CEO // t.h

Chapter thirteen - Not worth it

Warnings: arguments - not sure if it's considered angst.

Avery's P.O.V

It's now the next week and I'm spending my Thursday afternoon in a meeting with nine other co-workers and Tom is leading the meeting. The whole point of this meeting is to suggest which ideas work well and complement each other and how we can change certain elements to make them even better, basically just talking about what option we think is best fit.

I felt awkward being in the same room with Tom, even just being around him made me feel awkward. We still haven't talked since that Saturday afternoon which makes it two weeks – almost three of us not talking to one another. However, I am not letting it get in the way of my work "I think option number five works the best, it's the best idea moving forward for the company plus the designs that could go with it would really compliment and emphasis all the ideas" I explain, most of my co-workers nodding in agreement expect Michael.

"Which one was your idea?" Tom asks from the end of the table causing me to look up and make eye contact "number five" I say "honestly, I think it's one of the weaker ones – I don't really see why this passed all the finalisations everyone did." Tom says bluntly, offended by his words I just look back down at the paper in front of me "well I think option two is the best" Michael says "why is that?" Tom asks "it looks and sounds like the coolest" Michael explains.

"Good point" Tom says, "it doesn't matter if it looks or sounds 'cool', it matters if the ideas will be effective and work, which by the looks of it doesn't seem like any of those things will happen" I explain with the two people next to me nodding. "Well I happen to think that number two seems like one of the strongest ones, much better than yours" Tom says "well could you explain how its better?" I ask "if you're smart enough for this job, you can figure it out yourself" he replies.

"Okay everyone, that is the end of our meeting – I will let you know when the next one is via email" Tom says. I roll my eyes and grab my stuff and follow everyone else out, just as I get into my office and sit down on my chair someone knocks on the door "come in" I say, "Hi Avery, Mr. Hiddleston wanted me to give these back – there is a sticky note on the inside of the cover explaining his reasons" Sue says as she walks in and places the files on my desk "thank you Sue" I reply giving her a smile. Sue was a bit older than most of our workers but she is by far the sweetest, I often make sure to grab her a coffee on the way to work in the mornings as a small thank you for how welcoming she has been towards me.

Once she is gone I look at the medium sized pile in confusion, "what is this?" I ask myself out loud. I open the first file and see a note saying "terrible. Fix them and make them better, I want them done by next week. You're to stay back tonight and work on them. – Mr. Hiddleston" I read the note, is he kidding! These took me weeks to do and I know they're good enough. Knowing well enough going to his office and making a scene would not look good on my half in front of all the workers so instead I roll my eyes and text Ellie that I have to stay late today and begin re-reading through the files.

It's now seven pm and I walk towards Tom's office with all the files in my hand. I knock on the door and hear him yell "come in" from the other side of the door, I walk in and say "here are the files" as I place them on his desk. "You couldn't possibly have re-done them all" he says sitting up in his desk chair with a confused look across his face, "correct, I didn't re-do them because there was nothing wrong with them in the first place" I say crossing my arms over my chest.

"I asked you to re-do them, so do it" he says firmly. "There is nothing wrong with them, they took me weeks to do and I know that they're good enough" I say holding my ground "you have till next Friday to have them all re-done" he says as he looks down signing a document "what is with you?" I say getting annoyed. My comments make Tom look up "excuse me?" he says "you are so tough on me during the meeting today and basically tell me my ideas aren't good enough when you know they're much better than Michael's ideas and now you send back weeks of work and say it's terrible" I explain "if your work isn't up to standard I won't let you submit things half done." He says in the same firm tone as before.

"That work is fine, more than fine actually – it's great if I do say so myself" I reply. "If I presented those ideas to you back at R&R's you would've gladly accepted them!" I add "no I wouldn't have actually; I would have told you to re-do them – like I am now." He says bluntly "you must be stupid if you think that work isn't good enough. I have worked hard on these for weeks and you just send them back with a little note – sorry, but I believe in my capabilities" I say feeling angrier as the conversation goes on, "I didn't ask you if you believed in yourself. I asked you to fix them. So, re-do them." Tom says clearly getting angrier just like me.

"what is your problem seriously" I say. "look, just because we had one night together doesn't meet you can slack off – so stop thinking so highly of yourself and do what I ask." Tom says leaning forward - my jaw drops at his comments, practically accusing me of sleeping with him so I can slack off. "I don't know what that night meant to you, but I take the physical stuff seriously and I am not the kind of person who sleeps around to get somewhere in life." I say harshly "whatever personal issues you have going on at the moment, it's not fair to take your anger out on me, you know my work is good enough and that I was right in the meeting today." I say walking towards the door.

"You know what" I say quietly to myself, I then turn around as I open the door to face Tom once again "no job is worth is much, I quit." I say keeping eye contact as I feel my eyes begin to water. I turn back around and storm out of his office and slam the door shut as I make my way to the elevator to leave.

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