Co-worker

Sunny day in London. Work is waiting for Alyx. She has to go back to work in the studio, after a week of her time spent helping out her friends.

"Michi, do you want to come? You can't come," Alyx stroked Michi's head, speaking in a childish tone to her cat. "I have prepared your food and do not throw your dirt anywhere."

Michi seems to understand what Alyx said. A small nod is obvious, which makes his bangs cover his eyes.

"Ah, look, I guess I should take you to the salon. But wait after I finish work. Because it looks like we'll be busy this week." Alyx opens the door to the balcony.

Michi, a male, usually crosses over to meet his lover in the apartment next door.

"I'm leaving, bye."

"Have a nice day, Miss Alexandra," said Tom when he sees Alyx who has just got out of the elevator.

Alyx replies by waving her hand. Like being used to meeting and the two of them even look quite friendly.

With a short journey, Alyx arrives at a building where she works. She walks carefree.

"Good morning, boss," Katie says, one of the editors at Alyx's magazine.

"Morning, Kate. How are you?" Alyx asks, still walking.

Katie nods back and smiles briefly, she then follows while reporting on the state of the office while Alyx was away.

"Today there is a meeting with director Benjamin, ten ..."

"Who?" Alyx interrupts.

"Director Benjamin. You don't know yet? Wasn't he the one who made some commercials for AM magazine? You met him three months ago to talk about this beforehand," Katie tries to remind.

"No. My memory seems to be strong and I remember perfectly well that I never met a director named Mr. Benjamin. But, maybe he sent one of his men." Alyx speaks to herself.

"Then," she turns around to make Katie almost hit her, "aren't you supposed to tell me all this, I'm no longer the leader here. Where's the director?"

"He's in his office," Katie points to the largest room in her workplace.

AM Magazine is a magazine that Alyx founded herself, but because she did not understand about leadership issues like this and several other reasons, she sent one of her friends to become a director.

"Hi, Nick," Alyx opens the door and takes his annoying friend a little.

"Alyx, what are you doing here?" Nick puts down his smartphone a little harshly. "This early." He adds, with a mocking face.

"Ha? Are you crazy? You asked me to come this early." Alyx sits in Nick's chair. Looking at the small clock on the table whose short hand had pointed to eleven.

"What? I never asked you to come. You left your job and now I have done everything myself," Nick has wanted to discuss how late the girl was, but now he is protesting.

"Oh, great," Alyx smiled, guilt-free. "Then I can rest and take a walk."

"Sure. Do whatever you want. And get out of my chair right away. It's not yours since you've always disappeared — somewhere," snortes Nick, sounding irritated.

"Is it true?" says Alyx defiantly.

Nick just sneers.

"Then what happened, was that your mother just now? She asked you to return to her big house?"

Nick leans back on the table. "No. Of course not." He takes a deep breath. "I'm almost going crazy. If I stay here, he's going to start destroying everything."

"Aren't you smarter than him?" Alyx's thoughts go back to two years ago, when Nick came to her apartment and complained about his mother asking him to marry one of the daughters of his father's business partners.

His future wife is quite a beauty, but the problem is that she doesn't have what Nick likes. The woman didn't like Nick, who she said was like a delinquent. So instead of having to continue, he better go and leave everything.

"Alyx, what's wrong with you? Are you daydreaming? Ah, why do people around me daydream so much." Nick smooths some of the paper on the table. "What is this again?" he says when he find notes on his meeting schedule.

Alyx glances at the notes Katie had written. "You must see Mr. Benjamin."

"No. I can't this afternoon. I have to go," Nick says, shaking quickly.

"Where?" Alyx's forehead raises.

"You know where I wanna go?"

Of course Alyx knows.

*

At five o'clock in the afternoon, Alyx and Nick are at the sports club a few blocks from Alyx's apartment.

Nick canceled his promise that day and will pay it off next week. This time he wants to vent all his frustration with his training ground for the past five years.

Alyx, herself just joined a year ago. Well, a year ago, Nick invited Alyx to accompany him, but Alyx instead joined training in a place that mostly contained the man.

Alyx and Nick have changed clothes. Alyx wears trousers which are quite comfortable while Nick wears shorts above the knee, like the pants worn by other boxing athletes.

Yup, they are now in a boxing arena.

"Alyx, long time no see you," one of the coaches immediately greets her when he sees Alyx.

"Yeah, Chris," Alyx says in return.

"Do you want to play?" Chris asks Alyx if she wants to fight in the arena.

"I don't think so. I'm just going to practice a little bit," Alyx expresses her exhaustion.

"Someone wants to fight you," Chris chuckles, "when I suggested your name, she got really excited." He then points to a girl with brown skin who is standing in the ring.

"Maybe next time," Alyx's shoulders lifts.

"Does anyone want to fight me? I'm in the mood to do something Chris," it seems Nick's hand is already itching to punch someone.

"You better warm up, Nick," Chris reminds him.

Nick is already in the ring, while Alyx just lands her fist on the bag. She's not in high spirits today. In contrast to Nick, who seems to be on fire, he asked to play twelve rounds.

Chris is the referee and his opponent is a man of comparable body shape. But for Alyx, Nick's muscular body is cooler. Alyx stops with her training and turns to Nick, who is fighting. A straight forward punch from Nick's left hand as the jab immediately lands onto his opponent's face. After the jab, some staright. And… Alyx stops watching and returns to her punching bag. She is sure Nick will win.