The Other Roommate

18 - Personal and Professional Dilemmas

Alex has heard multiple bad news in her life and the one she had just heard ranked among the worst. As much as she tried to ignore it, there was a nagging feeling in her head and heart that something else equally unsettling was going to happen. Her chest couldn't get any tighter, pushing air out of her lungs while suffocating her breaking heart.

She rolled off Callie and laid down on her back, aimlessly looking at the ceiling.

Silence had cloaked the usually comfortable room and no one dared to break it. Alex was contemplative and well, speechless upon hearing the news. She felt as if she was being punished for all the times she enjoyed toying with Callie's emotions for her happiness. The younger girl easily enjoyed their banter, as well.

Was it too selfish to yearn for happiness?

"W-Why?"

The stuttered word was the first of Alex's string of questions. The pain in Alex's husky voice was uncanny and Callie found herself cringing. She was supposed to be happy that she was advancing in her life. Callie would have the ability to pay for music school but it seemed to have been unnecessary as long as Alex would stay by her side.

"Jazmin's dad got me a job. He's paying for the training and everything." Callie breathed, unable to muster the strength to speak up.

She, too, was lying on her back while her head was facing the side of Alex's expressionless, dazed face. Callie had not once moved from the position Alex had situated her in when she laid her down. All energy had been sucked out of her as a debilitating explosion occurred when she saw the agony in Alex's eyes while the older girl was hovering above her.

"When?" Alex dryly spoke, never once sparing Callie a glance.

She feared that if she saw the younger girl's face, she would shed a tear and the little work change didn't seem to be a good enough reason. However, the irrational fear in her chest was - at least to her.

"As soon as Mason finds a replacement." The younger girl retorted cautiously to which Alex nodded.

Each second that swept by felt like a repeated blow to the heart and Callie was slowly retracting in her fear. "Are you mad at me?"

"No, I'm happy for you." Alex's words came out as dry as a desert and even the strongest thunderstorm wouldn't be able to drench the sand. "I really am."

Callie missed the rapid fire of the older girl's words and her timid, thrifty answers were too disturbing to ignore. There was difficulty on her part to speak as she was barely managing to breathe.

"Sad?" The younger girl pressed regardless.

Alex shrugged, the only movement on her features were the regular blinking of her eyelids and the dance her mouth performed as she spoke. "Kinda."

"We still have the apartment and the rooftop." Callie cooed, attempting to pacify the situation. "I promise I'll make time for us. I'll always make time for you."

"Yeah." The green-eyed girl mumbled. Alex surprised them both when she adjusted her head to face Callie. Her emerald orbs displayed concern as the little quirk on her lips showed her failed attempt at smiling. "What about your music though? I'm assuming James's job doesn't involve around the subject."

"It can wait."

Callie was more than grateful to see those green eyes despite missing the usual sprightly glint in them. She was just happy that she could at least look strong to provide Alex a degree of comfort even if she desperately needed one as well. It was better if one of them at least made it out of the austere abyss.

"Can you?" Alex curiously asked, her brows slightly tensed.

"I have to." The younger girl let out a defeated sigh. She had gone over most of the concerns with her departure including the one related to her dreams that she was slowly losing interest in, as well.

"Rough estimate - how long do we have?" Alex queried, the discomfort in the depths of her soul finally unearthing in her uncertainty.

Callie mustered a small smile which might have looked like a mediocre attempt at one.

"I'm not dying, Alex." She jested, chuckling slightly - hoping the alleviate some of the tension that was thinning the air.

To her dismay, Alex's expressions never faltered. It was the same contagious gloomy frown that Callie was desperate to erase.

"No. Seriously, Cal."

"Until I leave?" Callie raised her brows inquisitively prompting Alex to nod. She was reluctant to share the limited number of days that had been plaguing her since she begged Jazmin for it. "We have two weeks."

"Well," The green-eyed girl relented to the little glimmer of hope she was desperately clinging to.

She situated her head on a pillow before extending her arm behind Callie's neck, inviting the younger girl to come closer. Callie was quick to adhere to the silent request, eager to hold Alex as close as she could. The contact made both women let out a contented sigh even with the seemingly indestructible despondency. It was enough to slightly decompress the density of the tensed air, allowing them to breathe.

