Laura's Pov
He stood straight and serious, hands in pockets, as he stared down at me, almost like he knew me, like he was trying to figure something out.
And for a second there, the only thing I could do was stare back.
He was so tall- wearing, of course, a black business suit, with quite the open neckline underneath. I cold tell easily by his broad shoulders, that he was built nicely.
His hair was a beautiful beachy bright blonde, contrasting with his serious demeanour. The chizzled jawline, hazel eyes, heart shaped cupid's bow..
I'd never seen a boss quite like this one. I swear Earned it by The Weeknd started playing in my head.
This was far from the white fifty year old men I was used to.
"Pretentious prick in a pretty business suit" he spoke up- his voice clear and poised "Creative"
His voice was so smooth.. so sweet.
So sweet I almost forgot all the words I'd said, and all the other ones I was supposed to say.
Of course, dear as he was, he needed to remind me of the insult I'd just thrown at him, not knowing he was even there. That simple sentence, also confirmed, he'd been standing there for a while, waiting for me to end my little rant.
My throat went almost completely dry, and I wasn't sure how to respond. There was no coming back from this one- I'd fucked up a lot of things in mere seconds.
So, what was the point of being sorry now?
I'd quit my job, I wouldn't see John again, I sure as hell wouldn't see this handsome man again.
"Yet another trait of mine John will be missing out on" I replied almost just as quietly. I wasn't sure where my voice went.
I couldn't let him know how greatly his presence was affecting me. I was nervous- I felt little in front of him, like a nobody. His eyes made me feel so exposed.
So I made sure my response showed none of those things.
"That so?" he tilted his head to the side, raising an eyebrow.
I licked my lips.
"Mr. Lynch I have to apologize" John suddenly spoke up, deciding that he needed to interrupt wherever awful place this conversation was going to head to after a couple of more minutes.
Ross walked past me and into the office, and the whiff of cologne I got of him almost made me drop to my knees.
Jesus Christ Laura.
This wasn't normal. I was going a little too mental over a mere stranger- I met so many men on the daily, not one made me so hot, so fast.
"This is not the way we wanted to welcome you into the company. I was not made aware that Miss Marano had decided to pay a visit minutes before our first meet" John's voice was cold as ice, as he glared at me.
"Marano" he repeated my last name, for whatever reason.
I swallowed uneasily.
"Yes, Laura Marano" John repeated, also a little confused.
He told him my full name.
Let's just hope that this guy wasn't as successful as John made him out to be, or that he wasn't known in other companies - otherwise he could ruin my life by just knowing my name.
The thought sent shivers down my spine.
"Hm" he nodded, then stared back at me.
I almost froze in place.
"Not a first time, I'll admit. What was the commotion about?" he turned his head to look down at John.
Not a first time? How many people's jobs had this guy stolen? Or did people just cuss him out regularly?
"Quite literally nothing to be worried about now" John replied "There was a silent promise made to Miss. Marano here for the position you are going to be holding at our company- she didn't seem to realize it was silent"
And we're back to angry Laura.
I was holding myself back from clawing this old man's eyes out at this point- a sentence I'd never thought I'd even think.
"She thought she was qualified for the managerial position, with no previous experience?" Ross laughed.
It was the first time I'd heard him laugh, and out of all the things he could be laughing at- it was at me.
I was the joke.
"Tell me" I spoke up, still in a calm voice "How does someone gain experience without experiencing something?"
"You're very quick with your replies" he turned his head to look at me.
Did he basically just tell me to shut up?
"What I witnessed as I walked in here, was quite unprofessional, wouldn't you agree Miss Marano? How could you manage this branch, when you can't even control your own emotions?" he crossed his arms.
My hands curled into fists, practically begging to launch themselves at his pretty little face.
Because what was a pretty face worth, if this was his personality ? A pretty face could only benefit you for a few years.
"I liked you better before you spoke" I bit back.
It was clear this guy was needed to be put in his place, and no one was doing it.
No, they were lifting him higher.
"Laura!" John looked back at me "What the hell has gotten into you?"
