When I woke up this morning the last thing I expected was to get fired. I got fuckin fired from work today. I've given those assholes at LK Accounting the best 2 and half years of my life and they fired me! What pisses me off the most is the fact that they knew they were going to fire me probably on Friday when I left work. So, they let me have an amazing weekend just for me to wake up at 5am, take 2 trains to the other side of town, have me work for 2 hours, then fire me.
What am I supposed to tell my parents? I'm from a small town in Ohio called Lima. My dad made a modest living by owning one of the local pharmacies, while my mom is a librarian, which is where my love for reading comes from. When I was younger after school I would walk to the library and wait for my mom to get off work, I would get lost in reading and not even realize how much time had passed. My dad wanted me to go to college so I could be a pharmacy tech and take over the family business. There was no way I was staying in that damn city to become a Lima Loser...no way. So, after high school, I made the big jump and moved to New York with my best friend Quinn. Quinn went to NYU to study psychology, while I worked at a diner where the waitresses sang show tunes. I literally moved here with a dollar and a dream. I refuse to let my parents find out and hear the 'I told you so" speech that parents give.
I know it sounds cheesy, but I am a fairly good singer. Ok, I'm fucking amazing but I'm working on my humility. My goal was to get discovered and sign a huge recording contract but after Quinn fell in love and moved in with her boyfriend Sam, I was left with a rent bill of $1000 a month, plus cable, internet, lights, heat, and God the list goes on and on. So, I had to find more stable employment and put my dream of seeing my name in lights on the back burner. I went to a temp agency and landed a job as a secretary at an accounting firm. I've always been good at math, so I quickly worked my way up through the company and was given the title of a Jr Accountant a year ago.
While I wasn't necessarily happy at work, I didn't completely hate my job, it paid well after all. My parents were slowly coming around to the fact that I was living in New York, having a good job definitely helped. New York was this big fast city that apparently scared the hell out of them. So here I was 22 years old with a pretty good job, a nice amount of money in my checking and savings account, I'm flawless, and I'm living the American dream, well trying to at least. Then what happens.... I get fuckin fired!
After I was embarrassingly walked out of the building by one of the security guards, with my desk packed up in a box, I stood in front of the building staring at the front door. I have so many emotions going through my body right now; with the main one being rage. I'm known for going straight Lima Heights on people, but I instead take the pictures I had on my desk from the box and slip them in the messenger bag I had with me and throw the rest of the shit in the garbage. I don't want any reminders of this stupid job that betrayed me.
I pull out of my iPod and turn to my inspirational playlist. Yes, I have an inspirational playlist. Quinn suggested I make one to calm me down after I went Lima Heights in a restaurant a few weeks ago and threw my plate at a waiter. I turn to my favorite song on the playlist Whitney Houston's "I Didn't Know My Own Strength." I played this song over and over when I first moved to New York and would start to feel depressed without my parents or other family members and it would calm me down. So, I guess now is as good a time as any to play it right?
I go to Starbucks and order my usual from Carla, a venti soy hazelnut latte with a few shakes of cinnamon and a raspberry scone. The New York autumn wind swirls around and sends a deep chill through my body so I zip up my jacket and head to a small park close to where my job, shit excuse me, my old job is. I sit on the bench and pull out my phone. I want to call Quinn so I can scream and yell and cuss, but I know she is at work and the last thing I want to do is drop this on her. She just landed this new gig, and we are meeting for lunch around 1 anyways. I look down at my watch...11am. So, I have 2 hours to kill.
I look around the park at the bums, people jogging, and mothers with children. Everyone seems so peaceful and alive. I smile softly at a little girl that walks by with what I'm guessing is her grandmother, otherwise her mother went all How Stella Got Her Groove back and now has a toddler. I lean back and close my eyes after I press play
I start to sing softly to myself.
I didn't know my own strength
And I crashed down and I tumbled but I did not crumble
I got through all the pain
I didn't know my own strength
Suddenly I feel someone sit way too close to me on the bench. I sit up and open one eye. There is a jaw dropping gorgeous blonde next to me. She has the most beautiful green eyes I've ever seen and the cutest freckles. I get so lost in my thoughts and her stunning features as I stare at her that I almost forget that she is way too close in my personal space. I'm brought back to reality when she giggles. I open both eyes and see she has a huge ass cat on a leash.
"What do you want?" I hissed.
"Hot chocolate!" She says with a big smile.
"You want me to buy you a hot chocolate?" I ask with a scowl. "You don't look homeless."
"No, get yourself a hot chocolate. It makes everything better, and you look like you need everything to be better right now." She says with a smile as she pulls out a candy bar and breaks off a piece and holds it to the fat cat's mouth. The cat ignores her and doesn't even move, so she just eats it herself.
"I have a coffee, so I don't think I need a hot chocolate." I tell her while holding up my cup.
"Coffee's not really good for you, well maybe not good for me. It makes me jittery, and all hyper and stuff." She explains while biting her bottom lip like she is deep in thought.
It's the cutest thing ever, and I feel butterflies in my stomach. Ok, so it could also be hunger since I skipped breakfast this morning and that damn scone was dry. But I'm strangely attracted to this woman.
"I'm Lauren." She says with a big smile while extending her hand.
I reluctantly took her hand. "I'm Camila."
"Camila.... Camila.... like Karla Camila? The musician?" She asked while cocking her head to the side.
I nod. "Yep, my mom is a big fan and named me after her." I tell her in confirmation.
"This is my cat, Lord Tubbington!" She says loudly for some reason.
