Desolation // l.p.

Chapter X

I slam my mom's car door behind me, breathing in a deep and shaky breath as I stand and stare up at Payne Industries' tall and modern skyscraper. Last night floods my mind as images of me puking in the back of Mr. Payne's Rolls Royce and wiping away at the specks on his jacket at the gas station only managing to smudge the expensive suit jacket more flash before my eyes. Coming back here is embarrassing to say the least, but I need the opportunity and the money. Hopefully Mr. Payne and I can overcome last night, and possibly even act like it never happened. I'm hoping for that anyway.

I'm trying to figure out how I want to approach this whole situation. I stormed out of the building yesterday, demanding that I am resigning, then ended up puking in the man's car. I don't want to be nervous but I am. I need to know if I should act like nothing ever happened or apologize and literally beg for my job back.

"Sarah." my mom calls and I jump from the car, turning around and seeing that she rolled the windows down. Her irritable expression looks at me expectantly. "Go get your job back!" she snaps pointing towards the building and I frown. I spin on my feet and head towards the building, cursing her for being so pushy.

When I walk through the doors I hear a "Good Morning Miss Fletcher" from the woman on my right, I give her a quick glance, noting that she didn't even look up from her computer that she is still typing away on. I continue through the foyer trying to remain calm as I make my way to the elevator. "Miss Fletcher!" the voice shouts and I turn quickly on my heels, facing her but remaining planted to the spot. "Mr. Payne requested that you stop and pick him up a coffee before you come in this morning. He said you should know what he likes." she says without making any eye contact with me.

A coffee run for him? How did he even know that I would be coming back to even get his coffee? And on top of that, I've only known him for two days and he expects me to know his favorite kind of coffee? He has to be shitting me. In a panic I make hasty steps towards the lady and stop at the counter, anxious for her to acknowledge me, only she doesn't.

"Excuse me, I don't mean to be a burden but I don't know what Mr. Payne means by me knowing his coffee order especially since I've only been here for a day and we haven't even had a conversation about coffee- let alone a decent conversation that would be even close to letting me know what kind he likes and-" I run through my words quickly and nervously. Spewing them like the vomit from last night. I cringe at the idea of it as she interrupts me.

"Stop!" she holds up her hand and gives me a look of bewilderment as if I have two heads. "Whatever this is," she says motioning towards me, "needs to stop. You need to calm the fuck down girl." she speaks younger than she looks. I laugh at her word choice, taking it in a more lighthearted way than a condescending way. "Here." she says handing me a white Starbucks cup that is still toasty. "I usually get Mr. Payne's coffee," she sighs and leans back in her chair. "That was until he came in this morning telling me that you were to take care of it from now on." she says biting her lip and looking back at the computer. I watch as her dark eyes focus on the screen, a strand of her blonde hair falling in her face.

"Why would he do that?" I ask looking down at the cup in my hand.

"Beats the shit outta me, but hey, it's one last thing I have to worry about in the morning now." she says and places her hand on the mouse of her computer. I find it amusing how she talks. She is dressed so nicely, dressed like a mature and professional woman yet she swears like a teenage boy.

"Does he only drink... Starbucks?" I ask and motion towards the cup, receiving her dazed stare to rest upon it.

"Yes. He gets a grande black roast with a light splash of nonfat milk and two packets of sugar with no foam. As long as you get him that every morning you'll be good." I blink a few times, trying to grasp the order she just told me and memorize it.