MEET ZOEY JONES

I get to the office at 6:45am knowing Mr Stone will be here in thirty minutes or so. Like who starts their workday at 7am till past 11pm. That man is a workaholic I tell you. I so don't like working for him that much but I must admit I love it when it's payday. I mean who doesn't love payday.

I get settled in my office then head to his office. I poke my head outside the door to make sure the receptionist on this floor is nowhere in sight. I sigh when I see her exit the elevator. Whatever that won't keep me from going through with my plan. I shut my office door and lock it not bothering to remove the key from the keyhole. Squealing in excitement I start for the door on the left which luckily for me leads to Mr Stone's office. How awesome is that.

Grinning like a fool I unlock the door and let myself in. It's not like I'm going in there to do anything incriminating or anything like that but if anyone came in here and saw how excited I am it might creep them out just a little. Okay maybe a lot but I can't help how exciting it is for me to be in my boss's office. I gently shut the door and enter the spacy but neat room before sitting in his office chair which smells just like him.

His desk is tidy the guy is a neat freak and it makes him even more attractive. I inhale deeply my eyes shut and giggle like a school girl. Oh man this crush I have for my boss has gone out of hand but I'm too far gone. No matter how much I try I can't get him out of my system. I touch his office equipment that I know he uses on a regular basis a huge smile on my face. This is my way of quenching my "Mr Stone Obsession".

Oh how I wish it was him that I was touching, I bet kissing those full lips of his would feel so out of this world. With just one kiss we would immediately fall in love, get married and live happily ever after. I let out a dramatic sigh.

Woah! What in the world is wrong with me. I shouldn't entertain thoughts of things that can never happen...Ever. It's not like he can ever look at me that way. He's waaay out of my league, period. Cringing at my sick behavior I exit his office and make my way to the coffee shop in the cafeteria on the second floor.

"Hey Claire. What are you doing here so early?" I turn to see Jeanie from finance department who joins me in line.

"I'm always here this early. The boss wants his coffee in front of him when he gets here" I sigh.

"This early. No way" she opens her mouth in shock.

"Yes way" I roll my eyes.

"That's not right"

"Tell me about it"

"Tell me he's not overworking you anymore" she crosses her arms over her chest her face twisted in annoyance.

"Relax hon. It was only a trial period" I bump my shoulder onto hers laughing.

The first few weeks here were murdering me literally. Maybe I'm making it more than what it really was but that's not the point. To say I was slaving away would be an under statement. The work load Mr Stone gave me each day was insanely too much but what could I do but do my job. I hated my job as the days went by. I barely had time to myself. I couldn't even go to the rest room without Mr Stone scolding me for not being available for just five minutes. I was close to quitting because he was the worst boss ever. All I did was work work work, work, and work oh and sleep too... barely. I did my best to impress him but nothing I did seemed to be enough.

He'd ask me to run personal errands for him like pick up his dry clean or clean his office like does he not have a cleaner or assistant for that or what. At times he'd make me drive across town with my company car to buy his favorite food or whatever he decides he wants to eat that day and by the time I went to bed I would be dog tired. I bet I even looked like one.

I guess he wasn't joking when he told me I'm expected to answer my work mobile at All times. The guy had called me at odd hours more times than I can count and would instruct me to go do stuff for him at the office or just to ask something and in my head I'm like 'dude I'm over here walking around with a face looking like my neighbor's old bulldog and you disturb my sleep just to ask me that silly question' but of course I wouldn't dare say that to him. I'm too chicken to do it but believe me when I say I was close to doing it.

"No more yelling at you?' Jeanie asks.

"Thankfully no" I groan.

"I should teach you to put him in place in case he thinks to do it again. We women can't let these men boss us around" she says matter of factly.

"I don't know about that Jean" I bite the side of my lip feeling nervous.

Sure he had no right to yell at me after piling up stuff for me to do knowing it was impossible for one person to complete in a day but I can't go toe to toe with my boss. I don't have it in me. Jeanie had found me in the bathroom in tears one time and we've been friends ever since. Good thing I'm used to the cycle now. I sometimes skip lunch and opt for a snack as I work just so I can get home and have my beauty sleep. I'm done walking around with a dog face. So not cute.

"I'm coming to your office for lunch. You told me yesterday he had a meeting with someone" she reminds me.

"I'm cool with you coming but you are definitely not teaching me to be a rebel" I place my order when it's my turn.

"You make it sound so bad" she puts her hand on her waist.

"That's because it is" I chuckle.

"Is not".

"Is too"

"Is not"

"Is too"

And on and on we go. When I have two coffees I head back upstairs. Maybe Jeanie's idea is not so bad. I mean I've been living with my parents temporarily to save money but barely see them. When I leave home they're still in bed and same as when I return. One time my dad wanted to come tell my boss off for overworking me but I told him I was working extra hours so I can buy a car for myself just to get him off my back and it worked.

Just as I place the coffee on Mr Stone's desk the door opens and he enters.

"Morning Mr Stone" I smile.

"Ms Miller" he nods at me. He doesn't even look at me.

It doesn't bother me much that he avoids eye contact. Sometimes when we work late I'd catch him staring at me with so much familiarity. I'd be thinking 'you know what maybe the attraction is not one sided after all' but then he'd quickly look away and act like nothing happened. That only heightened my obsession. I myself steal glances at him from time to time. I can't pretend I don't like admiring his handsome features I mean the guy is hot. I probably sound like a creep right now.

