Chapter Thirty Three
Mum's having lunch with us. Pick you up?
I fiddled over my phone that I nearly dropped it. I type a quick reply:
Please?
Then hit send. He soon replied with a smiley. I shove my phone back in my pocket and follow the rest of the group.Carrie's up front, listening to Mr. Walden as he shows us the room where we'll have our training.
It takes up half of the 2nd floor because this where all the magic happens. It can be viewed from a balcony in the 3rd floor.
It's a pretty big computer room with iMacs. It reminds of the computer lab back in TUA. Some programmers are sat in the circular computer stand with 4 or five computers each. Some even have their laptops beside them. Mr. Walden said this is the main art space for the designers but when we start training, it's definitely just for training.
Then we walk the stairs to the 4th floor. The 4th floor is basically just offices for the accountants, the lawyers, publishers, copy machines and a small break room. This is also where the designers get their own cubicles when their not in the computer room.
The stairs lead straight down to the cafeteria that makes up 1/4 of the floor. It's a bit small but no one really eats here, according to Mr. Walden. There's Pret-A-Manger across the street, McDonalds and Shakeys on either sides of the building. The cafeteria reminds me of high school, only it's smaller and looks less scary.
We're almost done with the tour. He takes us up to the 5th floor again. He explained the 5th floor has only 3 rooms; his office and Board rooms 1 and 2.
Once he finished showing us the two board rooms, he turns back to us. I surprise myself when I'm right upfront. "5 of you will be working here soon. It's a tough competition and it's very important you do well. Do your best and prove to us, you're Walden Worthy. So good luck to everyone, I'll be hoping to see new faces this time next month." He smiles and the crown applauded him.
I start moving back to the elevator before it gets too cramped up. I hit the ground floor button and the elevator soon opens to the lobby. I sit on the sofa and wait for a message from Louis or anything. A few trainees come out of the elevator and through the front door.
It's scary to think I'm competing against 24 other adults. Who knows maybe they've had experience or have more creative minds than I do. I'm just a graduate, what have I done or what should I do to impress Eric Xavier Walden? My designs might have been good but what if they're until trainee level only? That's freaking scary.
The elevator dings. All the trainees have left, yes I counted, and it's not lunch time for the staff. The elevator doors open and Mr. Walden walks out with her blazer on his arm. When he sees me, he stops from going to the door and walks right up to me.
"You're still here?" He asks and I simply nod. "Other trainees have lef-" he stops then he looks back down at me. "Were you waiting out for me?"
My eyes widen at him and ferociously shake my head. "I'm waiting for someone. Why would you think that?" I immediately say.
Arrogant little prick.
He nods and takes a seat across me.
"You're the one from TUA, am I right?" He asks.
"Which one? There are two of us?"
He... Laughs? Okay? "I like your attitude" he says.
"Lunch date?" He asks, leaning on his elbows. I cock my head, making him chuckle. "You?" I ask him.
"Unless having lunch with your sister is counted but no." He says. "So are you going to tell me your name?" He asks.
"It's Megan..." I say awkwardly. What is he doing here? Shouldn't he go meet his sister or something?
He raises his eyebrows like I just said something offensive. "Sir?"
"You're my boss." I say with a shrug and leaned back on the couch.
"Not yet I'm not." He says cockily.
"If you say so..." I say, feeling more confident that my composure coming back. No more little nervous girl.
"I hope I'll be... My ride's here," he pushes himself off the couch but stops. I turn around and saw a black Toyota outside the building. Highly unusual for a CEO. "Wrong car." He said as if he's embarrassed.
Knew it. The driver door opens and brunette boy walks out. That's my cue.
"You're right. Cause it's my ride. I should get going." I say and gather my things. Louis walks in, searching the room. I walk up to him and he takes my coat from me but he's not looking at me.
I hear a screech outside. When Mr. Walden gets up, I instantly knew that's his car. "I hope I'll see you here soon, Megan." He says, leaving the building without saying another word.
"I have a hunch that that guy is a douchebag." Louis says. He opens the back seat door for me and I get it. I ignore his remark as he places my coat beside me.