"Let's make the most out of the two weeks." Alex suggested, planting a delicate kiss on Callie's head.

"Sounds like a plan." Callie agreed, nestling her head on Alex's chest.

As much as they tried, sleep had proven to be a very rare commodity. There was no better way to accept the news than to be mature about it - even Alex knew that. Despite the storm within Alex's being, she was forced to suppress the violent thoughts that plagued her. She wanted to shout out her frustrations but ultimately, she had to be supportive.

The green-eyed girl had browsed through the doors of her mind, carefully weighing out her options. Maybe it was time to move on from Chug, too. The problem with that was, she felt at home in that bar. She had always considered her coworkers as family even with Felicity Meade in the picture.

Alex was not even past the revelation about Colin Grant and his egotistical ventures in his past relationship with Callie, and the older girl had another dilemma to handle. Only an hour ago, she was the most content she had ever been until life decided to give her a reality check and pulled the rug under her feet.

It was just great, just great.

They spent half an hour cuddled up in silence until both decided they had to change into something comfortable. Callie surprised Alex when she showed up in the older girl's room. She found Alex in an oversized flannel shirt and cotton shorts while Callie was donning a rather skimpy light blue night gown.

"I'm taking you up on that little all-access pass." She shyly muttered, averting Alex's significantly widened eyes.

"Y...y-yeah. S-sure." Alex stuttered, shaking her head to rid herself of the warm sensation that had built up in her system just by the sight of the younger girl. She then motioned for her bed, fixating her gaze on the mattress while Callie followed.

The pair resumed their cuddled up positions with Callie's head on Alex's chest. She was listening to the steady beat of the older girl's heart until she noticed a gradual change. Alex had relaxed and succumb to deep slumber given all the lifting and thinking she had to do.

However, no matter how much she tried, Callie could not sleep for the life of her. An hour later, she decided to put off sleeping given her efforts had proven to be futile. Guilt had been riding her out, exhausting her too much that she could not sleep. Callie was restless.

It was her day off anyway.

Carefully, she slipped out of Alex's loose hold and tiptoed outside - unsure what to do for the mean time. Slowly and carefully closing the door, Callie found a specific item on the dining table that seemed to be glowing, or speaking - inviting her to flip the pages and immerse herself in the unspoken part of Alex Rivera's mind.

It was Alex's journal.

Without thinking further and without inhibitions pulling her back, Callie sauntered to the table. She pulled Alex's usual chair and cautiously opened the hard cover of the journal. The younger girl was greeted with an empty sheet that spiked her adrenaline up, hyping the suspense up. Callie's hands began to feel cold as her palms grew sweaty with her heart pumping harder against her chest cavity.

Taking a deep breath, she flipped to the next page and found a sketch of an older woman, looking out the window. There was an evident focus on detail as Callie could see the wrinkles by her eyes and even her aged hands received as much attention as everything else. The look of serenity in her eyes felt too real for a drawing.

Page after page, Callie scanned through them but not without admiring every single one of the seemingly endless pieces of art that grazed each sheet. The precision of Alex's strokes conveyed emotion, just like the older girl explained days ago. The sketches seemed too rare, too delicate and too priceless for Callie to even brush the tip of her fingers over them. She didn't want to ruin anything with her minute beads of sweat.

Everything had a story and everything was interesting.

There were quotes and excerpts from films, songs or well-known speeches - even bible passages. Sure enough, Callie found personal little notes like Alex had mentioned. However, she never had it in her to read even the most innocent and common of quotes. It was too much of an intrusion. Hell, just looking through the notebook already qualified as one.

"Callie Maxwell accidentally kissed me today." Alex's raspy voice reverberated in Callie's mind and the younger girl could remember Alex's feminine handwriting. Callie found herself smiling contentedly at the minute surge of nostalgia.

Callie found the sketch of the rooftop that she had previously had the pleasure of having at least a glimpse of. It was finished and Callie was at awe at how vivid it looked. Some sketches were metaphorical that Callie had to think long and hard to figure them out. They illustrated a thought that would fit the critical thinker while some just too captivating to pass up.

Alex had a deep connection with art.

