"Recruited someone new?" I stared at my boss as his gaze remained on the laptop screen lit up in front of him "and what does this have to do with me?"
I put that question plain and simple. It meant what it meant.
"I want you to chaperone them...you know..."
My eyebrows furrowed in confusion as I tucked the folders of work under my arm, not completely understanding why I would spend my time training someone than working on the projects he wanted completed. I had been away for a couple of months to now return back to the main office that lay on the highest floor of the building in Manhattan, to be asked this so-called 'favour'. He was proceeding to talk as I stared out across at the vast views of the city overlooking Central Park, always having envied this view. Shaking my head slightly out of my sudden daze, I focused my attention back towards my boss' enthusiastic face once again, and the way his hands clasped together as he rested them gently on the table that sat between us. I guess it wouldn't be that bad chaperoning someone? I mean I was there at one point in my life with my ironed white shirt and non creased suit, as I prepared myself for my first few weeks. It wasn't until I started that I then realised I was a little too overdressed and settling for smart but casual was what they expected. Whoever this person was I would be able to at least help to some extent whether that's showing them one new thing. It's just a few weeks Astra, get over yourself.
"I'd be happy to. However..." I started as his eyebrow raised waiting for the reason as to why I wasn't so keen "I have been away from the office for a little over a couple of months with timely projects to still be completed. So you are absolutely certain there is no one else"
"I'm absolutely certain Astra" he smiled "I trust you to teach her well, that's why I've asked you"
"What's her name?" I asked, just as the door to the small confined office space opened wide, the hinges creaking. I turned to look over my shoulder, one hand falling into the safety of my jacket pocket.
"Ah here she is now" he stood up eagerly as I took in the young woman that stood awkwardly in the doorway, her blouse and skirt a little 'too' revealing for someone's liking. I turned away, rolling my eyes and sighing heavily, my boss now making his way over to her and placing a small encouraging hand on her petite shoulder.
"You asked for me?" She said quietly, but with the intention of coming across strong.
"Ella, meet Astra Kim, one of our top photographers and editor" he smiled "Astra...Ella, our newest recruit"
I gave her a small look up and down before extending my arm, hand held out ready for the response. She took one look at my hand, then at me, her face full of confusion as if she was trying to read me. Is she for real? I dropped my hand slowly, failing to get the response I wanted from her. Let it slide Astra, she's probably just nervous.
"It's a pleasure to meet you and welcome to the team" I spoke, adding a small smile "I hope we both get to know one another better"
"God, I'm sorry, that was so rude of me" she broke out of her daze, now fully engaged in the one sided conversation I seemed to be having for the past few seconds "it's lovely to meet you too. Your name sounds very familiar..."
"Astra Kim is known in most places" my boss laughed interrupting her train of thought, as he gave me a hard pat on the back making me wince "photographer of the year is that what they called you?"
"Hmm" I replied, as his laugh filled the room "I am happy to shadow her and I will do my best to get back the advertisement teasers on your desk by the end of the week"
"Fantastic...and Ella feel free to ask her anything, she won't bite" he laughed as I chewed the inside of my cheek, my boss embarrassing me yet again.
—🫶🏼—
"You, Astra Kim, are looking after someone and showing me the ropes of the company?" Taehyung managed to stutter in shock and amusement, as I groaned in response.
"I'm just shadowing her, not teaching her everything I know" I shrugged, organising the variety of folders that were scattered all across my coffee table in the middle of my apartment "besides she's catching onto all the skills very quickly, which took me surprise considering she kept staring at me weirdly the majority of the day"
"There have been many new recruits coming in" Taehyung boasted, clearly happy the company was increasingly improving "but I haven't noticed any one of them being weird? What do you mean by weird?"
"Just weird. Maybe I'm just overthinking it" I shrugged, as I kept moving the pictures around laying them out differently "it just felt as though she was trying to work out who I am, like she knew me"
"What was her name?" He queried, the photo's he was fiddling with freezing within his hand.
I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion, his aura and sudden question throwing me off, as if he was worried.
"Why is that important?"
"What's her name Astra?"
"Ella..." I replied, as I watched his mouth gape open in shock. A wave of anxiety hit me, my stomach sinking. Something was definitely wrong.
"I didn't think she would go for the job, our boss was being very friendly and hinting but when she entertained the idea I thought she was joking" he shook his head in disbelief, turning back towards the photos "just please tell me you were accommodating and friendly"
"Who is she Taehyung?" I urged him to reply,
"This isn't really my place to say, because someone else should have told you but..."
"Taehyung please tell me..." I interrupted.
"Ella, well..." he paused, looking up at me, as I sat waiting for an answer "she's dating Jungkook"
I froze. My mind one minute completely empty, the next filled with thousands of thoughts that made me sweat and come over hot in an instant. I took a deep breath, fanning my face with the photo still within my grasp. Of all the people...seriously? I now looked back at Taehyung after my sudden panic, his eyes giving me that apologetic look. Then a sudden burst of anger hit me.
"His what?" were the only two words that managed to escape my lips. I threw the photo down on the table "Taehyung why didn't you say..." I whined in annoyance now as he ruffled his hair.
"How was I supposed to know she would even be interested, let alone get the job. It just tops it off that you are her mentor!" He exclaimed, his voice raising ever so slightly.
"Thinking in all clarity now..." I began "she would have no way put two and two together in that instant. We were being professional, and there to work, and did he even tell her who I was?" I shook my head agreeing with my own validated points as Taehyung still seemed unconvinced,
"No, she definitely knows who you are, I'm sure"
"Hey, you're meant to be making me feel better" I whacked his arm with the photo in my hand as he faked a wince, bringing a small smile to my face "but actually what if she did work it out....oh god"
I groaned. My body falling back onto the arm chair that sat behind me, contemplating my whole life in that second. Taehyung gave me a small smile before clapping his hands together with positivity.
