LOVE TO HATE YOU

(NEW) TGI WTF?....

Friday was the day that everything fell apart. And when I say everything, I mean my whole world imploded. What do they say TGIF! What crap, it was more like TGI WTF?

I was busy on the phone with a client, trying to explain to them in the most diplomatic way possible that the deadline that they had set for the entire print campaign was unreasonable, and unless they wanted the creatives to work through the night for two days straight, it would be impossible.

I heard the papers on my desk move and then saw a hand pushing them away out of the corner of my eye. I turned and looked up to find none other than the Blue Eyed collar bone assaulter sitting on my desk. I looked around to see if anyone else could see him, and they could. His loud throat clearing had ensured that everyone sitting near me was now looking at him.

"Uh, Giovanni... Hi". I was so caught off guard and I immediately looked over at Ben's office to establish whether he was looking in my direction. He was not.

Giovanni smiled down at me and leaned in, making absolutely no attempt to hide anything he was feeling right now. "Your pictures came out as perfection." He whispered.

"Oh. That's nice." I said as casually as possible.

"I've come to bring them to Ben, maybe I could show you them though, maybe over drinks later." He smiled again.

I wanted this guy off my desk as fast as possible so I agreed. "Sure. Sounds good. Now if you'll... I have to... photocopy something." I jumped up and grabbed some papers off the desk and just as I was about to move away when Ben came striding out of his office.

Fuck! Fuck.

"Giovanni, I hope you're not disturbing my staff." He said rather pointedly. I wanted to die.

"No. Not at all, I was just speaking to Sera about something. And I came to give you the photo's." He pulled a DVD out and passed it over to Ben.

Ben looked down at the thing with what seemed to be disdain, "Uh, thanks. But you know you could have drop boxed them to me. No need to come out here and deliver them like this."

"I'm all about the personal touch." Giovanni said, flicking his eyes back to me. A look that did not go unnoticed.

"I bet you are." Ben's tone was acerbic, to say the least and it caused Ness and Samantha to start staring.

"Like I said...photocopy, photocopy, photocopy," I waved my handful of papers in the air and started moving off as quickly as I could.

"So drinks later, then Sera." Giovanni called after me. His words stopped me dead in my tracks. It was as if he was baiting me. Baiting Ben. He wanted to cause drama, he wanted to cause a scene, and he had a captive audience.

"Uh, about that..." I turned around again, "I don't think I'll be—"

"Sera's busy tonight." Ben cut me off before I could finish. His tone was downright vicious now, but Giovanni looked like he didn't care. In fact, he seemed to be relishing it all.

"Work related I'm sure." Giovanni gave a slight snort.

"That's between us, I think." Ben said it snarkily and my heart started thumping in my chest. This was bad. I needed to stop this before it turned into something that would be talked about around the water cooler.

"Well, the photo copy machine waits for no one." I turned and hightailed it out of there. But I didn't go to the photocopier, instead I went to the bathroom and closed myself in the nearest cubicle.

"Fuck!" I said to myself as I sat there, the heat and beads of sweat on my face you get from a terribly embarrassing moment prickled my face.

I sat in the cubicle for ages, not wanting to move, but knowing that I needed to eventually leave before they sent out a search and rescue party. I flushed the toilet for some level of authenticity and walked out, when I did, Samantha and Ness were there.

"Samantha. Ness." I said in fright.

"Sera." Ness repeated.

I walked over to the sink and started unnecessarily washing my hands.

"I must say a part of me is slightly impressed." I looked up into the mirror as Samantha spoke.

"I'm not sure what you mean." I said.

"I just didn't peg you for the girl that slept her was to the top. I mean I could sense you were ambitious, but in a few weeks... Ben and Giovanni. Like I said, impressed."

"What? No. It's not like that at all, I didn't, I haven't, I... it wasn't like that... it was... I..." the stupid stutter gave me away immediately and I could see it. My face flamed red and I couldn't swallow.

"So who was better?" Samantha moved closer to me with a slyness in her voice. God women were bitches.

"I didn't.... I..." she flicked her eyes upwards in a sarcastic manner.

"Sera, no point in hiding it. Everyone can see it anyway." Ness said, she looked angrier than Samantha did.

"Everyone?" I asked a slight panic in my voice.

"It's so obvious. At the shoot the other day Ben was acting like a jealous boyfriend when Giovanni was touching you, and then when I came into the tent he had some of your lipstick smudged on the side of his face, and then today at the office! Seriously, you could have at least been subtle about the thing."

"Oh." I said flatly.

"And here I thought you were my friend." Ness spat at me.

"Wait, this has nothing to do with us and you and—"

"Oh please, it has everything to do with that, I just didn't think you would stoop that low to get the job. How am I supposed to compete with someone who's slept with the boss?"

"Hey! It's not like that." I protested.

"Then what is it like?" Ness asked. "Because I'm working myself to the bone here and you're just boning our boss, no wonder he asked you to come on the shoot."

"I guess Giovanni was just an added bonus, though." Samantha said trying to hide her feelings behind a sly smile. But I could see what she felt. She'd set her sights on Ben, and then on Giovanni and in her eyes, I'd beat her to it.

"Nothing happened with Giovanni and I. And when Ben and I... look, I didn't know he was our new boss, otherwise I would never have. Ever."

Samantha forced a little laugh. Like she was going for an evil villain laugh. The kind that villains give when they've thwarted the superhero's plans and have him tied to a chair in their secret lairs.

"You're good. I almost believe you. But take it from someone that knows how to play this game... I know what's going on." The she eyed me with total disdain, "I just can't figure out why they both choose you, I mean you're so... so, Sera." Her contempt for and disdain for me was painted so obviously on her face that I melted in shame under her gaze. Suddenly I was trailer park girl and she had seen that in me and seen right through me. She gave me one last look and then she and Ness both walked out.

And then I couldn't help it... I burst into tears. I rushed back into the toilet cubicle and closed the door behind me. I slumped down on the toilet and let the tears flow. I wondered if I could stay here for the entire day and only slip out once everyone had left work. I looked at my watch, through my blurry eyes I could just make out the numbers... 10 am. That would be one long fucking wait. So I did the only thing I could. I wiped my tears away, straightened myself up and walked back out there.

I didn't look up at anyone, although I could sense eyeballs on me. I walked as fast and steadily as possibly all the way up to my desk. I grabbed my bag and then started walking for the door of the building. As soon as my feet reached the outside, I ran. The cool air immediately made me feel better. That is, until I saw Ben standing outside having a cigarette. As soon as he saw me, he started walking towards me.