Forever And Never

FOUR || ALEXANDER

My arms are screaming in pain as I lift the last box. Sweats drips down my face and my neck as my feet skid me over to the storage room. The box weighs twice as much as the earlier one and I cannot help but let out a trail of profanities when I feel my muscles burning.

Of course, I only swear in Spanish when I am in public.

Brynn motions her hand towards the corner. "Set it over there."

Two days have passed since I started working at Vivace, and I've already made a nemesis. Brynn is part of the development team and, thanks to my position in this company being so low, she has done nothing but brought hell to me.

If I was not getting paid to do this, Brynn would already have a black eye and a broken nose.

"Okay, next one," she declares as soon as I set down the box. "We are going to—"

"Hold on a second!" I gasp, desperately trying to catch my breath. My entire body seems to be burning after lifting those huge boxes. "Can't I take a break?"

Brynn glares at me and raises an eyebrow. "A break, Mr. Cruz? You are not at school. You are at the world's biggest fashion company and taking a break means pushing back an entire schedule!" Slamming her pencil down, she takes a deep breath. "Now, moving on..."

I slump against the wall, completely worn out and exhausted. I have never been this tired before; if I can survive hour long fights, why can't I handle lifting a few boxes?

"I forgot to grab my morning coffee, Mr. Cruz," Brynn says. "Stop by at the cafe downstairs and get me a—"

"Am I your slave?" I snap. Brynn immediately freezes and stares at me incredulously.

"Excuse me?" She stammers.

I point to the objects I have moved for the past twenty minutes. "You made me carry all this ever since I got here this morning and my job doesn't involve that."

Brynn's lip twitches upwards into a sneer and she slowly drops her clipboard. "How dare you speak to me like that, Mr. Cruz? Do you know what my authority is? Do you know what position I am, in this entire building—"

A familiar, soothing voice startles both of us. "I'm sure he's aware of that, Brynn."

I spin around, surprised to find Miss Nam standing at the doorway with two workers behind her. She is dressed in a light blue blouse and casual white pants. Her fingers are bedazzled with jewelry as she lifts a hand. For a moment, I catch her eyes wandering over my face and body before turning to Brynn. "Are you going to continue your rant and waste time?"

Brynn's face grows beet red. "No, ma'am. I apologize."

Miss Nam steps into the storage room, scowling at the cobwebs on the floor. "What the hell is a photographer doing here when we've got photoshoots to schedule? Is he a janitor here, Brynn? Did you forget what he signed up for?"

I clear my throat. "If I may, Miss Nam, it's my fault. I volunteered to help with any extra errands in the first place."

She turns to me, smiling softly. It makes my heart flutter—did that just really happen? "I appreciate your kindness, Mr. Cruz, but it's best if you stick to your own schedules instead of interfering with others."

I nod my head quickly. "Of course."

Miss Nam whispers to the workers and they nod their heads. Both of them turn in synchronization and walk down the hallway, their shoes clicking against the pavement loudly.

"As for you," Miss Nam says to Brynn. "This is your last chance. I have tons of people waiting to enter the development team out there. Do you want to give up your spot already?"