THE GLASS WAS UNCHARACTERISTICALLY POLISHED. The entire building seemed to glitter under the glow of the rising sun, a golden hue cast upon the grey cement, the windows winking at passersby as they made their morning commute to their respective jobs, all taking the time to look up towards the building that seemed to be calling out, so much more demanding than usual, turning heads that, previously, never batted an eye.
Jude Costello sighed as he stood in the middle of the sidewalk, trying not to be jostled as he held onto the tray of coffee, allowing himself the time to look up towards the building that he had been frequenting for over a year at this point, the shiny red letters of the sign laughing at him as he furrowed his brow, creasing his unblemished skin.
The sign would still be there long after the day was done, but once the sun began to set, Jude wouldn't be back.
He sighed as he made his way over towards the door, not wanting to be late on his last day, pausing as he always did to readjust his tie before stepping through the revolving door that he had always secretly loved to go around and around, though he hardly allowed himself more than the necessary amount of turns before stepping onto the tiled floor, his shoes clicking against them and filling the room.
It took him all these months to stop being so paranoid whenever the sound of his shoes echoed, and now he was never going to hear them echo in the room ever again.
Maybe he was being dramatic, but he figured it was warranted. After all, even though the company could afford more than their fair share of assistants, they decided to cut the number in half and give one assistant to two employees, but Jude wasn't on the list of assistants they wanted to keep.
It was a travesty and, according to most of the people he passed by along the way to his boss' office, a sore mistake on the part of the company.
"Hey, Costello," Mr. Banks called, holding the elevator door open for him, and Jude ran as fast as he could, not wanting to spill the coffee on his nicest suit or shoes, sighing with relief when he made it, moving to stand towards the front, nodding towards some of the others in the elevator.
"Last day, huh?" Mr. Banks asked, and Jude nodded, feeling himself flush despite himself, looking at himself in the elevator glass, fixing his hair and, once again, straightening his tie, adjusting the cuffs of his sleeves.
"We're gonna miss you," the man said as the elevator stopped, the two stepping aside to let most of the others in the elevator in, all of them nodding in condolence to Jude.
Even if they didn't know him, it was always a shame when someone was let go, and they weren't so heartless as to ignore him, especially how news travelled around the building. Everyone knew that it was a sore shame that the new members of the board were being unnecessarily stingy, and it wasn't fair to take it out on the lowest in rank, save for the maintenance staff.
Not to mention, the name Costello was floated around the building floors at a fair rate, what with Jude having written down and memorized so many coffee orders and took over for so many jobs that the other assistants slacked on.
To say he was bitter about his being released was an understatement, but he wasn't about to show in.
"After you," Mr. Banks said, when the doors opened, and Jude laughed softly as he ducked his head and walked out, because Mr. Banks was on the younger side of those that worked the offices themselves, just thirty-two, and he didn't know half the charm that he had, which made him all the more charming.
Jude always wondered Mr. Banks had a soft spot for him, but it seemed he just liked to do that with all the office assistants. Some said it was so he could get some ass, others said it was so he could shirk off some coffee. Jude always thought it was because he was unwaveringly nice.
"Catch me before you leave, Costello, I got a present for you," Mr. Banks said, and Jude's heart raced as he nodded, hoping his face wasn't as red as he felt it was.
He made his way along his usual path, dropping the coffee that he was usually bribed to get, smiling as he picked up the bills held in the hands he dropped them in, pocketing them as he continued along. He was very good at what he did and he had a rhythm in place, which was most of the reason why he didn't want to leave.
He liked working there, he didn't want to have to leave, but he wasn't about to throw a hissy fit and make sure no other company was ever going to hire him ever again. He was young, not stupid.
He took a deep breath as he stepped into the glass-windowed office at the end of the room, the only one separated from the rest of the floor which were made up of only desks with dividing walls so no one could see their work as easily.
But his boss had her own office. After all, she was interim CEO while the true CEO was in recovery, it made sense why she had her own office separated from everyone else in the building.
