A/N: Okay, this one's a little shorter than the previous chapters, but I still hope you guys will like it. I don't really have much to say other than thank you for the reviews you've sent. I do enjoy reading them, and they always ALWAYS make me smile.

Here's the fifth chapter ... enjoy!

Chapter 5: A Sense of Harmony

Josh sat on the chair in front of Filomeno's desk, his leg bouncing in anticipation.

"It's been a week, Matthews," Filomeno spoke as he stood by the massive floor-to-ceiling window, watching the bustling streets of New York City below. "How's your big project coming along?"

Josh cleared his throat. "I've been researching non-stop for a story."

Filomeno hummed in response. He didn't utter a single word for the next few minutes, which made Josh feel even more overwrought. Filomeno had always been an intimidating figure. Josh had felt frightened by his editor-in-chief on numerous occasions before, but he hadn't experienced such extreme anxiety while waiting for Filomeno to end his prolonged silence.

Filomeno turned away from the massive window and glanced at Josh. "You said you've been researching?" he questioned.

Josh nodded. "Yes, sir."

"That must mean you've encountered numerous possibilities," Filomeno enunciated. He sat down on his office chair and folded his hands on top of his mahogany desk. "I'd like to hear all of them."

Josh's eyebrows rose. "All of them? Mr. Filomeno, I only have . . . one."

Filomeno's facial expression remained impassive, though he gestured for Josh to narrate his finding.

"All right," Josh began, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I have the details written down on my notepad, which I don't have with me at the moment. I'll try my best to remember as much as I could, though."

"Go on, Matthews, I don't have all day."

Josh nodded. "If you remember, there was a nationwide manhunt for a syndicate named Archer Kent about a year ago. He operated mostly around Connecticut, but due to the manhunt, he was forced to hop from one state to another. Now we know that he's already been captured and locked up in the ADX Florence, but what we don't know is that Archer Kent has a daughter: Valerie Wentworth."

"What about her? Is she about to put herself in her father's shoes to resume what has been preempted?" Filomeno interrogated.

Josh shook his head. "No, not even close," he answered. "Kent's daughter didn't even know he existed until the beginning of last year, and that explains why she has a different last name. I did some research of my own and I learned that if it wasn't for this man Valerie met, who was actually an undercover agent for a private organization, she wouldn't have learned about Kent."

Filomeno remained tight-lipped, and Josh carried on.

"But that's not even the whole story," he narrated, edging on his seat. "You see, the agent's parents were murdered back in 1996. Kent was the one to blame for it. Although he did get imprisoned for his crime, Kent escaped almost as quickly as he was captured. His escape made the agent feel that his parents' death wasn't justified properly. And so, after years of learning everything he could about Kent, he put his plan to action and sought out his daughter. The agent pretended to be a student at Valerie's university to befriend her and use her as bait to lure Kent out of his hiding.

"However, during the operation to take down Kent, the undercover agent . . . Well, he fell in love with Valerie. Much to his surprise, Valerie reciprocated his feelings. Mr. Filomeno, I'm telling you, this story has massive potential! An undercover agent falling in love with the daughter of the syndicate who murdered his parents? Can you imagine the moral conflict that agent went through? He must've felt torn between following his heart's desire and be in an honest relationship with Valerie, and pushing through with his plan to keep using her as bait to justify his parents' death! This is exactly the angst people eat up!"

Josh finished his feature story proposal and waited for Filomeno's response. If he was feeling anxious earlier, Josh certainly couldn't feel that any longer. After laying out his proposal on the table, he felt confident that Filomeno would approve of the story. Filomeno had always preferred the kind of tales that held a twist in the end—an epiphany—and Josh perceived that his undercover agent and murderer's daughter romance storyline was just right up his boss's ally.

"Matthews," Filomeno began, "when I hired you to become part of my team, what was your knowledge of People's Verse?"

Josh licked his lips. "I knew that it was a magazine that featured the most remarkable and inspiring stories of certain individuals."

Filomeno nodded. "Exactly. Those, quote-unquote, remarkable and inspiring stories, are what got us to this point. People's Verse is one of the strongest and critically acclaimed magazines for the past ten years, and we continue as so. Now, tell me, Matthews, do you think your romance storyline is something that fits the criteria that you, yourself, has described?"

The glint of excitement from Josh's eyes faded as he shook his head. "No, sir, it doesn't."

"Your story entails tragedy, Matthews," Filomeno explained, his gaze rigid. "Do you really believe that our readers will feel inspired after reading your story? That type of narrative is something that you submit to the New York News because they are the ones in charge of bad news. As one of the journalists for my company, you should know that People's Verse covers what the New York News does not."

"Yes, you're right. Of course," Josh agreed, though his eyes were downcast. He really thought he had it in the bag.

