Cath

Having heads turn as you walked by, being the center of attention, getting special treatment from ever guy I encounter, compliments being hand out everywhere, what can I say? That was my life, emphasis on 'was'. It has been almost three years since I stopped living that life. Its been almost three years since I left the life that I grew up with behind. Now, all I can do is watch as a beautiful girl in front of me walk in the building oozing with so much confidence that I can't help but get intimidated.

"Good morning pretty lady." I almost jumped out of my skin as my best friend, Andrea, appeared in front of me with two coffee cups at hand. She gave me a cup of my favorite caramel vanilla latte and we walked together to the elevators.

Me and Andrea go way back to high school, before I left my 'perfect life' behind. When I have all the time and money to spend in taking care of myself. She's so used to calling me pretty lady that she just kept on using that nickname when we both know that I'm not the pretty girl that she first became friends with, not anymore.

As for her, she's as beautiful as when we first met. And beneath that pretty face is an even more pretty personality. She grew up like fine wine, sweet and sophisticated, while I grew like like vinegar, sour and cheap.

I love her to bits, she's my bestfriend and I wouldn't trade her for anyone else, but sometimes, being her friend is a bit hard. A lot of people think that she's hanging out with me just because I'm her charity case, some people thinks I'm just using her because of her family. I know that none of that is true and we both agreed not to let those kind of things get to us, but I can't help overthinking about it sometimes. It's like their words get stuck in my head like bubblegum under the tables and I sometimes can't help but beat myself up about letting myself go.

"Not so great a morning Dre. Do you know how much my legs cramped on my way to work, because some psycho a**hole in the train was laying in the seats and refused to get up because her has some massive hangover." I ranted to her as we got in the elevator.

"I keep telling you to just hitch a ride with me to work but you always decline the kind offer of your equally kind best friend." she retorted back at me which just made me roll my eyes.

"Our apartments are in the opposite sides of the city, it's not every efficient." I answered back to her and this time it's her time to roll her eyes at me.

"Whatever. Don't be such a downer. Today is supposed to be a great day. That perv we have as a boss has final been put in his place and this is the first day that we are not seeing him in the office." She cheerfully said in her perky loud voice. Makes me glad that we are the only people inside the elevator.

"And how sure are you that the one replacing him won't be an a**hole like him?" I asked her, trying lower down his hopes.

"You are such a negative person! Tell me again why you're my bestfriend?" She scoffed at me as we got off the elevator.

"Oh, you know you love me." I said to her, flinging my arm around her shoulders and walking beside her to our office.

"Whatever Cath." She said to me, taking my arms off her and rushing to her cubicle. I giggled by myself as I walked towards my cubicle.

The last boss we had, if you're still not getting our hints, is a bit of a perv. He likes to hit on female employees that are under him and would make very inappropriate comments to them. Most of the girls that he harassed were so afraid to get fired that they didn't even try to report him. Unlucky for him, Andrea is the type of person who wouldn't let go of that sort of matter. Being a daughter of lawyers, she actually filed a lawsuit for sexual harassment, so we won't be seeing that sorry excuse for a boss ever again.

"Everyone! Can I get all of your attention please." I looked up from my computer and stood up to look over the cubicles and see what all the commotion is about. I caught a glimpse of Andrea and she is just as curious as I am.

"Okay. As all of you know, Mr. Harley has been dismissed because of his inappropriate behavior and will not be joining us starting today." All of our attention was pulled by Ms. White, an almost sixty year old bubbly and sweet woman who is also the head of the HR. Everyone was listening intently to every word she was saying.

"So, in light of everything that have happened, the board decided to appoint a new head for the Creative Department. Come in, Gav." She continued gesturing for someone to come inside. Suddenly, a tall intimidating figure appeared besides Ms. White. Even with my bad eyesight, I could tell that he's handsome just by the features I could make up, and on top of that I can see how the girls near my station are all gawking up at the newcomer. He looked at the woman besides him and Ms. White gave him an encouraging nudge so he turned his focus on us.

