Plain Jane

An Awkward Lunch

Ryan was different when I came back to work the next day. He was curt, barely speaking to me, only passing messages through Amelia. His hair was neatly combed and his body perfectly sculpted, the same Ryan as always, but his attitude was different. I didn’t like it. Even though we shared another kiss, and he marked my neck with a hickey, it didn’t mean that we couldn’t communicate.

I told Darren what happened, he almost had a heart attack, but he was also very sarcastic, going back to the conversation we had a couple weeks ago about cheating and how I said I’d never agree with his stance on it.

Now the cheater was me.

Cayden had communicated with me all through the morning, sending me cute messages, making me blush. I had just gathered up my purse to go to lunch when a scowling Ryan walked into my office. I was startled, but quickly gained my composure as he opened his mouth to speak.

“Cayden is here to see you. I don’t appreciate him showing up to my office without warning, and it shouldn’t happen again Ms. Everson.” He snaps.

“Technically, he was coming to see me but my office is in your office so..” I trailed off into a silence as his eyes pierced mine.

“Don’t. Let. It. Happen. Again.” He says, slamming the door as he walks out, more like stalks out.

I mimic him silently and walk out the door, towards the other door leading to the hallway. I open it and Cayden stands there, holding a bag of Chipotle, and smiling. I kissed him fiercely on the lips, hearing the door close behind us as I break away from him.

“He was staring at us.” Cayden smirks.

“I forgot to close it behind me, oops.” I shrug, looking at what he had in the bag. I pull out the bag marked Jane and open it, smelling the heavenly scent of my favorite order consisting of steak, sour cream, white rice, cheese, and guacamole. Simple and delicious.

“We could walk down to Central Park if you want?” Cayden suggested.

“I actually have a very tight schedule and I wasn’t planning on eating today so we could go sit in the lobby if you want?” I suggest.

“No need, how about we all eat together?” Ryan suggests, appearing from behind me his eyes gleaming dangerously.

“That won’t be necessary Mr. James.” I snap coldly, holding my bowl of food tightly to my chest.

“It wasn’t a question Ms. Everson.” He snapped back. Cayden looked between us then reached down to grasp my hand tightly, letting me know it was okay.

“Fine.” I say through clenched teeth. We follow him back through the door and he seems to glare down at our hands intertwined. A funny smirk plays across my face and I look up at Cayden with big eyes.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” He asks.

“I just wanted a little privacy to at least chat with you, I had some plans for us tonight but I guess it’ll just have to be a surprise.” I shrug my shoulders innocently watching as Ryan’s eyes turn dark.

“That won’t be happening Ms. Everson, we have a lot of work to get done.” He stated.

“Mr. James, if you didn’t notice I am a publicist not a personal assistant or secretary, I, personally, have no work tonight. In fact in a couple hours my work should be finished.” I answered with a smug smile.

We had reached his desk now and he whirled around to face me, slamming his fist on the desk. “We have to work on statements to release to the press when me and Lily come out as a couple again.” He yelled, his face two inches from mine.

My stomach dropped and I stepped away from him my cheeks a bright red. I’m so stupid. Why would I kiss him an cheat on Cayden when the whole time this cheater had no problem with using me even when he had a girlfriend.

I swallowed harshly and looked at him directly in his piercing eyes. “You're the boss.”

…..

The lunch, to describe in one word was definitely: awkward. With a capital A. Ryan sat there the entire time basically glaring at us and Cayden sat there like a blowfish with his chest all puffed up like he was some meathead trying to claim his territory. I chewed my Chipotle, glaring at both of them because they were both annoying me.

We all just sat there, three grown adults basically looking at each other. That is until Cayden’s phone rang. He picked it up and looked at the screen his eyes flickering to meet mine quickly, seeing if I had read the screen. I hadn’t but now I was curious. He pushed his chair back and got up abruptly, leaving the room quickly.

I turned to face Ryan, shoveling a bite of Chipotle in my mouth angrily, and his face was wide with a smile. The first I’d seen him show since before the kiss.

“What are you smiling about?” I asked but over my food it sounded like, “Whaf are your smilinfph aphout?”

“You shouldn’t chew with your mouth open its childish.” He chastised. I opened my mouth and chomped on my food childishly, swallowing and sticking my tongue out at him.

“You shouldn’t be using your tongue for things like that, I could put it to use.” He smirked. I gasped and leaned back away from him, a glare forming on my face.

“You wouldn’t.” I spat at him.

“Don’t tempt me, Jane.” He said, his voice was like warm hot chocolate but my wandering thoughts about his voice were interrupted by a louder more prominent voice opposite the door.

“….no don’t. Why would you say that? He’ll be fine…..listen to me….no no that’s not what I was going to say….goodbye.” It was Cayden and he seemed to be frustrated and strained as he waltzed back into the room. Ryan’s smile and happy facade fell and I ignored it, giving Cayden a sympathetic yet curious look.

“Who was that?” I asked.

“No one special.” He answered shortly, taking a big bite of his now cold burrito.

“Well you seemed pretty angry.” I continued.

“Let it go Jane. It was no one.” His voice was not one I’d heard before and I was slightly taken back. I looked at Ryan out of the corner of my eye and he was looking down at his desk a smirk on his face. “Get a life.” I muttered at him and he looked up at me scowling.

The rest of the lunch went by in an awkward tense silence, the only sound being Cayden and I eating. Ryan scribbled on some papers, seemingly signing almost everything he put in front of his eyes and soon Cayden stood up, kissed me on the cheek and hugged me goodbye.

“I’ll just wait at your apartment with Darren tonight till you get home.” He said to me, I nodded and walked him out, making my way towards my small office.

“So now you have two guys waiting at home. Ha, quite the get around aren’t you?” He sneered.

I calmed myself as my fists tightened painfully and my face flamed, my anger heating up. I turned to him, my grey eyes blazing a dark grey now. “Darren, is my GAY best friend you stupid f**k. And if you ever insinuate that I, someone who hasn’t f****d anyone since my senior year of high school, is a w***e then you will deeply regret it Mr. James.” I slammed my office door as hard as I could and the papers and glass flew off my desk, breaking around my feet. There were hot, angry tears streaming down my face and my palms were red with nail marks from where I had clenched my fists.

A couple minutes later the office door slammed and I huffed angrily, he had no reason to be mad I was the one he basically called a w***e. This day was just getting worse and worse, I was seriously contemplating finding a new job. I couldn’t even bare to be here any longer, but I knew I needed the money till I found something different to do so I would have to stick through it.