DROP DEAD (Oli Sykes Fan Fiction) COMPLETE

Goodbye Is The Hardest Part

"Grace!" Lisa sings happily as I follow Oli into the reception area of the office. "Oh my God! I'm so happy you're back." she says as she hugs me tightly. I step around to my desk and stop in my tracks. There's a huge vase of flowers on the desk, I can see a box from Rosemary's that obviously contains treats, there's printed A4 sheets of paper on the wall behind my desk that say "Welcome back Grace" and there's a shiny new apple macbook sitting on the desk. I try to hold myself together but I start crying over how much effort has been made for me.
"Oh honey, don't cry!" Lisa chimes from beside me.
"I'm sorry, it's just really nice." I say as I wipe my eyes. John arrives to give me a hug.
"It's so good to have you back, Grace. I've missed my desk buddy." he says, to make me smile.
"So, our computer guy got everything from your laptop and put it onto an external hard drive for you. And he's loaded everything you need onto the apple." Lisa says with a smile. I just stand there a little overwhelmed.
"I don't know what to say." I say as I hug her.
"Was this you?" I ask quietly as I look at Oli over Lisa's shoulder.
"Only the laptop. I didn't know about any of the other stuff!" he says as he shakes his head.
"We just wanted to make sure your first day back was special." Lisa says.
"Thankyou. You definitely have." I reply.
"Alright, well, I should get back to work, but if there is anything you need, just let me know, OK?" Lisa says with a smile.
"Thankyou, I will." I say. Lisa disappears back around to reception and John says it's great to have me back again, then goes back to his desk.
"If you need a break or want to leave, just come see me OK? Or if you want to work in my office for some quiet you can too." Oli says quietly so nobody else hears. "I'll come and check on you in a bit, OK?" he adds.
"OK. Thankyou." I reply. I would hug him, but I don't think it's appropriate now that we're in the office surrounded by people. Oli heads for his office and I sit at my chair and power up the new apple macbook. I'm overwhelmed, but in the best way possible, I feel so much love and support from everyone, and it just solidifies how much I love being where I am.

My day is spent downloading graphics and fonts for the macbook, and designing random things with an ideas log that is always saved on the main server. Surprisingly, the time flies and the phones and printer noises don't bother me. In a way it's nice to be surrounded by noise and people going about their day. I start packing up just before 1pm, as Oli is taking me down to Birmingham police station to retrieve my things that were stolen. Getting my savings back means I can go and buy the TV, mattress and a few other things for my new apartment, though I'm not sure if I'll bother with the TV. "See you tomorrow." I say to Lisa as I arrive at reception where Oli joins me to leave the office. "I didn't want to disturb everyone's lunch break, but please tell them I said bye." I say to Lisa as she hugs me again. She says she'll see me tomorrow and Oli and I head for his car.

The drive to Birmingham takes about an hour and a half, so of course Oli asks me how my first day back felt, among other things. Spending hours alone with someone in a car gives you a lot of time to talk, and I feel like I get to know so much more about Oli, other than what I know from 'band' Oli, and 'boss' Oli. Deep down I think he's actually just a kind-hearted geek who loves video games and pop culture... he just happens to have this sex symbol status because he's in a famous band. And in a way, I think his tattoos are almost like an armour to make him look tough, even though he's actually a super sensitive guy. He talks about things he's passionate about... music, his family, his friends, and tells me that he's working with a local animal shelter for a Christmas appeal. For me, anyone who loves and respects animals is my type of person. The time goes by quickly when you enjoy talking with someone, and before I even know it, we're pulling into the carpark at the Birmingham police station. I thank the officers for catching the guy, and sign off on my belongings; my passport, camera, cheque and the envelope of cash, finally all back in my possession.

On the way back home, Oli calls his Mum to ask where the best place to buy a mattress would be. I laugh, but find it adorable in a funny kind of way. I really don't think boys ever stop needing their Mum! We stop in at a department store in Sheffield on the way back to Oli's house and I buy a mattress – it comes vaccuum sealed in a box so it fits in the car, and I also get some essentials like sheets, a doona, pillows and towels to make sure I'm ready. I look at the TVs but decide I don't need one straight away, so leave it as a 'later-on' purchase. When we get home and we unload the car, Oli takes the mattress and lugs it into the house. The thing weighs a tonne and watching his arm muscles bulge as he takes the weight of it makes me stare. I know I shouldn't look or think about him in that way, but in moments like this, it's pretty much impossible not to.