Filomeno cleared his throat as he reached for his favorite silver pen and clicked it. "If you said that you only found one possible feature story—which I turned down—I advise you start your research again immediately. The clock won't stop ticking for you, Matthews."

Leaving Filomeno's office with a dejected expression on his face, Josh resolved to tell Andrew first about the bad news. He trudged toward his best friend's cubicle only to find that it was empty. Andrew's cubicle neighbor, Charlotte, informed Josh that Andrew went on a trip to the break room. Andrew hadn't gone back for fifteen minutes.

Josh thanked Charlotte before he made his way to the break room. Upon entering, Josh found that his best friend wasn't alone. Jasmine, the primary reason for Andrew's absence from his desk for fifteen minutes, was with him. Standing next to Jasmine was Maya, who's presence took Josh by surprise.

"Hey, Josh!" Andrew greeted when he noticed his best friend's arrival, then reverted his attention back to Jasmine. "Anyway, I was thinking maybe we could catch a movie sometime. I know it's November and it's freezing outside, but there's an amazing drive-in that I found yesterday that I think we should check out. That is if you don't mind getting a little chilly—"

Jasmine stopped stirring her coffee and turned to Andrew. "Let me guess," she interrupted. "You'll ask me if I won't mind 'getting a little chilly' because you'll be there to keep me warm?"

Maya snorted from alongside Jasmine. The same as the latter, she was stirring her own cup of coffee. She opened one of the drawers and snagged a pink Sweet 'n Low packet.

"I was going to say we could snuggle under the softest and warmest blanket you've ever seen and touched in your entire life," Andrew retaliated with a tinge of sass, placing his hands on his hips.

Ever since Andrew told Josh he'd take on Jasmine's 'challenge,' he'd been approaching Jasmine's rejections with the same attitude she'd been giving him. Andrew figured that if Jasmine saw that he could get on her level, she'd realize that Andrew was worth her time.

"Mm-hmm," Jasmine taunted with a roll of her eyes.

Josh parked himself next to Maya and grabbed his red mug from the cupboard overhead. He poured himself some coffee and turned to face Maya. "Not that I'd kick you out or anything, but what are you doing here at PV?" he questioned as he disregarded Jasmine and Andrew's amusing banter. As much as Josh wanted to watch his best friend attempt to score a date with Jasmine, he found Maya's presence at his workplace a mystery that he couldn't wait to solve.

"A certain individual named Zay Babineaux demands my company—and he was craving wontons, so I decided to bring him some," Maya responded with a smile. "But it's not his lunch break yet, which explains why I'm currently holed up here in the break room."

Josh nodded as he took a sip of his coffee. He winced when the hot liquid scalded his tongue.

"I would've waited for him at his cubicle, but I'm very familiar with how things work around here," Maya added, making a circling motion with her hands. "I may not be a PV employee, but I have no intention whatsoever of getting called out by your boss for distracting Zay during his business hours."

"Smart move," Josh commented with a small smile.

Maya chuckled. She took a cautious sip of her coffee to test if she added the perfect amount of creamer, nodding approvingly when her coffee tasted how she wanted it. Tapping her teaspoon on the rim of her cup, Maya returned her attention to Josh, and gone was the smile he sent her way earlier.

"Hey, why the sad face?" Maya questioned.

Josh set down his cup of coffee on the counter and crossed his arms over his chest. "I just got out of a meeting with Filomeno, and it didn't go the way I wanted it to," he asserted. "I was so excited about my feature story proposal—it was a story with a massive potential, and Filomeno crushed all of it by saying that my story was something that the New York News would publish. I don't have anything against the New York News, but Filomeno's comment honestly made me feel . . . I don't know . . . degraded."

Andrew and Jasmine's bickering carried on in the background as Maya placed a consoling hand on Josh's shoulder. Though they only knew each other for a week and had merely established a professional relationship, she knew that a friend was what Josh needed at the moment.

"Josh . . . maybe . . . maybe Filomeno has a point," Maya spoke prudently. "You said that Filomeno turned down your story because he knew that something like that doesn't belong in his magazine, but . . . maybe Filomeno did what he had to do to, you know . . . push you even more."

Josh averted his eyes from the floor to look at Maya. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Maya shrugged. "I don't really know what kind of dynamic you have going on with Filomeno, but speaking from my own experience, I once had a boss who never failed to get on every single one of my nerves. At first, I thought she was doing it for the sake of pissing me off, but as time went on, I realized that she was pushing me because she knew my true potential. She had an objective, and that was to help me discover just how much I was actually capable of. Up to this day, I'm still thankful she did that to me."

