Episode 11

Episode 11.
When I returned home,Luca was sprawled across the couch,playing a video game. Katie was nowhere in sight.
"Hey,Luc."
Turning to look at me,he replied "oh hey,Ashley"
"Where's Katie?"
"Uh she left real quick. Said she was meeting with someone"
Meeting with someone? Sounded amazing. I hoped she was getting hooked up with some dude. It's been forever since I've seen Katie go out with anyone. While she's always looking out for Luc and I,she always seemed to forget herself these days. I nodded slightly before dragging my feet inside my bedroom and slumping down on my bed,tired as hell. I didn't realize when I slept off until I found my eyes pealing open and the color of the room had now changed from the summer gold to the twilight orange. I tried to sit up,feeling my head weigh my body down. It felt like I'd just walked into the room just a few minutes ago and blinked an eye only to be waking up an hour later.
I sat up and rummaged through my bag for my cellphone. When I got it in my grasp I checked the time. 6:33p.m. I've been out for almost two hours I guess.
I dragged my feet once again to the bathroom and stood under the shower, feeling the cold water hit every pore in my body. And I let my mind travel to the events that happened with Marcello today.
Huh. Mr Marcello my cute ass. He's such an asshole,a big one at that if he thinks I'm gonna continue working for him. After having all the thoughts,I walked out in a towel wrapped around my torso. When I returned to the bedroom,I found Katie sitting at the end of my bed. Her eyes were pale blue. I knew her eyes were icy blue but not usually this pale. She gives me a small smile,which I noticed didn't reach her eyes.
"What's up,Kay? Are you alright?"
"I'm okay,Ash. What's up? You look upset,especially judging from what Luca told me"
"Katie,it's my boss alright? That man is out to kill me"
"What did he do this time?"
"He asked me to type some name on Friday which I didn't finish cause it was just way too much. And today,he gave me another one to do in his freaking office! Can you imagine! He's so arrogant, Kay! I curse the day I met him in that damned café! When I finished typing it after several hours without break,I told him I was leaving but he wouldn't let me! He said all sorts of stupid things,Kay! I got really upset and told him to fire me but he wouldn't!"
"You did? Ashley,why?"
"Because this job is...eating me up,Kay. He's giving me hell in that office and I don't know how much longer I can take it"
"Ashley,....I know and I understand that what he's doing isn't fair at all. He's an arrogant jerk, a devil in disguise but....you need this job,Ash,remember?"
I looked down, knowing exactly what she's saying. Yes,I need this job. I need it because I need to pay up a loan to some loan sharks and I barely have two months left before I'm being chased out of this place. Thanks to Katie's father,we're able to live in this beautiful apartment and I know Katie's gonna leave soon to do one or two businesses. I hate where this thought it going to so I quickly look back at her and replied "you're right. I do need this job but I feel like this job isn't the right one for me"
"Ash.....if I'm to advice you I'd tell you to have a talk with your boss. I feel like you two needs to understand each other,be on the same page and try working together. Maybe he isn't so bad after all and you'd actually grow to like him"
"Puh-leeze,Kay! There is absolutely nothing to like about that man,you honestly need to spend a day with him"
"Okay,I hear you but,you should try talking to him first okay?"
Talk to him. Yeah,I'll do that and then I'll see if he'll apologize or fire me.
Riccardo's POV.
She's running late. I was beginning to wonder if she really meant it when she said she quit. Why do I care anyway? I can always get another person to replace her. It's not like I'll be losing the company's only intelligence.
"Sir?" Gregory called me from the lounge in my office room. I turn back to look at her,my thoughts flying right out of my head.
"The team Trevor sent to check out the Manhattan returned," he said "there's a big problem"
Just then,my door flew open and Ashley badged in,her face suddenly holding embarrassment as she saw the people inside my office,her eyes glancing at Trevor's just as fast. She must've thought of going back out but stops again and slowly counted her steps as she came,my eyes not leaving her face and for some reason,she amused me.
"Looks like you took your time to report to work today" I told her with an amused smile,some part of me glad that she actually showed up. She looks down for a moment,stopping right in front of my desk,fingers interlocked.
When her eyes met mine,I saw beauty in them,one type that left my mouth agape "I wanna speak to you sir"
Even though I knew she meant to talk to me privately, I replied "I'm all ears,Ashley"
She gulps hard,causing me to actually wonder what she wanted to talk about. After a short while,she spoke "I'm sorry about yesterday. I realized I shouldn't have said all I said. I'm sorry"
If I said what she just did didn't surprise me,then I'm fucking lying. Asides everything I knew this woman was capable of,apologizing wasn't one of them.
"Fine" I replied monotonically.
"So...am I still fired?"
"That depends," I decided to play it the hard way "there's a building project downtown. I want you to build a blueprint on it. Trevor should show you to our architectural branch"
"What about what's at hand,sir?" Gregory interrupts me.
