This could be a oneshot. OR People can leave ideas, wishes, wants, etc. and I continue with the inspiration from each of you. BUT, it depends on response. It is literally up to you now. Enjoy. :)
I could have killed him. The day Lyndsay –yes, spelled with two y's– showed up at my desk, I wanted to walk into the office of Edward Dillinger Jr. and strangle him.
With my bare hands.
"Hi." The moment she spoke, I swear, I had her figured out. Probably a decent student, graduated in the middle of the class, business degree, sorority girl, definitely not single, and definitely not a natural blonde. "Are you the intern?"
The intern. Yup, that's how she said it. Like I was the only one in the whole building. Turning on the best smile I could, I set down my pen and stood. Extending a hand, I gave her a quick shake.
"Yes, I'm Kara." It took a lot to keep my sarcasm in check, but I managed, closing my lips in a tight smile. Otherwise, the words bubbling in my throat would have spilled out. "Can I help you?" She blinked for a moment, then dropped her jaw in a look of bewilderment.
"I'm Mr. Dillinger's new assistant." Again, that's how she said it. I remember taking a deep breath and praying for strength. I was his assistant. Had been for over three months. My internship was a temporary thing, and I'd known that from the beginning.
But I still had four more weeks.
"Oh." That was the most intelligent thing I could come up with. I'd been blindsided by this busty blonde, ridding me of any and all witty responses. Plastering a large smile on my face, I gestured to a chair. "Give me one moment." She nodded and sat gracefully, smiling politely in return. I took a second to pull together a smidgen of composure, then I turned on my heel and strode down the hall to Ed's office.
He was always in there; lord knows the man probably lived there.
I had picked up after him like his mother for months now, so I felt no shame when I walked in unannounced.
Not that he would have noticed. His face was always behind a computer monitor.
"There's a blonde woman at my desk who says she's your new assistant." I stood inches from the front of his desk, close enough that he couldn't escape my stare. Ed sat back in his office chair and blinked, his brain probably rewinding so he could try to figure out what day it was.
Or month for that matter.
"Kara." He said my name slowly, buying his time while he contemplated what I'd said. "Who's at your desk?" Raising an eyebrow, I folded my arms loosely across my chest.
"Your assistant." Ed frowned and blinked at me from behind his glasses.
"My assistant." He repeated eventually, running his point finger over his top lip. His forehead creased in genuine confusion for several seconds and I was secretly praying that Mr. Flynn was playing a practical joke. That Ed really hadn't hired someone this premature. But my hopes were dashed when his eyes suddenly clamped shut and his finger stopped tracing.
"Oh crap."
"Would you like me to send her in?" I gave up on hiding my emotions, enveloping my voice in a sugary sweet song. "I'm sure she'd love to meet her new boss."
"Kara—" He was a second too late, I was already bending over, plucking papers from the floor. His desk was often covered in them and apparently some had overflowed.
"She's absolutely darling, Mr. Dillinger." I was bobbing up and down, grabbing the documents loudly as he stood up from his chair. "You two will get along splendidly."
"Kara, stop." Too late. Tapping the ends of the papers, I lined them up neatly into a pile, setting it –dropping it rather– onto the middle of his desk.
"I'll let her know you're ready." I finished, giving him a curt nod before I started to the door.
"Kara!" He called after me but I couldn't bear to look at him. Not only had my hopes of skipping into a full time position been dashed, but something inside of me was crumbling. Another hope entirely was dying. As I rounded the corner out of his office, I wasn't paying attention to anything but the steadiness of my stride. And I nearly slammed into Alan Bradley as he stepped into the hall.
"Well hello, Kara." I blushed, hoping I hadn't looked too furious when I'd nearly bowled him over.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Bradley." I murmured, swiping my short, auburn hair behind my ears. He raised an eyebrow and I quickly recovered, giving him a smile. "Hi."
"Kara—" Ed turned the corner, skidding to a stop. "Alan." He gave a tight smile and a nod, as he glanced at my red cheeks. It took Alan only a second to catch wind of an issue, and he was crossing his arms. In the few months that'd I'd worked beside Alan Bradley, I'd come to respect him as an elder. Not only that, but revere him as a programmer.
"Ed, what did you do?"
Oh, and did I mention I adored the man?
"Well…" Forever the tamer of words, Ed attempted to begin an explanation. But I gave him no time. Setting my expression in as neutral a look as possible, I walked down the hall to my desk. Thankfully, Alan didn't hesitate to pick up right beside me.
"What did he do now? Forget to pay you?" I relinquished a small grin. Even in the worst of situations, Alan knew how to make you smile. He said it was a talent he'd learned from Kevin Flynn. I think it was how he'd survived Kevin's disappearance.
