Some people are used to having the world handed to them just because they were born pretty and wealthy. Grace was one of these people. She had felt mistreated because she was made to work her way up through her parents' company, working as a mere intern among poor people. Then, however, she met him. Dark eyes, hair he dip-dyed outlandish colors, a way of hiding his amusement and frustration that led to Grace never quite being able to tell which he felt for her. Grace knew how she felt about him though. She wanted him.
At first, she played cool. Joked, sometimes earning a small half smile or commiserating comment at her complaint. Boys were supposed to chase girls, after all. But Phoenix, as Grace would learn the boy's name was, was not picking up on her flirting. He seemed to go to work,lunch, and leave, although that might have been due to his commute, which involves a train and a bus. One afternoon shift, when the forecast warned of flash flooding, Grace saw an opportunity.
"Hey, Phoenix, the weather app says there's a bad storm ahead, would you like a ride home?"
Phoenix nodded, still focused mostly on his screen, where he was switching tabs so if Grace came over she wouldn t be able to see he had been chatting with Microsoft CoPilot rather than actually working on the form he was being paid to work on. One of the forms he was being paid to work on. God, he hated his job. He couldn't afford to express that openly, though; not when the bosses' daughter was his coworker. Although Phoenix had seen her slacking off and remarking on her dislike of the work, too, although she mostly laughed along whenever he had the courage to complain.
The shift ended, and Phoenix followed Grace out, quiet as both were nervous, unsure what to say. "This is my car." Grace stated when they arrived at her car, unlocking it. Phoenix let himself in the passenger side, nervous that the car ride home would be entirely awkward silence.
"So, I keep forgetting to ask, are you in law school?" Grace started.
"Not yet, I'm in the process of applying."
"How did you get this internship then?"
"I honestly have no clue. I have a Bachelor's degree in Biology, but law schools accept all kinds. Law firms, meanwhile... you'd have to ask your parents how I got this internship because I honestly wasn't expecting.to get it. I'm hoping your parents might help me with a letter of recommendation, actually."
"I'll be sure to talk you up with them, Phoenix. After all, you're one of my favorite interns at our firm, and that counts for something." Grace smiled at her love, who lightly slapped her as the light changed.
"Eyes on the road, please!"
"Sorry, sorry." Grace focused on driving, not as rattled by the horns honking her way as Phoenix was but pretending to be nonetheless. The two rode in silence until they arrived on Phoenix's street.
"Listen, Phoenix, before you go-" Grace figured she could either act now or she might never have another chance. "Would like to go for dinner after work sometime? Like, on a date?"
"No. I mean I'd be down for dinner if it was as friends, but I'm not interested in dating right now, sorry." Phoenix took his seatbelt off and darted inside his house before Grace could process what exactly he had said.
No. Phoenix had said no. Not only that, but he still wanted the meal, just not to date Grace. Why would he not want to date Grace? He wanted Grace's parents to like him. The best way to ensure that happened would have been to agree to date Grace. Why did Phoenix say no?
How dare Phoenix say no?! Grace fumed, unaware Phoenix was berating his own life choices internally at home. He had his reasons for saying what he said, and he had hoped the offer of friendship might soothe the sting of rejection a bit.
Grace had all evening to stew in her fury at what had been done to her, how she had been made to feel. Fuck Phoenix for making her feel like shit on the bottom of a shoe, for making her feel like an inconvenience, making her love for him unwanted. He ought to feel lucky Grace loved him. Well, there was no way in Hell he would be receiving a letter of recommendation from her parents now, not if Grace had any say in the matter.
Grace wouldn't have any say in the matter, nor would she have anything to say to Phoenix at work for the next while. She thought perhaps the silent treatment might draw Phoenix back into her orbit, make him regret having told her no. Indeed, Phoenix did stare at her a few times when she ignored him, looking at Grace as though she was someone from an alien species. But Phoenix' effort to communicate were exclusively work-related, in no way personal. Fine, if Phoenix didn't want Grace, he wouldn't have her in any capacity. She stopped communicating with him at work altogether.
Grace's parents noticed the charged atmosphere at work, their daughter deliberately icing out one of their hardest working interns, and they disapproved. Grace's father, Fred, pulled Phoenix aside to talk in his office one morning, all too aware his daughter's shortcomings meant if something had gone awry in the pair's professional relationship, Grace's tale would be more biased than Phoenix'.
"So, I've noticed some reduced communication and cooperation between you and my daughter- care to explain?"
"I try to ask her and get her input on the case theories, but she - okay, I'll be honest, she drove me home after that flash flooding warning last Friday, and by the time we got to my place, she asked me out on a date. I know the workplace rules surrounding romantic relationships here and didn't want to jeopardize my place here, among other reasons I can't date at the moment, but I didn't go into detail, I just said no but I'd be happy to stay friends, but now Grace ignores me every chance she has and i don't know if I jeopardized my place here anyway. Which I would never want to do, but I also don't want to lead your daughter on when I can't give her the type of relationship she wants or deserves."
"That's incredibly considerate of you, young man. I'll talk to Grace about her behavior and try to make a situation where you can both comfortably work here."
"Okay, thank you." Phoenix felt self-conscious about just how much he had overshared with his boss, but Fred didn't seem angry with Phoenix at all. The older man sent his intern back out to his cubicle and called Grace into his office next.
"Yes, Daddy?"
"I heard you asked out one of the other interns here?"
"Did Phoenix tell you that?"
"Indeed, he did. That young man also told me you are now refusing to work with him."
"Well - well - he didn't tell you the whole story, now, did he?"
"I don't know, honey, why don't you explain yourself?"
"I hadn't asked him out out of nowhere! He's been flirting, he's - he's touched me, and wanted me to have you write him a letter of reference, and said if I was able to convince you to, only then he would go out with me and I really like him but I can't be pit between two men I love, you know that! I thought if I just ignored him, the temptation to do what he wanted so he would love me might go away!"
"Grace, sweetheart, when something like that happens, you're supposed to turn to us right away, not let it influence the office environment by hiding your coworker's blackmail!"
Grace smirked internally, thrilled her dad appeared to believe her lie hook, line, and sinker. "I just - I wanted to keep the option that I could say yes and he might love me anyway."
"Grace, you know better. Just, get out of here. Leave. When you come back to work, be ready to treat all your coworkers professionally, and let the bosses deal with discipline. Its our job, not yours."
Grace ducked her head, unable to believe her Daddy was sending her home. Chastising her like a little girl! Her idea of revenge, of taking the truth and twisting it into a worse shape for Phoenix, had been the revenge plot of a little girl, and it was not one that worked. Grace would actually mourn the death of her fantasies that night. Phoenix didn't like her back, would never like her back.
Revenge had been a stupid plan to begin with. Maybe if she stayed friends with Phoenix, he'd fall for her over time.
ns216.73.216.139da2
and then Add to home screen.