Uh oh the year ends in like 5 days lol
...
Amelia
"This is good work, Amelia," my boss, Mr. Rodgers, tells me. He smiles at me with his slightly yellowed teeth - a result of smoking too many cigars, I would assume.
I was a nervous wreck when he called me into his office a couple minutes ago. I thought I was getting fired, although I don't know what I would have done to have deserved that. It was just the first thing that went through my mind. Never in a million years did I expect him to actually compliment me on the work I've been doing for him.
"Thank you," I stammer.
I shift in my seat and smooth out my skirt a bit, which was beginning to ride up.
"You're very organized and I can tell that everything you do is well thought out," Mr. Rodgers continues. He grunts slightly as he leans forward and folds his hands together on the table. "I understand that you're interested in becoming a published author, correct?" I nod. "I thought you had mentioned something about that to me when we first met. I've been keeping an eye out on your work and although it's only been less than six months, I'd like to give you a chance,"
My eyes nearly bug out of my head as soon as the words leave his lips. He wants to give me a chance?? I don't even know what to reply to that, I'm so stunned and ecstatic. Is this real?
"Really?" I ask.
"Yes," Mr. Rodgers says. "Have you been working on anything recently that you'd be able to give me a sample of?"
I eagerly nod.
"I do. I've been working on it for a little while now. I can give you a rough draft of it," I explain, slightly dazed.
"Great, okay. I'll take the rough draft of it whenever you can get it to me, and I will personally review it. I can't promise that it'll be published, at least right away, but we'll get you the necessary resources to make that happen, like your own editor,"
My heart has almost completely stopped beating. I can't believe what I'm hearing. It's almost too surreal for me to even begin to process it. I could cry from thinking about this book actually being published. It's one of the few things I actually care about. Mr. Rodgers doesn't understand how important this is to me.
"Thank you," I tell him again. "I really appreciate it, more than you know,"
"Of course," he replies. "I know talent when I see it, and I'm not just saying that either. I know that you're dating that Henry Steels or whatever his name is, but this is all you. I want to make that known. You know, most of the people that work for me can barely function properly but I see great things with you. I hope this can work out. I like having someone competent work for me but I'd also like to see you excel doing what you love,"
I smile like an idiot at his words. I can't even begin to express my happiness right now. I thought Mr. Rodgers was a bit rough around the edges when we first met, but he's actually a really nice man. I can't wait to go home and tell Harry the good news.
"Thank you, sir, I really really appreciate this. I'll definitely be able to get you a rough draft of the book in a week or so. It's not terribly long and I'm just about done. I just want to add a couple of things and proofread it," I tell my boss.
The two of us discuss the matters of my possible book being published for a few more minutes before I finally leave to go back to my office. I feel so incredibly happy right now that I can barely function. I can't believe this is finally happening. I thought it would take a couple of years, at least. I can't think of for the life of me what I did to impress Mr. Rodgers but I'm not complaining. Not at all.
"Hey," my coworker and friend, Melanie, says, sticking her head in my office. She looks at me with a bright smile.
"Hey," I respond cheerily, my own smile still etched onto my face.
"Someone's in a good mood. Did your meeting go well?" she asks, walking further into the small room.
I nod and slowly begin getting ready to leave for the day. I start tidying up my desk and closing out the tabs on my computer.
"Better than I expected. He wants to take a look at a book I've been working on. I think he might consider publishing it," I excitedly tell Melanie.
She grins and jumps a bit while clasping her hands together.
"Oh my God, that's amazing, Amelia!" she squeals. "I told you Mr. Rodgers likes you, but you didn't believe me,"
My face heats up. I remember that conversation. It was right before I left to tour with Harry.
"I didn't think he did," I mutter. "But I'm glad I was wrong. Now I just need to give him a rough draft of my book and we'll go from there,"
"I'm so happy for you! We should go out this weekend to celebrate! I know it's not official he's publishing it but this is still a huge step. Mr. Rodgers normally never does this kind of thing. I've only heard of it once or maybe twice,"
"I'd like that. I'll invite Christian and Harry. No guarantee on Harry actually coming but I still want you two to meet,"
"I'd love to meet him. I'm a huge fan, but he's also your boyfriend so I feel like we're obligated to meet at some point,"
I've been a little wary of making new friends, only because I don't want them to use me to get to Harry, but Melanie is different. She doesn't care about Harry's fame or fortune. I think she just wants to pick his mind a little since she loves his music, but she also just wants to meet him because we've been friends for a little while now and have grown pretty close. I introduced her to Christian recently and the three of us have been spending a decent amount of time together. She fits into my life rather nicely, plus she's a really great person. I like her a lot.
"It'll definitely happen at some point. I'll talk to him when I get home and let you know how it goes tomorrow," I say.
Melanie keeps me company while I continue packing up, and then I accompany her back to her desk while she also gets ready to leave. Then the two of us say goodbye to a couple of our other coworkers before leaving the building together.
"So I have a date next Wednesday," Melanie casually tells me as we walk down the block, towards the nearest subway. I love the car Harry got me, but it's definitely more practical to take public transportation. It's also quicker, due to the obscene amount of traffic in the city.
"Really?" I eagerly say.
"Mhmm. His name is Elijah and he is the most beautiful man ever, I swear to God. His smile is to die for and he has these amazing eyes," Melanie dreamily sighs. "We met on Tinder - "
"Tinder? Melanie..."
"What? It'll be fine,"
"How do you know that? What if he's catfishing you and he's really a 50 year old pervert waiting to make a move or something," I press. Online dating makes me wary. I know some people have great success with it, but in general I feel like it's fairly sketchy.
"I don't think he is but I'll share my location with you if you want. We're also not meeting in a private place. We're going to Olive Garden," Melanie tells me.
I groan, dramatically. Out of all the restaurants in Manhattan, they choose Olive Garden?
"Seriously?" I ask.
Melanie shrugs.
"It was his suggestion," she vaguely tells me.
I chuckle as we walk by a street vendor selling an array of candy and magazines. I briefly glance over, not expecting much, but my eyes catch one of the titles of the magazines, causing me to stop dead in my tracks. I furrow my eyebrows and look at it, my heart nearly plummeting into the bottom of my stomach as I read the big, bold letters plastered on it.
Harry Styles Having an Affair With Model, Lauren Jones
...
and I oop
