Hello and welcome! I started writing this over three years ago but never posted it. I knew it was a jump into the future in the little world I had created on here and I had different stories to tell first. It's not going to be a very long one but, of all my stories, it's probably the only that will make the most sense to be read alone. There will be some references to the world and the original characters I have created but not a ton as a majority of this story does not take place in La Push.
If you do want to read the other stories in my Perfection world, below is the order I would recommend reading them in. Book 2 has one more chapter and Book 3 has two more chapters…I'm getting there. Anyways, please enjoy and — if you have a moment to review — it would mean the world to me. Also, this story is rated M for a reason, kids!
Book 1: Mirrors - Embry/OC (Ariana). [COMPLETE]
Book .5: Break You Hard - Kim/Jared. [COMPLETE]
Book 2: 2 is Better - Seth/OC (Nikita) [Almost Complete]
Book 3: Not in Love - Collin/OC (Danielle) [Almost Complete]
Book 4: Activate My Heart - Paul/Rachel [You guys are gonna love it]
I absolutely hated my job and it was not fair. I had gone to college, I had escaped the Rez life, I graduated Suma Cum Lade for Taha Aki's sake. And I was stuck making copies and coffee at a dingy, little law firm for minimum wage and taking law school classes at night. This combination left me with very little money, a roommate who thought she could see the future, ramen noodles for almost every meal, no wifi, and a miserable experience all around.
"Rachel, I can tell you put sugar in here instead of Splenda." One of the paralegals, Lara Jean, says, smiling sweetly at me. "Can you remake it?"
"Of course." I smile, taking the coffee that I know I had put Splenda in and heading back towards the kitchen area. I was supposed to be doing something worthwhile and making a difference. Not making coffee for stuck up lawyers who lost more cases than they won. I honestly questioned how some of the individuals in this office had passed the bar exam because sometimes I felt that I, a first year law student, knew more then them. I put a new k-cup in the Keurig and let the coffee brew into a fresh cup.
Not for the first time, I wondered where I had went wrong. I was twenty-two years old and I felt like I had nothing to show for it except a rolled up piece of paper from the University of Washington and a majorly old Buick I had saved up for by waiting tables. And, not for the first time, I wanted to cry. Whenever my dad or sister called, I always put on a show of how great it was living in Seattle and how wonderful my job and classes were. And they were always happy for me and told me how proud they were. If they ever saw my days, I knew they wouldn't be happy or proud of me at all…they'd pity me. Heck, I pity me and what I've become.
I carried the new cup of coffee, with Splenda, back to Lara Jean.
"Thanks, hun!" She smiles as if I were her niece who had knitted her a scarf she knew she would never wear. I turn to head back to my desk just as my boss comes out of his office.
"Mr. Geisness!" I call, rushing towards him. It was rare he emerged from his office before lunch and I knew I had to jump at the opportunity when it presented itself. "I have a huge test in torts tonight. Is there anyway I could leave an hour early?"
"Torts? I didn't know you were in law school, Rachel!" He exclaims. I smile my best fake smile, knowing we had this conversation at least once a week. But at least he had remembered my name today.
"Yup, I'm an L1." I explain, like I always did.
"So, you want to be working with us some day!" He laughs as though it was a joke and I'd never be good enough to work in a firm as good as Geisness & Co., which specialized in wrongful death and work related accidents.
"That's the plan." I shrug, knowing there was no way in hell I would ever work at this law firm even if it was my only option.
"Tell you what, I need you to alphabetize all these files and pack them into these boxes so they can go down to storage — you know how we're moving towards a paper-free workplace — and then you can go." He smiles warmly, handing me a cardboard box filled with papers he had carried out of the office.
"Perfect." I answer, deciding it would only take me an hour and I would be out of here even earlier than I thought with even more time to study for my exam.
"The rest of the boxes are in my office, you can get those though, right?" He asks before walking away, without even waiting for my answer. I hold back a groan as I peer into his office to see at least fifteen other boxes similar to this one stacked against the wall.
I hate my job.
I do the same thing over and over again, every day. It was the worst routine. I sigh down at my torts test. It is the following week and we have just gotten them back. My best friend and study buddy, Katy, leans over me.
"Hey! You got a B, that's really good!" She congratulates. I knew that was a good grade and from the looks of a lot of my classmates, one of the better grades. I just knew I could have gotten an A. I ended up having to stay at work later than normal to finish alphabetizing the client records, even though I worked through lunch. I had left the office, hungry, and rushed to class. If I had just had an hour to look over the material I could have gotten a better grade. I knew it.
"Yeah…thanks." I sigh.
"Wanna go out for drinks after this?" She whispers.