"You can't judge me based on an outburst, but I sure as hell can judge you for the things you're saying as you appear calm" I stared at him, ignoring my now ex-boss "I guess I'll see you around"
I turned to the door, then looked back at him "Wait. No I won't. "
After that, I closed the door behind me.
As I walked down the hallway- now much more calm than before, despite having my authority questioned, I turned the corner to go over to my desk again.
Again, my coworkers had nothing better to do but stare at me.
I wasn't going to blame them- the shutters of the office were wide open, so I was sure they'd watched everything go down, but thankfully, the glass was at least soundproof.
"What happened? Who is that guy?" Michael immediately questioned me.
"Right! He's literally gorgeous. Did we hire a model or something?" Maria, one of my other coworkers looked up at me.
They were already coming up with ridiculous theories.
"Sure" I replied, as I emptied one of the boxes in the office that was stacked with paper.
I didn't worry myself about the empty pages, simply leaving them stacked without the box.
I placed it on my chair, and started to pile all my things into it.
This was it. I was never going back to this place again.
Six years, wasted just like that.
"Did he fire you?" Michael gasped.
With Camille no longer in the office- I didn't know how to deal with these people. She'd probably left for her doctor's appointment already, which was why her desk was empty when I passed by it.
"I quit" I replied, throwing in the last thing from my desk.
When I looked back at the office, since the shutters were still open, I found Ross staring at me while John was speaking to him.
I probably looked like a loser- picking my stuff up while he got comfortable in the office.
At that thought, I looked away from him, and picked up my coat. I slipped it on, before picking up the box too.
"Do you need any help with that?" Michael spoke up- he seemed to have accepted that I wasn't going to give in any details.
Yet this was usually my character- I didn't exactly air out everything that happened to me on the daily, to my coworkers.
"No, thank you" I nodded back at him, before looking back at my other coworkers. I'd had enough of men for the day "Well, nice knowing you"
"You can't leave! Who the fuck is going to run this place" Leila, sat up- she was one of the younger ones, at only eighteen, but she'd been with us for two years already.
"You're clearly in safe hands" I rolled my eyes, looking back at the office.
Yet the office was empty.
Where the hell did they go?
Ah who was I kidding- I really didn't care. Ross was probably getting a tour of the place already.
"What?" Leila blinked "No we're not"
"I think she's trying to say she'll miss you" Aileen laughed- she was a bit older than me, and she worked right next to Leila.
"I'll miss you too Leila" I smiled, laughing a bit.
Look at that- maybe I wasn't completely a shell of a human after today.
I saw her sigh, and she jumped from her seat, to walk over and hug me.
I put the box down to hug her back- but her reaction seemed to cause a certain feeling, because a bunch of my coworkers started to get up and hug me, or weave at me as I was leaving.
I wasn't expecting any of it, and suddenly leaving felt that much harder.
Still, I sucked it up, and managed to walk over to the parking lot.
Then.. I realized something I should've probably thought of sooner...
Camille took the car. How the hell was I going to get home.
With a sigh, I placed the box down, then took out my phone to call one of my friends.
Considering Gema was the only one without a job, I called her first, figuring she was home eating all my snacks.
"Eyoo" her chirpy voice greeted me the second I picked up.
"I need you to pick me up from work please" my voice was a clear contrast to hers.
"Oh? Why so early?" she questioned.
"I'll explain later. Just move it- I'm waiting in the parking lot and it's sorta cold" I complained.
"Alright alright" I could hear her move at the end of the line "I'm coming"
She ended the call after that, and I looked down at my box.
Rolling my eyes, I decided to sit on top of it- I was too tired to be waiting for her while standing up.
And while I sat in my sad little box, I saw people head in and out of the building- all staring at me.
Oh, this is just great.
I had to wait a dreadful thirty minutes, just sitting there, staring down at my phone, scrolling mindlessly.
I wasn't in the mood for anything anymore. I just needed some sleep. This day had taken all my energy already, and we were barely in the afternoon.
Finally, I saw the familiar car come into view.
While Camille and Bash had one car together, Nadia and Nick used another one, and Gema and I used this one.
So in total, we had three cars in this friend group, but we changed who took which every day.
Sometimes Camille and I would arrive to work in hers- sometimes Bash would have it so we took mine, etc.
