Not Really Mine

II

Forgetting how to breathe is not okay. Your boss being more attractive than he is in pictures and magazines is definitely not okay.

I just need to, breathe.

I've never been a person to say corny stuff, but merde. Looks like God really did have favorites. His face was chiseled into a nice sharp angled jawline his hair dark as midnight gelled back perfectly and his eyes. The room is dark, but you can still see them shining.

His eyes stoically roamed over my shirt then snapped up to my eyes. His jaw clenched and unclenched still glaring at me.

"You clearly didn't read the manual. Or this wouldn't have happened." His voice rung through my ears. " I knew I shouldn't have hired an intern." He sighed after ran his hands down his face in frustration. A sliver of anger bubbled as he said intern. "The hell even is that? Wait, let me guess, my coffee?" I didn't answer, which made him angrier by the looks of it. "Answer me." I flinched and looked down at my coffee stained blouse.

"Yes, it's your coffee." A cold chuckle came out of his mouth. His expression still blank he made me even smaller through his words.

"How stupid are you to be late, and spill the whole damn cup on yourself. It was a simple task. A child could do a better job than you could have." Before I could stop I had to explain myself.

"Sir, someone ran into me and made me spill the coffee, the hot coffee." I emphasized hot because under the blouse, my skin throbbed in pain every so often.

"Did I ask you to explain yourself, Ms. Travers." His anger started to show and I wanted to shrivel back.

"No, sir." I'm surprised my voice never wavered because I was pretty sure I look like I'm going to piss myself. The burnt areas on my skin started to be irritated from rubbing against my blouse. They hurt more and I my face contorted to pain once in awhile from the burn.

"If you think this is so funny Ms. Travers, you can leave right now." He motioned to the door behind me. I looked back at him and shook my head furiously.

"No sir, my uh-" my nervousness and anger kept me from remembering what burn was in English. I went to a French school in America they tought English, but everyone mostly spoke French, so I don't know many words that aren't used on a day to day basis. My life just kept getting worse.

"T-This ." I motioned toward my chest where the wounds are. "They're hurting." His eyes looked down and hardened. He stiffly looked at me still void of any emotion.

"Your breasts." I shook my head and start motioning again. " Are you that incompetent, or are you trying to get me to look at your breasts so you can say that Valerian looked at your boobs?"

"I don't know what the word is in English, sir." He looked at me glaring even more.

"Are you that stupid."

"No sir, my first language is French. On my resume it said I am French." I explained. I was confused on how he didn't know that. Then it hit me he probably got someone else to look at that information. Wouldn't my accent give it away, though? He rolled his eyes and picks up a phone and dialed a number.

" Lilah, come to my office, your precense if needed." He hung up the phone and stared at me. A few second passed and a brunette walked into the  tense office with a pencil skirt and a sky blue blouse. She gave me a light smile and looked at Mr. Valerian.

"You need me sir." I felt less restricted with her being there. I was more at ease.

"You speak French. She can't seem to know some simple thing in English, translate." The lady named Lilah spun to me and beamed.

"Ce que cloche?" She said softly. I pointed my aching chest. "J'ai des marques de brûlure." She nodded and turned to Mr. Valerian while I  looked at the both of them nervously.

"She says she has burns on her chest." She explained.

"Yes, it hurts. I wasn't laughing I'm actually in pain." My anger slipped because if he could have just stopped calling me dumb and stupid I would've been able to explain what was wrong.

"You don't know what burn mark is in English?" He asked at me skeptically. Doubt and paranoia swirled around in his eyes and I wanted to roll mine.

"I don't know words that aren't used a lot like, burn marks." I tried to pronounce them right so I wouldn't look stupid. "Again if you looked at my resume, you would know."I didn't hold my tongue that time. I sucked in a breath realizing my mistake. Another long pause came and silence filled the room.

"Did Just get smart with me."

"No." He watched me carefully, ready to fire me then. I stood there looking back. He narrowed his eyes then picked up his pen again.

"Go get that fixed, this is your first and final warning. If you slip up again, you're fired." I nodded my head and Lilah lead me out the room.

"Are you okay?" Lilah asked her blue eyes looked into my green ones. I winced and let out a humorless chuckle.

"No." I glanced out to see Watson walking up to us. Awesome, someone else to see my embarrassment.

"Hey, are yo-"

"No. Some woman bumped into me and I spilt  hot coffee on me. Now I have-" I looked at Lilah for the word again.

"Burn marks, she probably got first degree burn marks, Val." Lilah started to unbutton my shirt. I stopped her quickly. There is way to many people here for me her to be doing this. "Here we can take my car, you are in no condition to drive yourself." Watson concluded and followed us. I see Lilah roll her eyes and look at Watson. "I was going to take her, Val."

"Well, I known her the longest." Since this morning, I think he meant.

"Okay, and we both speak French, don't try me." She argued back. I could totally tell they're friends. They bickered like siblings.

"You're the translator!" He countered. I wanted again with another throb of pans abed through.

"I drive faster, taking my car." Watson concluded.

We went to go get it checked out and I had first degree burns. The out this type of gel on it which did not settle well at first. Lilah and Watson had to hold me down.

Watson or Val, dropped me off at my place since I am in no condition to work.

I plodded into the building a mumbled profanities the whole way to my apartment. Whole day was stupid, everyone is so mean. All of them got a stick stuck up their ass, permanently. Especially Mr. Valerian, had the biggest stick of them all.

I unlocked my door to my one bedroom apartment and threw my stuff on the couch. I sulked into my room and threw myself on the bed and screamed in pain into the mattress because I forgot about my burns. I rolled over and looked at the ceiling. I was going to have to deal with assholes until I either quit, or get fired. The latter is more of a possibility than quitting.

My phone buzzed and I glance at my screen.

Mr. Valerian: Your injury will come out of your pay. Better be the best worker, because one wrong move and you're done.

"Mon dieu." I sighed.