Desolation // l.p.

Chapter II

I take a deep breath the moment I leave the intimidatingly modern building. It feels refreshing in my lungs as it feels like the first breath I've had since my interview had started. Goosebumps erupt on my skin as I recall his rugged hands slowly sliding up my legs as he awaited my answer. I wanted to argue with him but found myself distracted. That's why I had to say yes, so he would return to his side of the desk to speak details with me. I was relieved when that was the case. Even if it's not the job I wanted.

The truth is I think I deserve to be more than an assistant. I went to college for six years earning both my bachelor and my masters degrees and even managed to graduate from high school a year early and all he can offer me is an assistants job? Pardon my french, but what the fuck? Although I shouldn't be as mad at him as I should be at myself, I'm the one who took the job.

I walk down the cement stairs and don't look back as I make my way to my mother's old beat up beamer parked next to the curb, hitting the button to unlock it. She'll be disappointed when I tell her about my interview. I went in there with high hopes and expectations only to leave dispirited.

I climb in the car and place my bag on the passenger seat. I rest my head on the steering wheel and take a few breaths, trying to calm myself down before I have to drive home.

After a horn blares next to me I lift my head up and start the car, deciding I need to go. Just as I'm about to pull out a black car cuts me off, pulling in front of me and trapping me between them and the car behind me.

"Shit." I swear and smack the steering wheel. "You have got to be kidding me." I seethe even though the driver can't hear me. I slump over in my seat, today's slow and aggravating events are starting to get at me. I watch with scornful eyes as the driver steps out of his car and walks to the other side, pulling open the back door. A private driver, obviously. My eyes look to Payne Industries and I'm in awe. Even if it's not the job I wanted I still get to actually work there.

I subconsciously duck down in my car when Mr. Payne walks out of the building. He is talking to another one of his perfect employees but as they get closer she doesn't look as flawless as she probably once was. The woman has tears streaming down her cheeks and a tissue balled up in her fist as she sobs. Mr. Payne's hand is placed on her lower back as if he was escorting her to the car. I wonder what happened to her?

I watch carefully as she gets in the car, once I lose sight of her my eyes return to the gorgeous man next to it who closes the door with a look of relief. He watches the car drive off and when he turns to return to the building my eyes catch his and I gasp. I look away quickly and with my new freedom I pull my car out of park and pull forward, driving away from the building as quickly as I can.

It's so obvious I was staring at him, maybe he didn't see me. Who am I kidding he was looking right at me. It's such an awkward thing, getting caught when you stare at people.

I shake the situation from my head as I attempt to focus on my driving. I turn on the radio to help distract myself, little does it actually work.

I pull into my mother's driveway, comforted by the cobblestone drive I'm familiar with from when I was a kid. I groan upon seeing Sam's truck, my mother's extremely young boyfriend. She only dates younger men just to prove that she can, I call it taking the cougar thing to a whole new level. That's the only downside to everything, I still live with my mother. I was relying on getting my job to find a nice upscale apartment and now, that's out of the picture. There is no way an assistant's pay check can afford the price of the apartments I had been looking at.

I step out of the car, ready to tell my mother about my misfortunate interview. I slam her door and lock it as I walk up the walkway and to the deep red door and open it, knowing that I left it unlocked when I left this morning. I didn't realize how warm and humid it was outside until I stepped into the air conditioned house and dropped my mother's keys into the bowl on the table next to the door. I pull my bag onto my shoulder and walk into the kitchen where I heard my mother's light hearted giggling. I'm afraid of what I'm walking into. I turn the corner to see Sam whispering into my mother's ear, she is still in her pajamas. Disgusted and on the verge of wanting to puke I clear my throat grabbing their attention.

"Oh Sarah!" My mother gasps and moves away from Sam. "I didn't know you would be home so early." She exclaims and walks over to the stove where there are eggs cooking.

"It was only an interview mom." I tell her with a sigh sitting my bag on the kitchen bar and taking a seat on the stool underneath it.

"Yeah, so? How did it go?" She asks turning to me with a warm smile.

"It was okay." I shrug and look over at Sam who is raiding our refrigerator. I bite my lip to refrain from saying something rude and pick at my nails again.

"Did the interview go well?" She insists with a happy tone. She is probably expecting me to say yes.

"Nope." I pop the "p", just to be annoying.

"What?" She asks in disbelief and turning away from the pan on the stove.

"Yeah, it wasn't that great." I shake my head, thinking back to where I may have mislead him in my interview. Maybe it was when I started answering the inappropriate questions... Well, inappropriate for an employer to be asking. "I did however get a job I didn't apply for." I add in, biting my lip as I remember when I said yes.

"What are you talking about?" She asks and places her hands on her hips. I'm glad she is mad about the whole thing too, and that it wasn't just me.

"He offered me a job as his personal assistant." I tell her, irony clear in my voice.

"That's rough." Sam intervenes and I mentally ask him when I invited him into this conversation.

"Oh honey I'm sorry." My mother ignores Sam and walks over to where I'm sitting and gives me a light comforting hug. "You said no though, right?" She asks as she pulls away and looks at me expectantly.

"What? No. I said yes." Confused by why she would have wanted me to say no. Payne Industries is the best Publishing house around and at least as an assistant, I got my foot in the door to hopefully advance later.

"Sarah, there are many other publishing houses that would have taken you in as a publisher." She stresses and I know she's right. There are other places I could have went to but none of them have the same reputation that I want to be a part of.

"I know, but at least this way I can still be at Payne Industries." I tell her in an attempt to assure her I am okay with this- only to a certain extent of course- but still okay with it.

"Okay, just know that you deserve better." She sighs and returns to her cooking food. I thank her before grabbing my bag and going up stairs to my bedroom. I pull my hair up and put on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt since I have nothing else to do today. I grab my laptop from my desk and lay on my bed turning it on.

Due to recent events I need to find a cheaper apartment, all of the one's I liked and were interested in are way too expensive according to the salary that Mr. Payne and I discussed earlier. I'll just have to look for something less extravagant than what I planned for.