CHAPTER THREE
( FOUR MISSED MESSAGES )
THE FAMILIAR HUM of the answering machine buzzes to a stop after the phone stops ringing. January can hardly make out who's talking, the voice seems distant and fuzzy, unfamiliar but welcoming. She groans as she starts to stir, finally trying to wake up after a long night. Her head is still throbbing from the alcohol she had consumed yesterday. She had never gotten hang overs. She grimaces at this sign, the sign of her getting older.
The bright light seeping from the living room window was starting irritate her, along with the insistent sound of scratching coming from the other room. She easily identified the sound as Jiji in her litter box, it was something she had grown accustom to hearing but still hated the scratching sound of litter beneath the cats soft paws. Hesitantly, she looks at the clock on the wall for the time. "Two!" she shouts in surprise, quickly leaping up from the couch. She instantly regrets it as dizziness overcomes her, she grips her head as she tries her best to stop from collapsing.
"Ah god," she hisses in pain. Aside from her head throbbing, her neck and shoulders were hurting from the uncomfortable position of the couch. She clumsily stumbles over to the answering machine. She curses to herself as she sees the red numbers flash wildly across its tiny screen. Four missed messages just from last night and this morning alone. Had there been some emergency? She gnaws on her bottom lip as she presses the play button. All the while, Jiji stood at the bottom of her feet rubbing up against her, meowing. It was way past breakfast time for her. "Sorry, Jiji," she mumbles as she heads towards the food bowl. The faster she got the cat to stop meowing the faster her guilt could let up.
"First message received: September fifth, two-thousand-two, at nine-sixteen a.m." the cold voice of the answering machine listed off. "Hey, it's me," Babs's voice sounded groggy but nevertheless more awake than she was over the speaker of the phone. "I was just calling to see if you still wanted to get brunch before my gig. I know you're probably hungover so maybe some good diner food will solve the problem. Or any kind of food. It's up to you. Call me back. Love you,"
The answering machine whines before it stops, making January wince. She had totally forgotten about brunch. She kicks herself. Horrible diner food sounded pleasant and what her body needed right now. "Message two received: September fifth, two-thousand-two, at ten-fifty-three a.m." the machine once again listed off. "Hey, I haven't heard from ya. I think you're still sleeping which is fine. We can do brunch at another time. My gig is at twelve thirty so I have to go. It's the stupid "before and after picture" thing. I'm "before". I'll call you later tonight. Love you,"
The answering machine hisses to a stop. January's bottom lip protrudes out in guilt. She always knew Babs got worked up before her shoots. She was probably a ball full of stress right about now. January remembers her telling her about this gig, thankfully she told her where it was shooting at. She could probably stop by with an apology muffin. She trudges her way into the bathroom to sprucen herself up for the day.
Nothing could slam her spirit more than walking into a room full of models and looking out of place. The dark circles under her eyes conveyed that she hadn't slept a wink but she could distinctly remember feeling tired. She shrugs it off. It must've been a side effect of the alcohol she drank, along with the pounding headache. A while ago in Chicago, a coworker had taught her the recipe for a hangover cure, of course it was miraculously slipping her mind today.
"Something with Sprite...I think?" January whispers to herself under he breath as she places her tooth brush in her mouth. Even she had to admit her breath was killer this morning, probably from snoring away on the couch. After involuntarily gagging herself and making her stomach flip inside of her, she made her way back out to the living room, rolling her eyes as the answering machine played the third message (a spam message telling her she had just won a trip). "Message deleted," the robotic voice sung out after she had clicked a button on the device.
"Message four received: September fifth, two-thousand-two, at one-thirty-four p.m." January braced herself for yet another spam call or worse a call from her parents. The last thing she needed to hear today was their voices over the full end of the receiver asking how L.A. was treating her and wishing for her to return home or at least back to the Midwest. She sits down on the couch, head against her palm, grumbling to herself about how much she didn't want to hear, "I told you so" from her mother and father. "Good morning, this message is for January Jenner. This is Pepper Potts from Stark Industries,"
January choked on her own spit out of pure shock when she heard the name. There was no way that she was actually calling her. She sucked in a deep breath. Maybe she was calling to tell her she wasn't qualified to handle the job, especially since it was such a renowned and large company. She tries her best not to get her hopes up but she can't help herself when she stands up to pace by the machine. "We would like to schedule a second interview and possibly offer you a position as a personal publicist. If you could give me a call back when your available that would be great. Have a nice day,"
Even over the phone Pepper's voice sounded sweet. Excitement bubbled up inside her, to the point she was visibly giddy from the phone call. A laugh of relief escapes her lips. Finally, this could actually be the big break she was looking for. Her hands instinctively run through her red locks, trying to soothe herself from the excitement. Not only would this be her first job in her field but it would be for a big client, Stark Industries was well known throughout the world as being one of the biggest profitting companies in engineering.
It was almost as big as Disney but without the theme parks or the kids movies. It was also well renowned for the prodigy of Tony Stark, who was considered to be one of the worlds brightest minds when it came to engineering and manufacturing and business but also as a Playboy with a new girl on his arm with each public outing. She couldn't wait to rub it in her parents face if she actually got the job. Her interests perk up as she remembers that Pepper wanted to do a second interview.
Absentmindedly, she heads over to grab the phone, her hand stopping a few inches away from it. She cringes at the thought of another interview. Second interviews usually meant meeting with more important people. As she thought of it even more the only people that could possibly be higher than Pepper were Tony Stark or Obadiah Stane. She hadn't pictured either of them being the kindest people. Even thinking about being close to them made her knees want to buckle beneath her. However, she held her head up high. She didn't come all the way out here to get intimidated by two of the worlds richest people. She huffs out a heavy sigh before picking up the phone.
