by M. A. Lee
“Melanie, can I see you in my office?” My boss, Ms. Harvey, called me from her doorway. Her tone was authoritative and strong, but kind. She was a tall, thin woman in her mid-fifties but she looked more like she was in her late thirties. She was very classy in her business suits and professional demeanor. Ms. Harvey was a great boss, she was motivated and hardworking, but she understood my need to follow my school schedule. I was fortunate to find my paid internship at MEA Literary Agency. Since the company is so small, they are very flexible with my work schedule and allow me access to several editors. It is really a dream job, I get to read books and get paid to do it. The only downfall is that, since I am only an intern, I usually get stuck reading the manuscripts the agents don’t want to read first. Even though I am not always reading my taste in genres, I get a chance to get my foot in the door. This will help me when I make my move to California.
Walking into her office, Ms. Harvey motioned for me to have a seat on one of the leather chairs facing her all white desk. The office was small, but appeared much larger as everything was white and gray. Ms. Harvey believed in keeping a tidy office and that meant everything must look new and shiny at all times. I respected her views on presentation, it was something we had in common.
“Melanie, I wanted to thank you for getting the last manuscript edited in such a timely manner,” she began, taking a sip of hot tea from her mug. “I know the text was not what you are really interested in doing, but I think it is good for you to see a wide range of material.” She sat back and flipped through the extensive notes I had created. It was true. The manuscript I had been given was on training pedigree and show dogs, definitely not something that sparked my interest or made me excited. However, any chance I was given to edit like the editorial team or the agents, meant that I was gaining the respect from Ms. Harvey that I could use later for a possible job or job recommendation.
“Thank you,” I said, trying to hide the wide grin that was slowly creeping on my face. “It means a lot to me that you like my work,” I added.
“Yes. Well, Melanie you have proven to be much more than an intern here. I really think you would be a great asset to this company once you graduate.” She said, smiling kindly at me.
Thrilled, I wanted to jump up and down hearing her say that. I just hoped that offer would extend to the small agency her sister ran in San Diego, California. Not wanting to ruin the moment, I just nodded and accepted the compliment.
Reaching out, Ms. Harvey handed me another manuscript. This one was much thicker than the last one, and by the looks of the amount of pages, it appeared to be a novel. “This,” she said, placing the text in my hands, “is a manuscript for one of our leading authors. It is a crime thriller. This author usually provides us with high quality work, and I think you deserve the opportunity to review it.” She smiled at me as she said this.
Shocked, I gawked at the text in my hands. “Thank you so much,” I began.
“You are welcome. I would like that edited for grammar and spelling errors as well as plot consistency. I would like your notes completed by next Monday, which will give you one week. When you are finished, please give it to Lindsey in the editorial department, and she will give it a final review for submitting to me.”
“Yes ma’am.” I replied.
Nodding, Ms. Harvey indicated we were finished. I stood to leave and thanked her again as I strutted back to my desk. I quickly texted Lauren before starting my task. I only worked until two on Monday since I had evening classes so I needed to get started now.
At ten till two, I began cleaning my desk area and preparing to leave for class. Since the publishing house was located downtown, it was only a ten-minute walk to campus. I could make it there in time for my Women Writers class and then Lauren would pick me up on her way home from working at an upscale department store at the mall. She only worked occasionally, for the discounts of course. Her parents paid her portion of our rent for the apartment as a way to bribe her to stay in Kentucky.
Once I finally made it to class, I prepared myself for a boring, one-hour lecture. After class, Lauren and I stopped and had a pizza at a local pizzeria on campus and then went home where I began working on homework and the manuscript I had been given at work earlier in the day. From my bedroom, where I was working at my desk, I could hear Lauren on her phone in the small living room area of our apartment. She was giggling and talking in her sexy tone that meant she was talking to a guy. Rolling my eyes, I plugged in my headphones and hit play, allowing Coldplay to drown out Lauren for the time being. Even though I loved Lauren, and thought of her more as my saving grace than just a best friend, she could also be a total pain in the ass too.
As the music began to pour from my tiny ear-buds, I wished that everything in life could be that easy to drown out. If only there was a way to drown out all the bad memories and painful emotions that plagued my soul. Sighing, I continued working knowing that it was only wishful thinking to consider that my life could ever go back to a time where I wasn’t plagued with pain and nightmares.
***
“So remember that guy Isaac?” Lauren asked as she curled her hair, sitting on top of the bathroom vanity. She was casually dressed in a pair of denim blue jeans and a flirty lavender top as she watched me through the vanity mirror. It had been a week since my little incident at the tattoo parlor and I had given the situation very little thought. I had gone about my life as usual- school during the day, then editing my client’s manuscripts and papers in the evenings
Stopping in the narrow hallway, I watched Lauren’s reflection. “Yes, I remember him.” I stated flatly. “I wish I could forget about the night we met him.” I added, continuing down the hall to my room.
“Well, he called and asked me out tonight.” She said, winding a strand of her beautiful hair around the base of the iron.
“Fun,” I said, as I began sorting through my basket of clean laundry.