***

MONDAY

Today we're going on a business trip and I'm sooo excited. I'm hoping that being in a foreign place Mr Stone would finally loosen up a bit and invite me out for a drink and we get to know each other. People tend to confess their inner feelings when they in a different place. Who knows what I might find out about him.

I'm not holding my breath believe that.

As I drive myself to the airport I feel the nerves setting in. I've never been outside my home country. I was born and raised here and have never even been on a plane before. I should tell Mr Stone that I'm scared of flying and maybe he'll be nice enough to sit next to me and hold my hand.

Oh yes that's the perfect plan. I'm so proud of myself. I can't help grinning.

Yesterday I went shopping with the credit card Mr Stone gave me for my clothing allowance for office wear with Jeanie. I even put blonde highlights in my burgundy hair and I'm impressed with what my stylist did.

Yeah I could have done something more important with the money but I had to go all out for this trip. Not only to catch my boss's eye but to let it show that I look better with his money just to prove a point. I also bought a make-up kit and a fruity designer bottle of perfume. Mr Stone won't be able to take his eyes off me when he sees me you wait and see.

I take a look at myself in the mirror to check if my mask is still in place. I might have put too much makeup on and now look like a clown but it's for a valid reason so it's needed. I exit my car and lock it before making my way inside the airport. After getting checked in I drag my cute baby pink suitcase that matches with my handbag and heels and follow the directions to the plane and as I exit the building I see Mr Stone's back as he enters the jet with his bodyguards in tow.

It's a good thing we're using a private jet to travel. I love that I won't have an audience when I finally make a move on Mr Stone. This is gonna be a fun first plane ride. The bodyguards Big Mike and Pitt Bull help me with my suitcase while I excitedly hop up the stairs of the jet and enter. They are cool people I like them.

I can barely breathe when my eyes land on Mr Stone's face but when I see the person sitting next to him whom I wasn't expecting might I add my smile drops.

It's a woman and it's not just any woman. She's a drop dead gorgeous lady with red hair. What sets the alarm off is that she looks like she's in her early thirties and holding hands with my potential boyfriend. And not only that but they are talking and laughing lowly to themselves like lovers. Right now I wish somebody would give us a wrestling ring to fight for a place in Mr Stone's life because looks-wise I've got nothing on her. She's not only beautiful but more mature and is more his type not this little girl namely me.

Arg think something Claire.

"Morning Mr Stone" I greet him my voice cold.

I'm trying my best not to let their cosiness get to me but it totally does. I'm tempted to hit that female in the face with my bag right now.

"Morning Claire" he replies a smile playing on his lips.

Not that I don't like it but why did he have to wait till this girl came around to use my first name, something he's never done before. Like what in the world is he happy about. Oh right it's because of the red haired girl.

"Babe this is Claire my secretary. Claire meet Zoey Jones" he introduces us.

Did he just call her Babe. Oh no he didn't. Seriously what the public bathroom. I feel like somebody ripped off the band aid from the wound. So not a nice feeling.

"Nice to meet you" I half wave at her a fake smile plastered on my face resisting the urge to punch her in the face.

"Like wise" she scowls at me before continuing to talk to Mr Stone like I ain't even there.

A wresting match would do some good right now. Now that I have a good look at her I won't even win the match if she agreed to play WWE. She'd bury me alive. I'm so frustrated right now I want to scream. Arrrrg.

He called her "Babe" big deal. Anyone can have that title. She better not be his girlfriend because if she is I might end up in jail cause I'm about to lose it.

'Why oh Why did you have to bring her to this trip Mr Stone' I scream in my head.

It's not like we're going on a vacation. It's a business trip for crying out loud.

The pilot announces that we should take our seats and buckle up as we're about to take off and we all do. I sit there with my small hands clenched having a stare down with the girl sitting across from me.

Moments pass and the pilot announces that it's now safe to move around if we want to. I didn't even feel or even notice that we were already in the air. My eyes stay glued on the two love birds or whatever they are. I wanna throw this Zoey Jones out of this damn plane cause I'm suffocating having to share breathing space with her. And the fact that she's smirking at me makes it worse. Now because of her I won't be able to carry out my mission. She's an obstacle between me and my man.

'Your man?' the voice in my head asks me in a laughing tone.

Even my subconscious is laughing at how pathetic I am. Great.

This is worse than that time I tried to use my mom's curling iron when I was twelve and a chunk of my hair got burnt and my dad had to cut it off. I had to cut all my hair and change schools because the mean comments from my classmates and the other kids were beyond horrible. They went as far as remove my wig so they could laugh at the shape of my bald head.

Zoey whispers something in Mr Stone's ear then leaves her seat and makes her way to the back of the plane.

She better be preparing to jump off this plane.

"You guys can order yourselves something to eat or drink or whatever else you want from the hostess" Mr Stone informs us as he packs away his laptop.

"Um where are you going sir?" I hear myself say. Why did I just ask that.

"To take a nap in the bedroom"

"There's a bedroom here?" I ask surprised.

"Yep. I'll let you see it later" he chuckles.

"You and Zoey Jones will be sleeping in the same bed?" I just cannot bring my mouth to work in sync with my mind.

"Nash. You coming" bloody Zoey yells from the other room.

"We'll talk later" Mr Stone leaves and I sit there like a ticking time bomb watching him disappear into the next room.

It's obvious what they're gonna be doing in there. This would be a good time for a technical difficulty to happen.