Jay turns back at me with a smile. "How was it?" She asks.
I smile and nod. "I think I'll get the job"
Before I thought it was just a job training and I have to do better than the other trainees. Now that Carrie's here, it's a competition. I have to my very best to get this job. I can't let Carrie get this job but I can't.
Louis pulled out of Walden's driveway and pulls up into the high way. He speeds down the road, overtaking car after car. Why in a hurry? I'll never know. Jay asks me questions along the way. Probably some inside information how Louis does at home.
"He's a slob" I immediately say. He steps on the breaks hard that I almost flew out of the window.
"I'm messy. But not close to a slob. She's lying!" He points at me.
"Just drive!" I tell him. He rolls his eyes with a sigh and steps on the pedals. I hear Jay laugh and turns to me. She gives me a thumbs up then winks.
He pulls over a fancy looking-ish restaurant. I've seen this before, it's a Mexican restaurant, it's called 'Supremo Mexicano'. So we're having quesadillas and nachos for lunch. I open the door and sling my bag over my shoulder. Jay walks in first and we follow behind her. Louis holds my hand as walks slightly ahead of me.
Once we've settled in our table, a waiter comes over and hands us a menu. "Oh! This looks good!" I point at the picture of a burrito about the size of a platter. I got a burrito, Jay gets a plate of quesadilla and Louis helps himself with a bowl of nachos.
"So what's so important you want to talk about?" Louis asks his mother. I immediately turn to Jay who has a wide smile on her face. She pulls something out of her purse. A yellow envelope and slides it across the table. Louis takes it first but the elaborate designs of the content, the classy cursive writing and the embossed name to whom it's addressed to on the envelope, is very clear what it is.
Louis puts the paper inside the envelop and looks at his mum. "You're getting married?" He asks, his voice cracking. Jay nods and I look at Louis, worried what he must say next.
"I want you both to come. It's happening in a few weeks" She says with full enthusiasm.
"Wow, I'm so delayed with information. I guess we'll be there... It's not like you're giving us much choice?" Louis says and Jay bursts out laughing. Yep.
I'm glad she's marrying Dan. I haven't seen him a lot but the last time I saw him, he seems like a good guy. And Jay will be happy again. I recall my own mother's wedding with Rick. I was very bitter and went there with a heavy heart.
I wish I hadn't. I should've been happy for her. She's been alone all those years and I, being a total pain for her, she deserved the happiness she could get.
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I open the door to our apartment and flip the light switch on. I sigh when I saw the throw pillows on the floor and the couch against the far wall. What does Louis do when he's alone?!
I hang my coat on the rack and went up to our room. I put my bag on the chair and push back under the table. I plop down on the bed and take my phone out. Right on cue, my phone rang and my mum's caller number flashed on screen.
I hit answer and pressed the phone to my ear.
"Is he not keeping you company enough that you have to send 50 text messages saying I have to call you?" Mum's voice rang in my ear with humor.
I laugh and moved over so I'd be on my stomach. "I just wanted to tell you something." I say.
"Alright.. Take your time." She says then I hear a book close. She's probably reading again.
"Louis' mum is getting married." I tell her. There's a loose thread on the duvet so I picked on that one.
"Really? With that Dan guy?" She asks and I murmur a 'yeah'.
"that's nice. Didn't they have children a few months ago?" She asks me.
"Yeah, they're adorable. I saw them a few months ago." I say quietly.
"How'd Louis take it?" She asks.
"Better than I expected." I say, an awkward laugh falling from my mouth.
"What does that mean?" She asks. A sound of the cupboards closing can be heard in the background. She must be preparing dinner and have me on speaker phone.
"I feel guilty, mum." I say feeling my chest constrict.
"Guilty? About what?" Her voice sounds really curious.
"I mean, I'm really happy for Jay that she's marrying Dan. It just makes me feel like a total hypocrite that I was so bitter with your marriage with Rick. It doesn't feel right." I say, pulling the string of the duvet.
