The Assistant

Chapter Fifteen -

Chapter Fifteen -

"I am not letting you work in Walmart when you have a résumé made of gold!" Amy scowled, shutting my laptop with vicious force before I was able to submit my online job application on the website of one of the most well-known stores in America.

"But Ames, it's been an entire month since I became jobless, and this is the only thing I can find!" I whined, pouting as I looked up her infuriated expression.

"That's because you're an idiot who quit working for a billion dollar company that was paying you freaking perfectly!" She exclaimed, calling me an idiot for the 28th time this month ever since I informed her of my new jobless status. "You should've just left the room instead of quitting!"

"And let him have the satisfaction of pushing me around? No way! I stood up for myself - it was the right thing to do. Plus, I should've quit as soon as we kissed." I pointed out, before I felt my eyebrows knit into a small frown as the memory of Adrian's lips against mine in California appeared in my mind.

"Ugh, Emily! He was freaking jealous of the fact that the dude in the meeting was hitting on you! That's why he was so angry! You're an idiot for quitting!" Amy scowled, glaring at my sloppy form from across the sofa.

I matched her expression before replying. "I get it! I'm an idiot for quitting! You've made that pretty clear! But it's done now, and there's nothing I can do about it. Adrian probably has a new assistant by now - who he's probably banging as we speak - and he's definitely forgotten about me. What's done is done. Now, will you stop being a pain in my ass for like two seconds and help your best friend find a job that'll help her continue to get through the expenses of rent and bills for the rest of her lonely life?" I asked, sighing in defeat.

Amy's expression softened a little before she sank into the sofa miserably. "Fine." She groaned. "I hope you thank God every day for having a friend like me." She said, giving me a warning look.

"Every day." I grinned slyly, sarcasm dripping from my tone.

She gave me a glare. "And I need to remind you - just once more! You're an idiot for quitting."

"Duly noted. Can we find me a job now?" I pouted, passing the laptop over to her cautiously; afraid she might attack it once again.

"Yes. Let me work my magic on the World Wide Web. Anyway, how's Allen? Still hasn't spoken to you since that mysterious and very vague text message he sent you two weeks ago?" She asked curiously as she opened the silver electronic devise that was occupying the space on her lap.

I sighed as Allen's smiling face and short text flashed through my mind. Allen had texted me two weeks ago telling me he was sorry for what had happened with Adrian, and that it was his fault that I quit - which it wasn't. He also said that he couldn't see or talk to me anymore, even though he really wanted too, because of certain promises he made with a certain asshole that I stopped working for a month ago.

"Still the same." I finally replied, pulling myself out of my thoughts.

"I think Adrian is super jealous that you two get along so well, so he made Allen stop talking to you since he couldn't make you do it. Allen must really value his friendship with Adrian for listening to him! Would you do that for me?" Amy asked, raising her eyebrows challengingly.

I glared before scoffing. "Of course not. I hate you." I smirked as her challenging expression transformed to a look of shock before a glare, making me laugh. "I'm kidding. And stop having the whole 'Adrian is jealous because he likes you' idea in your mind. It's unhealthy." I pointed out with a mocking grimace, trying not to laugh.

"FANTASISING ABOUT A BOSS YOU KISSED THEN QUIT WORKING FOR IS UNHEALTHY!" Amy shouted back, throwing a pillow at my face. It hit me with an unexpected force, and I groaned as the pressure of the soft material hit my nose harder than anticipated.

I rubbed my nose in pain before glaring at her, blushing slightly. "I do not fantasise about him!" I hissed, growing even more embarrassed once I saw her knowing, smug look.

"And I don't fantasise about Ian Somerhalder. All is right in the world once again!" Amy sang, smiling smugly.

"Shut up." I scowled.

She giggled before her fingers stopped moving the mouse. "I think I've found the job that you'll be able to do very well and has good pay. Not as good as Adrian's pay was - and you're an idiot for quitting - but it's good enough. Want to go for it?" Amy asked, handing the laptop over to me.

I placed it onto my lap and scanned the website for the small business briefly before groaning. "It's a shipping business for underwear. Why - Oh, the pay does sound good. Okay, yeah, why not." I pouted, pressing submit on the site and officially sending in my résumé.

***

"I can't do this anymore!" I exclaimed, throwing my tacky work hat carelessly on Amy's table top before kicking off my flats angrily. "How can one person 'accidently' grope the same ass more than 6 times in two weeks?! I don't care how much money they give me - I'm sick of Mr Cooper's wrinkly hands touching me every time we're in the same room!" I shuddered, before throwing a panicked look in Amy's direction.

She was giggling at me, and my look turned into a glare. "What the hell is so funny?!" I demanded with wide eyes, putting my hands on my hips.

"You've got some blue powder on you. Is that - no, it can't be. Viagra? Did you and Mr Cooper do something naughty today?" Amy responded, waggling her eyebrows before bursting into a fit of laughter directed at her own joke.

I scowled before taking off my work shirt and throwing it at her laughing figure. "That wasn't even funny." I snapped, releasing my hair from it's tight ponytail and walking over to her room to put on a comfortable shirt.

"It actually was. You're just not in the mood to laugh. But anyway, what did I tell you? You're an idiot for quitting Kingston Corp. In all seriousness now, I think you should quit this job. You hate it, you work really long hours, you have a perv of a boss that is older than my grandfather and you're doing things that are way beneath your skills! I wouldn't have let you choose this job if I knew it was going to make you this miserable." Amy said, the laughter slowly leaving her expression.

I sighed and shook my head. "I can't do that. I need the money. I don't care how bad it is. Sorry for blowing up at you about it all the time."

Amy hit my arm lightly with a smile. "What the hell am I here for? We vent to each other all the time. It's a part of the best friend job description." She winked. "Come on, let's make some dinner and watch a movie before you go home." Amy suggested as I pulled my shirt on.

"Good idea. Will you get started? I just need to call my parents." Amy nodded and left me alone in the room just as I pressed the call button on my mom's phone number - bracing myself for a scolding.

She picked up on the fourth ring. "I'm sorry, who is this? My daughter Emily? No, sorry, you must have the wrong number. I don't have a daughter named Emily. Wait, maybe I do? I wouldn't know because SHE HASN'T CALLED ME IN FOUR DAYS!" My mom screeched through the receiver of the phone, making me laugh in response. "Hello to you too, mom."

"Hello to me too? That's all you have to say? Is there a man in your life Emily? Is that who is distracting you from calling me? Do you know how worried I've been not hearing from you for four days? I thought you were kidnapped or- or- or dead!" She exclaimed.

I rolled my eyes. "Mom, I've texted you every day."

"How am I supposed to know that's you and not some sick kidnapper who's acting as you so that I don't get suspicious and call the police?!" She responded sceptically.

I sighed and shook my head at her paranoia. "Would the kidnapper have known that Blake was coming down in two weeks and said yes I'm coming as well? Wait - don't answer that. I'm fine. How are you and dad?" I asked, desperately trying to change the subject.

"We're fine. How is your new job? Honey, I still can't believe you quit working for Kingston Corp. You know we got a call from Mr Kingston himself the other day? Not Adrian Kingston - his father. He asked me if you lived here and when I said no, he told me to try and convince you to go back and work for Kingston Corp again. He told me you were one of the best people on the team, and really helped Adrian Kingston stay out of trouble and run the company well! So what happened? Why would you quit such an amazing job?" My mom asked, and I could practically feel the curiosity that was leaking out of the pours of her skin through the small device that was pressed up against my ear.

I sighed and bit my lip in thought, trying to think of a way to arrange my words carefully, before responding. "I just didn't feel like that job was the right one for me." I finally replied, awaiting her next scolding response.

"You're an idiot." My mum commented after a short silence, making me almost drop my phone in shock.

'What?!" I replied with wide eyes.

"You're an idiot for quitting." She simply repeated, and I groaned at her words. "You sound exactly like Amy right now!" I mumbled.

"That's because Amy is right, and clearly has much more sense in her brain than you do! That job was fantastic pay, and was comfortable! You would've eventually gotten used to it if you stayed in it for more than a month and a half! It's been two months. I'm sure Adrian Kingston will take you back! He seems like a lovely young man." My mom assured me.

I groaned. "Mom. I have a job, and I am not going back there. Look, I've had this conversation a million times before and I know the drill, but honestly? I'm not going to crawl back and look pathetic. I need to go help Amy with dinner, I'll call you tomorrow and we'll talk longer since it's my day off, Okay? I love you."

"But Emily, you can't just avoid this conversation because-"

"BYE MOM!" I said loudly, before ending the call. I smiled down at the blank screen of my phone before making my way over to the kitchen to begin helping Amy.

"She called you an idiot, didn't she?" Amy asked with an amused expression once I began peeling the potatoes.

"Shut up." I mumbled moodily, hating the fact that she was right.

She laughed at my misery before she began to grill the chicken breast pieces. "She's right, you know. Anyway, first thing Monday morning, you're going to charge into that lovely underwear shipping office and leave that awful boss of yours - along with that awful job - behind. We'll start searching for a new job as soon as you quit."

I sighed and bit my lip at the thought of trying to be confident, before nodding in agreement. "Okay. Thank you so much Ames. I honestly don't know what I'd do without you." I replied with full sincerity.

Amy just smiled in my direction before giving me a light pinch on the cheeks. "That's what I'm here for! Anyway, what movie tonight? I was thinking between the Lion King or Now you See Me..." She trailed off in thought. My mind instantly flashed back to the night I stayed at Adrian's apartment and we watched the movie together, and I began to tease him about Dave Franco being way more attractive than he was. Adrian's look of disbelief was still imprinted in my mind clearly, and I found myself unconsciously smiling.

I shook myself out of the flashback with wide eyes as the smile on my face disappeared immediately. Why was I even thinking about that? Adrian was not a part of my life anymore. It's been well over a month, if he wanted to be, he would've contacted me by now.

I pushed him out of my mind completely before shaking my head. "Definitely The Lion King." I finally responded after clearing my throat, giving her a quick smile before going back to peel the last of the potatoes.

"Yes! I was chanting in my mind in hopes that you would pick it. I miss Simba!" Amy squealed excitedly, before breaking into a little dance in her cramped kitchen.

***

"I'm really sorry sir, but this is really short notice! Calling me at 12AM is hardly professional, for one, and I've already made plans with my family tomorrow. I don't think coming in to work alone with you is the best idea. I apologise, but I really can't make it." I lied smoothly as I unlocked the door to my apartment while struggling to hold my handbag and work clothes in my other hand.

"Are you sure? I could really use your pair of hands to my advantage." Mr Cooper responded, and I shuddered as the double meaning behind his creepy words sank into my skin in an unpleasant manner.

I cringed as I stepped into my apartment clumsily. "Absolutely sure. Sorry Mr Cooper. Have a nice night." I piped up, trying to sound polite while desperately trying to end the conversation. In reality, his heavy breathing that was coming though the phone was creeping out more than usual, and I closed my door extra quietly, afraid that he was going to hear the fact that I was just returning home from Amy's house.

"I guess that's fine then. I will see you on Monday, yes?" His strained voice asked after his heavy breathing began to lessen.

I locked my door cautiously, looking at the brass lock with wide eyes before swallowing down my nerves. "Yes Sir. Goodnight." I tried again, sounding less enthusiastic than before.

"Is everything okay, Emily? Are you sure you don't want to stay talking on the phone with me?" Mr Cooper asked, making my eyes widen even more than before.

"Everything is fine. I'm sorry; I have to get some sleep. I have an early start to the family event that is on tomorrow. Goodbye." I tried to emphasise again, discarding my work clothes on an abandoned chair in the corner of my living room while flicking on the lamp on the table.

"Very well. Until Monday. Goodnight, Emily." I hung up before he had the chance to add anything else, and threw my phone onto my sofa in panic, afraid that he'd pop out of the flat, glass screen any second.