It was also why everyone was so shocked when it was revealed that Jude wasn't one of the assistants that was staying, and while he was just as upset as some others, he wasn't as surprised, not even trying to feign surprise when people came up to talk to him about it.
After all, it wasn't as if his boss was the one making the cuts. Though, of course, she did warn him in advance and asked if he wanted her to pull some strings, to which he told her no.
He had berated himself constantly for it, but his reasons were admirable, if not laughable, at least in the industry he chose to be apart of. Surrounded by people who knew how to get what they wanted, he was one of the only people who was willing to self-sabotage for people he cared about, and no one could understand him, most of all his boss.
"Jude," she said, standing up and moving to hug him, and he set the coffee tray down to hug her back, not caring that everyone else could see them through the glass.
He took a deep breath as he hugged her, smelling the perfume she had asked him to help pick her out, and he smiled because he knew she didn't like it as much as she pretended to, but it meant a lot that she was wearing it now.
"You're wearing it," he said, because he liked to state the obvious, or so everyone else told him. He liked to think he just paved the way towards subtext.
His boss, a woman in her forties who didn't look a day over thirty-seven by the name of Breanna Robbins, smiled as he ran a hand through her hair, adjusting it as she moved to walk back around her desk to continue her work, picking up the coffee cup out of the tray which he rushed to push towards her.
"Since you're leaving, I figured I could brave through one day," she said, sighing after she took a sip of her coffee, and Jude was allowed to smile down at her for all of the two seconds it took for her to drink before he was promptly given an earful.
"You shouldn't have told me no, you self-sacrificing idiot," she hissed, standing up from her desk to look at him, and if it had been any other time, Jude would've wilted, but he was much too close to her now to do anything but breathe a laugh.
That was actually why they were in this predicament to begin with.
"You know people wouldn't have respected you if I stayed," he said, and she scoffed, shaking her head so fiercely he was genuinely surprised.
"They won't respect me whether or not you stayed," she said, and while he couldn't necessarily argue against that, he couldn't agree that his staying wouldn't have changed things.
"They already think we're sleeping together, Breanna," he said, wincing as soon as he called her by her first name, a habit that slipped one too many times when they weren't in the safety of her glass office, "See? That's what I'm saying, they wouldn't respect you if I stayed, they'd say that you pulled strings to keep me around."
"Harry Enderhart has done so much worse than that, but no one ever said a damn thing," she spat, muttering to herself, shaking her head as she addressed him, "I'm well aware of this, Jude, but if you listened, you'd hear that everyone think you're leaving so no one will suspect anything."
Jude sighed, raising a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. He knew what he was getting into when he went into one of the "feminine" professions, as everyone seemed to call it. It had caused some problems, what with women arguing that he was taking away what little jobs they were allowed to have without prejudice, and of course he felt poorly for them, but he wanted to do this and he didn't see why he would have to stop.
But he was well aware of the reputation that followed any person that chose to become a secretary or personal assistant. Having to wait on hand and foot for one particular person, it was the kind of submissive role that had everyone whispering, and it didn't matter who or what he was, there were going to be whispers.
But there wouldn't have been as many if he had just gotten to work for a man. He had been hired, initially, to work for Harry Enderhart, the actual CEO, but then the mix-up occurred and suddenly he was walking into his first day shaking hands with a woman in heels so high and sharp that they could kill.
So he knew all too well of the whispers and the gossip and the scandal. That was why he told her no.
Because at the end of the day, Jude would just be a personal assistant. The one who just had to stay quiet and make sure he didn't make a mistake somewhere along the line. But Breanna would always be a woman trying to prove herself in a world where men were more willing to tear her down than they were each other, which was truly saying something.
In the cutthroat world, sacrifices had to be made. Jude just liked to help the processes along. It was his job, after all.
"So what's the plan?" he asked, because they had been talking for too long, and he could see people looking through the glass, whispering about what it was they could possibly be arguing about.
He knew what they would say. He knew everyone thought their relationship was on the fritz because Jude lost his job. That Breanna was desperate to keep him around, but there was no way, she betrayed him. They were just trying to keep it civil until the end of the day, then he would be long gone. Though, of course, the more nosy types assumed they would have one more passionate roll in the hay before deciding to stay together regardless.
