The Billionaire's Getaway Tryst

~Chapter 06~

"Huh." I flinched and pursed my lips. "Sure, she won't be that hard on us," I said, trying to deflect the tension in my body. "I mean, it does help us in the long run."

"You really are a dork, aren't you?" Chelsea burst out into a fit of laughter and we all joined her. I shrugged and didn't answer her. "Why do you still look so upset though?"

Everyone noticed it as well and I squirmed in my seat with a long sigh. "Because there's one more thing?" I said, being thrown off guard by their observation.

"What's it?"

"Sebestian didn't like my copy." I finally told them what was bothering me so much.

I have this habit of proving myself and being better at it every time I move a step higher on the ladder. It might not be the best of traits but I couldn't help myself. It's ingrained in my head and even if I try not to be so hard on myself, it just... happens.

"Like he - he literally told me and I quote, 'Impress me like you would to your haters and enemies. Which is by not trying too hard.' I mean... what?" I sighed again and ate my food with a forlorn expression.

"Okay okay, first off, don't look so down, Valerie," Keith said gently and slid down his palms as a calm down gesture. Nodding, I mustered up a smile.

What did I even expect in such a top notch company where people actually have more brains than I can fathom?

"Yo, Val. He's right. You'll get the hang of things real soon. Just don't beat yourself for it. And just look at me for instance. Two years. Two years I've been working here and yet none of my designs have been taken into consideration or selected nor have they made it in the audiences' eyes. Which is why I've been frying my ass off but mind you, I haven't lost all my hopes yet," Chelsea said with a sad pout and patted my hand lightly.

"What do you mean by you haven't lost all your hopes?" Keith turned to her, twisting his lips weirdly.

"Out of one hundred percent, I still have twelve percent hope remaining," she murmured with a pinched face.

Keith shook his head while I suppressed a smile and Shivaay sniggered but covered it up with his fist. "Don't tell me that you calculated this," Shivaay remarked, trying his very best to not burst out laughing.

Chelsea, who hadn't noticed our expressions and ignored Shivaay's comment, had a thoughtful look plastered on her face. "You know, actually on second thought, we're a bunch of saggy losers," she said, nodding her head and looking at me.

"Um... I wouldn't agree with you on that." I shrugged. "I don't like to call myself a loser. I might not be good at things but the thing is I try to be better than the last time, so I've never put a label on myself," I said earnestly and Cheslea seemed flummoxed because her eyes widened.

"Whoa..." She raised her arms in surrender with a smile.

"Nor am I because I have two jobs and as a freelancer, my clients do trust my instincts and nobody could trust a loser, right?" Keith said, his eyes glued to his laptop screen while gobbling down his burger.

Everyone looked at Shivaay expectantly and he shrugged weirdly because of the attention. "I wouldn't call myself a loser either because... I always win in video games!" We laughed at his reasoning.

Chelsea whined with a frown. "You guys are dorks. I was just joking around, y'all. Don't be serious, loosen up, children." She laughed and all three of us joined in with her.

"But my answer was pretty savage, you all have to agree. So argue with a rock, Tinker Bells," Shivaay said, tweaking his index fingers.

I hit him with my elbow lightly and Keith gurgled, "Bleh."