"If she worked it out then she did, if she didn't well thats that. But you need to stop stressing your little mind out about this. That's life. You are bound to cross paths with someone you may not want to."
"No Taehyung, that's just my luck" I complained, as he rolled his eyes,
"Shush now, I'm trying to vision this whole advertisement, and you better meet the standards in my head instead of worrying about some girl and Jungkook"
"As if that would distract me. It's The Astra Kim you are talking about here" I mimicked my boss' words as Taehyung and I both fell into heaps of laughter.
—🫶🏼—
Rita POV:
I watched as Astra (by the way in a huge mood) shoved her sunglasses, sun lotion and headphones into her bag, huffing and puffing with every little movement she made. I knew, after the 6 years of knowing her, when she was in one of her every minute thing was bothering her moods. Her eyebrows would scrunch to create a small line in the middle of her forehead, and her lips would position into a little pout. Usually I wouldn't dare press her buttons if asking what was on her mind. Yet this time I had got so far as to making my way into the apartment, she could now called home and sitting cross-legged on her bed, that asking her that wouldn't cause her to riot.
"Astra..." I said in an almost whisper, still asking with a slight caution "what's going on?"
She paused, turning around from her bag that was now zipped up, and glared at me. My face fell as I knew I had made a mistake. Yes, we had been best friends for what felt like years on end and normally on many occasions this would never bother her, but with the look written on her face I knew for a fact her fuse had blown.
"You want to know what's wrong with me" she blew a strand of hair away from her face "well, Rita thank you for asking. How would you feel if your 'friend' well ex boyfriend was dating someone who you now have to work with and act day after day that you don't know who they are. Answer me that. Oh wait, you probably can't"
"Jeez Astra, I was only asking. As your best friend"
"But Rita you don't understand, I feel like one day she will connect two and two and repulse me because I've lied and acted like I don't know"
"No Astra, I don't understand what the hell you're going through but I know for a fact you're obsessing over this whole dilemma for no reason. She hasn't worked it out and she probably never will. So for the love of god get over it. You're over him. So get over her and this whole situation"
"But you don't understand" she groaned in frustration.
"I don't understand what?"
"I'm not over him!" She exclaimed, her hands thrown up in the air in a gesture that showed as though she was a guilty party "I won't ever get over him Rita and I don't know how to cope with the fact I know I won't. I feel like a fool, because it's so goddamn obvious he is not on the same page..." her words trailed off as she focused on attaching the clip into her hair, a few loose strands falling down her neck.
"You're right...you are being a fool Astra"
She paused looking at me in the eye "are you being for real right now?" she questioned.
"Time and time and time again he's led you on, and for what? Yes you may have dated for a few months and then you broke one another's hearts. What good did that do? I'm sorry Astra, I just don't understand why on earth you'd think of getting back with him. After everything..."
Shit. Rita you went too far. It wasn't long after these words left my lips that I soon regretted the harshness of my tone. Astra stared at me with this look of disappointment in her eyes, either telling me that I had fed her a home truth or a betrayal that wasn't supporting her in anyway shape or form.
"Astra I'm sorry that was harsh of me, I just mean..."
"Don't" she said before I managed to finish the sentence "you've said it yourself, you'll never understand so don't bother apologising. Just part of me really thought you had my back no matter what stupid decisions I made" she walked out the bedroom, heading towards the apartment door, as I followed sheepishly feeling ashamed of myself.
"I do have your back Astra..."
"Just not all the time?" She finished my sentence for me in a tone that clearly indicated she didn't want to hear anymore "I think it best if we rain check on our evening..."
She pushed open the door to the apartment, before turning around "can you lock up for me, when you leave" she said, forcing a smile before disappearing down the flight of stairs leaving the apartment block.
I slammed the door shut in annoyance. It was so frustrating for her to understand where I was coming from, yet the guilt sunk in fairly quickly. Maybe I was prying way too much and should've just left her. I heard a voice coming from through the open window. I slowly made my way over towards the window, peeking my head out before I spotted Astra. The face of disappointment no longer there, but a large smile as she spoke on the phone. She almost skipped down the street, unless that's my imagination telling me, yes you. You're the problem.
Turning back towards the living space, I only just noticed the mess that had unraveled over her floor. Her photo albums and novels lay sprawled out across, almost inviting me to clean up. It was the least I could do. I shoved the majority back neatly on the new bookcase shelf she had purchased the other day, then focused on the photo albums and excess notebooks. My eyes drew attention to a pale ivory coloured book that was half shoved underneath the couch, a layer of dust evidently sat on top. Reaching for it, and pulling it up from the floor, I brushed the dust off the top, now being able to see the small writing on the attached label. The words read: University Years 1 - 3. My breath caught in my throat, as I pulled back the page flicking through the pages and pages of handwriting, with dates, and photographs attached. I felt as if I was prying once again. I took in the first few lines on the second page, the coin suddenly dropping. It was a journal. A journal that was hand written by Astra herself. I had to be certain as I ran towards the fridge, matching it up with the notes that were attached with magnets. I was adamant that it was a journal of everyday in Astra's university life from her own perspective. I glanced at the clock that sat ticking on the far wall, knowing I had a good amount of time before she would arrive home. She was mad at me, this lengthened her amount of time she would be out. I poured a quick coffee from the instant coffee machine, before taking a seat on her sofa, and opening up the world into Astra's 19 year old life.
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Authors note: the way I've written this flows soooo much better for me than when I wrote this 4 years ago. i'm hoping you all love it as much as i do, even with the changes!! thank you for the support x