First edit: 14/07/2017
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I am feeling myself today.
Will labeled my look today as a BOSS; and let me tell you, that word has me feeling all kinds of fierceness. Apart from the stilettos and bodycon dress I have on, I also managed to get my eyeliner perfect.
Perfect in the sense of - if someone stood four feet away and I angled my face the correct way, they wouldn't notice the two crooked lines above my lids.
Anyway, maybe my new found confidence has something to do with the hope of seeing Justin today. He did tweet about me afterall... but I shouldn't get my hopes up. Nonetheless, I feel great.
I'm on my way to work, walking the last two blocks from the station when my phone rings. It's a number I recognise all too well. I inhale and put on my best smile, even though he won't see it.
"Mr. Leigh!" I answer, "What a lovely surprise!"
Mr. Leigh is the one who rescued me out of South Africa. He also helped me start a new life in the USA. Name changes, background checks, history wipes - the list goes on. I was practically a new person in all senses of the word. Was it not for him, I wouldn't even have landed the position of junior editor at HarperCollins.
You could say I owe him my life.
He cuts straight to the point. As usual. "I hear you are making quite the stir at your new job! I'm impressed!" His deep voice rumbles through the speaker of my phone.
I can't help but let out a nervous laugh. It needs explanation:
One - Mr. Leigh is one of the most influential businessmen in America; he's a billionaire and king of his own empire. Anyone would be nervous just being in his presence. Two - He knows what's going on in my life at all times. So he probably already knows I didn't do anything to deserve the praise.
"News travels fast," I say as I wait by the traffic light until I can cross the street.
Was this a test? Should I make it clear that I didn't do anything praise-worthy to make a stir at my new job?
His response grabs my attention and makes me exhale with relief.
"Are you at work yet?"
Maybe he's just making chit-chat.
"Almost, why?" I frown..
"Oh I think I'll leave you to find out yourself!" he laughs.
Of course. Frank Leigh will never call just for chit-chatting. He knows something.
His words echo in my mind; and I, being the paranoid person that I am, immediately jump to the first conclusion. So I do what any rational person would do - I apologize profusely.
"I'm so sorry Mr. Leigh! I know I probably should have interacted with him more than I did!" What am I even saying? The other side is silent, so I take it as a hint to apologize more, "I mean, it was my first day! I had no idea I would bump into a celebrity, let alone get my picture taken and published online!"
Where am I going with this?
"If I knew beforehand, I would have ensured to give more publicity to the company and not make it look like we were flirting! I'm really sor-"
He cuts me off, "What on earth are you rambling on about?" He chuckles, "I just thought I would call to check up on you. You gave more than enough media attention to HarperCollins. And free at that! They were planning on paying someone for being seen with that singer!"
"Oh," I stop walking and breath in and out, "I thought..."
"Whatever you thought, get it out of your mind. You're not in South Africa anymore, so start acting like it. Make me proud."
Okay, so maybe he called to chit-chat after all.
Not that he would see it, but I nod, "Yes Mr. Leigh, I promise I'll make you proud."
"Good girl."
"Thank you for calling Mr. Leigh."
"You know you don't have to call me that, Frank is perfectly fine. Anyways, I have some business to attend to. I'll send the driver to pick you up at eight tonight. I'm taking you out to celebrate!"
And with that, he is gone. The phone flatlines in my ear before I hang up and walk into the office.
The elevator opens on the seventh floor and for a moment I anticipate seeing Justin Bieber again. Much to my disappointment, I only see the receptionist smiling at me. Stupid me.
I shake it off and walk forward. The receptionist stops me before I can walk pass the front desk. I raise my brow.
"Mrs. Michaels and Mr. Hopkins is waiting for you in HR's office," she states.
I look at her with a deep frown, surely she must explain to me why head of HR wants to see me on my second day of working here.
She does not.
So I make my way to HR. Not knowing what to expect.
"There you are Miss Smith!" I hear Mr. Hopkins, manager of the biography department, says. Mrs. Michaels, is sitting behind her desk with a huge smile spread across her face. Both of them were very impressed with my 'bumping into Justin' yesterday. I hardly got to meet my work colleagues, because all these managers were cooing over me like a prized possession.
"You called for me sir?" I ask Mr. Hopkins. Apart from holding the manager title, he is also a senior editor for some of the biggest clients in the company.
He is a middle-aged man with thinning blond hair. The crows feet around his eyes is proof of many late nights on the job.
"That's right, Mrs. Michaels and I would like to share the good news with you!" he says as he walks to the front of her desk. He casually leans back and rests his arms on the surface.
I frown, "Good news sir?"
"Please sit," Mrs. Michaels pops her head around Mr. Hopkins and gestures for me to take a seat on one of the chairs. I oblige and wait for them to talk.
"Miss Smith," Michaels was the one to speak, "you're moving to LA!" she shrieks excitedly.
I was frowning again, "I don't understand?"
Mr. Hopkins chuckles, "The managing director of our Los Angeles branch wants you on their team!" he says, "and get this, you'll be starting out as a senior editor in the celebrity department!"
Total and utter shock. Am I dreaming? Am I hearing this correctly?
"But," I stutter, "why?"
Both of them burst out into a hysterical laugh.
Okay, is someone pranking me? Ashton Kutcher you can come out now.
"You have a gift Miss Smith. It's not everyday we get employees who go out of their way to impress us like you have!" Mrs. Michaels chirps.
What?
"To think," Mr. Hopkins takes over, "You went out of your way to make sure a celebrity like Justin Bieber talks to you to give us media coverage!" He claps his hands, "It's brilliant!"
I shake my head vigorously, "Mr. Hopkins, with all due respect, I think you're giving me credit where it's not due. I don't deserve to be praised for this, because I didn't-"
"And so humble!" Mrs. Michaels coos. They don't give me a chance to talk. They just nod their heads and hold their chests like I won the Nobel Prize for ending the world's starvation.
I can probably say that I am planning on murdering someone, or robbing a bank with illegal weapons and they will still be impressed with me.
"Mr. Joyce is expecting you by the start of next week Monday. So you have all week to pack your things. Your apartment is already paid in LA, all you need to do is move in," Mrs. Michaels shrieks again like a teenager.
"Mr. Joyce is the managing director that asked for you," Mr. Hopkins adds.
I'm in such a haze right now. What is happening?
I'm being treated like royalty just because I was in the right place at the right time? No, there has to be a catch somewhere. The company is paying for a brand new employee to move into an apartment in Los Angeles just because of them enjoying free publicity?
Nah... I smell a rat.
"You can negotiate your terms with Joyce when you're in LA. I'm sure you'll get away with a company car and some really nice benefits," Mr. Hopkins breaks my train of thought.
He and Mrs. Michaels ramble on about how great the company is and how much I'll love LA. All the tabloids that featured the photo of Justin and I in HarperCollins office buildings is apparently enough media attention for potential clients to be winned over.
After a few minutes, I just sit in the chair with a blank mind. Everything they say waves pass me. I'm just trying to figure out what the catch is.
Could this be Mr. Leigh's doing? I wonder...
Mrs. Michaels calls my name and I drop my speculations. For now.
"Miss Smith, is there anything you would like to ask before we bid you goodbye here at our offices?" she asks.
I huff and shrug, "Uhm," think of something you idiot! "What will I be doing exactly, in LA?" I ask the first question that pops into my head.
She drops the tip of her oversized glasses to her nose and beams out almost in song, "You'll be working with all the celebrities of course!"
What?!
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What's your theory on why she is moving to LA all of a sudden? :p
Thank you for reading!
-euodiadem