Memories of Jane - A Taylor Swift-song-inspired story

Chapter 4 - You belong with me

Jane woke up early on her first day at work, eager to make a good impression. She carefully selected her outfit, a crisp white blouse, and a sleek pencil skirt, and double-checked her portfolio to make sure she had everything she needed.

As she made her way to the office, Jane's heart raced with nerves and excitement. She walked into the building and was greeted by a friendly receptionist who directed her to the elevator.

When she arrived on the floor where her new office was located, Jane was met by a woman who introduced herself as one of her bosses, Rachel. "Welcome, Jane! We're thrilled to have you on board," Rachel said with a smile.

Jane felt her nerves begin to dissipate as Rachel showed her around the office and introduced her to her colleagues. She was relieved to find that everyone seemed friendly and welcoming.

As Jane settled into her desk and began reviewing her tasks for the day, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to see Ryan standing behind her, looking as handsome as ever.

"Hey, Jane! I just wanted to stop by and say hi. How's your first day going?" Ryan asked with a warm smile.

Jane was surprised to see Ryan again, but her confusion quickly turned to delight as she realized he had stopped by just to say hello.

"Hi, Ryan! It's going really well, thanks for asking," she replied, her smile widening.

Ryan chuckled. "I'm glad to hear it. So, how was your orientation this morning?"

"It was great, very informative," Jane said, happy to share the details of her day with him.

"That's good to hear," Ryan said, nodding. "I'm sure you'll do great here. Oh, and I almost forgot. I have something for you."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small gift bag, handing it to Jane. She looked down at the bag in surprise, wondering what could be inside.

"Wow, Ryan, you really didn't have to do that," she said, but couldn't hide the excitement in her voice.

"It's just a little something to welcome you to the team," Ryan said with a grin.

Jane opened the bag to find a beautiful leather-bound notebook and a pen. She looked up at Ryan, touched by the gesture.

"Thank you so much, Ryan. This is really thoughtful of you," she said, her heart beating faster.

Ryan just smiled in response. "I'm glad you like it. Well, I better get back to my own work now. But don't hesitate to ask if you need anything, okay?"

"Thanks, Ryan. I appreciate it," Jane said, feeling grateful for his kindness.

As Ryan walked away, Jane couldn't help but feel a little bit of excitement and butterflies in her stomach. She shook her head, telling herself she was just grateful for his kind gesture. But deep down, she knew there was something more there.

After a few hours of settling in and getting to know her coworkers, Jane received an email from Alex asking her to come to his office for a meeting. She nervously made her way to Alex's office, wondering what the meeting could be about.

As she entered the room, Alex greeted her with a warm smile. "Hi Jane, I hope your first day is going well so far," he said, motioning for Jane to take a seat.

Jane sat down in one of the chairs across from Alex's desk, trying to hide her nerves. "Yes, it's been great so far. Everyone has been so friendly and welcoming," she replied.

Alex nodded, looking pleased. "I'm glad to hear that. I wanted to touch base with you and see how you're settling in. How are you finding the work so far?"

Jane took a deep breath before answering, wanting to make a good impression. "It's definitely challenging, but I'm learning a lot and enjoying it so far," she said, hoping she sounded confident.

Alex smiled encouragingly. "That's great to hear. We're excited to have you on board and can't wait to see what you'll bring to the team."

Jane felt a sense of relief wash over her. It seemed like the meeting was just a check-in and not anything to worry about. She thanked Alex for his time and headed back to her desk, feeling more confident and excited about her new job.

The next day, Jane arrived early for her first team briefing, eager to make a good impression. She had spent the night before reviewing her notes and preparing herself for any questions that might come her way. As she walked into the conference room, she was greeted by a group of her new colleagues.

"Hey, Jane! Good morning," one of them said with a smile.

"Morning! How are you all doing?" Jane replied, trying to sound confident.

As the briefing began, Jane listened intently, taking notes and absorbing as much information as she could. She was determined to show everyone that she was a capable and valuable member of the team.

After the briefing, Jane stayed behind to chat with a few of her new colleagues. As she was talking, she felt a tap on her shoulder.

"Jane, can I talk to you for a moment?" Rachel asked, approaching Jane after the briefing.

"Sure, what do you need?" Jane replied, a slight nervousness in her voice.

"It's nothing to worry about, I just wanted to chat with you privately in my office," Rachel said with a reassuring smile.

Jane nodded, following Rachel to her office. As they walked down the hall, Jane couldn't help but wonder what the meeting was about. She tried to shake off her nerves and remind herself that she had done a good job during the briefing, but as soon as she entered the room, her eyes were drawn to a picture on the desk. It was a photo of Rachel and Ryan, smiling and standing close together.

Jane couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy in her chest. She had been so caught up in her crush on Ryan that she hadn't even considered the possibility that he might have a girlfriend or be in a relationship.

"Jane, I wanted to talk to you about your performance during the briefing today," Rachel said, breaking Jane's train of thought.

Jane tried to refocus on the conversation at hand and pushed aside her feelings for Ryan for the time being. She nodded, waiting for Rachel to continue.

"I thought you did an excellent job presenting the information," Rachel continued, a hint of a smile on her face. "You seem to have a good grasp on what we're looking for in this project. Keep up the good work and your future in this company is guaranteed."

Jane breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that the topic had shifted away from Ryan and onto her work. She thanked Rachel and made her way back to her own desk, trying to shake off the unease that had settled in her stomach.