"That's what's eating you up?" She asks but I stay silent. I hear her take a deep breath. I hear a creak and the water flowing sound has stopped.
"Meg, listen to me. You don't have to let those small thoughts and feelings affect you that much. Like now. I didn't really care if you were happy during our wedding. All I wanted was for you to show up and that was enough. I didn't expect you to like Rick the moment you met him but I was hoping someday you will. I didn't want to rush you the way I did before."
"But you think that's fair?" I ask her, almost cutting her off.
"You know what? I don't really care, Megan. All I wanted was to be a part of your life again and if that means you can't accept Rick yet, I don't really care. Because I'm just glad we've passed what was before."
"Rick's pretty cool, actually. He's pretty glad that I think of him at least as a friend. And I misjudged him badly." I say, looking down and recalling what Holly told us.
"Don't start blaming yourself again. The point is, he's fine now, you're fine, we're fine and we're all happy. That's all I wanted for all of us." She says and a smile creeps up my face. I try to change the subject because I have no plans in crying right now!
"So should I be expecting another sibling anytime soon?"
I hear a loud contact of knife-board which made me think she might've been chopping something and I caught her off guard. I laugh and she cusses at me.
"what? It happens, mum. That's why you get married. To have sex and reproduce. Didn't they teach you that in school?" I say, with a mischievous smile on my face. Mum lets out a deep sigh but I hear her laugh after a while.
"you know that only happens to young couples like you and Louis." She says.
"I disagree. Mum, stop lying to yourself. We all know you want it." She burst out laughing so did I.
"Maybe I have to discuss that with Rick, yeah?" I laugh and so does she.
This practically consisted of our conversation. Mum and I exchanging innuendos to each other and I can't believe that it sounds so... Normal. It should be awkward but it's not. Until the door bursts open.
"Meg, please... Stop it. This is very inappropriate!" She yells over the phone. Louis plops down beside me and wraps his arm around me. He puts my arm around his neck as he snuggled to me.
"I have to go, mum," I say, trying to contain my laughter but that wasn't successful. "I'm used as a human pillow." I say.
Mum says goodbye and making another sexual remark before hanging up. I put my phone aside and turn to face Louis.
"I'm tired." He says.
"Okay. Why don't you take a nap first? I need a shower." I say, pushing him off me but he wouldn't let go.
"Cuddle with me, babe." He nuzzles his face on my neck.
"Shower..." I say, pushing him off. I got off the bed when I felt his arm loosen and I ran into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me. I take my clothes off and step into the shower cubicle. I turn the shower on, allowing the warm water to rinse my body. After I'm done, I step out and put my clothes on. My hair free from the ponytail falls onto my back and I went back into the room.
I sat on the edge of the bed and ran the comb through my hair. I feel the bed depress behind me and a pair of arms holding my own to my chest. A weight appeared on my shoulder. He presses his lips on my neck. My head moved on its own as he kissed me a little harder on my neck. I close my eyes and let it sink in. His hand lets go of my arm and slithers down to my waist, forcefully turning me around. He pushes onto the bed and I simply scoot over to the headboard and wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him closer.
"Carrie was there today." I say. He stops and looks up to me.
"What'd she want?" He asks.
"She wants the job I want" I say. "Then don't take the job there." He says.
"That would only fuel her more. I'll show her I won't runaway this time, that I can stand on my own two feet. I will face her... And I will prove her wrong." I say. He smiled and leans up on his elbows.
"Good. Give her a piece of your mind." He says before leaning down and places a kiss on my lips.
<<<***>>>
Yes yes yo! It's a bit boring and I'm sorry for that. I'll give you more drama, don't worry :)
Did you see Louis' Ice Bucket Challenge? Hahaha, so him xD
I don't have anything interesting to tell you guys right now except I've spent the whole week worrying about my speech in school about corruption but it's all good now :)
By the way my new Niall Horan fanfic, I've started updating. It's called Secret Smarts so if you're getting bored with this one, you can switch to that one. Updates for Secret Smarts are every Wednesday :)
Adios mi amor!