Here is another piece of me. I hope you all enjoy.
XOXO SkylerLuv
******
"Have you seen the new girl yet?" Pen whispers as she nears my cubicle.
Her short copper hair is pushed aside by a small yellow pin. She is dressed in business attire but it does nothing to hide her curves. Penelope is just your average attractive redhead with green eyes. Her charming personality is another plus and the main reason we are friends. Not a lot of people can deal with my dry and sometimes dark humor. Had we met in high school we would have never crossed paths. Or maybe we would have. She claims to have been friends with everyone at her high school. I do not doubt it.
I go through my emails, trying to wake up after getting a late start to my morning.
"No, and I don't really care." I blow a strand of hair away from my face. I often use my hair to build a curtain around me. On good days, it was voluminous enough to shield me from the curious whispers of those around me. Today it is acting tame but I know it is only a matter of time before it gets a mind of its own. I don't mind as long as it keeps people away. It is glossy and black, coming down in loose waves stopping just above my elbows today. I didn't have the upper body strength or patience to put it up today.
I think back to how short it was when I started here. The longer it grew, the less inclined I was to get to know others. Each inch marking a friendship I have passed up on. I have been with this company for one whole year and not a lot of people can say much about me, aside from Pen. They know I work hard, turn in my work on time, and stay out of anyone's way while maintaining a good name brand. They don't know how I take my coffee, what music I listen to, or what my favorite dish is. To them, I am seconds away from laser shooting anyone who tries to impose themself in my private life. They are not completely off target.
At 5 feet and 5 inches, with soft curves and dark eyes I am nothing but a plain Jane. I have no freckles or beauty marks to make me memorable. I normally wear dark color suits to work, comfortable shoes, and just hints of makeup. Mascara, eye liner, chapstick, and eye shadow if I am feeling adventurous. My dark hair is probably my best attribute but still not enough to make people fall over themselves. If they do, it is usually because of my death stare. Okay, maybe I am being a little dramatic. But I definitely do not smile as much as women are expected to. A lot less than even the gruffiest old fart that works here.
I recently graduated college, and this is my first job straight out of college. I have my own apartment and a car. I rarely drink, never smoke, and think Netflix is all I needed to have a good night. Books used to be my guilty pleasure but I haven't done it in a long time. My parents live across the country and I talk to them every so often. At this moment they are more engaged with my younger brother, Bobbie, who is in his second year of college.
Personal details like that just seem trivial to me. Why would anyone care and why would I offer that information? Pen is the only person who knows some things and that's because she's not afraid of me or my answers. She voluntarily gives me too much information but I have learned to listen when I can and ignore her when I want. Although she makes it hard when she talks about her interesting life. I often wonder what I would do in certain situations she puts herself in but then I remember I am not the star of this show and I get over it.
"I hear she is cute." She brings me back to the present.
"Again, I don't really care. What are you doing in my work space anyways?" I shoo her hip away from the corner of my desk.
"Your cubicle is right near the restrooms. If I was new, that would be the first place I would go to once I made myself comfortable." She continues to lean against my desk and brushes my attitude away. "Might want to drink some coffee before introducing yourself. You need a quick pick me up." Her eyes continue to stray towards the restroom doors.
"Pen, any other morning I would entertain your whims, but I really need to prepare for our meeting this morning. Don't you have a short presentation as well?" I grumble.
Pen works in the sales department while I work in IT. Once a month we have a meeting with other departments to go over any pressing changes or just to give an update on how the different aspects of the business are going. Today is that day. Yay.
She stomps her feet and practically whimpers. "Give me a break Annie! This is the most exciting thing that has happened since you got here. Hearing people talk about your dark features and even darker personality. I couldn't get through a single conversation that didn't involve you." She lightly pushes my shoulder. "For a second I thought you would be competition for the next office cutie but I still hold that crown."
"I would never fight you over that crown and you know that. Plus, the guys here are nothing to fight over." I reply to one last email and open my presentation slides to look over them once more.
"Yeah, but that's because you're into girls and you never find anyone attractive." Her eyes are glued to the restroom door. She pretends to pick up some papers on my desk and shuffles through them to look busy.
I snatch them out of her hands and finally get up to push her out of my cubicle. Just like no one in the office knows what kind of music I listen to, no one can say what my sexual preference is. It is probably one of the most interesting facts about me and one that I prefer to keep on the down low. No need to call any unwanted attention to myself.
She pushes against me but I grab her shoulders and force her to turn her around so that I am pushing her from behind.
"Out!" I grumble.
"Oof!" A little too late I realize I just pushed Pen into an oncoming stranger who has just spilled coffee all over their white blouse.
My eyes widen, the blood rushes to my cheeks.
Pen throws her hands up in a defensive position. The stranger stands there, registering what just happened. For a few excruciating long seconds no one says anything.
Pen is the first one to break the silence. "Oh my God! I'm so sorry! I didn't-" She runs away from the scene, leaving the new hire and myself alone.
Her hair is up in a high bun with long bangs almost touching her eyelashes. She has light brown eyes and a darker skin tone than I do. I have to look up at her because she's wearing heels and she is naturally taller than I am. She has more pronounced curves than I do but not as much as Pen. I look at her ruined white top and rush up to her before stopping inches away from her body. My hands are out as if I want to clean her shirt but I have nothing to clean it with.
"I'm sorry." I ball my hands into fist and drop them at my sides. She gives me a small smile and for some reason that makes me feel even worse. I feel my eyes begin to get misty and my fists begin to shake. Get a grip! I don't get emotional at work. Especially not over something so small. Something so insignificant.
But that is such a classic move for me. While most might be mistaken and think that I am coordinated and always have my shit together I am actually a major clutz. The reason people think otherwise is because I am always super careful with anything that I do and it takes me almost twice as long to do something if I want it done perfectly. If I am ever put on the spot that requires me to be any type of athletic test, I am royally screwed. Even getting coffee is sometimes a feat that I have to carry out before anyone gets into the office. Whenever I am not careful I just mess things up. Like this poor girl's shirt.
"It is okay." Her voice comes out deeper than I expect. She sticks out her hand.
I stare at it, not wanting to shake her hand lest she feels how much my own is shaking.
"Do you have another shirt to change into?" I avoid looking directly into her eyes. I know she can see I am on the verge of tears and that makes it even worse. She should be the one that is crying. I ruined her shirt before she even got to start her first day at work.
She opens her mouth but just shakes her head. She even has the audacity to look embarrassed, as if this is any of her fault. This is not her mess to clean up, it is mine.
With new determination in my eyes, I go back into my office to snatch my car keys and log out of my computer. I have 15 minutes before our meeting. I grab her arm and drag her out through the back of the building, towards the garage.
"Umm..." She doesn't say anything else.