Lauren paused in the mirror, and I could see her watching me from where she sat. “Well,” she began as she put down the iron and began teasing through her long locks. “He asked if I wanted to double date for the first night. You know a way to break the ice in case we end up hating each other.” She said, smiling at me as she was now applying mascara.
“He said that?” I asked, placing a pair of running shorts in my dresser drawer.
“No, he didn’t exactly say that, but I am sure that is what he meant. Or, maybe his friend, you know the cute one who helped you, maybe he likes you.”
Laughing, I threw the now empty laundry basket into my closet. “I doubt that,” I replied.
Lauren walked into my room and began sorting through my closet. I sat on my bed and watched her with curiosity. She had a million sexy things to wear, I had no idea why she would want to go through my closet. My taste in clothes were much simpler compared to hers.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Looking for something for you to wear,” she said, her back still to me as she continued to push around my outfits.
Arching my eye brows, I looked at Lauren like she had lost her mind. “Why would I need to change?” I asked. I had no plans for the evening.
“You can’t go on a date wearing sweat pants.” Lauren sneered, pulling a black sequence tank top off one of my hangers. “Here, try this one,” she said as she threw the shirt at me. Taking the shirt, I quickly laid it down on the bed beside where I was sitting. Jumping up, I rushed over to Lauren who was now looking for a pair of jeans and pumps. “I don’t think so,” I started, rushing in front of her so that I was blocking her view of my closet. “I am not going on a double date with two guys we don’t even know.” I hissed, standing my ground.
Pushing me aside, Lauren selected a pair of tight skinny jeans and then a pair of black heels I was pretty sure were hers. Tilting her head, Lauren offered me her pitiful pouty lips that usually won me over. “This is why I didn’t tell you last week when they set up the date,” Lauren stated as she began messing w
ith my hair.
Swatting her hands away, I stepped back, almost falling inside my closet. “I am not going on a date. I can’t believe you hid this from me for an entire week.”
“Oh, come on. You would have said no right away.” Holding my hands, Lauren pleaded with me, batting her eyelashes and pouting her lips like a child. “Please, Mel? I really want to go and I don’t want to show up alone. It will be fun. We will get free drinks and if you don’t like the guys, we will leave, I swear.” Lauren was smiling at me now; she could sense I was about to give in. I hated to let her down, especially when she had been the only one to stick by me since... I couldn’t think about that right now.
Inhaling a sharp breath, I rolled my eyes and flung myself back to my bed. I sank into my plush, lavender bedspread and groaned. “Fine.” I said sharply. “But, if I want to leave, I am leaving.”
Squealing, Lauren jumped up and down and clapped as she listed all the things that needed to get done before we left. She really had waited until the last minute to spring this idea on me. We only had an hour before we had to meet the guys at a local campus bar. I wasn’t even sure if they were in college or not, but I guess that didn’t matter. I quickly showered and dried my hair, pulling my long, caramel colored locks into a high ponytail. Giving in, I put on the black tank top and tight jeans.
“We look hot.” Lauren mused as we checked ourselves one last time in the hall mirror before exiting our apartment. Lauren was dressed in a pair of tight skinny jeans and a very revealing fire red tank top. Her black heels gave her an additional two inches to her already five-foot- five frame. I grabbed my purse and cell phone then followed her out the door and to her Honda Accord. I had not driven in over a year, so Lauren was my mode of transportation. I guess that’s why I always gave in to her. She supported me in so many ways, the least I could do was go on a lousy date with her once in a while.
Once we were on the road, I checked my e-mails on my phone. I had several from a few college students who had contacted me to edit some of their essays. Glancing at Lauren, I noticed she kept turning her attention to me as she drove.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, noticing her solemn expression.
“Are we ever going to talk about what happened?” she asked, her tone full of concern.
“You really want to do this now?” I asked, placing my phone back inside my purse.
“No. Not really,” she began, sighing. “I just... You know I love you, right? I mean you are my best friend. We have been friends since pre-school and I will always be here for you no matter what. But, don’t you think it’s time you talk to someone about the accident?” She turned her head to gauge my reaction before looking back at the road. When we stopped at a red light, she looked at me once more. “I know you are still upset, and it is a touchy subject, but at some point we have to talk about it. I mean, are you ever going to drive again?”
The light turned green, and we began driving again. Silence filled the small space between us as I struggled inside on what to say. Part of me wanted to cry, to hide and to pretend like that night and this conversation never took place. Another part of me, a much larger part, wanted to scream and shout and run until I couldn’t run anymore.
We pulled into a parking spot and Lauren cut off the engine. She turned to face me as I quickly wiped away a tear. “Lauren, you are my best friend and I can never thank you enough for everything you’ve done for me. But, I am not ready to talk about any of it yet. I promise though, as soon as I am, I will talk to you first.” I smiled through my tears as I checked myself in the overhead mirror.
Patting my knee, Lauren watched me closely. “Okay. I can work with that. Now, let’s go in there and meet our sexy guys.” She laughed as she opened her car door and I followed too.