A certain conversation rippled in Callie's sleep-deprived mind and that was what propelled her to bolt to her room to change into something presentable than a night gown. She grabbed two items that didn't belong to her before going out the door. Callie rushed downstairs and drove away with one crassly made plan.

"Your seven-day challenge is done, Stell!" Alex smugly and merrily typed on her phone right before rummaging through their refrigerator for something to eat.

It was a little over eleven in the morning and Alex reluctantly left Callie in her bed due to the commotion in her stomach. She spent a good couple of minutes staring at her roommate's sleeping form - admiring every little detail to the peaceful look in Callie's features.

Alex was grateful to have witnessed no tension in the face that she loved so much. Sleep had become a person's refuge from the bitter world. After hearing the news, Alex was almost certain she wouldn't be able to sleep. Thankfully, she did.

Alex would have made breakfast but was just as reluctant to rob Callie of her peaceful haven. She ended up grabbing the carton of milk and directly guzzling its contents from the original container as she sauntered towards the table where her journal laid like it had never been touched.

The thought of releasing at least some of the despondency she felt engrossed Alex in her art. She began to graze the tip of her graphite pencil gently against the white blank page - creating the early stages of big doe eyes that were filled with despair.

In 15 minutes, Alex had translated a frown perfectly on a sketch. The girl's brows were arched as the muscles on her forehead created shallow gorges. The tension in those tired eyes exuded of agony and concern while the corners of the slightly gaped mouth tugged downwards.

The particular girl's head was perched on a pillow while her seemingly unruly hair messily sprawled to different directions. Alex shaded the picture darker than she usually did - depicting the miserable story behind it.

It was Callie. It was how Alex remembered her face looked like when she told her she had to leave Chug. Despite the melancholy in her features, Alex was certain she had never seen anyone as beautiful.

Alex's phone shook to life continuously, prompting her of a call waiting to be answered. The name that was displayed on her screen elated her - providing a necessary distraction.

"So, how'd it go?"

It was the younger Rivera sister who sounded slightly winded yet inquisitive.

"Perfect!" Alex quickly retorted - her voice slightly higher and significantly joyous given the reminder of the seven days of bliss. "I've never been this happy." She confessed, taking a deep, satisfied breath as she sat back on her chair. "How's school?"

"We can talk about school face to face." Stella dismissed - particularly uninterested in the subject.

The older sister furrowed her brows incredulously. She thought she deserved to know everything related to her sister's education given that she was paying for her. "And when is that? I have work tonight."

"I don't know but we have to see each other soon."

Alex was not ready for another set of bad news. She had just been hit with two precise punches to the heart after the supposed blissful early dawn. If Stella were to give her a reason to worry about her education, Alex was going to lose it.

However, three loud knock drew her away from her wallowing in miserable thoughts. Alex groaned, not necessarily willing to play nice for the unexpected visitor. She told her sister to hold, leaving her phone on the table. Begrudgingly standing up, Alex stomped her way to the door only to be greeted by her younger sister with the widest of smiles.

"Stella!" Alex exclaimed, unsure of what she had just seen and said. She was not sure how her sister made it to her door step but pulled her for a tight embrace anyway. "What the hell?"

Stella rolled her eyes despite the happy smile plastered across her features. She chuckled, tapping her sister's back. "Thanks for the warm welcome, Alexis."

The older Rivera's eyes widened - claimed by the pessimism that emerged in her soul. She grabbed her sister by the arms and pushed her away. "W-Why are you here?" Her worried green eyes searched for signs of a bad news. "Is there a problem? Is it school? Mom? Dad? Chris?"

Stella shook her head condescendingly as she pursed her lips, unimpressed by her sister's rapid succession of questions. She was slightly offended that her sister would assume the worst given her surprise visit. Although, like everyone, she was finding the rare startled look in her sister's eyes rather amusing.

"Can't someone just visit her sister for no reason?" The younger Rivera probed, raising her brows challengingly. When Alex's apprehended look didn't waver, she sighed in defeat. "I came because I missed you and I wanted to talk to you about the little experiment I asked you to do."