Jude loved scandal and stories as much as the next person, but this was more than ridiculous. It sounded less like reality and more like badly written erotica that he occasionally picked up at the library when he wanted a good laugh.
"Everything that's been in the calendar and you just need to finish up the rest of your work so your replacement can start with a clean slate," Breanna explained, sighing at the word 'replacement,' and Jude had to wonder if she was sighing because she would miss him or because she didn't like her new replacement.
He hoped for the latter, but he knew it was the former.
"Okay," he said, making his way out of her office and moving to sit at his desk, sighing when he realized he would have to clear it out himself at the end of the day, which sounded no better than getting his teeth pulled out.
But it was his last day at the job, and if he was there, he might as well finish strong.
So, with the sounds of people whispering and the feeling of being watched, Jude started his last day of work.
º º º
By the time he was finished, the sun had already passed through the glass windows of the top floor, blinding Jude and all the others in the room, same as always. He couldn't help but feel a sharp tug at his lips and heart when he realized that he wouldn't get the same sort of view anymore.
"Costello, what're you doing?"
Jude turned from where he was standing right by the glass, looking down towards the street and out towards the rest of the skyline, catching sight of one of the higher employees in the office staring at him like he had grown another arm, and Jude could only sigh as he motioned towards his desk.
"Saying goodbye, Mr. O'Hannigan, what're you doing?" he asked, more tired than spiteful, and the man seemed rather disconcerted that one of the best assistants in the building was talking back.
"Just thought you were planning on jumping," he joked, and Jude couldn't even pretend to laugh, only giving him a pity smile as he made his way to his desk.
He took a deep breath as he placed the last of the papers into its correct folder, stacking them all up and placing them in the corner to be collected. Then, reaching under his desk, he grabbed the cardboard box given to him midway through the day, beginning to pack up.
He didn't leave much there, only office supplies, but while there wasn't much to pack, it felt as if it took him hours to lift the few things he had from off the table and in the drawers into the box, rearranging them carefully despite knowing fully well they would be jostled on his way home.
He liked order even if it would be destroyed moments later.
When he finally lifted his head up from where it had been bent, his attention focused solely on his work, he found that most of the office had cleared out. It was a Friday and work was usually left until the next week, and with half of the assistants leaving, people were going out to drink.
The only people left were himself, Breanna, Mr. Banks, and a few stragglers who were already on their way out the door, even while behind their desks.
"Costello," Mr. Banks called, waving him forward, and Jude didn't have any control over his feet as he made his way around the desks towards the man who was leaning against his own, his arms crossed with something hidden in his hand.
"Take care of yourself," Mr. Banks said, holding out his hand which had been holding onto a small, velvet box, his other hand now gripping his jacket which was thrown over his shoulder.
Even when he didn't try, he still oozed charm, one leg crossed over the other with a raised eyebrow and wry smile, and Jude couldn't help but wonder if, out of all the things, he would miss the way Mr. Banks would smile at him just before they went home, always giving him a look as if he would see him again before the morning.
He never did, of course, but Jude could dream.
Turning back to the task at hand, Jude opened the box carefully, glancing over towards the older man, as if expecting that this would be a gag, that everyone in the office would jump out and mock him for sleeping with his boss, despite it not being true.
But that wasn't the case at all. No, instead, there were two gold cufflinks sitting peacefully on a velvet pillow, glinting under the sun that shone through the glass. They were simple, nothing too flashy, but they were shaped like stars.
"You always say it's hard to see the stars in the city," Mr. Banks explained, leaning close to explain, "Thought this could help."
Jude raised his head, his lips curling into a smile as he realized that Mr. Banks had been paying attention, his cheeks flushing, and he couldn't help but duck his head again, looking up at him through his lashes, and the older man only smiled down at him, nodding his head.
"You take care, Jude," the man said, before picking up his briefcase and walking out, sparing him one last glance before stepping into the elevator and closing the doors, winking just before they shut.
