The Definition of Fate

Chapter 11

You were you,
and I was I;
we were two,
before our time.

I was yours,
before I knew;
and you had always

been mine too.
- Lang Leav

When Chloe and I finally walk back into the apartment at the end of the day, all I want to do is take off my clothes, collapse in bed, and watch Parks and Rec on Netflix. But alas, that's not going to happen. Hina pounces on us as soon as we enter, leaping up from the couch still wearing the mint green silk pajamas from this morning.

"It's about time you got back! How was the first day? Tell me everything!"

I groan and throw my bag onto a chair at the kitchen table. "Do I have to? I'm exhausted."

"Yes, you do," Chloe prompts. "I didn't pester you the entire ride home, so now you have to spill."

"At least let me take my bra off," I growl, slipping my wedge sandals from my feet.

I don't know why I thought heels were a good idea for my first day, but Quentin had us traipsing all over the city and my feet ache with every step. I pull on a pair of purple and black exercise pants and a cotton t-shirt and rejoin my roommates.

"Feeling better?" Chloe teases, passing me a plate of cookies that Hina must have made while we were gone.

"Now I am," I answer, biting into the soft sugar cookie. "Much better."

I curl up in a corner of the sectional couch and nab a second cookie before the interrogation begins.

"So, day one?" Hina prompts. "How'd it go?"

"Okay, Mr. Fitzpatrick. He's freaking terrifying," I say, an image of the middle-aged editor in chief appearing before me. "He interrogated me for ten minutes, and I honestly thought I was going to pee myself."

Hina giggles but Chloe furrows her eyebrows. "What are you talking about? He's a great boss. He's so invested in the newspaper and in improving our online presence."

"I'm not saying he's a bad boss," I say, throwing my hands in the air in surrender. "He just asked me a lot of questions when I first came in. I wasn't expecting that."

Chloe tilts her head. "What'd you expect him to do? He hired you on my recommendation."

"I know, and I appreciate it," I answer, taken aback by Chloe's defensiveness. "I just...it's been a long time since I've worked for someone who actually cares about anything besides getting articles on the press. I'm sure I'll adjust."

"He's a great boss," Chloe repeats. "I know this'll be a good fit for you."

I smile, willing to keep the peace even though I'm not so convinced. I'm not sure what sort of fealty Mr. Fitzpatrick has inspired in Chloe, but all he did was make me second-guess whether journalism is even the right fit for me. As if I need that sort of pressure right now when I just moved a whole state away to pursue this career.

"So, what else?" Hina asks.

"I followed one of the business reporters around today," I answer, grinning as I think about chasing after Quentin and his ready laughs all day. "We were gone all day."

"Quentin, right?" Chloe asks, winking at me. "He's cute."

I grin back at her. He's definitely cute, but more than that, he was good company. He made me relax when I felt as wound up as a grandfather clock. I probably should have been more concerned with making a good impression on him and showing him my great work ethic, but instead, I let Quentin charm and disarm me.