She threw an arm around my shoulder as we walked through the small parking lot. A bright neon light shone on top of the bar, screaming the name, ‘Wild Things.’ The patio was already packed, and as we got closer, I could hear the thumping of music from a live band playing in the back. Lauren instantly spotted Isaac and Cole standing near the entrance. Isaac had on a pair of khaki cargo shorts and a navy blue colored shirt. He looked very casual but nice. Cole was dressed in a pair of khaki cargo shorts too, but he wore a plain black tee shirt that hugged his toned frame nicely. Sighing, I released a long breath as I almost stopped in my tracks at the sight of Cole. He was gorgeous in that bad-boy-you-play-with-but-don’t-take-seriously-kind-of-way. It was clear by the way he was completely oblivious to every woman standing in his presence gawking at him and licking their lips, that he had no idea how desirable he really was. He stood with a confidence that made me jealous and as I tried not to stare at him, I could feel my cheeks grow red hot. Guys like Cole meant trouble, and the last thing I needed in my life was more problems.
***
The bar as usual was packed. Isaac and Cole had thankfully arrived early and found us a table in a far corner near the bar, away from the drunk frat boys, but close enough to still see the stage. They had made sure to keep our table reserved as they kindly waited out front of the bar for us to arrive. Once inside the bar, I noted the crowd of college students that were dancing and singing along as the band played a cover of Jason Aldean’s, My Kinda Party. I watched as Isaac pulled out the chair for Lauren before she sat, earning high points with me. Cole, seeing this, gave me a strange glance as he stood in-between our chairs.
“It’s ok.” I said, offering a small smile. “You don’t have to do that for me. We are not on a date; you can relax.”
Laughing, Cole threw his head back and his short, curly black hair bounced. I watched the motion in a daze before focusing my attention on the menu the waitress threw on the table.
“Glad to know.” Cole smirked, as he began looking through a menu. Isaac and Lauren were immersed in a conversation as they sat closely, their chairs as far away from Cole and me as they could get. It was nice seeing Lauren smile like that. I could tell Isaac was winning her over with his charm, and from what I could tell so far, his charm was genuine.
“Let’s order.” Cole announced as he motioned for the waitress. She wobbled over and stood, impatiently waiting for our orders. She was in her late twenties and had obviously lived a wild life because her face appeared much older than what she probably was. Her blonde hair was showing dark brown roots on the top and her thick, powdery, foundation couldn’t cover up the obvious lines from smoking.
“What can I get y’all?” she asked, trying to sound pleasant through her scratchy voice.
“Just a Coke for me.” Cole said, keeping his gaze down.
“I’ll take a beer,” Isaac said as he looked at Lauren and me for our orders. “Girls, order whatever you want, drinks are on me.”
“I want a Margarita,” Lauren announced loudly. “And she will take one too,” Lauren said as she glared at me.
Truth was, I had never been a big drinker. I didn’t like the feeling of being out of control. But, Lauren always said I relaxed when I had a drink, and I could tell she wanted me to relax. One drink couldn’t hurt, right?
After she took our orders, the waitress left and quickly came back with the drinks. I had to say, I was surprised to see that Cole had only ordered a cola. He seemed more like the type of guy to want a beer or some other type of hard liquor.
“Not drinking tonight?” Lauren asked Cole as she leaned over the table.
“Nah.” Cole vaguely responded.
“Cole doesn’t drink anymore.” Isaac said, and then quickly changed the subject. “So, what are you all majoring in?” he asked, but obviously was only interested in Lauren’s response because he turned to look at her only.
Noticing this, I huffed before deciding I might as well talk with Cole. I mean, I was out on a Saturday night, and it was obvious he was the only person I had to talk to.
“Do you not drink at all, or just not tonight?” I asked, turning in my seat so that I was facing Cole.
Pausing, Cole took a handful of pe
anuts that were on the table and began to lead them to his deliciously tempting mouth. On impulse, I almost smacked his hand away as I watched the salty treat get dangerously close to the same lips that were beckoning me. Those community bowls of peanuts were full of germs. I watched him throw back a full handful of peanuts before I gagged.
“What?” he asked, noticing my sickened expression.
“Those community bowls are full of bacteria and germs.” I stated.
Laughing, Cole just smiled as he dropped the peanuts back into the bowel and wiped his hands on his shorts. “Okay. I won’t eat anymore since you are so worried about me,” he joked, offering me a slight push.
“Great.” I said sarcastically. “Hey, you didn’t answer my question. Do you not like to drink?” I asked again, and I wasn’t sure why I was hounding him on the topic.
“No. I used to drink. Just don’t anymore.” He said his voice almost shaking. His eyes began to wonder around the bar and I could tell by the way he avoided eye contact with me that the conversation was now over.
“Oh, okay.” I replied. I could tell by the way he continued to shift his gaze to the stage that he didn’t want to talk anymore about the topic of drinking. I could respect that.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.” I said, hoping I hadn’t offended him. If anything, I knew how much it sucked to have someone ask you questions about a subject you didn’t want to discuss.
“No, it’s fine.” He said. “Just a sore subject. Maybe one day I will tell you about it, if you are lucky.” He joked, smiling to let me know he wasn’t upset.