"Oh no. Not that." I muttered gently. By then, Ed had caught up, gesturing with his long arms.
"It was a worst case, back up plan. I interviewed her months ago incase your performance was less than—" Alan rubbed his forehead as I cast Ed a death glare.
"Tell me it's not the blonde." Alan murmured, glancing at me with a kind, exasperated expression. I bit down on my jaw and Ed made a desperate sound.
"Kara, I forgot all about her!"
As we stepped into the 30th floor lobby, Ed's voice echoed in the empty space. Poor Lyndsay. Her face fell as I glanced at her, sitting quaintly in the waiting area where I'd left her.
"Mr. Dillinger, this is Lyndsay…" I waited for her to fill in her last name, but Ed cut me off, grabbing my arm to wrench me back down the hall.
"Give us one second, Lyndsay. I'm sorry." He called back, embarrassed for shouting at such an unfortunate moment. Alan didn't follow. As always, he reacted with grace, striding forward and extending a hand to the bewildered girl.
"Stop dragging me." I muttered, batting at his hand as he forced me back the way we came. Ed let go and I whirled around, staring at his Adam's apple instead of his face.
"I forgot all about this, okay?" He murmured, careful to keep his voice at a low whisper. "She was in here months ago and I was settling for the first person who could handle PowerPoint."
"Oh well, then you've chosen a winner." I muttered back, looking away to the floor. My emotions were clouding my ability to converse like an adult.
"Oh come on, Kara." A fierce wave of feeling urged me back to the lobby, back to the comfort of my own space.
"I have work to finish up, Mr. Dillinger."
"Kara, stop it." He hissed, but I shrugged away his grasping hand, striding back into the lobby. Alan was still standing there, talking politely with Lyndsay.
"Mr. Dillinger can see you. His office is just down the hall." I said as gently as possible, standing behind my desk. Lyndsay nodded, gave Alan a brief farewell, and passed my desk into the hall. Alan stood in the middle of the waiting area, hands in his pockets.
"Kara, he's not letting you leave." He stated, walking slowly up to my desk. I sat down softly, maintaining my composure as long as I could.
"I'm an intern. My position was temporary." I rattled off the only rationalization I could think of and it made Alan shake his head.
"He's not going to let you go." My hands were shaking as logged out of my computer. It was only 4:30, but I needed to leave. I needed to be anywhere but in ENCOM bloody Tower. "Kara?" Alan stepped closer and leant down, putting both hands on my desk. "I know Junior. He'd lose his mind without you." I fought the emotion plaguing my body and grabbed my bag, standing from my chair.
"She'll do a good job and he'll be fine." Alan walked with me to the elevators, his shoes clacking on the tile while I shuffled along in ballerina flats.
"Do you think she'll stay 'til midnight for releases, come in at four to compile stats, sit in on three department meetings a day plus eight branch meetings a week, and still find time to make sure Ed eats?" I blushed, realizing how crazy I sounded. But I'd been happy to do it all. It didn't feel like work most days, and when it did, Ed didn't mind that I was a little more sarcastic or grumpy. He took it in stride.
Because he needed me.
"She'll learn to." I replied, stepping into the elevator once it arrived. Alan sighed, pressing the up button. Mr. Flynn's was the only office above us; and Alan was the only person that tried to find Mr. Flynn at his desk.
"I'll see you tomorrow." He stated. It wasn't a farewell, it was a promise, and it gave me a little bit of hope. Maybe he was right. Maybe Ed would throw formality to the wind and fire Lyndsay to hire me.
"Have a good night, Mr. Bradley."
A subway ride and a six-block walk later, I climbed the stairs to my little apartment, staring at the wooden steps in thought. Three months ago, I was praying that Ed Dillinger Jr. wasn't a toad and that my internship would go smoothly. And I had really wanted to work for Mr. Flynn. A ghost of a smile moved over my lips at the thought. Every girl wanted to work for Mr. Flynn. Not only was he a wealthy man, he was a bad boy with a pretty boy's face. It was a recipe for a plethora of fans, and a ridiculous amount of mail, might I mention. But after a single week, I knew I could never thrive in the chaotic environment that was Sam Flynn. His idea of a long day was one in which he couldn't get his daily allotment of life threatening fun.
Ed was much more my speed. Quiet, simple, engrossed in his work, and surprisingly passionate.
Thinking about him made me flinch. I'd made it all the way home without doing so, and yet it was only a matter of time before I was bound to fall apart at the seams.
Let's face it; this wasn't just about a job.