"I'll see to it myself and you can tell me your report privately. Right now," I turn back to look Ashley in the eyes "I'm more concerned about this woman's knowledge and how good she is at her job like she claims to be. Trevor, show her the sketch"
Trevor passes the papers over to her and she glances through them. She doesn't seem fazed. Instead,she looks back up and said "you're building a club house here in new York?"
Impressive. How she knows all the outlines amazes me. For someone who majored in business and applied for a desk job.
"It seems so,Ashley. Now,why don't you give me a blueprint and who knows? We could start with it in no time"
"Well,if you'd ask me,I'd say this sketch needs a little rearrangement. I don't know who made this but I think the exit to this clubhouse should be at the rear,north wise, then the mini bar below should be a little into the hallway. The VIP should be so open,it should be a lil bit hidden from the eyes. It's a club,ain't it?"
I find myself gazing at her,until I realized she was waiting for me to say something. So were the others.
"Well,I don't see why you can't make those changes. Go on,make the blueprint too and set out with Trevor"
She gives me a small smile before quickly turning away. She should really stop smiling at me like that. I watch as she walked back to Trevor who said something that caused them to share a smile. I look away,for a reason unknown to me.
By the end of the day,she was in the conference with I myself, showing the board members her new idea of the clubhouse building's structure. Everyone seemed to nod at everything she said. She spoke confidently, like a ballet dancer who hypnotized her audiences with her every dance move. I couldn't help it too,she had proven to do better than even my best sketcher and had even done a better job with the blueprints. I was beyond impressed. Who was this woman? Everyone agreed with her. My eyes never left her,but only on an occasion where I had to speak to somebody else concerning her presentation. Perhaps, just perhaps, I'd found that person.
Ashley's POV.
Yes. I've done it. I've finally proven to him that I could be useful to him and that I deserved better than his I'll treatments. I wanted to call Katie and tell her that as I stepped out of the conference room with Trevor. If I hadn't noticed how Mr Marcello looked at me as I talked,his eyes full of satisfaction, I would've thought I had something else coming for me. But he'd listened and like everyone else had seemed impressed. I didn't know where the confidence came from but I was glad it came just when I needed it. Even though Deep down,I still wanted to talk with him and come in terms with him over certain attitudes,I felt like that could wait; I can use this one for now.
"You did really great,Ashley" Trevor said,his hand going over my head to playfully ruffle my hair.
"Thanks," I could barely contain my grin "God,I was so scared"
"I knew you could do it,you're a natural," he stops at his office door "it's an hour from closing time,maybe you should get your things and we can head to the casino place real quick before heading home'"
"Yeah,that could work" I reached my office and started to pack up.
Soon after,I was getting into Trevor's car.
He drove us for another thirty minutes before pulling up in front of a site. It was sealed off with yellow tapes and a few engineers stood on site,watching our call pull to a stop.
"Waw" I muttered.
Trevor chuckles and replied "yeah,it's a nice place"
"It's huge"
We both stepped out of the car. A man in a yellow shirt and a yellow helmet walked to us,extending his hand to Trevor which he quickly took for a short hand shake.
"The boss sent you?" He said.
"Yeah,this is Ashley Shawn," Trevor introduced me and I quickly extend a hand to him which he took "she'll be working with us. Listen man,there's been a change in the building....... Just a few structures"
"The VIP booth right? Told that peters guy from the start,didn't I?" He points out his hand towards the paper in my hand and I handed it over to him.
"That's the blueprint Sir"
"Call me James," he told me,eyes still scanning the paper in his hands "nice. This would really work," he looked back at us "we will be doing some redigging and readjustments. We'll be able to start up something at least by the end of next week"
Trevor nods "cool. I'll tell the boss that"
They exchange another handshake before he asked to show us around. After having a look around,Trevor drove us back.
Along the way we were only able to talk about the project before reaching my apartment.
"Listen,Ashley" he said,turning on his seat to face me as soon as he stopped his car "I'm really sorry about.... The other night."
"What? Come on,Trevor. Okay,what are you sorry for?"
"You know...." I could see his cheek slowly turn pink and I find it really cute "...we've barely known each other for like..... A month and I was all over you in that park"
"Trevor!," I laughed a bit "we went on a date,Trevor. That's all normal. We're adults, and I think we pretty much know what we wanna get each other into"
Somehow, I felt like my words embarrassed him the more. What was I supposed to say? I didn't wanna feel embarrassed too. This is just so awkward, I wanted to face palm myself.
"You know what?," he finally looked at me again "you're right,you're right. I should never have brought this up. We're cool"
I starred at him,bereft of words. If I didn't get off this car right now,I'd probably do something that I'm gonna regret tomorrow so I jumped out and shut the door,quickly waving him goodbye before he could say another thing.
As I walked into the elevator, all I thought about was how cute and downright adorable Trevor was. I mean,I think he's alright...... And pretty cool. He's a really nice guy. Maybe I do want him to kiss me. I did want him to kiss me in that park and I'd feared kissing him in his car that made me jump out. The last thing I wanted was jeopardizing our working relationship because of some unplanned kiss and the more that may follow.
Damn me.