Love in the Spotlight

Chapter 7: No Getting Around It

It felt weird walking into work that day. Probably because it seemed like an eternity since I've last been there. I had on a black pants suit with matching stilettos. Walking across the gleaming linoleum floor, I took comfort in the familiar clicking of my heels.

I approached the guards and was prepared to show them my badge.

"Emma!" Alisha motioned me over to the reception desk. It took half the walk over to remember how to falsely smile. I did my best and she seemed to buy it.

"Hey what's up?" I greeted. The words not matching perfectly with my emotion.

"I have a question" she said bashfully. As if she were ashamed. I knew what she was going to ask. What question was picking at her mind.

"Go ahead. Shoot" I said. Trying to appear cheery even though I dreaded her question.

"Okay. Are you dating Robert Pattinson?" my heart quivered at the sound of his name spoken from someone else. I took a breath.

"No" I said. She bowed her head. Looking down at something.

"Oh well I just wondered. Because of the cover" my eyes darted to whatever she was looking at and, sure enough, it was the magazine.

I opened my mouth to say something but decided against it. I couldn't rant to her about these things. I'm sure a great deal of people have already seen it. I rested my elbow on her desk.

"No. We're not dating"

"Then. What are you guys? Cause People's Magazine seems to think different" I wasn't sure what we were. But everyone else seemed to know something I didn't.

"It's complicated" I sighed.

"Looks like you could use some sleep" Alisha said.

"I could use a drink" I couldn't remember the last time alcohol had touched my lips.

"There's a new club that opened about a week ago downtown. You wanna go?" I was going to decline. I'm not a big club girl, but then I felt the aching of my body and I knew that I needed to go.

"Yeah" I said. Standing upright. "We can go after work"

"Okay" I said good bye before walking back over to the guards. After I was cleared through, I headed to the elevators.

I just had a feeling this day was going to go slow. Now that I had something to do with my life.

***

"Is this seriously what it taste like?" Mark asked as he took a sip of the raspberry tea. His face twisted once his taste buds were given a chance to try.

"It's not that bad" I lied with a smile. Mark exclaimed in laughter. Setting his very dissatisfying cup of tea on his desk. I followed suit.

"Oh well. If the public likes it, I guess we did our job" little do people understand just how much advertising can influence a buy.

Mark and I word productively throughout the rest of the day. We even managed to talk about things off topic. Time had flew by so quickly, I was surprised when the day was over.

I met Alisha in the lobby. Stepping off the elevator I saw her smiling face. It was that sort of smile that caused you to lift a corner. Just simply because.

"Are you ready?" she asked. She was already changed in her club attire. I called Cary around lunch time to bring over a change of clothes for me. It was clear he didn't disappoint.

"I'm ready" I said. Giving back a smile of my own. One that hid pain, but was quite convincing.

Cary had picked out a short skirt. Made all of leather. A black blouse that swooped low in the back. Black stiletto heels with a red bottom, made me inches taller.