Second chance

The Beginning Part 2

I met Mark when I started working at Globe two years ago. I still remember how excited I was to finally meet Mark Spencer, one of the leading investigative reporters in the country. I had been following his work since University, and although only four years older than me, Mark had managed to build reputation of trusted and respected journalist in a very short time. I looked up to him.

But our relationship did not start, or end, well.

On my first week at work, he demoted me to the city section, saying that I "needed more experience".

I was furious. I came to Globe to conduct research for investigative stories having years of experience working in other media outlets and didn't want to start from the beginning again. I was not some 18-year old intern, but 27 year old professional. At the end, I had no other choice. Spencer wanted me in the city section and editor-in-chief complied. I worked my ass off next three months, writing stories about parks, school celebrations and market prices, until Spencer finally realized that my skills would be more useful in the research department.

At the beginning of the third month, I was assigned to work with him on possible corruption scandal in construction of homes for families of war veterans. I forgot my anger, when I saw how intelligent and meticulous Mark was. Not to mention funny and so knowledgeable. I learned tremendously and looked forward to every day spent working with him. We spent days in the office digging up the data, laughing at silly jokes and enjoying a drink or two in the breaks between the work.

But that did not last long. We had been working together for less than two months when Mark got promoted to editor in chief. I still remembered that night clearly. We were supposed to go out for a dinner to celebrate my first big front page cover at Globe. Asides from couple of lunch meetings, this was the first time we were to go out outside of work and I remember being inexplicably excited.

I was just ironing dress I wanted to wear, when my cell phone rang. Mark sounded so happy as he announced his promotion, asking me to postpone our dinner for some other day because he had meeting with the new newspaper owner.

We never went to that dinner.

Mark was so busy with work in the upcoming weeks, that I barely saw him in our redaction. I would catch glimpses of him at the hallways or canteen. But he was always with someone, often involved in serious discussions. Owner was starting the transformation of the newspapers and it was crazy time in all departments. I stopped hoping that we would ever go out again.

And then James came. Photographer on a short-term contract, James was two years younger than me and full of energy. He swept me off my feet with compliments and stories of his world-wide adventures. We spent every lunch-break together, talking about all kinds of things with me gazing at him, eyes wide open, marveling at the places I only heard of in his stories. I always loved travelling and his stories and endless enthusiasm awoke adventurous part of me.

"You know, everyone in the office thinks we are dating" James winked at me one night as we were skating at the open ring in front of the city mall. Until then, we never crossed the friendship line and that night, James felt like a good person to give my heart to.

I held his arm strong and looked him up: "Well, what should we do about it?" I winked back and waited for his answer. He kissed me then, under night sky full of stars.

We made it official next day, when James brought me flowers and it was clear to everyone what was happening. I stopped looking for Mark on the breaks, realizing that some things, no matter how much we want them, were never meant to be.