The second Gema parked in front of me, she spoke up "You look depressed"
"Thanks" I grumpily replied, sitting up from my box and picking it up to place it in the backseat.
Once I did that, I sat in the passages seat with a sigh.
Finally.
As she started driving again, she spoke up "What's in the box?"
"Six years of hard work and tears" I mumbled, staring ahead at the road.
"What?" she immediately questioned, looking back at me.
I stayed silent, and she sighed "You really do seem upset. I'm assuming they fired you?"
"Sorta"
I explained the situation to her, and the more I spoke the angrier she got-
I was there too girlfriend.
Gema was pretty expressive about her feelings, so this was nothing out of the ordinary. She wasn't really scared to give anyone a piece of her mind.
When we arrived home, she practically slammed the door closed.
I saw Nadia visibly jump in place.
Confused she was even at home, I raised an eyebrow "Why aren't you at work?"
"I could ask you the same thing" she blinked, as she saw me take off my coat "The early call was online Laura. I've been here all day"
"Yeah and it's annoying as fuck. I haven't blasted my music all day" Gema rolled her eyes, passing by her to jump on the couch.
"Some of us have to work" Nadia sighted, shaking her head.
"You're not even supposed to do that at all. The neighbors complain every time" I scolded.
"Our neighbors are Camille and some old man with a urinal infection- I don't care" she replied, then pointed at Nadia and I "Don't ask how I know that"
Oh, I wasn't going to.
I rolled my eyes, walking over to the kitchen for a glass of cold water. I needed it. I still felt hot all over, probably from anger.
After I had that, I walked past the living room and into my own room, face-planting on the bed.
I groaned. This day could not get any worse. I couldn't believe I did any of the things I did that morning.
I finally let go, but now I wasn't going to make enough money to even cover my part of the rant. I needed a new job immediately.
I almost teared up at the thought of doing job interviews. Fuck, how I hated them.
Not one second into my depression position, I heard steps in my room, and already knew Nadia and Gema had walked in.
My thoughts were most confirmed when I felt my bed dip on both sides.
Ugh. I just needed some alone time.
I finally raised my head from my pillow, and turned around- clearing the hair from off of my face.
They stared at me.
"What's up?" I questioned "I'm trying to take a nap here"
If I could even sleep a wink with the all stress from today.
"I still don't know what's going on" Nadia crossed her legs, then looked down at me "Spill"
I guess girl talk was in order.
"I quit my job today" I replied.
It was as smile as that.
"What?!" she gasped "Why?!'
"They didn't give her the boss position at work- they hired someone else that moved from La" Gema spoke up for me.
"Managerial position" I murmured, correcting her.
"Shut up"
Alrighty then.
"How is that even possible? I was so sure you were going to get it? Who's the new manager?" Nadia questioned, eyebrows furrowed in concern.
"Some guy" I sorted, sitting up and leaning against my headboard "Some young successful asshole of a man. He'd been the boss of the La branch which was always our company's most successful, and since he was moving, they gave the job straight to him- no questions asked"
"Shit- that sucks. They always fucking do this" Nadia rolled her eyes "What's with the misogyny?"
"I know. Walking out after that was a power move though" Gema shrugged.
"What's his name? Do we know him?" Nadia spoke up right after.
Here goes the investigative work.
"Ross Lynch" I sighed.
The fact that I even remembered his name was frustrating, but sadly, I didn't have the memory of a turtle.
Actually I don't know if turtles have bad memory or not- it's no good judging them without any information on them.
You see, it I were Ross Lynch I wouldn't know how to do that.
"Ross Lynch?" she blinked, and her mouth dropped.
"What? What? Do we know him?" Gema shook Nadia's shoulder slightly.
"Yes! Oh when you said successful you meant successful" she emphasised on the word, staring at me "He's like the fox of the business world. Sly, and smart. He's worked with a lot of companies and achieved so much, so young. This guy is like- top tier" she let out a large breath "We should look him up"
"Great" I slapped a hand on my face "So I actually offended the shit out of the most successful businessman out there. I'm so not gonna get another job"
This was actually horrendous. I knew him knowing my full name was not a good thing
"Offended? You didn't tell me that part of the story" Gema snorted, raising her eyebrows at me.
