Burning Out

77- final goodbyes

Song— Scripted by ZAYN

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Today has started off reasonably well. It's a calm day, the sky a steady glow of light along with a soft temperature that's not too harsh on the cold nor hot side.

I feel like today is going to be a good day.

It's still early, probably around nine in the morning, and I'm heading to the office for the first time in a while after leaving Leonardo's hotel suite. I stayed over at his place again last night.

Sat driving in my new car that I still can't get over, I lightly drum my fingers along the leather of the steering wheel in rhythm to the gentle music drifting out of the speakers. Another aspect that just makes this morning even more relaxing.

I pull into the car park beside the office, parking in my newly designated spot since I got my new car. It's a shame I won't get more use out of the spot. I get out happily, feeling nothing but contentment trickle through each inch of my body.

As I practically skip through the doors of the foyer, feeling the familiar buzz associated with this place, I wave a hand at Stoke who grins at me from the escalators.

The aura that fills this place is one that I've found myself subconsciously longing for and missing since I've been absent here recently. Those are words I never thought I would've caught myself saying. And now that I know I only have about a week left, I want to make the most of it.

"Farrah, it's been a while," Stoke greets, smiling at me kindly.

"It's been way too long," I agree with an exaggerated nod.

"I've heard many things, though," he adds, tilting his head to the side momentarily with his eyebrows raised.

"You have? About me?"

"About you," he confirms before elaborating, "I've heard about the few jobs you've been on. Careful or soon you'll be replacing me in my job."

"I don't know if I'm cut out to stand at the foot of an escalator all day, it's a tough job," I joke with a dramatic sigh.

He laughs at my teasing, shaking his head and waving me off to move along. I do as he gestures, telling him goodbye as he just chuckles at me.

I don't think anyone has broken the news to him yet— the news that Leonardo and I are leaving. I'm going to leave that job for Leo himself.

I made it to the floor of the office without any further disruptions. There're a few people that smile and nod at me in the distance between the lift door and my office door, but apart from that I make it to my chair seamlessly.

Well, that is until Alisa comes bounding through the door with a happy grin on her face as she dumps half a dozen colourful folders on the glass desk in front of me.

I widen my eyes at the sight before lifting my vision to connect with her eyes, "Not what I wanted to see on a Monday morning."

"But at least they're colourful," she shrugs, taking a seat in front of my desk.

"What are they?"

"I'm not sure, Olly wouldn't let me read them. He said I had to deliver them to you without looking through them," she explains, her mouth pulling to the side as she chews on the inside of her cheek.

I take a second to analyse her body language as she sits staring back at me before I continue to speak.

"You read them, didn't you?"

She begins to shake her head but after about five seconds of taking in my disbelieving look, her head shake transforms into a guilty nod, "Yes. But only because I decided to file them so they would look nice for you, and I accidentally skimmed my eyes over them as I did it. It wasn't purposeful."