Just Like the Movies

Chapter 2

"I hate accidents except when we went from friends to this"
— "Paper Rings"

Clark —

It was barely 9:30 in the morning, and I was already mentally preparing myself for the incoming stress that was a staple of my job. But I had one ritual that never failed to kick off my day with a tiny bit of optimism: Bob at the front desk and his daily burger delivery. Bob was a transfer student from Russia, somehow in his late thirties and always sporting a neon beanie. No one knew why he was still in college, and honestly, no one questioned it either. Bob was an institution at this point.

As I walked past the lobby, there he was, smiling with that bright neon cap perched on his head, waving a wrapped burger in my direction like it was a holy relic.

"Ah, Clark! Morning! Here—burger for strong day." He tossed it across the desk in a way that seemed reckless, but his aim was impeccable. I caught it with a grin.

"Thanks, Bob. I'm convinced you're keeping me alive at this point." I took a huge bite, the taste of ketchup, pickles, and questionable meat somehow comforting.

"Bob always has burger for friends. Keep heart strong," he said, thumping his chest with a laugh.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, man." I gave him a nod before heading toward the elevator. I couldn't help but think about how if it weren't for Bob, I'd probably starve at my desk. What would a regular morning be without the grease and mystery meat?

When I got to my floor, I headed straight for my desk, burger in hand. I plopped down and fired up my computer, ready to sift through the footage I'd been editing of the baseball team's last game. I knew the team was solid; they had talent and were ranked well. My job was to make them look even better on screen. With every home run and perfect catch, my goal was to capture that magic and polish it into a highlight reel that would make even the toughest scouts sit up and take notice.

I clicked through the clips, cutting out the parts where the players were standing around looking bored, muttering to myself along the way. "Alright, Wade, less staring into space, more action... Come on, AJ, you've got this. Just throw the ball already..."

I leaned back, stretching, my eyes drifting to the calendar on my desk. I had a week until my next big deadline, and I was going to need every minute of it if I wanted to make this team look like the powerhouse they were.

Then I sensed her. I looked up, and there was Lilith, standing right by my desk, clipboard in hand, her sharp blonde bob looking as impeccable as always.

"Hey, Clark," she said with a warm smile, the kind that instantly made you feel at ease. "Do you have a moment?"

I nearly choked on a pickle. "Oh—uh, hey, Lilith. Didn't see you there."

"Can we talk in my office for a second?"

Alright, this can't be good. She only did the "in my office" thing when it was something serious. Something that was probably going to throw my plans completely off balance.

I got up, wiping burger grease off my hands, and followed her down the hall, my mind racing. Was I in trouble? Had I missed something? Maybe the footage wasn't good enough? I mean, the team was solid, but had I missed the mark somehow? Should've let Liz handle it. I slap on a couple of 'wow' stickers and think I'm a genius, while she makes it look like a Hallmark movie

I pushed the door to her office open and stepped inside, trying to read her expression. "What's up?"

Lilith closed the door behind me, her demeanor shifting to one of excitement. "Clark, I have an amazing opportunity for you."