The unimpressed look in Stella's face was apparent, even tilting her head slightly while Alex simply mouthed an "oh" as she gulped a lungs-worth of air. The older sister stayed like so, aimlessly looking at her sister's face.

"Can we go in?" Stella suggested as her sister seemed to have been immovable and unresponsive. "I want to sit."

She moved past Alex to sit in the dining table, in Denise's chair, while Alex stayed in her spot, taking deeper breaths to calm her turbulent heart. Stella reached for the milk carton, taking a swig of the white-colored drink. She tapped her fingers repeatedly on the table while waiting for Alex to snap out of it.

"Alex!" Stella grumbled. "Will you sit? I need the details right now!" She sassed.

Swiftly shaking her head, Alex complied with the demand and joined her sister in the table. She began by narrating everything that she remembered from the first day to the last. Alex could still hear Callie's playful voice as she greeted Alex by the sink. The use of the morbid nickname definitely elated Alex.

The green-eyed brunette never failed to mention every little detail and every time she recalls a particular look in Callie's features, she would look up, smiling brightly. She avoided her sister's inquisitive yet elated eyes, picking on the edge of her journal.

"Did you smile?" Stella asked incredulously, narrowing her eyes at her sister. "Was it just the smirk? Nobody likes your smirk, Alex. It's infuriating." She jested.

"I do! I like it!"

A husky voice boomed in the open floor plan. The younger Rivera immediately noticed the blissful smile across her sister's face. It was a grin that she barely sees, something that indicated pure unadulterated happiness.

Alex swiveled in her seat, proudly smiling given the thought of Callie walking through her bedroom door. The younger girl wiped her eyes, attempting to rid herself of her drowsiness but smiled instantly as she saw the look on Alex's face.

"Hey princess! Come meet my sister!" The green-eyed girl extended her right arm over to Callie, motioning for her to come closer.

Stella raised a brow at her sister's words. She had never heard Alex refer to a person with such a nickname unless it was sarcastic. However, even Stella could tell it was nothing close to that. The youngest girl knew Callie was the girl behind Alex's bliss despite not confirming her identity.

Callie let out a huff in amusement, only able to do so given her dehydrated throat. She sauntered towards the older girl, extending her left hand to connect with Alex's right. Both quickly interlaced their fingers, sighing contentedly at the brief contact as Callie decided it was best to acknowledge the youngest girl first.

"Hi! I'm Callie!" The brown-eyed girl extended her arm to shake Stella's. "I'm pleased to finally meet you."

Callie noted the resemblance of the two sisters albeit some differences. Stella had much lighter hair compared to the older girl. They were different kinds of pale and Callie wondered what Denise called the younger Rivera given she called Alex “Porcelain Butt". They both had the same kinds of eyes, bright and incredibly conspicuous.

"Stella." The younger Rivera muttered with a smile grazing her lips as she accepted Callie's hand. She stood up and engulfed the smaller girl in a hug, graciously thankful for her help with Alex. "The pleasure is all mine. Trust me."

Alex could not be happier to see her sister and roommate get along. She internally cursed herself for her failure to ask Callie what they were. They were both carried away by the romance and all the kissing, not to mention what happened at the end of the date.

They all found their place in the table, Callie recently moved directly to Alex's left which situated her across Denise's usual seat. Underneath the table, the roommates were holding hands, looking at each other like they were the source of endless bliss.

"You're the princess, DP." Callie insisted, remembering Alex's greeting.

Alex smirked, shaking her head. Even the smirk looked different to Stella. It wasn't the usual sassy smirk that made her sister seem emotionless. The younger Rivera leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table as she closely inspected the exchange.

"Queen, then?" The older Rivera raised her brows inquisitively, looking for approval as she tilted her head. "Queen Bee...B? Queen BB."

The two roommates bellowed in laughter as their torsos jolted uncontrollably. Callie could only laugh so much before she started coughing. She held her palm against her chest as she barked. Stella was about to get up but was beaten to it by her sister. Alex was quick to retrieve a water bottle from the refrigerator, twisting the cap open before handing it to her roommate.

Panic was evident in her eyes as she stood by Callie's side, lightly tapping the younger girl's back. She watched Callie guzzle half the content of the water bottle and letting out an audible breath in satisfaction.

