♤ ı [3] An Everlasting Love

ı 01 ı Clear

"You bastard," I say, shaking my head.

Logan shrugs and smirks before returning to his work. I glance back down at my design I'm working on. It's a rough copy of an album cover someone hired me to do. It's all part of what we do here at this graphic design studio, although I'm not very good at the computer part. I had to compel my way through some of the interview, but other than that I got the job fairly normally. I refuse to do any more compelling to my boss, even though sometimes she makes it incredibly hard not to.

Our design studio is located in a large office downtown Atlanta, with large open windows and clear modern glass doors. Design tables are set up in groups all around the office with two desks facing one another. It's a very comfortable place to work in, with couches surrounding every large window. The one thing our boss Cheryl insisted on was a comfortable work environment, as that was proven to give artists the best outcome.

Over the course of the several months I've been here I've developed a close friendship with Logan and Christina, who were more than kind to include me in their friendship. They both have the same personality, which is why they fight a lot. They're a bunch of pranksters, who speak fluent sarcasm much like Joel does. To say the least, they're my kind of people.

Christina is a very funky and loud girl, with darker skin and brown hair with hot pink highlights. Logan on the other hand is a very outgoing and humorous man with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. We've all gotten to know each other very well, and we're all around the same age. Although now I'm going by the age twenty five, rather than seventeen seeing as a teen mom wasn't exactly the best thing for my resume.

"Oh would you look at that, it's four thirty. I believe it is time for me to head home," I say in monotone, still glaring at Logan.

"No stay! We're all going to get drinks after! You should come!" Christina suggests, but I shake my head like I do every time they ask me out for drinks.

"Sorry, I have a little three year old to pick up from preschool," I say, packing up my things.

"Oh come on. You say that every time," Logan whines childishly, spinning his pen around in his hand. It takes every ounce of strength in me right now not to snatch the goddamn pen out of his hands.

"Well I didn't just suddenly get rid of Theo," I joke, swinging my bag over my shoulder.

"Another rain check then?" Christina asks hopefully, her eyes wide and her brows wiggling.

"Yes," I sigh. "See you all tomorrow," I say, as I wave goodbye and head to the elevator.

Coming up and down this elevator has become routine for me, as has coming into work everyday. In some ways I'm living a normal life, the way James wanted me to. But just when I think everything will be okay, I see something that reminds me of him, or I see his face on a stranger walking by. It's little things like that that always catch me off guard, and make me feel like I'm slowly going insane.

With my purse strapped over my shoulder, I make my way down to the lower level of the office building where all the cars are parked underground. I head to my Audi and unlock the doors, fumbling with the keys in my purse as my hands begin to tremble.

The same time everyday I feel this immense wave of sadness wash over me, pushing down hard on my chest and making it hard to breathe. I have no idea why I feel this way the same time everyday, but it always comes after I finish work. Deep down I know exactly what's causing this sadness, but I'm too weak to admit it.

With my makeup running slightly down my face, I press harder on the gas sending the car roaring to life and down the road, out onto the busy Atlanta city street where I head to the edge of town to pick Theodore up. Every single day for the past year I show up to Theodore's daycare with smudged eyeliner and red eyes, and each day I have to explain to them that it's just allergies. I even got myself a fake doctors note to prove it so they would stop asking questions.