"Good morning everyone, I'm Gavin Mitchel." I could feel the cold air blow across the room as he introduced himself indifferently and with so little affection to everyone. None of us spoke up, so he just continued.

"If you need anything from me I will be in my office." he finally said and made his way to his office at the end of the floor.

"Okay, I guess that's it for the introduction. You can get back to your work. Have a great day everyone." She said with the brightest smile before following Mr. Mitchel to his office.

"I can't believe how hot our new boss is." We heard one of our co-workers said as me and Andrea were in the pantry, eating our lunch.

"Did you see his jawline? And that body! I bet he has a complete set of abs!" the other one exclaimed as both me and Andrea rolled our eyes at their conversation. The two of them suddenly appeared besides our table and we looked up to see their offended faces.

"You guys don't think that Mr. Mitchel is hot?" Michaela asked as I was about to take a big bite from my double patty burger.

"He's handsome, I admit, but its not like I need to swoon over everyone that's handsome right?" Andrea answered them as she continued eating her salad, while I maintained my silence.

"Oh I see. I understand you Andrea, you have every right to have a high standard when it comes to men. What I don't understand is why you have such a high standard considering the state of your face?" Bell said pertaining to me.

"What did you say?" Andrea said, standing up from her chair angrily. I took her hand and tried to pull her back to her chair but it was no use.

"What? I'm just saying the truth. How can she be very picky with men with an ugly face like that?" Bell continued and before Andrea could refute what she said, the two of them were already leaving the pantry.

"The nerve of those b*tch*s!" She exclaimed as she flop down her chair again.

"Well, they're not wrong." I nonchalantly said to her as I continued munching on my burger. I looked at her and saw disbelief in her face.

"Oh, come on, Dre! I'm not the same Cath from high school. Everybody knows that." I said with a slight giggle, acting like I didn't care what other people thinks of me.

The day went by in a snap and I can't believe how much work I still have. Being the lead editor of the new comic project that we are about to launch, I have to look over everything, from the drawings to the storyline, before getting the approval from our new boss. And with a group of people passing their completed works, for me to review, there is a lot to go through.

"Still not done?" Andrea asked me as she approached my cubicle.

"Nope!" I replied in defeat. "Guess I'll be doing overtimes for a few days, to finish everything by Wednesday."

"Sorry Cath. I have a family dinner today. I can't stay her with you." she said with a pout on her face.

"It's fine, Dre. I'll be done soon. Go! Go! You're going to be late!" I said to her, pushing her away. She just giggled at me as she walks out of the office, waved goodbye then leave.

Suddenly my phone started pinging. I grabbed it from my desk and opened the message I just received.

{Hey, Zoe! Still up?}

Just reading the message automatically put a smile on my face.

{Hi, Matt. Still at work. Have lots of things to finish, you? How is the new job?}

{Still at work too. The new job is fine, but the person in the position before me left huge pile of work. So, I'm still sorting everything out. Did you already get a new boss?}

{He started working today. A bit cold but I think that's better than having that perv. Text you soon. Have to get back to work to finish early.}

{Me too. Talk to you later.}

I put down my phone and started stretching before diving in back to all the work that was waiting for me.

I looked up from my computer when I heard something suddenly drop. It sounds like something small, but I heard it clearly because of the dead silence inside the office. I looked around and the only source of light is my computer. I was the only one inside the office. I grabbed my phone and checked the time. My eyes widened as twelve forty-four flashed through my screen.

I took a quick look around and decided to just pack up for the night. I'm really starting to get a creepy vibe from the office while its this dark. I stared saving all the work that I finished then turned off the computer, before grabbing my bag and started walking to the elevator but before I could even take a step forward, the door from the head's office opened slightly. My eyes widened and I started to feel scared. I sprinted towards the elevator almost with my eyes closed but before I could reach the exit, a big loaming figure suddenly appeared in front of me. I bumped into the figure and stumbled back with my screams piercing through the whole building.