The Start Of Us

3

Warnings: None?

Words: 2658

A/N: Back at it with an update!! Y'all are so lucky I write in bulk cause it's the only reason this part exists, lol. I've been having a busy few weeks and this weekend was brutal. I wrote 4 research papers in 4 days. I've been reading and typing so much my brain is turning to mush. The coming weeks are going to be even crazier so please, bear with me. How crazy is it that I can read fanfics like they're nothing but the moment I need to read academic sources I simply wanna pass away? Anyways - I'm doing my best to stay consistent but school will forever take precedence, keep that in mind. As always, thank you for reading my garbage and for sending constructive criticism to help me improve said garbage :) feedbacks are appreciated (this user's love language is: words of affirmation). Enough of me, time for the pièce de résistance!

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A month had passed since that evening and my last interaction with the actress. By the time I woke up, she was gone and if it weren't for the folded clothes I had lent her sitting at the foot of my made-up bed, I would've thought that I had dreamed the whole thing. I didn't take the time to dwell on it before getting ready for the day.

Once I got to the office, a floral arrangement was sitting at my desk. A card told me who it was from.

'Thank you. -SJ'

2 words that to anyone else would mean nothing, but I knew were filled with meaning. I felt myself getting angry and quickly put the card in a drawer and brought the bouquet to the break room, not wanting to stare at it any longer. I felt used and confused and planned on pushing the entire encounter to the back of my mind.

That was pretty easy since, for the weeks that followed, I didn't interact with her once. She seemed to be more out of the office than in. I'd only see the back of her head occasionally and since Lily was back, I was working more ordinary hours, which meant no late-night meetings. Word got around pretty quickly and soon her divorce was the talk of the office. I didn't try to get more information than I had been forced to hear. All in all, I'd forgotten about that night until this very moment when I heard a knock on my office door.

Imagine my surprise once I saw none other than the actress standing there. She'd never been here, and we never had to directly interact at work before.

"Hey Y/n, can I bother you for a second?" I nodded my head and she stepped in, closing the glass door behind her. That did little to give us privacy as it felt like the entire department had their eyes trained on my little cubicle.

"What can I do for you, Ms. Johansson?" I ask with no emotions. I saw her flinch slightly, and I would've missed it, were I not paying attention.

"Ms. Johansson, uh?" She tried to play it off, but I didn't give her the satisfaction of an answer. "You've been avoiding me." She said once I didn't answer

"Hardly. I've done what I've been doing since I got here. You just haven't been around." I say as I lean back on my chair.

"Right. I wanted to apologize for that. I didn't mean to pull a vanishing act on you, but some things required my attention. I'd like to make it up to you. Can I take you out for lunch today?" she asked hopefully, and I almost agreed.

"I'm sorry, but I already have plans." She looked ready to argue, but thankfully both of our phones went off. An emergency demanded our attention this instant. I got up and left my office, effectively ending the conversation.

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I was back to not being able to avoid her as I had planned. She was everywhere and I had to work more closely with her than before. I was currently sitting in a room no bigger than a closet - a comfortable bench, a small desk and a chair were all it could fit - putting things together for an Instagram live that she was about to do. It was pretty basic, no technician was needed and since it was right up my alley, the task had fallen on me. All I had to do was sit in the room with her, monitor the chat and help her with any technical difficulties she might encounter.