The brown-eyed girl wiped her lips with the back of her hand, looking at Alex with a glint of mischief in her eyes. "Queen BB is just hideous, DP."

Alex could only roll her eyes with a closed-lip smile as Callie shook her head condescendingly. The younger girl turned to the younger Rivera who was smiling at them. Stella was undeniably happy for her sister. All the anger was enough and she was more than surprised to find that Callie easily shoves happy pills down her sister's throat.

Felicity Meade could not take the darkness away and Stella did not like that girl.

Callie and Stella acquainted themselves with each other, asking various necessary questions. The younger Rivera made sure to be extra nice to her sister's roommate considering the progress she had observed. However, she did not spare Alex. Soon, the youngest girl was dropping most embarrassing stories to which Alex ducked her head groaning.

"Why were you gone earlier?" Alex furrowed her brows, looking at Callie curiously as she happily diverted the unnecessary Alex-shaming-fest. "You know, I would have loved to have woken up with you in my arms."

Callie shrugged, keeping everything casually. "I had to do something."

"What might that be?" The older girl pressed, the tension on her brows unfaltering.

"Stuff." Callie retorted simply, noticing the milk carton. She looked at Alex with a brow raised, knowing the older girl's tendency to drink from the container.

Alex let out an audible sigh in defeat while running her hand through her hair. She slyly avoided Callie's knowing gaze, fighting the urge to smile. "Could you be any more vague, BB?"

"I'm sorry, DP." Callie untangled her hand from Alex and cupped either side of the older girl's cheeks. "Just trust me on this one?"

The younger girl drew her head closer to Alex, planting an uncorrupted kiss on the green-eyed girl's lips. Alex instantaneously grinned as she slowly opened her eyes.

"Besides, you left me, too." Callie reminded her playfully as she sat back on her chair.

Alex dropped her shoulders, feeling a slight guilt in her gut. She pouted, jutting her lower lip out as she reached for Callie's hands. "I'm sorry. I was hungry."

The younger girl waved a hand dismissively. "Do you want me to cook for you?"

The green-eyed girl shyly nodded which made Callie chuckle at how adorable Alex looked. Stella was quite shocked to see that side of Alex. Alex had always been the type to know what she wanted and chase after it no matter what. Seeing her sister flustered was refreshing to her. Stella had never been more at ease with her sister's potential girlfriend.

"I hope you like sandwiches, Stella." Callie grinned, ascending from her seat to go to the kitchen.

A week had passed since Alex found out of Callie's leaving the bar. Just like the younger girl, she feared for their time alone together. There would be a very noticeable dent to their usually lighthearted yet affectionate time together. And like Callie, Alex was aware of their schedules and was not particularly happy about it.

Alex was sleeping in her room on morning. She was lying on her belly, with one arm dangling over the edge of the bed. Her phone was slowly slipping out of her hand while drool was traveling from the corner of her mouth.

"Alexis!" Denise yelled from the front door.

Denise had just devoured her lunch and had to come to the apartment in search for her cousin. With the absence of a response, she continued her strings of predominantly unflattering nicknames. She called for Alex as she made her way to the middle door where she was almost certain the older girl would be in.

"Porcelain Butt!"

"Conceited Cuban ass!"

"Cuban catastrophe!"

"Morbid mayhem!"

"Moody monster!"

"Sassy Lessy!"

"Black Hole!"

"Alexis!" She exclaimed louder as she twisted the knob open to reveal Alex spread-eagled haphazardly on her bed. "Girl, we're going to be late if you don't get up."

As per usual, Callie and Alex had breakfast together and stayed up longer to be with each other's company. They seemed to have been spending as much time with each other, salvaging seconds in preparation for the imminent change. It had never been more urgent to spend time together.

That day, Alex fell asleep on her bed unintentionally. She was talking to her mother and fell asleep before she could get up to go to Callie's. The younger girl was too tired to even move which led to the physical separation.

The older girl peeled her eyes groggily as she lifted her head, looking at her cousin irritably. She wiped the moisture on the corner of her mouth with the collar of her shirt. Her brows were furrowed, unable to find reason with Denise's presence. She stretched her limbs to different directions, pushing at them as she yawned.

