8 years ago...

"Demi, when next is that frat house having a party?"

"I guess you really did enjoy yourself huh?" She smirked and I casually shrugged.

"Or you're looking for someone?" Her eyes narrowed and she moved across the room, her braids bouncing, as flopped on my bed.

"Not exactly..." I murmured and she laughed.

"Common, what's his name? I might know him."

"William—I can't remember his surname."

"There are about two dozen Williams scattered around the campus and I personally know like four. You have to be more specific."

"I know," I sighed.

"You can find him, there's another party there next week Friday."

"Really? I mean that's cool. I'm only looking for him cause I think he'd be a great friend to keep by the way." I said smoothly and Demi laughed louder.

"Of course."

Two weeks passed but I didn't come across William again. I missed the frat party due to two impromptu assignments that needed to be completed and required an all nighter. I tried not to dwell on not seeing him again much.

It was Friday afternoon now and I was in my favourite coffee shop on campus, reading a novel about the renaissance period.

"Is this seat taken?"

"Yes," I answered without looking up.

"Yes?" The voice was uncannily familiar and I looked up.

"I meant no."

"No?" He smiled and I flushed.

"You are a hard girl to find Ophelia." You are equally hard to find.

"Don't tell me you forgot my name?" He pulled back the seat and sat. He looked the same as last time. Tall, lean and handsome.

"Just your surname, not sure I even knew it." I mused.

"Illston," he leaned across the table and moved his hand forward, "William Illston."

I accepted the handshake with a smile.

We spent the next hour in the coffee shop, talking and laughing about everything possible. Just like the last time.

"I won't make the same mistake again and forget to collect your number." He shook his head and handed me his phone.

I smiled as I typed my number in.

"There."

"What did you save it as?" He asked as we walked down the lane.

"Ophelia with a coffee cup emoji." I smirked.

"You'll never let me of with that will you?" He smiled.

I shook my head laughing, "no but, it also makes my contact a little unique."

"You yourself are already very unique," his gaze was steady on me and I noticed we'd stopped walking.

"You are such a tease," I joked and continued walking.

"Pity a guy, will you?" William grinned before throwing his arm over my shoulder and pulling me closer to his side.

My heart did not just swoon. Again.

***

"I can't remember where I kept those files, my head hurts." I groaned and sat against the edge of the curb.

"And I'm not any more sober than you but who knows, he might leave it till morning?"

Before I could nod or wish for her words to come true, the shrill sound of my ringtone disturbed the quiet atmosphere again. In capital letters, the caller ID read boss.

I looked at Joanne who only urged me to answer the call.

"Hello," I cleared my throat hoping I didn't sound as drunk and tired as I felt.

"I know it's very late but it's urgent. Where are the meeting minutes for January and February filed?"

"In the cabinet." I said ambiguously.

"Which one?"

"The one in the office."

"Ophelia, are you drunk?"

"No."

"Then I'll be expecting you at the office as soon as you can." The line went dead. Joanne's gaze turned to me and she stared at me expectantly.

"He wants me to come to the office."

"It's a Friday night, what does he want?"

To fire me.

"I have to go." I haphazardly stood up.

"Are you sober enough?" Joanne asked.

"I hope so."

A taxi passed by and I stopped it. Joanne and I said our farewells and soon after, the taxi started moving towards the imminent disaster waiting to happen. I laid down on the backseat and tried to remember where the minutes were but my head ached and the moving vehicle only made me feel nauseous. The elevator ride up to William's office was torturous. The more sober I felt, the worse my head and stomach felt.

I really needed a drink.

The door to William's office opened quicker than I remembered it could and the movement nearly knocked me off balance. I slowly walked in and there he was perched on the edge of the two sitter couch staring at his phone.

"She's here."

The other voice in the room made me jump but turning, I saw it was just William's friend.

"Where are the files?" I turned back to see William standing now, displeasure written all over his face.

"It's in–"

"It's in the where?" He sighed.

"In one of the cabinets or drawers." I waved my hand.

"Which one?" His dark eyes glared at me.

"Let's just check everything." I moved forward.

"Check everything?" He laughed without mirth. It was a lot of cabinets and drawers.

"How about some water?" Mark offered me a bottle of water which I gratefully accepted.

"Thank you."

"I don't have time for this," William sighed again, "don't bother coming in on Monday, you're fired."

I coughed as the water entered the wrong pipe.

"Will–" Mark said.

"Y-you can't fire me just like that."

"Yes I can, your recklessness and inefficiency is more than enough reason to."

"This is my free time, it's the middle of the night! Nearly 3 am and—and I still have two strikes."

"As my PA you should know better, you are needed at all hours of the day. And your recklessness ticks off one strike while your inefficiency ticks off the last. You can leave."