Josh grew quiet as he processed what Maya shared with him. He knew Maya was right. Filomeno did give Josh a second chance to secure his position in the company; he could've fired Josh on the spot, but something prevented that from happening.

With gathered thoughts, Josh turned to Maya with a huge grin on his face. "Thank you, Maya," he stated. "I haven't thought of it that way."

"Filomeno is just encouraging you to try harder in a way that he knows how. Sure, he might be pushing you a little too hard, but just remember that he only means well," Maya remarked. She raised her cup to her lips and took a sip.

"You know, when I hired you to become my event coordinator, I didn't realize I was also signing up for a shrink," Josh joked.

Maya gagged on her coffee, causing Josh to laugh. He abruptly covered his mouth when he realized that Maya choking on her drink wasn't a laughing matter.

"Oh my god, I am so sorry," Josh apologized, plucking two sheets of napkin from the dispenser and handing it over to Maya.

Andrew and Jasmine turned to Josh and Maya.

"What's going on over here?" Jasmine questioned solicitously. "Are you okay?"

Maya nodded as she wiped the coffee that dribbled down her chin with a napkin. "Josh said something I wasn't totally expecting, then I just started snorting coffee down my face," she explained. "I didn't die though, so I'm okay."

After cleaning herself up, Maya traversed the room to scrap the napkins she used in the garbage can. She regarded the three people she was in the break room with and said, "I guess that's enough coffee for me today."

Jasmine agreed before taking note of the time. "All right, guys. My lunch break's over in about five minutes, so I better head back to my desk," she announced. She passed Josh and Andrew on her way out of the break room but paused when she was next to Maya. "Save me some of those egg rolls, would you?" she requested with a playful smile.

"Girl, do you even have to ask? I bought those with you in mind," Maya replied.

"Hart, you're the best." Jasmine backtracked toward the counter and plucked an egg roll from the take-out box.

"Egg rolls!" Andrew exclaimed, pointing a finger at Jasmine. "That's what it takes to get you to go out with me!" He paused for a moment then added, "Right?"

Jasmine was halfway out the door when she spun back to acknowledge Andrew. "I don't know, why don't you try and see for yourself?" she teased with a raised brow.

With a bite of her egg roll, Jasmine made her exit from the break room.

The second the door closed, Josh whistled. "Damn, Andrew. I think you actually made progress."

"I swear to God, that woman is going to be the death of me," Andrew responded with a hand on his chest, feeling the heightened beating of his heart.

Maya scrunched her face charmingly as she made her way back toward the counter. "I think you guys are adorable," she declared. "I've known Jasmine ever since she and Zay got partnered up for projects, and I've never seen her challenge someone as much as she does with you. You didn't hear this from me, but I think you might actually have a chance."

Andrew's eyebrows shot up. "Is that so?"

"Mm-hmm," Maya hummed. "Trust me, Jasmine likes a man who can keep up with her."

Andrew's eyes widened. "I knew it!" he exclaimed. "Boy, am I glad I made a plan to show her that I am exactly all that she's looking for."

"You just have to be patient with her. She'll come around eventually," Maya advised. She opened the microwave door to reheat the egg rolls and Zay's wontons.

With an impressed grin on his face, Andrew folded his arms and said, "We should definitely hang out sometime. You could tell me everything there is to know on how to sweep Jasmine off her feet."

Maya laughed. "And what do I get in return?"

"A lifetime supply of friendship courtesy of yours truly."

Watching Andrew and Maya make plans, Josh tried to hide his broadening smile by raising his cup to his lips, though the crinkles on the corner of his eyes divulged his amusement. Even back when they first met, being around Andrew always put Josh in good spirits. His best friend radiated infectious happiness and he admired him for it.

Leaning on the counter with his hands wrapped around his coffee cup, Josh regarded Maya. Although their relationship felt professional than platonic at the moment, Maya had offered Josh more than her time to help him with his marriage proposal to Sophie. He and Maya didn't have the history Josh and Andrew had, but she didn't hesitate to give him a piece of advice when he told her of Filomeno's rejection. Josh knew that she was being careful with her words earlier, yet she managed to say what he didn't know he needed to hear. They might have only known each other for a week, but Josh recognized that he hadn't clicked with anyone as fast as he did with Maya.

As Josh listened to Andrew and Maya make plans, the demeaning feeling Josh had from Filomeno's repudiation a while ago vanished to nothing.

Song of the Chapter: Give Me Hope by New Politics.

Fun fact: The story that Josh told Filomeno is actually a story I wrote last year. It's finished, but I never really felt confident about it. If I had a dollar for every plot hole in that story, I'd be rich.

Let me know what you guys think! I know this one's short, but I promise, this is the only short chapter you're gonna get for the rest of the story.

Thanks for reading, guys! :)