I walked over to the sink and started unnecessarily washing my hands.
“I must say a part of me is slightly impressed.” I looked up into the mirror as Angie spoke.
“I’m not sure what you mean,” I said.
“I just didn’t peg you for the girl that slept her way to the top. I mean I could sense you were ambitious, but in a few weeks . . . Ben and Giovanni. Like I said, impressed.”
“What? No. It’s not like that at all, I didn’t, I haven’t, I . . . it wasn’t like that . . . it was . . . I . . .” The stupid stutter gave me away immediately and I could see it. My face flamed red and I couldn’t swallow.
“So who was better?” Angie moved closer to me with a slyness in her voice. God, women were bitches.
“I didn’t . . . . I . . .” She flicked her eyes upwards in a sarcastic manner.
“Sera, no point in hiding it. Everyone can see it anyway,” Becks said, looking angrier than Angie did.
“Everyone?” I asked, a slight panic in my voice.
“It’s so fucking obvious. At the shoot the other day Ben was acting like a jealous fucking boyfriend when Giovanni was touching you, and then when I came into the tent he had some of your lipstick smudged on the side of his face, and then today at the office! Seriously, you could have at least been subtle about the thing.”
“Oh,” I said flatly.
“And here I thought you were my friend,” Becks spat at me.
“Wait, this has nothing to do with us and you and—”
“Oh please, it has everything to do with that, I just didn’t think you would stoop that low to get the job. How am I supposed to compete with someone who’s slept with the boss?”
“Hey! It’s not like that,” I protested.
“Then what is it like?” Becks asked. “Because I’m working myself to the bone here and you’re just boning our boss, no wonder he asked you to come on the shoot when you aren’t even on the account.”
“I guess Giovanni was just an added bonus, though,” Angie said trying to hide her feelings behind a sly smile. But I could see what she felt. She’d set her sights on Ben, and then on Giovanni and in her eyes, I’d beat her to it.
“Nothing happened with Giovanni and I. And when Ben and I . . . look, I didn’t know he was our new boss, otherwise I would never have . . . with him. Ever.”
Angie forced a little laugh. Like she was going for an evil-villain laugh. The kind that villains give when they’ve thwarted the superhero’s plans and have him tied to a chair in their secret lair.
“You’re good. I almost believe you. But take it from someone that knows how to play this game . . . I know what’s going on.” The she eyed me with total disdain, “I just can’t figure out why they both chose you, I mean you’re so . . . so, Sera.” Her contempt for and disdain for me was painted so obviously on her face that I melted in shame under her gaze. Suddenly, I was the trailer-park girl all over again. She had seen that in me, and was now seeing right through me. This was the schoolyard all over again. The girls who’d teased me and made fun of me because of who my father was and where we were now living. In one moment, I was transported back to that all over again. Becks and Angie gave me one last scornful look and then both walked out.
And then I couldn’t help it . . . I burst into tears. I rushed back into the toilet cubicle and closed the door behind me. I slumped down on the toilet and let the tears flow. I wondered if I could stay here for the entire day and only slip out once everyone had left work. I looked at my watch, through my blurry eyes I could just make out the numbers . . . 10 a.m. That would be one long wait. So I did the only thing I could. I wiped my tears away, straightened myself up and walked back out there.
I didn’t look up at anyone, although I could sense eyeballs on me. I walked as fast and steadily as possibly all the way up to my desk. I grabbed my bag and then started walking for the door of the building. As soon as my feet reached the outside, I ran. The cool air immediately made me feel better. That is, until I saw Ben standing outside having a cigarette. As soon as he saw me, he started walking towards me.
43. It’s A No. 5 . . .
“Get away from me,” I hissed at him, looking around to make sure no one could see us.
“Where are you going?”
“Away from here,” I said quickly and hurried to my car—OH, I had no car today. JJ had dropped me off. This was just getting worse.
“Sera, please wait.”
I swung around. “Ben, you have officially ruined my life.”
“That’s a bit harsh, don’t you think?”
“No. This job was my life, don’t you get that? I need it and now it’s all ruined and everyone in the office thinks I am a total slut who’s trying to sleep my way to the top.”
