Leaning against the wall, he crosses his arms as his lips turn upwards, forming an annoying smile with a hidden agenda. “Ouch! Jealousy is an ugly trait on you.”
“Jealousy?” I laugh. “I know what it’s like to be with a real man so don’t for a second think you’re worth my time.”
“So tell me then, Presley, if you know what it’s like to be with a real man, why did you break it off with him?”
He catches me off guard. “Excuse me? How did you know I broke it off?”
“Office gossip. Helps that I’m sleeping with her.”
I am at a loss for words; the subject of Jason and I no longer being together is still very raw, especially in my current state of mind with lack of sleep and morning coffee. It overwhelms me.
He isn’t worth a single second more, so I walk past him.
Ignorance is bliss.
For the rest of the day he is smart enough to avoid me. It doesn’t stop him from canoodling with Dee, and because I am exhausted, my hearing is impaired and I accidentally find myself asleep for a few minutes at my desk.
“Pres . . . Presley.” A hand shakes my shoulder. Dazed, I focus in on Vicky’s face.
“Did I fall asleep?” I mumble.
Vicky laughs, handing me a cup of coffee. “Uh yeah. Rough night?”
“Yeah.”
“You know what you need? A girls’ night out. Drinks, dancing, and just some good clean fun.”
“Clean fun?”
“Well I could have said dirty fun but one step at a time, honey.”
“Thanks, Vicky, but I just want to head home and—”
“And what? Wallow in self-pity and cry yourself to sleep?”
“No,” I lie. “I’m exhausted. Maybe next weekend?”
She raises her eyebrows at me. “Okay, next weekend, but call me if you change your mind.”
With only an hour left, I speed-read through some work, and the second it turns five I’m packed up and ready to go home. It has been a long time since I have felt so drained, and boy does it take me back to my early twenties when I would party all night.
I enter the already-cramped elevator and squish myself into the wall. Just when I think we’ve maxed the people in it, another body mashes against mine. I look up to be met by the Jerk’s reflection. Ignoring him wouldn’t be difficult, but the more people enter the elevator, the more appropriate he feels it is to practically rub his body against mine. Act cool, pretend you’re not bothered one bit, and totally ignore how good he smells. Check, check, and fucking check!
It may seem silly but holding my breath helps, even though I look like a complete idiot. Thankfully, I find myself distracted by the buzz of my cell. It’s a message from my hairdresser, Chantelle.
Chantelle: Pres, what’s going on? I saw Jason today at a restaurant.
There is an attachment, and I open it to be met with a photo of Jase locking lips with another woman. I stare in disbelief; this cannot be him, and just to try and prove myself wrong, I zoom in on the photo.
It’s him alright.
My hands start to shake and the confined space in the elevator starts to claw at me. Suddenly I feel like I’m suffocating, my body overheating as a result of the jealousy boiling up inside me. If I cried, here, now, everyone would see how pathetic I was.
“Nice picture. You stalking other couples?”
“It’s my fiancé,” I say without thinking.
I quickly put the cell back into my bag, praying for the elevator to hit the ground floor. Staring at the numbers, the second the door opens I am out of there so fast I give myself whiplash, desperately trying to escape the sound of my name being called behind me.