I'm definitely quitting on Monday morning. I thought to myself as I took off my shoes beside the door. I would rather be homeless than work for someone that old and creepy, and Amy was right. They were making me do things that I learnt in high school, I was better off somewhere where my qualifications actually mattered.

I cautiously picked up my phone after double checking that everything was locked and decided to type a quick text to Amy: I'm home, and definitely quitting on Monday. Creepy Cooper called me and asked me to come in and work with him tomorrow. Alone. Crazy man. Anyway, thanks for the dinner, it's at mine next time. Goodnight asshole :D

I sent the text message and picked up the book I was currently reading from the coffee table, before making my way to my room and throwing them onto the bed and grabbing a random pair of clean underwear and a baggy shirt from my drawers. I was going to take a long, relaxing shower before I could even step foot in my bed; to wash off all the fingerprints of my boss.

Once my skin felt raw from scrubbing, I stepped out of the shower and quickly slipped on my clothes before brushing my hair and making my way back to my bedroom. I jumped onto my bed and signed in content once I engulfed myself in my familiar bed sheets, before wriggling in the soft material to get comfortable.

I checked my phone to see that I had received a text message from Amy telling me that Mr Cooper was creepy and that I was an idiot. I rolled my eyes at her text and put my phone on the table beside my bed before reaching over and opening the book to the chapter I was up to.

I had only read three words before a loud banging noise erupted throughout my small apartment; making me freeze in fear from the force of the constant noise. I looked out of my bedroom with wide eyes before placing my pink bookmark back in between the pages of the thick book, before putting it on the side cautiously, almost afraid that putting it down would set off something else in the house.

The banging noise began again and I jumped out of my bed and grabbed a random shoe with a sharp heel that was thrown on the floor of my room carelessly, before I slowly crept out of my room in fear.

The banging noise became louder as I entered the living room, and I realised the source of the noise was coming from the other side of my apartment entrance. I let out a short sigh of relief once I realised that I had locked the door. "W-Who's there?" I called out loudly, trying to mask the waver in my voice to hide my fear.

"Emmmmillllllly, hiiiiii." A deep, British accent slurred, making me freeze in my tracks once again as the voice sent an all too familiar shiver down my spine. My voice hitched in my throat as I looked over at my white, wooden door in shock, not believing my hearing skills at 1AM after a long day at work.

"Emilllllllly, can you pppppppppplease let me innnn? I alllllwayyyyys l-let youuuuu in." The voice slurred again, before the loud banging started up once again.

"HEY! WOULD YOU SHUT IT? SOME PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO GET SOME SLEEP HERE!" I heard someone else shout. Their voice sounded distant in my apartment, but it was enough to shake me back into reality.

I threw the heel onto the floor hastily before I ran over and unlocked my front door, just as Adrian's face turned into his all too familiar scowl. "YOUUUU SHUT IT!" He snapped back, before turning around slowly once he realised I had opened the door.

"What the hell are you doing here Adrian? It's 1AM, and you're drunk! Go home!" I hissed, trying to cover up my surprise with anger. He was slumped against the wall that connected to my apartment door, and my breath hitched in my throat once his eyes met mine. My conscience must have forgotten the kind of effect Adrian Kingston had on me in real life, because I froze in my doorway as I looked down at his tall seated figure, dark plump lips and strong hazel eyes that were slightly droopy. The smell of alcohol filled my nostrils sharply, making me cough slightly from the strong stench.

Adrian's eyes never left my half naked, tired figure, and I sighed and bit my lip while shaking my head at what I was about to do. I moved forward and lifted his right arm to put it over my shoulders for support. "Don't make me do all the work. You're tall and made of muscle. Get up." I muttered, still pulling at his right arm in a failed attempt to get him off the floor.

"Do you know how much I'vvvvvve missed you Emilyy? I'll tell you. A lot." Adrian mumbled before groaning as he pulled a bit of himself off the floor.

I tried to hide my blush from his drunken words as I put more of his body weight against me. "Let's get you inside." I murmured, dragging his tall, built frame into my tiny apartment with as much energy as I could muster up.

