The Switch

Chapter 4

Luckily for me my friend hadher car and happily drove me into work. I knew, however, my day wouldprobably be horrible from here. I spent the drive thinking about howI was going to afford a new car battery and stressing about otheradult things until I felt the car stop moving. "Okay, here we are."my friend said as she pulled up to my work building. "Thanksagain." I said as I gathered up my stuff. "I would have had tocall out of work today if not for you." "Hey, that's what friendsare for, right?" she asked and smiled at me. My friends were bothso much prettier than I was. I especially noticed it when theysmiled. "Yeah, I guess so." I said. I opened the car door and sherolled the window down. "So what time do you get off?" she askedme. "Well, I just have a couple of articles to write, and I'm goingto help a coworker edit hers. Can you come back at around four?" Itwas nine AM now. She nodded. "I think I can manage that. I willalso get your car jumped off. Maybe it just needs a charge." I smiled again and she pulled off. I went inside and straight to my cubicle.

I loved being able to putin my headphones and zone out to my writing. I felt like I was in awhole other world. I got my writing done in record time thanks toMarshall and his new album Kamikaze. I then got up and went to findmy coworker. As I rounded the corner on her hallway she had justopened her office door and was on her way towards me. "Hey!" sheshouted. She wasn't my favorite coworker. She was loud and brash. Shenever got the hint that we worked in quiet place and she didn't haveto talk to me so loudly. I tossed my hand up in response. She huggedme, which I endured and when she pulled away she said "Ms.Carmichael recommended letting you help me with my editing. I hopeyou don't mind." I forced a smile on my face and said "No, Idon't mind. Do you want to do this in our office or mine?""Mineif you don't mind. That man you have all over your cubicle kind offreaks me out." I bit back a laugh. Most people embraced my standomat work. Many thought I was strange, but I never cared. 

"Okay, your office it is." I said, and we walked down the hall and into her office. She shut the door behind me and I sat down behind hercomputer. She had her article pulled up and it definitely needed somework. I noticed it was already after noon. We worked straight throughlunch and we had just finished up when my phone began ringing. Ilooked down and noticed my friend was calling me. Shit. Four already."Look, I didn't drive today. My ride is here. Can we finish workingon this tomorrow?" My coworker thought about it for a minute andsaid "I'm actually not going to be here tomorrow." Damn. I hatedto do this but, "Okay, email me the article and I will work on it tonight so you can get the revisions done." She smiled and said"Oh, thank you Ashley. I greatly appreciate you." I smiled another fake smile and once I confirmed I had the article in my inbox I left the office. 

Out in the car both of myfriends smiled and greeted me with great enthusiasm. We discussed thedull events of today and my friend shared with me that she did indeedget my car jumped and it charged up. "So the real test will be ifafter letting it sit for about an hour and a half will it start onits own." I sighed. "Lets hope, because I have no idea how I amgoing to afford a car battery." My friend in the backseat touchedmy shoulder and said "Don't worry Ash, well figure it out." I wasfeeling down and my friends could tell. I wanted to put my headphonesback in and zone out to eminem, but I knew my friends were going totry to cheer me up and probably be sticking around for a while.

We went into the house andI put down my stuff. "I have some work to do tonight." I said,hoping maybe they would just volunteer to go home. "Well, you haveall weekend right?" one of my friends asked. "Yeah, but I wouldrather not let it linger." They exchanged looks at each other as Iheaded to my room to put on my pajamas. When I came back they said"We have 8 Mile on DVD. Were gonna order pizza and you're going towatch this movie with us and you'll feel much better after." It wastempting. I hadn't watched 8 Mile in about a week. "Alright, fine."I said, letting the smile that was begging to show come through on myface. One of them called in the pizza and the other dug through myDVDs until they found my copy of 8 Mile. They agreed to go pick uppizza so I was left alone in the apartment until they got back.