Present.

The pain of having to wake up early on a Monday morning to go to work while suffering from a massive hangover headache from the weekend groove was honestly depressing. I was going to be late and honestly saying that I was worried was an understatement.

This was my life now, a tolerable existence

Being the marketing director at the cities leading advertising agency was a dream come true. As much as I loved what I do, it was really challenging at times, not to mention draining because apparently adulting is a full time job on its own also so yeah, the struggle was real.

Nonetheless, it was what I signed up for because I was passionate and very good at what I do, laziness aside

I searched for my phone underneath my pillow to read the time to notice a message pop my notification bar:

Greg : Good Morning babe, have a great day. I love you xoxo.

This was another thing, my 'boyfriend'

I've been in a few relationships these past few years but mine with Greg proved to be different from the others, I was sure that he was the one. Cliché, I know

Greg proved himself different from the other guys I've dated, and I actually saw a life with him. He was smart, caring, sweet and a gentleman. He was even the first guy I took home to meet my parents. I've already met his and our relationship was promising.

All the above however happened before he made partner at his firm. He was always busy, hardly had time for me. I literally had to beg him to even see me. When we made amends for us to spend time together, it would feel forced and his mind will seem to be miles away. I just knew we needed to talk.

.......as soon as I find the courage to bring the issue up because me being a coward was surely a weakness

I replied to his text before burying myself underneath the sheets again. I was so tired, my body felt heavy and still had a piercing headache. After the 10 more minutes I promised myself to get up had passed, I finally dragged myself out of bed and prepared to go to work.

“Ms. Davis”, a voice called out to me firmly on my way to sneak into my office, instantly sending shivers down my spine. I turned my head to see Mr. Spencer was standing at the doorway of his corner office. “In my office. Now”.

His demanding voice echoed around the room, earning us a couple of stares from some of my colleagues. I placed my laptop bag and purse on my table, and I drew a deep breath before I walked towards his office. He was on a call, literally screaming at the person on the other line before he placed down the receiver furiously. I gulped down hard when he set his eyes on me the minute he saw me peeking into his office.

“Close the door behind you”, he ordered roughly, and I did as I was told and approached his table. I just prayed that he wasn't going to ask me about the dim glasses I was wearing to cover up my hangover eyes the moment he rose his eyes to finally look up from the paper work his eyes were glued at in front of him. My legs couldn't carry me much longer, so I pulled myself a chair to sit on.

“Did I tell you to sit down?”, he deadpanned in the same tone he was using when he was roaring a few seconds ago as he straightened his bent posture to look at me

“You don't have to be so loud”, I muttered under my breath and I watched his eyebrows quirk up

“Excuse me?”

“I said no, you didn't tell me to sit down”, I started, and he was still looking at me with his eyebrow still raised as he leaned back on his chair

“What I want to say won't take long so there is absolutely no need to make yourself comfortable”

Rude.

“Where are the monthly budget reports for the Marketing department I asked you to have by my desk last week Friday?”, his tone was harsh and demanding

“I'm still working on them”, I watched as he tiredly exhaled silently before I could even finish my sentence, pinching the bridge of his nose with his eyes shut before raising his head to look at me again

This was when he was pissed, Stage 1.

Apparently there were three stages. I only got to see Stage 2 a few months ago when I mixed up presentation dates and I had to reschedule important meetings he specifically cleared his schedule for.

Boy was he mad. I even got to see how he looks like when the veins on his face begin to throb at each breath he took, his face red as a ripe tomato. I was legit convinced I was FIRE to the D....but luckily I wasn't. Hence, I'm still here.

“Can you see to it that I have it on my table before the end of business today?”

“I'll definitely see to it”, I did that nodding with the face thing, and he clenched his jaw, I was clearly provoking him in some way because he hated being nodded at. The first time I nodded at him, he made sure I live to regret it as he told me countless times that if I was going to make it in this industry, I need to learn to use my words clearly.

“How far is your team on the Demeanour's ad campaign?”

“You'll be pleased to know that we're pitching our ideas to the executives later on this afternoon”, I noticed he was looking at me in a nonchalant manner. “You can come sit in if you're not too busy, the meeting is around three”

“I have another meeting scheduled around that time”, he started paging through a file. “Do us all a favor and actually be on time for this meeting”

It sounded almost like a question and I nearly nodded my head before remembering who I was talking to

“Certainly sir”, I smiled politely before starting to walk backwards in attempts to leave

“Ms. Davis?”, I heard him call my name and I stopped mid-track from turning my back from him

“Yes sir?”