I was inside all of two minutes before I was facedown on my couch, swearing up a storm into the faded grey fabric.
I cursed Lyndsay and her perfect face. I had to scrub my face to avoid acne and in return got dry, red cheeks. She looked like a gnome followed her around with an airbrush. I cursed her wavy blonde hair. I cursed her round butt. I cursed her long legs.
I did a lot of cursing.
Then I cried. It was stupidly childish. I was a temporary employee; I was bound to be replaced.
My phone buzzed in my purse and I paused, listening for the count. One for a voicemail. Two for a calendar alert. Three for a text. Four for Ed.
It buzzed four times and I sat up, wiping my cheeks and staring at the black bag.
"You're a butthead." I muttered at the phone. Even my insults were downright juvenile. But after a few seconds of sulking, I hauled myself from the couch and rummaged through my purse.
Ed would text me at all hours of the day. Once, he had texted me while I was showering, yet I'd somehow managed to show up at ENCOM Tower ten minutes later. He was always apologetic, but always in need. He needed someone to check his code while he took a phone call from Japan. He needed someone to find Mr. Flynn while he held down a room full of board members.
I was his go-to.
So I couldn't let the text go unread.
"Need minutes asap." I rolled my eyes, groaning at the little screen. Not only was scribing meeting minutes really boring, but I'd successfully bawled my eyes out. My face was going to be a puffy, red mess, regardless of how many tea bags I could press to my eyes in a taxi.
"Coming." I texted back. Grumbling into the phone, I called for a taxi and changed into jeans. Late night meetings never had a dress code.
Ed always dressed sharp, I'd put enough of his dry cleaning in his office to suspect he changed there most nights. But Mr. Flynn was known for showing up in whatever he'd been running around in. Most of the time, it was something normal. T-shirt, jogging pants. He had, however, shown up in a tux once. Being his assistant would be my personal hell.
I changed, pulled up my hair, and switched to glasses. Fortunately for me, they semi hid the bloodshot remnants of my tantrum. And, in less than five minutes from getting home, I was jogging down the stairs once again.
Not a lot of people stay after hours at ENCOM. In fact, you needed a special card clearance to get into the front door. So, at only 5:20, the place looked deserted. Programmers were sticklers for time. Most of them. If they were getting paid to work from eight to five, they were out the door at 5:05.
The top floors, however, were always lit. Alan, Ed and even Mr. Flynn were night owls. Alan worked during the day, but his real code was written at night, when it was quiet. When no one was knocking on his door and asking for his signature, or asking a question. At night, he went undisturbed.
Mr. Flynn, he likes to run on a different clock. No one schedules him before noon and he often takes business calls well past ten in the evening. And, because he's Kevin Flynn's prodigy son, no one cares.
Then there's Ed. He's just obsessed. Manic some would say. He'd code in his sleep if he could. I've actually found him that way, muttering in his sleep on top of his keyboard. To anyone else, he would sound like a crazed workaholic. But I know his motivation.
He's fueled by his father.
His father ruined his name, quite literally. And Ed isn't going to stop until he surpasses his father's infamy with his own genius. So I never harped on him to go home, like Alan or Mr. Flynn. I just throw away the Chinese takeout cartons and carry on with life.
I swiped my way into the building, giving Larry, the night guard, a friendly wave. Judging by his face, I look out of sorts. Truth: I probably look like I've taken a ride in the sewers. In the elevator, I took the time to think up a hundred excuses for my appearance. My best one was allergies. I had it rehearsed, my quiet entrance and exit from the conference room. No one would notice me. Except for Mr. Flynn. I smiled a little again. Despite his craziness, Sam Flynn was a nice guy. Always.
I hurried down the hall to the large meeting room, praying the meeting hadn't already started. Walking in while someone was in the middle of speaking tends to make one feel like Godzilla, leveling buildings in a single step. I gently turned the knob on the door and opened my mouth to excuse myself.
The room was dark and there wasn't a person in sight. Blinking in the doorway, my mouth opened and closed a few times, like a fish pleading for a breath. My forehead knit into a frown and I slowly closed the door, staring down the hallway. I hadn't imagined the text…had I?
There wasn't any noise to signal a change of location, and no other lights were on. So back in the elevator I went, poking the 30 button with a hint of malice. I had only just escaped this place, yet here I was again, coming when called.
I'm a pet. I audibly groaned, covering my face in self-loathing. Even my own subconscious was ridiculing me.
My desk was a welcome sight, exactly the same as I'd left it under an hour ago. Lyndsay hadn't taken over just yet. I flinched yet again, hating myself for even thinking about her. I just wanted to go home and curl into a ball.