"I wish. I have to be at work early tomorrow or I would say yes in a heartbeat." I admit, knowing what is coming.
"What!" She yells a little too loudly, causing a few students to turn and stare at us and our professor to give us a disapproving look. "It's Saturday tomorrow." She whispers, it's your day off. Your boss already made you come in last Sunday which was wrong and now he wants you in again and early. That's not fair, Rachel! You need to quit that job!"
"I don't have a choice, Katy. It looks good on a resume and I need the money to pay rent. You know how weird CeCe is about rent."
"For the last time, you know you can move in with Jeff and me, we have that extra bedroom. And I promise to never try to read your palm." She sighs. I give up trying to take notes and resort to doodles in my notebook.
"I know…I'm not moving in to your place though. This is yours and Jeff's first place and you shouldn't have a permanent third wheel, I third wheel enough as it is." I remind her. Katy asked me to move into her place any time I mentioned my crazy roommate, crappy apartment, or really anything that she could relate back to her nice apartment downtown. It wasn't that I thought I'd have a problem living with Katy or Jeff. They were both great friends and great for each other. They were just at different points in their lives than me. Jeff was a few years older than us and had a steady corporate job. They talked about marriage and kids and buying a house with a white picket fence outside of the city. I on the other hand had been responding to booty calls from the same guy for the past two years and had bought new underwear last week just so I didn't have to wash the ones I already had.
"Well, you know the offer always stands…" She reminds me, like always. "At least finals are coming up and you'll have the summer off. Maybe you can grow some balls and quit your job, meet a cute guy, move out of CeCe's house of horrors, and become a real adult." She bats her lashes at me. I kick her in the shin under the desk. "Ouch!" She yelps. "I was just trying to be optimistic."
"Yeah, well being optimistic makes me sad." I snap.
"Man, do I pity the guy who has to put up with you." She drawls. I send her a scowl. "Kidding, kidding!" She promises. "Now pay attention, this is going to be on the final and I don't feel like having to teach it to you next week."
I had five vacation days every year. If I was a normal person with a normal boss who was a nice person, I would take these days during the summer and go visit my family in La Push or maybe fly to Hawaii and see my sister. Unfortunately, because my boss was an absolute asshole, I was forced to take my vacation days during finals week so that I wouldn't fail out of law school.
I spent the week alternating between studying in my apartment, studying with Katy at the library, studying at the local Starbucks, and dodging my roommate, CeCe. Her name wasn't actually CeCe. It was Prophecy…or so she claimed. Unfortunately, Katy and I couldn't talk about her and call her Prophecy without laughing so we had taken to calling her CeCe. It was also better to say her name was CeCe whenever anyone asked me anything about my living situation. I had learned that when you told people you lived with a fortune teller named Prophecy, they often thought you were the crazy one, not her.
Prophecy was twenty-three years old and claimed she could see the future. She hadn't gone to college as far as I knew and I wasn't even sure if she graduated from high school but she was always making hushed phone calls to "clients" or had odd looking individuals entering our apartment at all hours to come get their fortunes read. I couldn't even complain though. I was the one who had responded to a roommate ad on Craigslist. I got what I deserved.
It is 1:00 am and my eyes burn as I continue to look over my criminal law notes. My phone buzzes.
*Wnt 2 cum ova? ;)*
I roll my eyes at the text from my aforementioned booty call and not-boyfriend, Brad.
*Can't, studying.*
*Will mak it worth ur while ;)*
He responds only seconds later. How did I end up hooking up with someone who couldn't even spell basic words correctly.
*It's finals week. I can't.*
*Fine. I'll call sum1 else.*
There was no doubt in my mind that he would. We had never been exclusive. When we were both seniors in college we had gone out together, usually with mutual friends, to bars and parties but we had only ever been hook up buddies. This relationship continued as he had gotten a job in the city at some sales company while I had stayed in Seattle to do the joyous job I was doing now. The only times I saw him now was late at night (or very early in the morning) and it wasn't even enjoyable anymore. My phone buzzes again. I consider throwing it across the room but then realized it is Katy, not Brad.
*Please tell me you feel like your mind is goo?*
I roll my eyes. Katy was honestly my best friend and one of the only ones I had left in the city. A majority of my close friends during college had moved away, either back home to their families or to new cities with exciting job opportunities. We still talked, but not as much as we should…and nowhere near as much as I talked to Katy.
