There was no organisation in the office storage room; it was a cluttered mess of everything and anything, and once you located something there was no guarantee it would be in the same place the next day. I reached behind a stack of compact disks when Lauren and Amanda walked in, closing the door behind them.
Lauren and Amanda were perhaps the most troublesome people in this office since I began working here three weeks ago. These two made everything their business and since Katrina and I were new here Lauren and Amanda made it their duty to get to know us well. Sure they Lauren and Amanda were good looking, brown hair, brown eyes and Blonde hair and hazel eyes respectively, both were slim built and just a little shorter than me, but they had personalities that just turned you off, the type of people who you could only talk to every once in a while before being annoyed.
"Just the person we have been wanting to talk to." Lauren said.
"Uh huh, have you seen the post-it notes?" I replied not really concerned about what they wanted. Lauren reached behind a ream of A4 paper and threw the post-it nots at me.
I made for the door but Amanda stood in front of it, a situation that was familiar to me. I rolled my eyes and asked. "What is so important that you must trap me in a store room to ask?"
"We just want to know what the deal is between you and Katrina." Amanda asked.
"Huh?" I tried to act innocent.
"Don't act dumb." Lauren said. "We see you two come and go from work together, you don't do a thing without asking her, work related or not and you spend so much time in her office you might as well move your desk in there."
"Really, all we want to know is what is going on between Katrina and you, are you two going out?" Amanda asked.
"I'm her personal assistant and she likes to be kept informed of everything I do, it's as simple as that."
"Come on Steven" Amanda was obviously not getting the answers she wanted. "We see how you two look at each other, there is a lot more than a work relationship going on here."
I let out an annoyed groan.
"Also, what's the deal with these bruises around your wrists" Lauren grabbed my right arm and held it up. "They seem to take a long time to heal."
These questions were getting a little close for comfort. "It's a health problem or perhaps an allergic reaction to my fabric softener, take your pick." I pulled away from Lauren and made for the door.
I reached behind Amanda and held the door handle; she grabbed the front of my shirt, spun me around and pushed my back to the door.
"Don't have the balls to answer the tough questions Steven?" Amanda put a hand on my crutch to try to prove her point. She froze. "What the?"
I took that opportunity to make my escape; I turned around and opened the door, slamming it behind me. Everyone in the office looked up at me wondering what was up; I smiled nervously and walked over to my desk.
---
"Well what are we going to do Katrina?" I asked breaking the silence on the way home.
"What do you mean Steven?" Katrina said looking away from the road for a second.
"About Lauren and Amanda. They know."
"No they don't Steven, they just have a few theories and they certainly have no idea on what is going on between us."
"Let's see, they know about the bruises, they know about the chastity belt and they know we are more then just co-workers. I'd say they know more then enough."
"Don't worry about it, see how is plays out, its not like they are going to start a rumour that you are my slave and I beat up are they? Katrina smiled.
"Not without some more proof they wont, and they are the type that will go out of their way to get it."
"We'll deal with that when the time comes." Katrina slowed down towards the gates of our property, she pressed a button on the remote and the gates swung open, she drove through and the gates closes behind us automatically.
"Who is that sitting on our front veranda?" I asked trying to make out who it was.
"Is that your friend Jenny?" Katrina asked stopping the car in front of the garage.
"Looks like it" I replied getting out of the car. "What are you doing here?"
"I jumped the fence. I need somewhere to stay tonight." Jenny replied in a quiet voice.
"What's wrong, you look terrible." Katrina asked opening the door to the house.
Jenny did look pretty bad, her hair was a mess, her dark bloodshot eyes meant she hadn't slept in a while and her clothes were creased and a little dirty.
She followed us into the house where she let herself fall into the lounge in the lounge room, Katrina and I sat opposite her in another lounge.
"Well what's wrong?" Katrina asked again.
Jenny laid on the lounge at stared at the ceiling. "I fell asleep on the lounge watching TV and when I woke I was surrounded in flames. I got out but everything has burnt to the ground."
"I'm sorry" I said not knowing what to really say.
"Don't worry; I'll let you stay here tonight." Katrina said.
"Thanks." Jenny replied still looking at the ceiling.
"Did the firemen say what started the fire?" I asked curiously.
"Nope, they said it started near I was sleeping, perhaps the TV shorted out."
"You were smoking when you fell asleep weren't you."
"Steven!" Katrina said displeased with what I said.
Jenny turned her head towards me. "I don't know." She said getting a little angry at the question.
"Well, you still have your job and some money saved up right, shouldn't take you much to get back on your feet." Katrina stated.
"Nope, work didn't like their company car reduced to ashes so I lost my job and I barely have enough money to keep my bank account open at all. I'm ruined.
"Well go back to live with your parents." I said.
"I wouldn't give them the satisfaction." Jenny replied.
"They are your parents, they would be happy to have you back no matter what the circumstances." Katrina said a little confused.
"See Katrina." I started to answer for Jenny. "Jenny was supposed to be daddy's little girl, after high school she was supposed to live her parents dream and become a doctor or a lawyer, but Jnenny had different ideas, she wanted to work in media, but daddy didn't like that so he wouldn't pay for her university education, so Jenny left home, got a job and paid her way through university...."
"..And I almost made it too." Jenny interrupted me. "I was self made and successful, except for one little fire. Sigh." "Jenny, you look like you could use some sleep, I'll show you to your room, and Steven start your chores." Katrina said getting up off the lounge.
---
Katrina and I sat at the table eating breakfast.
"Which room is Jenny sleeping in?" I asked Katrina before taking another spoon full of cereal.
"The slaves' room." Katrina answered reading a magazine.
"You didn't lock the door right?"
"No Steven, she not my slave."
Jenny finally came downstairs; she was in the same clothes as last night but had obviously had a shower.
"Good morning, you look better" Katrina said.
"Thanks, I feel better a shower does wonders." Jenny replied siting at the table.
"So you thought about what you are going to do?" I asked.
"You are welcome to stay here." Katrina replied.