"Why is he so fat?" I ask. Did I forget to mention I have no filter when I talk?
"He's not fat.... he's big boned." She says with a frown.
Usually, I don't care if I hurt people's feelings, but for some reason I instantly feel like shit for talking about her cat and I hate animals.
"Shit, I'm sorry. He looks soft." I tell her to try to make up for my diarrhea of the mouth.
It seems to have worked because she smiles brightly and nods. "I gave him a bath with Johnson's baby shampoo this morning, so he's baby soft." She states while lifting the massive cat in her lap and rubbing her forehead on his back. The fat cat purrs and almost looks cute himself.
"Cool." I say nonchalantly, trying to disguise how amused and intrigued with her I am. "What's with the leash?"
"What do you mean?" She asks why cocking her head to the side again.
She has to stop doing that, it's way too cute and I'm supposed to be pissed today. "You generally don't walk a cat."
"I do." She says casually while setting him back on the ground. "Do you live around here?" She asks while turning to sit cross-legged on the bench to face me.
"I don't think that's any of your business." I snap. "I'm not telling a stranger where the hell I live."
Her eyes widen and she shakes her head with a frown. "We aren't strangers.... we're friends. We know each other's name and everything, and you met my cat, remember?"
Dammit, now I feel bad again, why is she doing this to me? "I, I'm sorry I've just had a bad morning. I shouldn't yell at you." I stutter out sheepishly.
"Hot chocolate!" She says again. "Can I make you one?" She asks with a smile. "I work right there." She says while pointing to a small diner across the street.
"Ummm, maybe another time." I told her. "I have my coffee, remember?" I say while holding up the cup again and shaking it.
She quickly digs in her bag and pulls out a thermos, she pours out the water, right on the damn cat's head. He didn't even flinch or move, I kind of think it's a stuffed animal or something. "Can I have some?" She asks while holding the thermos top out to me.
"I've been drinking out of it; you don't know where my mouth has been." I say with a small smile.
She shrugs. "You look clean to me."
I sigh and take the lid off of my coffee and pour her a little. "I thought coffee made you hyper and you aren't supposed to drink it?" I ask her while raising an eyebrow.
She sips it slowly and smiles brightly. "I like your taste in coffee.... this tastes like candy."
I laugh and blush a little. Why the hell am I blushing?
"Glad you like it." I respond with a smile.
"I can dance it off." She speaks.
"You're a dancer?" I ask while looking over her body.... impressive.
She nods. "My friend Mike Chang owns a dance studio, and I help him teach sometimes."
"Wow, that sounds cool." I told her.
She suddenly jumps up. "Want me to show you some moves?"
My eyes widened. "Ummm, you don't have to if you don't want to." I tell her quickly. Secretly, I want to see what she's capable of. She is wearing leggings and a small hoodie with a scarf, but I can tell she has an amazing body.
She suddenly begins to take off her sweatshirt and scarf.
"Ummmm, it's kind of cool out today, you should probably keep your clothes on." I say quickly.
"Clothes get in the way sometimes." She winks as a flash of heat jolts through my body. I quickly clear my throat and cross my legs.
She starts doing some ballet moves, and she is downright amazing. I'm watching her move in awe; she's so graceful and smooth. I then notice her nipples getting hard.... wait she isn't wearing a bra! My eyes are trained to her chest now and I feel myself start to drool every time she jumps up or bends down to perform a certain move.
"You like it?" She asks as she sits back down next to me on the bench and starts to put her sweatshirt on.
I nod and blink slowly. "You are really good." I tell her genuinely with a smile.
"Thanks." She says bashfully.
"Well, I have to get going." I tell her while glancing down at my watch and noticing it's 12:30. I've been sitting here with her for over an hour and haven't had the urge to hit her...what is this hold she has over me. "I'm meeting a friend for lunch."
"Your boyfriend?" She asks with a smile.
I shake my head. "I, I, I'm gay.... I'm just meeting my best friend, Quinn."
"Do you like being gay?" She asks while cocking her head to the side.
Now normally I would have snapped at a question like that, but she is so damn cute and coming from her the question seems completely innocent.
"It's okay I guess." I tell her with a shrug. "Are you gay?" I ask her quietly.
"I don't know." She replies while wrapping her scarf around her neck again. "I don't define myself. I like everyone."
"So, you're bi?" I ask for clarification.
"I'm whatever it makes me when I'm with someone." She says with a smile. "Maybe one day we can be gay together." She says with a smile. "You're really pretty."
I blush, like blush super hard. "Thanks, you are too."
I can tell she is shivering a little, probably from dancing in a damn tank top in this 50-degree weather. "Where is your thermos?" I ask her.
She picks it back up and hands me the cup part. I shake my head and grab the bigger part. I pour the rest of my coffee in there and put the lid on tight for her and hand it back. "You need it more than me to stay warm." I tell her with a wink while standing up.
"Wow..." She whispers out with a smile while quickly taking a sip.
"Nice to meet you Lauren, thanks for cheering me up." I tell her while extending my hand. She jumps up and hugs me tightly, taking me completely off guard. She smells like vanilla and brown sugar, and I have to resist the urge to inhale her scent deeply.
"Sorry, I'm a hugger." She says with a smile. "If you ever want the best hot chocolate in town, come to the diner and I will make you some." She says proudly.
"Thanks, maybe I will." I tell her as I slowly walk away. I glance over my shoulder at her and see her waving at me with a big smile. She then picks up the cat and makes him wave as well. I laugh and smile at her once more.
I will definitely be skipping Starbucks for a cup of hot chocolate one of these days.