“It's in our best interests that we get this Demeanour account because it could really change things for us around here”, he fixed his eyes on me. “Just make sure you don't screw this up”

“I'll try my best not to”

“You do that”, he gave a quick wave of the hand, dismissing me and I dragged myself out of his office, carefully closing the door behind me before walking to my own office, finding Anna sitting on my table eating her morning donuts. She looked so radiant she was even glowing, you could swear I wasn't out partying with her last night.

“Are you even human?”, I took my glasses off to see if my eyes were not deceiving me. “Why do you look like you're not suffering from a hangover?”

“I can handle my alcohol”, she said confidently as she flicked her bouncy, curly ginger hair before crossing her legs

“What drug are you on?”, I cupped her face in my hands, admiring her beauty and she laughed. “Is it even normal to look this ravishing so early in the morning?”

“You know I love you right?”, she inquired, and I nodded my head. “But you're really not my type”, she smirked, and I narrowed my eyes at her.

“I can see that your mouth is the only part of your body that's hangover”, I teased, and she playfully pushed me from her and we laughed

“So, I heard you were called into the office this morning”, she air quoted 'office' as I plobbed down my chair

“I've had better days of being lectured by him and today was no exception”

“He's sorta going through a personal crisis so don't mind him”

“We all have problems Anna”, I rose a brow at her. “But we don't go around taking out all our frustrations out on other people. Personal crisis or not, he's just plain rude, period”

“Remind me not to mess with you when you're hangover”, she joked, and I threw her a glare

“I don't even know how you survived working alongside him for this long. I probably would have killed myself if I was his assistant”

“Well it's a good thing that you're not me then”, she laughed before quickly slapping my hand away when I tried reaching out for a chocolate donut

“Anna!”, I winced in pain as I yanked my hand to my chest, that slap really stung. “That really hurts”

“Stay clear of the chocolate donuts Olivia. They are mine”, she enunciated the last part before she pushed the vanilla donuts towards me.

“You're evil”, I threw her a glare as I took a bite. “But thank you”

It was out of mercy she was even sharing some of her donuts with me. They were her favorite and she could have them any time of day. Anna was kind of unique in her own way. She was free-spirited and bubbly and sometimes hilarious. I had actually gained a friend and a sister. She was amazing really, and I honestly couldn't imagine my life without her, both inside and outside of work.

“We're still on for lunch this afternoon, right?”, she asked as she fixed her eyes on me. I completely forgot we had lunch plans today. She probably saw my eyes lurk left and right as I bit my bottom lip nervously, and she narrowed her eyes at me.

“Right?”, she seeked confirmation and I nodded my head eagerly. She studied me for a few seconds before opening her mouth to speak again.

“You forgot didn't you?”, she dared the honest truth out of me, but I would never dig up my own grave for her to push me into every time it's her turn to stand me up

“Of course not", I gave a nervous smile while avoiding eye contact with her. She hummed in response, but I knew she was clearly not buying my story.

“Good”, she hopped off the table whilst shoving an already finished donut in her mouth. “And don't be late”, she warned as she stood at the doorway and I gave a mini salute.

“Yes ma'am”

“Love you”, she gave a little wave before she disappeared from sight and I sighed from relive that I didn't crack at her interrogative stare. I reached out for my phone and dialed a number.

“Liv”, his voice was cheerful on the other line, instantly sending shivers down my spine and a smile involuntarily played on my lips. Even after all these years, I still liked him. “I hope you're not calling to cancel on me for lunch today”

“I kinda forgot I promised Anna we would go for lunch this afternoon. I'm sorry”, I heard him chuckle softly before telling me it was fine. “I promise I'll make it up to you. How about tonight?”

“I have plans with Mellisa tonight”

“Maybe some other time then”

“Maybe”, there was that awkward silence between us before I head him sigh heavily. “I really hoped we could meet up today and catch up. I miss hanging out with you”

“I miss hanging out with you too, Stan”, a smile crept up to my lips as I breathed out those words, honestly it was hard not to. I thought after graduating from high school, going to different colleges would really leave a huge dent in our relationship, but it didn't.

Even though we lived separate lives and took different career paths, we somehow still made time to see each other and each time we did, sparks would still fly like never before, like we were never apart to begin with. He was still one of the important people in my life, easy to talk to, and I could share everything with him.

“Since we're not meeting up for lunch, you might as well share the important news you wanted to tell me”, I could hear him hesitate on the other line, already imagining him scratching his neck and smiling nervously

“It's really not a big deal”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah”, he laughed softly before clearing his throat. “Listen, I have to go. We'll talk again soon, okay?”

“All right, cool”

“Coolios”, he said and I laughed. It was our own signature way of ending our phone calls, it was always funny when he said it because he would make a weird accent.

We hung up, and I placed my phone aside and went through some documents Anna dropped off this morning and start compiling the budget report before the deadline set passed by

It was definitely going to be a long day