*No. It's just your brain, mine is perfectly intact and filled with the knowledge of criminal law.*
*ha. ha.*
*Kidding, I'm thinking of calling it a night and just picking up in the morning. Meet at library at 8? Stop at Starbucks first?*
*Great idea! Say hi to Prophecy for me!*
I was officially done with my first year of law school. I had excellent grades (two A's, a B+, and a B) and I was ready for some relaxing time. Relaxing time for me meant I could go home after working a twelve hour day and drink a glass of wine instead of rushing to class for three hours. It really was a relaxing time for me. And that was what I thought as I lounged on the bar stool in Katy and Jeff's apartment while drinking a margarita and eating quesadillas.
"Happy Cinco de Mayo and happy end of finals!" Katy toasts holding up her own glass.
"I can drink to that." I agree, slurping in some of the tequila and simple syrup combination.
"Any big plans for the summer, Rach?" Jeff asks, reaching across the counter for another triangle of quesadilla.
"Oh, you know, just spending my days at Geisness & Co and crying myself to sleep at night!" I say with as much fake enthusiasm as I can muster.
"Oh my gawd, please quit that job, Rachel! I don't care how good it looks on your resume. You could make more and be happier working as a waitress at one of those fancy waterfront restaurants!" Katy whines before slurping up another sip of her margarita.
"I'm not quitting, Katy. I don't care how often you say it." I promise, stirring my drink around the rim and then licking the salt that is left on my finger.
"Just think about it." She says slowly. "You know you always have a place here." I ignore her and reach for another quesadilla.
A few hours, a few margaritas, and a few drunk texts later, I had left Jeff and Katy's apartment with the promise of an Uber waiting outside to bring me home. Instead I end up at Brad's and in his bed.
Sex with Brad had never been great per say. It had always been fine which was okay but didn't leave me wanting more or wanting to come back to his place again. That reason alone left me wondering why I did. He wasn't even particularly nice to me or anything. Don't get me wrong, he was a nice enough guy and he never was rude to me or hurt me in anyway, but he wasn't a guy I could ever imagine dating or being with long term. That was probably a good thing though because I'm not sure if I was the type of girl he could see himself being with.
I think I constantly went back to him because I was lonely. And being the slightly tipsy person I was, I could admit that. It was lonely in Seattle. During college, I had loved every moment of my time in the city with my large group of friends but now I didn't have that. I had Katy…and Jeff by extension but that was it. I wasn't close with anyone else in my law classes and I certainly didn't have any friends at work. My best friend in high school, Laura, had gotten a job at Amazon after college and had made new friends. I rarely saw her anymore. And Prophecy was absolutely psychotic and seemed to only speak to me in code. I only saw my family at Christmas because I couldn't afford the time off and the four hour drive to my home town was too long to make for an afternoon visit.
Brad gave me something to do — literally — that wasn't work or home. He gave me another person to have a real connection with, even if it was purely physical. I come back to reality just as Brad finishes with a low moan and I realize I had completely zoned out during sex.
What kind of person does that!? I think horrified, but it was not like he had noticed. He rolls off of me and peels off the condom, chucking it in the trash next to his bed.
"I'm so glad you texted." He sighs, propping himself up.
"Yeah?" I ask, wondering if this was where he would profess his undying love for me and claim he needed me in his life to be happy.
"Yeah, finals week sucks. You know my neighbor, Tiffany? Her tits are way smaller than yours." He admits and I wholeheartedly believe he thinks he is giving me a compliment. In his mind he is telling me that I am a better fuck than his backup girl, Tiffany-The-B-Cup. On some level I am relieved to know I am his first choice since he is my only choice, but on another level I hate myself for being in a relationship like this.
"You're an ass." I mutter, getting up and gathering my clothes as I go. This is not where I thought I'd be at this point in my life. I thought I would be living in a cool apartment with my best friends or with my serious boyfriend. I thought I'd be working at a great and rewarding job while completing law school and I thought I'd be anywhere else but drunk on Cinco de Mayo and zoning out during sex.
"What?" He asks, sitting up and looking honestly perplexed by the situation. I slip my thong on and put the clasps correctly on my bra. I had worn matching undergarments today since I knew I would probably end up at Brad's. He did not deserve matching underwear and bra combinations! Jeff deserved this! Well…not from me…from Katy. Brad didn't deserve it from me or Tiffany or anyone else he was fucking around with and it was my fault for putting in the effort.
"Nothing." I sigh. "I need to go. I have work tomorrow."
"Whatever." He sighs, slipping on his boxers. "But you should come over tomorrow night…ya know…make up for the last week we've had off." He winks and I remember why I always come back to Brad. He is so damn charming. While we aren't each other's happily ever afters, he is a charming guy who isn't used to being told no. And I could do a lot worse for a fuck buddy.