"You actually called me by most of the abomination of nicknames you made." Alex rasped, blinking her eyes continuously before dropping her head back on the pillow. She groaned, shaking her head in disapproval. "You only had to call me by my name. That's all I ask."

"No, Denise, call me by name." Denise mocked, rocking her head from side to side as she made childish faces. "First of all, why does Callie get to call you all these nicknames and I can't? If I can recall, there are at least three." She remained by the door, crossing her arms. "Conceited Cuban ass is a perfect depiction."

"Shut up! They weren't disparaging like yours." The green-eyed girl huffed, rolling to her back. Her eyes were sealed as her breathing was slowly evening out. "Why am I being deprived of sleep? I don't remember making plans."

"I should remind you that it's past lunch time!" The younger girl lifted her left wrist while she tapped on the watch repeatedly with her right index finger, stressing the time. “Rachel wants to see you."

"What about Cal?"

"I think she's sleeping. You two don't even sleep like normal people." Denise protested, rolling her eyes in annoyance. She was secretly happy for her cousin, seeing as there had been a very noticeable change in Alex. "Leave her one of those sappy notes you write. She won't be mad. Besides, we won't be gone for long. You'll be back by three, tops if you hurry."

Alex finally sat up, blinking her eyes slowly. "You know, if I ever called you 'brown butt' there will be an uproar in society claiming I'm against my Latina roots and you get away with calling me 'porcelain butt'."

Denise huffed, situating her hands on her waist. "Just change, cousin meanest. I'm in a hurry."

"It's supposed to be 'dearest'." The older girl corrected, raising her brows at her cousin.

"Well, you're mean to me. Come on! Chop! Chop!" Denise clapped her hands twice before turning on her heels to get some water. Alex cringed at the sharp sound. "I better not find you sleeping."

At least fifteen minutes later, Denise was grumbling - complaining about being late. She continually murmured her frustrations until they made it down to their cars. Alex was enjoying Denise's distress. Denise would intentionally push her buttons and Alex was more than pleased by the role reversal.

The cousins drove in two different cars with Denise leading them to the office by South Michigan Avenue of the Loop Business District. Their apartment is by the boundary of Loop and Near North Side. They decided against carpooling given that the younger girl had to stay behind while Alex was eager to go home to Callie since walking out their unit.

The tall building with bright blue windows has a gorgeous view of the lakefront, Grant Park right below with Lake Michigan kissing its edges. It was definitely one of the best looking offices and views that Alex set foot in. The bartender looked around to the open space of the mostly white-walled with sleek chrome-outlined lobby.

For some odd reason, Alex was seeing the place as part of her future.

Up in the seventh floor, Rachel practically leapt for joy as soon as she saw Alex. It was as if she saw the bartender as a lifesaving entity. Denise excused herself while Alex had still been clinging to the younger one.

Rachel's office was as white as the lobby but the advertising executive picked lime-green and bright yellow for most of her furniture. It reflected her personality quite accurately - cheerful and happy.

"Alex!" Rachel exclaimed, her cheek pressed tightly against Alex's upper arm. "You're a couple of days late but you're just the girl we need."

Alex furrowed her brows, straightening her posture. "I don't get it."

The advertising executive hurriedly pulled Alex towards her white desk, mumbling some inaudible words excitedly. She directed the bartender towards the lime-colored chair before rounding the table to her own office chair.

Rachel attempted to compose herself, clasping her hands together as she rested her forearm on the smooth surface of her desk.

"We needed an illustrator and we have been scouring the city for one. It's not very wise to be hiring a fresh graduate without a mentor." She began, looking at Alex's confused greens pleadingly. "We have one or two but they're not as good. We've made ads from newspapers to magazines - even radio and TV. We couldn't find anyone as qualified as...you." She slightly tilted her head downwards as she raised her brows at the younger girl.

Rachel let out a heavy sigh as she lowered her shoulders. "It's ironic seeing as we're an advertising agency and we can't even fill a single position."

Alex furrowed her brows, shaking her head. Her mouth hung open with her confusion. "I still don't get it."

Alex found her friend's puzzlement quite endearing. She beamed brightly at her before reaching to down to the bottom right drawer of her desk and retrieving a brown envelope.