~BOOK ONE: IRON MAN~
SHE KNEW SHE was out of place from the moment she stepped on to the lot of where the photo shoot was taking place. She tries her best not to look amazed at all the beautiful and handsome models as they pass her. A relationship was the last thing on her mind at the moment. Her grip tightens on the strap of her purse that she had slung over her shoulder, as she scanned the crowded room for her friend.
A faint blush appears on her cheeks as she absentmindedly runs her eyes down the body of a shapely male model. He sends her a wink making her blush even more feverishly while a nervous smile crosses her lips. She had always been attracted to Babs's co-workers but this was new. "Jan?" a questioning voice calls out to her, regretfully grabbing her attention away from the man. Her eyes meet with her friends who is perched on a folding chair, her legs crossed and a confused expression lying beneath her dark eyes.
January attempts to force a smile out as she strides over to her friend. She tries her best not to remark about what she was currently wearing (which were just her skivvies). "Hey, aren't you cold?" she's unable to refrain from poking fun at Babs, a smug smirk placing itself on her lips. "A bit nipple-y in here for me -"
"Why are you here?" Babs cuts her off, her voice deep with frustration. She knew her occupation wasn't ideal but it was more successful than being unemployed like January. Sheepishly, January pulls out a pair of sparkling earrings from the bottom of her purse and passes it off to Babs. The earrings belonged to her but Babs had always longed for them, asking to borrow them whenever she had a special occasion. A sign that would let bygones be bygones.
Babs's jaw drops to the floor as she holds them in her hand, giving it a little shake to see if they were actually real. With a large smile on her face she looks back up at January. "I'm here to say sorry about missing our brunch date and coming and getting wasted at the bar yesterday. Those are for you since I was a hassle," January explains before she can even open her mouth to question the action. "They're beautiful but you don't need to give me these," she explains, still looking at the earrings in the palm of her hand. "I wasn't really expecting you to remember brunch. I figured you'd be sleeping," she shrugs off.
"I know, I just feel bad," January admits, her feet shuffling on the ground. Babs rolls her eye jokingly. That was January, act first, think last and apologize with gifts. It's how she learned that most of January's friends before her had used her for. All they had to do was guilt trip her and she'd bend over backwards for them. But maybe she could use the earrings once before she slipped them back.
"How are you feeling today?" she hums out while leaning back in her chair. January scoffs at the question. "Like my age is finally starting to catch up with me. I didn't wake up until two," she states as she plops herself down in the chair next to her, slouching down into a relaxed position. "Uh-huh," Babs responds in a matter-of-fact tone. She knew she'd be hung over the next day. "And I got your voicemails and I felt bad," January continues.
"Oh!" she exclaims before smacking Babs's thigh. The sensation of it stung since she was practically bare. Babs rubbed the spot that was turning red. Clearly January was excited about something. "I also got a voicemail from Pepper Potts from Stark Industries, she wants to do a second interview. It's no big deal or anything," January finishes in a nonchalant tone acting as if it were old news.
"Are you serious? Congratulations babe!" Babs gleefully exclaims, giving January's arm a squeeze. "Thank you," January says. "It's just a second interview so nothing is set in stone until afterwards," she informs her. The last thing she wanted to do was hype herself up for getting a big job to not actually land it. "But this is the farthest you've come in your pursuit of job hunting. What do you say we celebrate?" Babs encourages with a sly smile. January slumps lower in the chair, groaning at the thought of going out. "Can't it be after the interview when I know I have the job? Otherwise we'll be celebrating for no reason -"
"Nonsense. This is a big deal. We need to properly celebrate," Babs chides, knowing she'd be able to con her into going out. "Besides, we're hitting up a club after the shoot today," she continues before stopping abruptly to wave to the man that January was eyeballing earlier. He returned the kind gesture, stealing yet another glance at January. Immediately she sits up in her seat, well aware of his lingering presence. She offers him a kind smile before he's taken back by an assistant to stand in the middle of the shoot floor. All she could think of is what she would give to actually be held by him. "I'll take you out and I'll buy you drinks," Babs states, interrupting her daydream.
January gives the man yet another glance before looking back at Babs who's face told her she knew it all. She knew the game she was playing and she was like putty in her delicate, small hands. "Well if you're paying. I'm not saying no to a free drink," January caves. Babs whoops with excitement, stretching her arms out above her head. "But I can't stay out too late. I already called her back. I have the interview tomorrow at one-thirty-four," January adds, her voice was unsteady almost a whine. She was serious but she knew Babs wouldn't take it that way.
"I promise you won't get shit faced," Babs swears. January furrows her brows at the statement. She usually didn't go down without a fight easily. She didn't know what she was getting at but she didn't want to find out. "Cross your heart?" she questions, her voice low and uneasy. Something fishy was about to happen. She knew it. "And hope to die," Babs finishes as she drags her index finger against the flesh of there chest.
Even though her words seemed to be true, January still felt like there was a "but" to all of this. Meaning she'd pay for her drinks but she had to drink as many as she bought her. However, Babs was her friend who genuinely wanted to see her excel in life. Maybe after her mental breakdown at the bar yesterday made her ease up on her. Her defenses were finally let down after a moment of silent glaring. She holds on to the strap of her purse as she stands up from the folding chair. A sly smile perches on Babs's lips as she looks up at her causing January's eyes to roll. "I'm counting on you,"