Great!" Fintan's voice called back. His face appeared in the doorway. "We're airing... soon." He looked pretty shocked at the state of my hair and clothes.

"I got in a car accident," I explained meekly. "But I brought bagels." I held up the soggy brown bag.

Fintan frowned. "Delicious?"

"Also, Gisela rescued me, and I promised her you would revisit her expulsion."

"You said what?"

"Yeah. Anyway, I'm ready to host. What's today's topic?"

Fintan just kept on staring at me blankly. "You said what?"

"Fintan, you're repeating yourself. Are you okay?"

"Gethen, even if I found it appropriate to allow Gisela back into the company, the owners would never let me. I believe we've had this conversation multiple times over."

My shoulders sank.

"But–"

"But nothing. We will have no more conversations about this."

Then he left, leaving me open-mouthed in the hall.

"I know. He can be really stubborn sometimes, can't he?" I turned, and standing in the doorway was... a woman. I'd never seen her before. Was she in the place of Gisela or something? But why did she talk about Fintan like she knew him?

"Hi?" I said. "I'm... uh, Gethen."

She smiled. "I'm Umber. Nice to meet you. I was just in a meeting with Fintan, here."

"Umber? I used to be... acquainted... with someone of your name. Before I keep talking to you... you don't happen to be her, do you?"

Umber's expression turned guarded–almost dangerous–but her knockout–I mean friendly–smile quickly returned. "Oh. No! Of course not! Why would I?!" Her voice got really squeaky, but I didn't really notice because it was actually kind of hot.

"Great." I nodded, all cool. "So, what are you here for?"

"I'm here for a new job." She pointed to a name tag sticker that said HI, I'M UMBER!

"Oh. Cool."

Umber pointed to the door. "I'm gonna go. Nice meeting you, Gethen."

"Uh–Yeah... I... Uh... Nice meeting you, Umber." I mumbled intelligently.

I walked away in a starstruck cloud. My "thing" with Gisela was nothing compared to what I felt with Umber. I could already tell that we were meant to be.

I knocked on the door of Fintan's office.

"Come in!" He called.

"So, you know how I asked you to bring Gisela back to the company? Well–"

Fintan cut me off. "I thought about what you said, Gethen. And you're right. Gisela is perfect for the job. Out of all the people I interviewed, I think that Gisela would make the best employee. Those other people..." He made a slashing motion across his throat. "Anyways, I already emailed the company. I wanted to surprise you." He grinned widely.

"Wait, what?" I was shocked.

"Don't worry, Gethen. You don't have to thank me." Fintan looked so proud of himself.

"But– But–"

"Get out of my office now, Gethen. I have work to do."