What Could've Been Us l EDITING

ten

C H A N T E L L E

It's been a month since I've been working at the museum. I surprisingly like working here. Except on the days, Frederick's mood was unsupportable. Other than that, I enjoyed working here. The pay was perfect too. Money was now less of a struggle for me.

"Hello?" I say while knocking on the door slightly.

"Come in!" The voice yells.

I turn the doorknob and walk cautiously into the room. "Here's your coffee."

Mr. Menaz scrunches his face before finally taking the coffee from my hands. Mattias is sitting beside him typing on a laptop. I quickly avoided his gaze while he continues to stare at me through his lashes.

"I don't like it." Frederick finally says, breaking the silence.

"It's what you asked for?" I question, raising a brow.

"Don't care, go fetch me a new one." He said, resuming typing on his laptop.

Fetch?

I looked and saw Mattias silently laughing. I quickly shot him a glare before turning around and leaving. It was days like this that I just wanted to quit. This wasn't even as bad as last week. Mr. Menaz had somehow gotten drunk at 3 pm and yelled at me during a meeting.

Moments like those made me want to off myself. It was so embarrassing. I just wanted to dig a hole and bury myself.

I shook my head remembering the memory and made it to the lounge. I quickly remade the coffee and walked backed to the office.

"Is this better?" I retain myself from spitting in his new coffee.

"Much better." He said satisfied.

I saw him reach for something on his desk and purposely drop it in front of me. It was a pencil.

Is he not married?

He knew what he was doing. I looked at my dress and sighed. Why do men even?

"Chantelle, dear, could you get that for me please." He smiles innocently at me. I am so close to jumping out the window.

"Oh, it's fine, I'll get you a new one," I say while walking over to the desk across the room.

"Oh-"

"Here you go," I say, cutting him off, giving him a pen.

"But could you pick that one up?" He pleads, slightly grinning.

I crouch down and pick up his dumb pencil.

"There," I grumble, I can't believe he actually purposely dropped his pencil just for me to pick it up.

He took back the pencil, seeming unsatisfied. He thought I was dumb and that I was actually going to bend over to grab it for him. Unbelievable.

"Chantelle, I'm going to head home. Stay and help Mattias finish the paperwork." Frederick says while packing away his belongings.

As soon as those words left his mouth, I could see Mattias's jaw clench.

I could tell that his hard exterior was back. And here I was thinking that we could actually get along.