Ed's office was lit. Of course it was. I had known it would be before I'd even stepped off the elevator. As I tread gently to the door, I practiced my poker face. Become a robot. Feel nothing. I didn't pause at the door; I fluidly opened it and stepped inside without missing a beat. That's what he'd expect.
"There was no one downstairs yet." I said, speaking as nonchalantly as possible. Ed snapped forward from a reclined position in his chair, arms flailing to balance himself at the sudden movement.
"That was fast." He stated, staring at me for a moment before he slowly rose.
"Your text said asap. So I got here asap." I laid it out frankly, suddenly unafraid of letting my bluntness loose on him. Ed nodded.
"Yes. Yes you did." I narrowed my eyes, recognizing a glimmer of guilt. He rubbed his hands on the sides of his slacks, standing awkwardly behind his computer.
"There isn't a meeting." My guess was correct because he immediately started walking around the large, steel desk.
"What was I supposed to do, Kara? You took off before I could even apologize." I closed my eyes and gave my head a small shake.
"You don't need to apologize. I was just shocked." He made his frustrated sound, a mix between a growl and a whine, and approached, hands out.
"You're furious, Kara. Stop trying to hide it." I hated when he said my name. It made me soften inside, hurt a little deeper.
"Fine. You apologized. I forgive you." I spoke like I was reading a grocery list, quick and emotionless, praying I could flee soon. Before he could see what I really felt. Ed shook his head.
"I haven't apologized." He was getting closer, narrowing my escape route. It made it harder to look up at his face.
"Right. My mistake." Sarcasm was simmering inside of me, ready to boil over and drip off my tongue. Ed stood directly in front of me, head tilted down to stare unchecked into my face. As I dared to stare back, I realized he'd never done this before. He didn't do this to anyone.
Well, maybe Mr. Flynn. When they got into arguments –real arguments– they would get into each other's faces, ranting and puffing out their chests like gorillas. But this, this gazing that he was doing now, this was not Edward Dillinger Jr. behavior.
"Lyndsay will make a good assistant." He murmured. Suddenly, all of my optimistic thoughts were crushed. So, I let him have it.
"If you can keep her off of Mr. Flynn's desk." I hissed under my breath, all the immature rage bubbling up under my skin. Ed's eyebrows raised and I looked away, instantly ashamed of myself.
"You sound jealous." I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth.
"That was unprofessional of me." He chuckled, which shocked me into looking directly at him again. He was smiling, all the way up to his eyes.
"Hmmm, but it was the truth." Shaking my head, my cheeks warmed in a blush.
"No it wasn't. That was just my…" I stopped.
"Anger talking?" I closed my eyes again, my fingers itching to claw at my own face. Stupid stupid stupid.
"Yes fine. I'm a little angry." Ed didn't say anything, so I snuck a glance. He'd vanished back behind his desk without making a sound.
"I didn't hire her." His words were short and succinct, like he'd said something simple. I guess it was simple. But to me, it meant the world. So I was shocked when I felt guilt seep into my chest.
"She should have the job if you promised it to her." Ed shrugged.
"She got a better offer." I blinked, unable to comprehend what he'd just told me. How on earth did that happen in the span of an hour?
"But—"
"I didn't hire her, Alan did." Ed sat behind his computer, fingers flying away on the keyboard. I stared at him for a solid ten minutes before he stopped his game and tossed me a grin. "Payday is Friday." I stared, unable to comprehend what had just transpired in a matter of seconds. I was angry and happy, all at the same moment. When I finally found my bearings, I crossed my arms.
"Was that an apology?" Ed pushed his glasses up his nose, feigning contemplation.
"I don't know. Was it?" I couldn't suppress a smile any longer. It spread from my lips to my eyes, no doubt revealing my answer. With a small tilt of my head, I walked backwards to the office door.
"Goodnight, Mr. Dillinger."
"Goodnight, Kara." Before I ducked from the doorway, I paused, watching him as he began typing again.
God help me, I could have kissed him.
Because, let's face it, I'm hopelessly in love with Edward Dillinger Jr.
Yeah, I don't know what prompted this. It has a little bit of a personal flair, being in first person and all….and I AM an intern at the moment, but I am not in love with my boss. Nor am I up at all hours at someone's beck and call. But I did watch a very awesome position go to someone today, and I sat there loathing myself for not having a degree and getting the job first.
But then I got a name plaque and the day was saved. :D
Plus, I kinda have the hots for Ed right now. I mean, Clu will always own my heart, but Ed is sitting pretty at second place.
Him and his sharp dressed self. ;)
Love to my readers. and many hugs.