Friday afternoon I watched Steve's face as he began reading my article for Sunday's paper. I had stayed up all night writing that damn thing and for what? To please myself and maybe make a few people open their eyes. Oh, and maybe, just possibly, I could open up Tony Stark's eyes, if he even took the time to read the paper. I was nervous to have Steve read it, but he always gave the best criticism. If he likes it, which is highly unlikely because despite Steve and I's friendship he hardly ever approved of the things I wrote about, but in some fucked up universe if he liked it, I swear I'd even do a little jig.
He started reading.
Curiosity, then laughter. Then a look of disappointment and he glanced up at me with worrisome eyes. He'd obviously gotten to the bedpost thing. He read on more until he finished and set the paper down slowly. There was a smirk on his lips.
"Well?"
He began to say something, then stopped himself. He started again, "Are you looking for a lawsuit, Riley?"
I scoffed, "No, no one can sue me. I've done nothing wrong. No libel here, my good friend." I told him and his forehead grew wrinkles as his eyebrows raised and he smiled.
"Well, other than that I love it. It's raw, and different. A lot of people are going to love you for it. But a lot of people are going to hate you for it, you know that right?" Steve told me, crossing his arms and looking at me with a brotherly expression. I sighed at his comment.
"It's going to be a good article nonetheless, Stevie. But you like it?" His nodded made me smile and I did a small jig. Hey, I said I would. "And off to the Editor I go!"
Pepper walked into Tony's office carrying a cup of steaming coffee, a file-folder, and the newspaper with a small smirk on her lips.
"Here you go Mr. Stark." She set the coffee on his desk.
Tony grabbed the handle and took a small sip, slightly burning his tongue. "Why do you have a mischievous smirk on your face, Miss Potts?"
She unfolded the paper and handed it to him, "I told you to be nice to her." Tony gave her a questioning look and took the paper and began reading the article she pointed out to him.
Tony's expression turned to a scowl after he read the first two sentences. 'At first meeting, Tony Stark was-- well to be completely honest, the equivalent of going to a concert for a Willy Nelson Tribute Band. I was not blown away by his high school, childish cocky attitude and his god awful goatee that looked like it belonged to a 90s porn star.'
As he read on he simply couldn't believe the words that were published in this article about him. They enraged him, they annoyed him, infuriated him, provoked such wrath he thought his top would blow. But the words made him realize, even though he'd never admit it to himself, they made him realize what an asshole he was; he hardly even remembered the interview, he must've been too enthralled with work to pay attention to what he was exactly saying. But apparently he was an prick to this writer.
"Who wrote this?"
"Riley McDermott, she's the leading columnist for the LA Times, I told you Mr. Stark, before she arrived for the interview three days ago." Tony nodded and stood. He was going to go down to go down to the LA Times building and confront Miss McDermott and get this situation fixed.
I was so tired, and I don't know why I was here, I usually had Sunday's off to myself, but the new editor wants columnists to start coming seven days a week. I call complete bullshit, but I only had to be here, that doesn't mean I have to do anything. Which is precisely why I was "resting" underneath my desk with a soft pillow.
About every thirty minutes Steve would check up on me.
"You still alive, McDermott?"
I'd always answer with a grunted response in affirmation. After about an hour I'd completely clonked out. Stanton could probably walk by and see me, go off on a ramble about how I was the most irresponsible journalist in LA, but I wasn't worried much.
In the midst of a dreamless slumber I was violently pulled from the sleep by an unknown object hitting my face. I shot up quickly out of tired shock and banged my head on the desk.
"Ow...what?!" I howled, not crawling out just yet.
"You have a visitor, Riley." Who would visit me, unexpectedly? I always knew if I had an appointment or an interview.
I slowly crawled out, and used the side of my desk to pull me up. I looked at Steve then the two people standing next to him. And so be it, it happened to be none other than Mr. Tony Stark, and Miss Pepper Potts.
"Oh," I paused, "It's you." I sat down in my chair and leaded back.
"Yes, it's me," Tony started, and I knew if he started he'd never stop, "And I have a problem."
"Oh? How can I help?" He unfolded a news paper and tossed it on my desk.
"What is this?" He asked, and I wasn't quite sure if he meant it rhetorically or not. I glanced at the paper, it was a section of the Times. And Tony pointed to an article, the article I wrote about him.
"Yes, I do believe that is the article I wrote. What about it?"
Tony scoffed, and I noticed Pepper seemed a little bit red in the face, perhaps she was embarrassed of her own boss. "What about it? WHAT about it?! I'll tell you what it is about it. This article is extremely derogatory, and I will not stand for that." He spoke with such a fire that heightened the attention of surrounding workers.
"Okay? What do you want to do? Sue me?"
"If the legal action must be included in this, then it will."
"And what exactly are you going to sue me for, Mr. Stark?"
"Libel."
"And what have I lied about, Mr. Stark? Have I lied about your humongous ego that inflates every time you invention something new that is potentially harmful to anyone? Or about your over obsession with women and using them? Or how about your-"
"Riley! Take your problems outside!" Stanton yelled from his office. I hadn't noticed I was yelling. But I held a sharp gaze as I grabbed a pack of Camels from my desk drawer and walked past Stark to the great outdoors. I lit up a fag quickly and inhaled. Oh, dear nicotine, how I adore you. But my adoration was halted as Tony spoke up once more.
"Alright, Miss McDermott, for your information," he said, "I am not like that at all, not anymore. You caught me on a bad day, is all."
"Okay, understandable, but I don't believe it...Prove me wrong, Starky boy."