"Sure." I agree, pulling my dress over my head that is a bit too summery for the weather outside. I gather my shoes, wallet, keys, and phone; opening my Uber app to request a ride. "See ya!" I call leaving his bedroom and heading towards the front door. I send a quick wave to his roommate, Robert, who I had rarely spoken with and slip out into the hallway. Just as I reach the bottom of the stairs and finish pulling on my uncomfortable heels, my phone dings to let me know my ride is here.
The next morning I arrive to work nice and early, knowing I'd have a lot of busy work that the lawyers, paralegals, and assistants would have put off doing this past week while I was busy studying for finals. I send a smile to one of the assistant paralegals, Jan, who is getting her mail and memos from the front receptionist area. She quickly avoids my eyes and hurries away, back to her desk. No one is ever overly friendly here, but they are usually more friendlier than that.
"Rachel!" My boss, Mr. Geisness, calls from his office. I take my time walking in, knowing he probably has more work than I ever want to do waiting for me. "Sit down, sit down." He encourages. My heart pounds. In the past year I have worked here, I haven't sat in front of his desk since my interview.
"Do you have a project for me to work on Mr. Geisness?" I ask cautiously. He ignores my question.
"You have been doing an excellent job here, Rachel." He compliments.
"Um, thanks." My palms are hot and sweaty.
"Unfortunately, the company has to cut back on the paid interns. We've found a nearby school who will have students work for free in exchange for class credit so we are going to have to let you go." He explains. "But if you ever need help with a wrongful death lawsuit or an injury in a future workplace you'll know you always have a family here to help you out."
"O-okay." I stutter, unsure of what to say.
I had just lost my job. Rent was due on Tuesday. I do not have a job. I have no income and I paid for two Uber rides last night. Oh my god, I do not have a job. Mr. Geisness is staring at me and, somehow my brain tells my legs to move and stand up and walk out of the office, all the way back to my car that I had already put two dollars in the parking meter to pay for the space.
I. Do. Not. Have. A. Job.
I drive home on autopilot and don't even realize I'm there until I am simultaneously shutting the front door and tugging my heels off.
"Rachel?" A voice calls from around the corner. I walk through the entryway and into the meditation room. Really it was just a living room where any normal person would have a couch and television combo…maybe a coffee table or lamp, but Prophecy had decorated it with draping tapestries, huge floor pillows, candles, and crystals to help 'cleanse your aura'.
"I lost my job." I speak for the first time, the words sounding funny in my mouth. She sighs and shakes her head.
"I know." Prophecy insists. "I told you a few days ago." She rolls her eyes towards a woman sitting next to her with dreadlocks and more piercings than I have ever seen. She is looking at a stack of cards and not paying either of us any attention.
"What?" I ask.
"I told you that there would be a change in your financial standing as well as a major career change. Prophecy sees all." She reminds me pointedly. I vaguely remember her interrupting my studying for torts last week to tell me just that. I had mostly ignored her ramblings and had decided that maybe I would win the lottery or be promoted at work. I hadn't even considered I would lose my job. She lifts a grouping of what looks like weeds to me and shakes them in my direction. "Can you please leave us alone? We are trying to cleanse ourselves and your aura is absolutely terrible right now."
What. The. Fuck.
I storm out of the meditation room and into my tiny closet of a bedroom. I had lived here for almost a year and yet I had even less items here than in my dorm room. Prophecy already had a bed and set of drawers in the room from her last roommate who had apparently gone on a sabbatical and decided she didn't need the furniture. I had moved my bedding from my dorm in and then had brought the clothing with me that I felt like I had forever. I knew for a fact that some of the pieces had been shared ones from Rebecca and I in high school. I hadn't bothered to decorate my room like I had always done when living on campus because I honestly had never felt like this stupid apartment was home.
I do not have a job. I do not have any income. I have a roommate named Prophecy and was kicked out of a mediation room I pay for half of. My boss called me into work and fired me but promised if I ever died while working at my next job that he would take my case.
What. The. Fuck.
In a daze I slowly pull out my large suitcase that had been in my family since before I was born and fill it with as many clothes as I can. Then I pull out my large duffle bag and do the same with my toiletries, makeup, and shoes. I wasn't fully sure I knew what I was doing but I had packed most of my items and was dragging my things out of the room before I had completely decided where I was going.
"I'm going home for a couple of days." I announce to Prophecy and her friend who are now both drinking cups of tea and burning some herb in a metal tray in front of them. I don't know if I expected Prophecy to jump up and beg me to stay or what but I had expected more than a slight humming sound from her. "Whatever." I mutter, hauling my duffle over my shoulder and propping my suitcase up to wheel it out the door.
"You're going to find love!" Prophecy's friend whose name I can't remember calls behind me, just before I shut the door.
Bull. Shit.
A/N: Are you guys excited to meet Paul next chapter?