"These, silly!" She pushed the item towards Alex who immediately rummage through its contents.

Alex's heart sank as she immediately recognized the three sketches printed in a glossy photo paper. There was a violent storm coursing through her veins as the feeling of being threatened of her privacy loomed in her system. There were quite the number of her personal thoughts enclosed in the leather-bound book. She had never shared that journal with anybody. Callie was the first person she even freely opened a certain page for.

Thankfully, the ones that the mystery person did copy were the least personal ones. They were a deliberately askew caricature of Johnny Depp - the bar in Chug with cartoons of three patrons and her old partner, Matt - the last one was of a homeless person bundled up in the winter.

In the least, the person behind the printed sketches mentioned Alex as the person responsible for them.

"H-How d...how did you get a copy of these?" She stammered as she struggled to form coherent words and sentences.

"Does it matter?" Rachel queried with the best of intentions - broadly grinning.

"Yes, Rachel! They're personal! Nobody was supposed to see them." Alex stood up, slamming the pictures on the table which made her friend jump slightly in a combined feeling of shock and fear. Alex ran a hand through her hair - significantly apprehended and infuriated. "I don't mean to sound ungrateful but this is just an intrusion that I feel threatened by. Did Denise do this?"

Her laborious breathing had caused her nose to flare repeatedly as her chest heaved. She began to pace in front of the desk with her fingers tangled in her hair.

"N-No. It wasn’t Denise." The advertising executive shakily retorted. She shook her head slowly, cautious about riling her friend up. Everyone is afraid of an angered Alex - well, except for a particular girl with pretty brown eyes who had no trouble matching her feistiness.

"I don't know, but it wasn't Denise. It was just sent here. Look,"

Rachel pointed to the top left corner of the envelope which stated:

"Attn: Rachel Hernandez/Denise Harris

AdInitiative Advertising Agency

Artist: Alex Rivera"

There was silence as soon as Alex read the inscription. She slowly sat back on the chair in a daze, aimlessly staring out the wide window in front of her. With Denise out of the question, she inspected the possibility of Callie behind the application. But then again, her sister, Stella came to visit her a week ago. Alex could not arrive at a conclusion. She did not want to be hasty.

"I'm sorry, Alex. I didn't know it wasn't you." Rachel offered, frowning in sympathy. "Look, we can forget about this. Don't burden yourself with the job offer. We can pretend it n-"

"How many days a week do I have to come in?" Alex interrupted, twisting her head to face Rachel.

The green-eyed girl took a deep breath as she was forced to see things in another perspective. Callie was about to leave Chug and their time together would be threatened given the younger girl's daytime shift against her night time. She was only certain they would only get two hours in the morning at two hours in the afternoon. Four hours never seemed enough because it wasn't.

"Ideally, five to six days but I'm more than willing to make an exception for you." Rachel swallowed a lump in her throat. She absolutely hated being the source of anybody's discomfort, especially the usually volatile, Alex. "You absolutely have to be here on the first meetings of the projects to give you a glimpse of the core concepts. The clients will be present to give us pointers and guidelines, or simply answer our questions if we have any. You also have to be here during the presentation of your design. You have to explain it to an extent. We can just relay to you how we want a design and you can do it in your own time, with time constraint of course and if we have changes to make, we will contact you." She explained carefully, studying Alex's expressions.

"This isn't a part time job, is it?"

Rachel sighed deeply, shaking her head as she cautiously stared in her friend's green eyes.

Alex lifted her hand to her forehead, massaging her temples. "Do I have time to think about this?"

"You do...but we don't. We have a project to start tomorrow." Rachel apologetically offered a small smile. "Tell you what - how about a test run? A week. I can give you that while we still run the newspaper ad for the position. What do you say?"

The green-eyed girl pursed her lips, nodding aimlessly. Her mind ran wild which prevented her from speaking. Alex had always been a critical thinker and would often dwell on one thing too long. In that case, she was wondering who and why the individual would send the sketches without her permission. It was unclear what their intentions were and Alex could not help but be suspicious.

Was Alex even willing to leave Chug, too? Was she ready for another change?

"So...do we have an illustrator in you?"