"Wait- so you actually met him?" Nadia questioned right after.
"Yes" I rolled my eyes "He was right behind me while I gave John a piece of my mind. I called him a pretentious prick. He said that was creative"
"Ooohhh" Gema wiggled her eyebrows.
"Then he called me out for the outburst, said I was unprofessional and emotional" I finished my sentence, watching my friend's smile drop.
"Fuck him"
There she was.
I chuckled slightly.
At the corner of my eye, I saw Nadia reach for my lap top, and open it.
After typing for a bit, she looked up "Found him"
Gema looked over her shoulder, raising an eyebrow "Well it wasn't hard to find. There's a wikipedia page about him"
"Of course there's a wikipedia page about him" I rolled my eyes, hitting my own face with a pillow.
"Holy shit" Gema then yelled, almost making me jump "He's so hot! He's totally my type"
"Girl" Nadia gave her a look.
"What? Are you going to pretend you don't find him attractive?" she raised her eyebrows.
"No" she sighted "He is so hot, but-"
"You have to see this photo of him" she took the lap top from Nadia's hands, practically shoving it in my face.
I backed it up a bit, and stared at the photo.
Well shit.
It was quite the pretty picture.
"I know" I pushed the lap top away "I saw him today in person"
I wasn't going to let myself compliment him out loud even if he weren't here- what he said wasn't justified by his toned chest or ripped muscles.
I sighted.
"Lucky" she sighted.
I stared at her- it was like she just discovered I met a celebrity.
As Gema stared at more pictures of him, Nadia sighted "He doesn't have the greatest reputation though. They say he's only charming when he wants something. He's quite cold and not friendly at all on the daily, says it like it is, and he does some suspicious shit - at least that's what the news articles say"
"There's news articles?" I furrowed my eyes, groaning again "Bro"
"I know" she empathized with me.
"Fuck" I let out a stressful sigh "I was better off ignorant. I didn't have to know this much about him"
"Oopsie" Nadia gigged, then I saw Cami walk in my room- Nick and Sebastian right behind her "Why are we all gathered in Laura's room?"
"I don't know- I honestly didn't ask for this. I need a nap" I furrowed my eyes- there was a total of five other people in my room right now- aka way too many.
I only had so much time before I had to head down to Louie's.
"Whatever- I think I need to know the details of today. Before I left I saw you at the office killing it! Who was the hot guy that walked in after? I've been curious of it all day" she clapped her hands.
"We just came back from the doctor and that's what you want to discuss?" Sebastian raised an eyebrow at his wife.
"You should've seen him" she stared up at him "Or they way he looked at her" she gestured at me with her hand.
My eyebrows furrowed.
Gema stared at me, still hugging my lap top.
"I'll explain later but can we talk about the important things now? How did it go?" I stared at Camille- referring to the doctor's visit.
I was feeling a little uncomfortable now.
"Oh, it was fine. I'm two months along" she did a piece sign "The baby's healthy and doing good. We talked about my symptoms and I'm going back there next week to get an ultrasound and the due date"
"Cam that's so exciting for you two!" I sprung up in bed "Holy shit!"
I opened my arms, and she walked over to me, bending down with a giggle.
I smiled, squeezing her tightly.
I wasn't sure who needed this hug most- her or me.
⋆˚☽｡⋆.
Back again with my quick lil updates.
It's a rainy day today so feeling very much like: 🥰😴
Also um, I decided I'm going to be living in dorms this year for my master's, so I guess I'll have first hand experience with a roommate 😀 and, you know, the rest of the people that live there. The living conditions were pretty good I'd say- very apartment like.
Considering I've never lived anywhere that wasn't my home, this'll be interesting. Will update you on the drama lol.
Back to the story- as you can probably tell she didn't have the greatest first impression of him 😂 Curious to see your opinions.
If we comment and vote real quickly
on this one.. I might.. slip in a Ross pov, just saying.
I don't know though, I feel like he's a little secret for now 👀
You have no idea.
Hope you liked this chapter anyway ♡
35 votes and 40 comments required for the next chapter
follow my book's Instagram page for more updates!
🍒🍒