"You deserve to rot in hell, and I hope you never find your stupid files!"

"Get out," his voice dropped menacingly.

"Glady." I glared at him and flipped him off before leaving the office and slamming the door behind me.

My chest tightened and my breathing faltered. It was when the taxi I entered started moving I felt the warm tears falling down my cheeks. My hands rubbed at my eyes furiously and I felt a deeper sense of self loathing.

***

I groaned and rolled over till my belly was lying flat against the bed. My eyes fluttered open and I immediately scowled at the bright light pouring in through the windows.

My head was on fire and my stomach felt hollow. I slowly sat up and looked around my room having no recollection of the previous night yet.

Glancing down, my gown was rumpled and my breath reeked of alcohol. I carefully stood, walked to my mirror and cringed at the sight of me. I had raccoon eyes due to smudged mascara and eye shadow, my lips were dry and the only traces of my lipstick left were around the corners of my mouth. My hair was a whole other nest.

Halfway to my kitchen, the events of the last night finally eroded my memory and I winced as my head throbbed more.

Oh yes, I was fired. Fuck.

I sighed and solemnly went through the day, cleaning, cooking and cursing. Hours later, Joanne called then Isabella. After explaining most of what happened, they each wanted to take the blame but it wasn't their fault at all. It was all me. I knew I should have called William to grovel and plead the second I woke up, but my pride wouldn't let me. Not yet, anyway.

"I don't think he's home."

"Again?" I sighed and stared at Jiggy's door. Since I received the money for my rent, Jiggy was yet to be seen. The woman who lived across his apartment nodded and I thanked her and left.

Who knows where the bitter man went to now?

Entering my apartment, the money was placed back in a jar and I flopped on the couch then fiddled with my phone.

To call or not to call? To grovel or not to grovel?

I dailed the number and three rings later, he answered, "hello."

"Hey," I said awkwardly.

The other end of the line was silent and I took in a deep breath before uttering my next words.

"I'm sorry."

"Do you remember where the meeting minutes are now?" He asked after a beat.

"Yeah,"

"Come to the office then."

"Okay," I said and the connection ended. I grabbed my keys, phone and purse and headed to the office.

William was waiting on the edge of Heather's desk with his arms crossed over his chest when I arrived. He was dressed in jean trousers and a polo shirt which were the most casual clothes I'd seen him in so far. He mumbled a greeting before standing up and walking into his office.

I remembered our exchange last night and grimaced. I followed him into the office and silently brought out all the meeting minutes I'd placed in one of the top cabinets. The room was quiet as we rummaged through the files for the particular minutes he needed.

"I don't think it's here." I said after checking the pile for the tenth time.

He sighed and ran a hand through his dark hair. I didn't wonder about the importance of the minutes, rather I wondered if the job was still mine.

"Arrange it all back," was all he said before leaving the room.

Stupid boss, stupid minutes, stupid landlord, stupid me: I grumbled as I worked. It was past eight and dark outside when I finally finished everything.

"I'll drop you off."

"Okay," I didn't argue.

My head occasionally bumped against the window of the car as it moved but I didn't mind. I glanced at William's hard profile as he drove; he hadn't said a word since we left the office and the silence was deafening for a different reason now. Did I have a job or not?

The car came to a halt outside my apartment complex. A man in an oversized coat and a red beanie swayed at the entrance and my eyes immediately rolled at the sight.

"Do you know that man?"

"He's my landlord." I cleared my throat and he nodded but said nothing else. Sighing, I came down from the car and shut the door feeling slightly bitter.

"Hey blondie, where's my money?" Jiggy moved faster than I assumed he could. I started checking my purse then remembered it was upstairs in the jar.

"It's upstairs–"

"You don't have the rent again blondie?" He snarled in my face. His alcohol ridden breath irritated me and my face scrunched up. I was still trying to get over the stench when his stubby hands suddenly shoved me down. My eyes widened as my back painfully hit the floor.

"Who the fuck are you?" I heard jiggy yell and saw William's silhouette loom over him.

"Why the fuck are you pushing her?"

"Bitch owns me money!" Jiggy yelled again.

"And I told you it's upstairs!" I shouted as I stood up. I breathed hard and pushed my hair away from my face.

"How much?" William asked quietly and I stared at him.

"800 bucks."

"You liar, it's 600 and I have it." I turned back to jiggy.

"I increased it," the vile man sneered.

"Here, take it." William slammed money into Jiggy's hand. His beady eyes lit up as he collected it.

"You should of had your boyfriend paying rent all along instead of delaying me blondie," Jiggy chuckled as he staggered away.

"Are you okay?" William turned to me, his eyes quickly moving over me. I nodded.

"The money's upstairs, I'll pay you back," I paused, "I may not have everything right now."

"I'll remove it from your salary, let's go up."

***