Play It By Ear

Reversed Roles

Not really a good chapter at all. I decided to push back what I had orginially planned instead, so this one does not have much plot. Sorry :/

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I nervously tapped my foot as the elevator slowly made its way up. I was already running seriously late and the thing could not be going up any slower. I not so silently cursed myself for sleeping in earlier and failing to pack a change of clothes for work. Stopping by home had taken more time than I originally expected and it was already nearing four, way later than the predetermined time Mr. Leighton had set.

To say I was anxious to see him was an understatement. Sure, spending the day before with him had been awesome and date-like but I did not know where we stood. I liked him a lot that much I knew. We had kissed three times so far, all within a twenty four hour time span and yet I could say nothing for his feelings for me.

He was a player, so for all I knew he kissed every girl he spent time with. I wanted to see him though, uncertainty on where we stood be damned. I had enjoyed spending the day with him. Even if we could not make it as a couple, which knowing his track record would not happen anyway, being friends with him would have been wonderful.

Talking to him yesterday had shed a whole new light on his personality for me. He was hilarious, not in conventional ways, but in his own way. He somehow made his arrogance and conceit laughable. Truth be told, I had no idea how.  

Although I had seen him work, I had never really understood just how intelligent he was. We had discussed the places I had always dreamed of going and books I simply adored, and his knowledge had shocked me. It definitely had not hurt my admiration for him. I sighed and gently massaged my eyelids. I really needed to stop obsessing over him.

Stop caring, my mind yelled at me, he’s a player and you can’t afford to get close to anyone!

When the doors finally slid open with a cheery ding, I high tailed it out. A groan escaped my lips when I neared Ms. Wilburstein’s desk. Her thin lips were set in a tight line and her dark eyes were glaring at me through her glasses.

“It is not casual Friday,” she said, her voice expressing all of the disdain she had on her face. I slowed down my pace and stopped before her desk.

“Oh really? I hadn’t noticed.” My voice was bitter and dripping with sarcasm. I slid my backpack off of my shoulder and held it up for Ms. Wiburstein to see. “I have a change of clothes.” Her glare lessened the tiniest bit, but she still looked at me as though I was the gum on the bottom of her shoe. I sighed heavily through my nose and consciously made the effort to calm myself down. I was far too tired to fight with her.

After a late dinner, Casimir had finally dropped me off at my house around eleven. Normally, that would have been fine but then I spent the next four hours being constantly awoken by his texts. Apparently, he had wanted to give me a very detailed description of the lunch I was going to be bringing him when I came in. Needless to say, I did not buy him a lunch. Served him right.  

“What you wear to the office hardly counts as appropriate office wear, and you have no right to speak to me in such a way! You know, I would be in the right mind to lodge a formal complaint against you to Mr. Leighton for that.”

It was at that moment that Joan walked in from the elevator. Her short light brown hair was lying in its usual wispy manner across her forehead, barely hiding the deep furrow of her eyebrows. Her black pants suit clad body radiated the worry that was so apparent in her features.

I dropped my backpack to the hard marble floor with a loud thud and ran over to Joan. The closer I got, the worse she looked. There were dark circles around her bloodshot eyes. Without even asking what was wrong, I wrapped my arms around her body and gave her a warm hug.