A/N: Aaand the third chapter. I'm writing the 4th right now. Edward is coming. No, not like that you dirty mind.
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Chapter 3 - Shallow
Heidi meets me immediately as the elevator doors open. I'm not expecting her and I come to an abrupt stop - a little 'oh' escaping me.
I recover shortly and begin my profuse apologies. 'I'm so sorry, I don't know what happened, my alarm didn't go off.' A lie. Heidi is five levels above me at our company - an assistant manager. But she doesn't ever pull rank. I've always appreciated that - her willingness to work closely with me and help me with any issues.
She has luxurious blonde hair - the shades of it vary by lighting. In the sun there's a hint of red. In our office fluorescence, there's more of a golden hue. The locks are always done up in a professional but somehow sensual french twist. Her eyes are the color of Lake Morraine - a crisp, clear blue. And her lips… always a lovely shade of dusty rose that complements her complexion well. For some reason I can't explain - I'm quite sure she's never wearing lipstick though. I begin to feel a bit like a Nazi, analyzing her like this.
I found it hard to warm up to her at first. It was her beauty - too distracting. I had always been a little shallow in that way. Judging people by their level of conventional attractiveness had been something I'd picked up from my mother. I remembered late nights at home watching old hollywood movies with her: 'oh definitely a 4' or 'now, he's at least an 8' falling from her lips effortlessly.
As I grew older I began to realize that she didn't believe in the philosophy at all. She had started it as a silly joke of sorts - partaking to mock the irony of such a thing. But somehow the joke had become a habit for her. And by then, the notion had already been instilled in me. I kept my revelation to myself so she wouldn't feel badly about her mistake. For I truly knew how difficult it must've been for her - raising me on her own. I never wanted her to feel as though she had done anything but a stellar job.
Heidi was a 9. Her ranking only fell short of perfect due to an unfortunately placed nose - it was a little too off center to allow perfection. I had thus far never met a 10. I sometimes wondered if I was too critical to ever give out that highest rank. It seemed impossible that anyone could ever live up to such perfection.
Yes, Heidi was a 9 in physical appearance. But she was even more unbelievable behind the face. Working harder than any of us. Pulling strings behind the scenes. Always first in, and last the leave. She was pulling me hurriedly into a back hallway now. I cringed a little internally, knowing I deserved a tongue lashing for being so unreasonably late today. I shuddered to think what time it was now. Surely it couldn't be past 11, could it?
"Bella, I tried to stop it but I couldn't convince him. I'm sorry."
My eyebrows knitted together, confused.
"Tried to stop what?"
Heidi's blue eyes became impossibly wide, an even deeper level of concern marking her features.
"Oh Bella, haven't you read any of your messages? I've been calling nonstop."
"I … I didn't get a chance." I lied. "I was rushing to get here."
She nodded in understanding as if this was a believable excuse. I felt bad lying to her. I couldn't tell her I was too much of a coward to check my phone this morning. She wasn't even berating me.
"James wants to see you," she said abruptly.
My throat went dry.
James was the son of the CEO of Dupont Publishing. Rumor was that the CEO had given his errant son the position of Lead Executive at the New York branch of his publishing company in order to keep him in line and keep an eye on him.
But I hadn't known he had already arrived. That he was coming to oversee our department on the 17th floor. What a horrible day for me to be late.
"Why does he want to see me? I'm just an Associate..."
It seemed strange to me that this James wanted to see me at all. We had never met before so he surely didn't know me. And we certainly couldn't be working on the same projects - not with him just having arrived and his clear seniority. Well - I supposed there was only one way to find out. A thought occurred to me. Perhaps… perhaps I was going to get fired. That seemed like the most logical explanation. But after one late day? Well - it was extremely egregious, I had to admit.
I let out a deep sigh.
'Well, I suppose we better not keep him waiting any longer.'
I looked to Heidi for direction - I had no idea which office James had set himself up in.
"I … I can't come in with you," Heidi hedged. "He's requested to meet you … alone."