"Didn't you miss me?" He asked, pouting as he looked into my eyes again. I opened my mouth to respond but Adrian wasn't done talking. "I hope you did. I thought about you a lot. Especially about our kiss in the beautiful sunnnnnnnshine state. I even called a girl in bed Emily because I was thinking of you. Whoops." He chuckled to himself and abruptly stopped and frowned. "I don't know why. You're always just there. In my head, I mean. Not in real life. I tried to get you out of there, but you wouldn't leave. You're so annoying." She grumbled, making me laugh slightly as I placed him onto my sofa.

"I'll be right back." I told him, before going into the kitchen and pouring a cup of water for him. I didn't have any medication that would cure a hangover; even though I had been meaning to invest in some thanks to Amy's wild nights where she'd crash at my place because she was too lazy to go back home.

I re-entered the living room and handed him the clear glass silently, and watched his throat bob up and down as he gulped down the clear liquid in under 5 seconds. "Good stuff. What is it?" He asked, regarding me with a curious look.

"Water." I stated with an amused smile.

"Oh. It tastes better than usual. Probably because it's from you." He said after a while, studying the glass cup intensely. "Did you miss me, Emily?" Adrian asked again, looking back up at me with a vulnerable glint in his eyes.

I bit my lip, unsure of how to respond. Did I miss him? He was constantly on my mind, and I found myself comparing everything I did to a moment I shared with him while I worked with him. Still, he was a jerk that didn't deserve to be missed at all, and I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of letting him know that I had missed him.

But he was drunk, and was slurring out nonsense. He probably wouldn't even remember this night tomorrow morning. "I missed you, Adrian." I finally replied, looking him straight in the eye.

He let out a loud sigh of relief, and I watched as his shoulder visibly relaxed underneath the material of his light blue shirt. "That's good. I think I like you." He stated, before looking around my apartment. "Your house is cute. Small, but niceeee." He began to nod slowly and met my eyes again, but I was still staring at him in shock.

"What did you say?" I asked.

"Um," He frowned hard, thinking. "Oh, I said your house is small but-"

"No, no. Before that." I cut him off.

"Oh. I said I like you. A lot." He repeated casually, before yawning. "Where is the bed?" He asked, looking around my living room again.

"I- Um- Uh, how about I drive you home?" I stuttered, still trying to process his words.

"No. I want to sleep with you tonight. That's why I caaaame hereee." He began to slur again.

I frowned and bit my lip before something new processed in my brain. "Hold on. How did you know which apartment was mine? You've only been outside my building once..." I trailed off, still frowning in thought.

"I've come here before to try and get you to come back and work for me, but you weren't home. I want to sleep with you in your bed now." Adrian stated, before he began unzipping his pants.

I let out a gasp - both from the fact that he was taking his pants off in front of me, and for the fact that he had come here to offer me another chance at the job which I ruined because I wasn't home - before I shot up from my seat across from him and locking my apartment door.

Once I turned back around, Adrian had already taken off his dark jeans and was half way done with unbuttoning his shirt. He looked down at his fumbling fingers with a frown etched onto his handsome features; the struggle to unbutton them while he was drunk was clearly evident in his expression.

I walked over to him and gently pulled his hands away from the shirt, before continuing to unbutton it for him myself and slowly pushing the shirt off his broad shoulders. "Come on, let's get you to bed." I mumbled, leading him down the short hallway and into my bedroom gently.

We both got into bed and he instantly wrapped his familiar muscly arms around my waist just as I turned off the lamp on the table next to me. "I like this. And you." Adrian mumbled, before I felt his breathing become even.

There was one thing I knew for certain - this was not going to end well in the morning.

---

Hello!

Another update this week. I'm amazing, I know ;D Jokes, it's up here because of a persistent friend (You know who you are. This is your entire fault -.-). Ugh this is another rushed and crap chapter because of stupid ass writer's block! I hate it >.< Sorry for any mistakes!

Dedicated to DefinitelySalvatore because she honestly has the best heart! And the best books! Go check out her work, it's honestly amazing!

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Thanks for reading lovelies! xx