Max sat alone in his office as he often did in the afternoon. It was one thing being the boss with a spacious room and a fleet of workers obeying his sometimes, ridiculous demands, but Max got lonely. He felt isolated from them in his fancy office with its comfortable brown leather armchairs and sofas, overly sufficient mahogany desk and large, high backed, brown suede chair, with the idyllic view of the street below.
There was no point having millions of dollars when he had no one to enjoy it with. Max huffed. He folded his arms and pouted. He stood up and kicked one of his chairs, the exertion of his shiny shoe being absorbed by the thick, spongy leather, and still he felt no better. In a mad moment he pictured himself tumbling out of the 18-story window, but shook this off.
"That would just be stupid… you'd stain your suit." Reasoned Max, tugging at his brown curls distractedly.
Sighing Max resigned himself to his loneliness curling on one of his sofas, the hand dangling over the side picking at the rug. Max needed a friend. He rolled onto his back, gazing at the ceiling. Sighing he tapped absentmindedly on his stomach. Tap, tap, tap Max began to smile as a little ditty unravelled he began tapping his feet and humming a made up tune.
Snorting with laughter Max sat up, gazing over to his desk. The pot of pens looked suddenly more inviting now he didn't have the urge to stab his furniture with them. Sitting elegantly behind his desk he pulled a blank page of white towards him and began to scribble, tongue between his teeth in thought, drawing out some fashion phenomenon and daydreaming about anything but the small fortune he could add to his bank account when sales came through top as always for his design.
As he the creation took shape before his eyes Max began to smile. The outline of the woman was faceless but he knew who she was. The slender figure complimented his dress perfectly. There was a soft knock on the glass frosted door, and Max glanced up subconsciously returning his thick-lens glasses to the bridge of his nose with a finger.
Seeing the outline of the figure he'd been drawing silhouetted against the glass made his heart skip. With a small yelp he stuffed the design into the drawer.
"Come on in." He called, smiling widely as she poked her head through the door. Her long chocolate hair flowed messily down her shoulders, her hazel eyes looked tired. She was flustered. Max loved it when she looked like that.
"Hello Amanda" He greeted with his friendly beam as she entered the room, neatly closing the door behind her and marching smartly to his desk, heels clicking rhythmically.
"Max… I need to talk to you." Frowned Amanda. Max chuckled and her annoyance faded a little bit, although she remained poker faced.
"Don't laugh at me, this is serious" She grimaced. "True's little friend is playing some dreadful loud music and I can't concentrate Max."
Max scratched his chin thoughtfully as Amanda continued to scowl. He peered into her steel blue eyes and was surprised to see a glimmer of sensitivity there.
"Perhaps I'm not the only one around here who's lonely" Max considered as Amanda tore her gaze from his.
"Work in here." He answered finally.
"I tell you Max I can't work next to…w-what?" Amanda looked taken aback as her boss stood up, towering over her despite her tall shoes.
"I said do your work in here, I could use the company." Max smiled as she gaped. Wordlessly she left the office to collect her portfolio of designs, unaware of her boss watching her retreating back with a soft gaze.
*****
True returned from her trip to the material room to find chaos in her room. Ryan was leaping up and down on the sofa air-guitaring with Jimmy, throwing tootie fruits to each other and generally making a nosy mess.
"RYAN?" True exclaimed, turning off the music at once. "Jimmy this isn't a concert, it's my room and Amanda is going to be livid. I'm surprised she isn't in here telling you off." True sighed exasperated.
Ryan and Jimmy flopped onto the sofa with a final leap and a loud thump.
"She wouldn't be would she… because she's already done that" True groaned dumping the material in the corner by her design.
"She's apparently going to Uncle Max about it" Shrugged Jimmy, shoving a few more tootie fruits in his mouth with a look of distaste.
True groaned. This was the last thing she needed she and Amanda had been at loggerheads all week over Max's big design project for the prom season. They had been arguing constantly and this was the last thing she needed.
"When did she go to Mr Madi… Amanda!" Squealed True spotting the tall vice president emerging from her office with an armful of designs and a smug look on her face.
"Ah True, enjoy your little party you won't be bothering me any more today." Smirked Amanda, happiness dancing in her eyes.
True was nervous, when Amanda was happy, it meant something unfortunate usually happened to her, like the time she happily let her look after the model Dakota North. True had nearly lost her job when the model disappeared. Luckily things had worked out alright and True survived another day at Mad Style.
Amanda pushed her way past True to the elevator, heart pounding with excitement. Despite the office gossip, Amanda had always managed to keep her affection for a boss a secret. She flushed a little checking her hair in the mirror.
"Ugh… such a mess" Sighed Amanda, while assured she was in the company of just herself. As the elevator bell rang signalling she had reached the 18th floor, she hurriedly gathered up her belongings and tottered to Max's office once more.