It was only then that Jude realized that this was the first time that the man had ever called him by his first name.
"Jude."
He turned to find Breanna waving him over from where she stood in her office, not quite ready to leave for the day, as per usual; she always liked to wait until everyone left the office before she left herself, it was most likely to assert her authority and dedication, but also because she wanted the company to do well. She was like that, Jude had noticed.
He practically floated over to her, clutching the box in his hand, his heart thudding as he moved to stand in front of her with his dopey, ridiculous smile.
"Banks?" she asked, motioning towards the box, and he nodded, feeling himself blush, looking down at his shoes.
"He always did have a soft spot for you," she hummed, and he looked up at her, his eyes hopeful and gleaming, but she gave him a look that reminded him where he was and who he was talking to.
"What did you need?" he asked, pocketing the box and smoothing down his shirt.
She moved wordlessly back behind her desk, reaching into the top drawer and pulling out a sleek white card with numbers printed in the bottom lefthand corner, passing it over to him without so much as a second glance.
"You're already on the list, just call, tell them your name and my name, and set a time," she said, smoothing down her skirt as she moved to stand up straight, waiting for his response.
He stared down at the card, seeing that the only thing stated was a phone number. It didn't take two guesses to know what this was, but that didn't stop him from saying it anyways. As always, he liked to state the obvious. It led to subtext.
"You got me an interview?" he breathed, staring at her incredulously, and she shrugged minutely.
"You're the best assistant I ever had, it would be a waste for you to be unemployed. Besides, this could be long lasting for you, more than a year. Trust me, it would be a shame for you to pass this up," she explained, and the subtext was that she cared about him. Simple as that. Yet it meant the world.
Jude scoffed, staring at her with shock, shaking his head. "Breanna, I can't—"
"Yes, you can," she said, her tone firm, "You've sacrificed enough, Jude. Do this for yourself, this has nothing to do with me anymore."
He held her gaze for a moment, just staring, not thinking anything at all, and she held it just as easily, possibly thinking of so many things she hardly had to try to do this. It didn't shock anyone when he looked away first.
He licked his lips as he caught sight of the phone on the corner of her desk, and he pointed towards it, and she waved her hand flippantly, continuing to stand, watching as he carefully dialed the number, holding the phone between his ear and shoulder.
They picked up on the third ring.
"Hello?" a voice greeted.
A man. Jude looked up towards Breanna with shock, and she motioned for him to continue, a ghost of a smile on her well painted lips.
"This is Jude Costello, I'm an associate of Breanna Robbins, I'm calling to schedule a time for my interview," he said, trying not to let his voice waver while also not wanting to sound too entitled; it was a tone he perfected after years of trying to get what he wanted.
The man laughed softly, but it was clear it was in good faith. "Certainly, Mr. Costello. Do you have any preferences? I, personally, would prefer tomorrow, but if that isn't good for you..."
It was clearly a test. To see how well Jude could work on last minute notices. Luckily for him, he lived off making things work, no matter how tight the squeeze, and he responded easily.
"That's more than perfect. Would one p.m. be suitable, or would you prefer earlier?" he asked, turning the tables, allowing the man to call the shots while asserting his authority on his own right, offering to go earlier than lunchtime, which hardly anyone was prepared for.
"One sounds just fine, Mr. Costello," the man replied, and he sounded somewhat impressed, which was what Jude always liked to hear, "I'll see you then. Ms. Robbins has all the information, you can get the rest from her."
"Wait," Jude said, wincing as soon as he did, "My apologies, but what is your name?"
The man laughed softly, and Jude didn't quite know what to make of it, but it still sent a shiver down his spine nevertheless.
"Obadiah Stane. Have a good evening, Mr. Costello."
AUTHOR'S NOTE
( 12.18.18 )
I'm really proud of this chapter, you guys. Like honestly, I'm never proud of first chapters, but I'm actually not disgusted by the state of this one, like, we introduced Jude, we showed the end of his usual routine, we introduced an important event, the whole nine. Like, I'm sure it's still bad, but at least it's not terrible. At least, I don't think it is.
Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed!