I stretched out my arms enjoying the feel of the silky sheets on my skin as I relaxed in the bed. Today was going to be a good day. It was Monday morning, the day of my big job interview and I had a good feeling about this one.

I was going to eat a big breakfast to keep my inner self at bay and steer clear of coffee for the persisting morning to give myself the best chance at focusing since my inner self always seemed to go hyper on the extra hit of caffeine.

I was confident I was in for a good chance.

Pulling back the blankets I bounced out of bed and continued to ready myself, pulling my hair back into a tight neat bun and slipping into one of the dresses Anthony had paid for during his brief duration as a shopaholic. It was cute and sensible with a slight sass to it that I liked with its diamond shaped neckline that allowed a little cleavage but not enough to be classified as anything other than respectable.

The blue colour of the dress set off the gold zipper along the back that was supposed to be more of a fashion accessory than a practical dress zipper. I stepped into a pair of black-strapped heels and added a simple gold ring to my right hand - since I have yet to locate my so-called engagement ring - something I really needed to locate.

"I've got this. I can do this." I nodded my head and gave myself a quick pep talk.

For about ten minutes until you trip over your own feet or walk into a door.

"Shut up. Not today. Today is my day and you will stay silent." I narrowed my eyes at my inner self and pointed my finger at my reflection in the mirror.

There was no need to be silent since Anthony still wasn't home.

Spinning around I walked out of the bedroom and into the kitchen, determined to put something in my stomach to cage in the beast that is my inner self.

I put the toast in the toaster and started preparing my bag, printing off a copy of all relevant documents - my proof of graduation and my resume that was kind of short - and decided to steal one of Anthony's expensive looking pens that sat beside the house phone.

A small trinket for good luck.

You stole someone's pen.

Yes, yes I did.

And don't you feel bad about that? My conscience reared her ugly head and looked up at me with seemingly innocent eyes.

Not really.

That's my girl. My inner self smiled.

"Great, now I am having a three way conversation with myself." I rolled my eyes and continued to butter my burnt toast.

And it's only early!

I shuddered. Yes, only early, just imagine what else could go wrong by the end of the day.

The possibilities are endless.

Finishing up my breakfast, I checked myself over in the mirror one last time to make sure I had nothing on my teeth or that my mascara hadn't decided it looked better on the top of my eyelid or along my cheek.

Nodding in approval I headed down stairs and out in to the street, taking a quick cab ride to the SJR merchandising building. Seeing the large SJR on the older styled building in the city I pulled out my e-mail for further information.

The position I was applying for was an opening position at West-End, a company dealing with a fashion brand but I would be working in the business sector. I walked into the building and rode the elevator up to the forth floor, looking round at the colourful interior.

It was busy, very busy.

Kind of like ants.

People rushed around everywhere, carrying things of importance and narrowly dodging each other.

Just like ants.

I wondered up to the reception desk on this floor and smiled at the receptionist - a mild aged man with a very thin pair of glasses on his nose.

Hello fellow keeper of ants.

"Hi, my name is Skylar Martin, I have an interview with Grace Peters."

"One moment please." He spoke as he reached for his phone and began speaking.

Standing up from his desk, he smoothed out his shirt and rounded the large desk until he was standing just in front of me. "Mrs Peters will see you now if you'll just follow me."

I nodded my head and followed the man through the maze of corridors, more than once having to jump out of the way of people rushing about.

...Of ants rushing about.

Not now. You wait out side. I scolded my inner self as I stopped at a large door.

"Good luck." The receptionist spoke as he opened the door.

"Thank you."

I stepped into the office and waited till I was told to be seated - taking led from the interview with Anthony where he penalised me for sitting down without permission.

"Please be seated." The woman behind the large desk spoke without even glancing up at me. Her desk was dirty, littered with papers and pens and other files everywhere.

Holy crap this looks like someone just let a fan go and started singing 'its raining paper.'

Taking a seat on the small guest chair I smiled and waited for her to begin thinking it was the polite way to go about it.

"Hi Skylar," she smiled at me. "I'm Grace, I run the company here at West-End, we work in conjunction with a number of companies but ultimately come under the SJR brand." Grace began to explain.

"Hi Grace, it's a pleasure to met you. I am so grateful for the opportunity."

"So basically you would be starting at the bottom and work your way up through the ranks. Your job would entail a little bit of errand running, sorting and handling files, dealing with invoices and many other fanatical duties." She listed.

I nodded and prepared myself, enjoying the opportunity to put in some of my work experience. "That all sounds great, I've previously worked in other companies dealing with fiancés and even doing the taxations for many smaller business."

"Yes, you worked for Martin Export Trades?" She frowned a little as she looked down at the messy desk where my resume must be.

Oh shit.

My inner self leaned back and pressed the 'abort mission' button in my mind.

"Yes for a few years before I branched out."

"Are you related to the company?" She frowned recognising the common last name.

I'm going to start digging now. How far down do you want to be buried?

I took a deep breath in an attempt to stop myself from frowning. "Yes I am but I still went through the process of the interview and I had limited contact with any family member."

The first interview I have when I am not tripping into the office, walking into a wall or door, or even physically abusing my interviewer, and I am blocked by my name.

Grace stayed silent as she took in the information. "I had heard that company has closed down due to bankruptcy?"

This looked every bad for someone who was attempting to get into the finance side of another company.

"Actually they have found another investor eager to work with them." Yes, his name was Anthony Renner and all it took was the promise of a marriage.

"I hadn't heard that."

This interview was going Souther than a rock in water.

For once you're right.

"I only worked in the company for a short while before I found employment else where."

"At small time business'?" Grace didn't look so convinced.

"Both companies are actually planning to franchise now after the success they've had in the last few years." I attempted to recover the situation.

"I'm going to be honest with you Skylar, we need someone ready to jump in now. We don't have time to train you and frankly, we need to see profits so we are being very critical about who we are hiring." Grace explained.

I took a deep breath knowing that this was well and truly over.

"Someone will be in contact with you later this week." She stood up and held out her hand.

I shook her hand and gave her one last smile. "Thank you for the consideration."

I walked out of the building and took a deep breath, letting my eyes flutter shut for a brief moment as I gave in to the miserable feeling of yet another failed job interview.

"Warning. Warning." My phone started ringing in my bag making me groan. I rolled my eyes and fished out my phone seeing the caller id on the front of the screen.

"What do you want Anthony?"

"Are you at West-End?" He questioned straight away. I frowned and looked around the street to see if he was standing somewhere in the crowd.

"Yeah, why?" I answered him a little cautiously.

"Did you just go for an interview?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I have my hand in that cookie jar Babe, no working anywhere near anything I do remember."

I sighed and slouched my shoulders. "Oh my god, are you serious."

"Yes I am. You don't work in or around any companies that I invest in or that I own shares in."

"But..."

"I'll send you the list."

"Wait!" I called into the phone. "Did I at least do okay?"

"Yeah."

"Really?"

"No." He scoffed. "They called me up to tell me about this terrible interview and I thought that it sounded familiar so I called you."

"Oh gee, thanks." I let my discontent seep into my voice.

"You're welcome. I'm on my way back to the hotel now my plane got delayed."

"I'll met you there, not like I have a job to go to anyways."

"That's the sprit Babe."

I hung up the phone and called the Lustrous company car that was part of the perks for moving in to the hotel.

My body flooded itself with some unwanted self-pity as I dealt with yet another rejection.

My inner self had walked off, leaving me alone with my empty head and nothing but silence for a brief moment. The silence, the peace, it was all something I wasn't used to, something foreign and unknown to me. For as long as I can remember, my inner self has been there, putting thoughts in my head, causing destruction or simply just banging a drum.

I'm back! She beamed at me making me jump a little in the back of the car. And, look who I've found.

My self-pity took a seat on the floor of my mind with a permanent pout on her face.

Hold on I'll get a board game, you're going to be here a while.

I rolled my eyes and pouted. Yep. Self-pity was here to stay!

"We're here." The driver informed me.

"Thanks. Oh and what's your name by the way?" I frowned realising the poor man has been driving me and Anthony around and I never even knew his name.

The balled man smiled sweetly at me with his blue eyes twinkling. "Roy."

"Hi Roy, I'm Sky. But you probably know that ready." I started to ramble. "Thanks for the drive."

Climbing out of the car I wondered up and into the apartment. Shutting the door and leaning up against it. Closing my eyes, I calmed myself down and attempted to regain some sort of composure.

I heard a strange sound from behind me, or behind the door I should say.

"What the - " I began but the door opened sending me falling backwards, straight onto my back. The back of my head hitting the floor a little.

"Why am I not surprised?" Anthony asked rhetorical as he looked down at me.

I lifted my arms up in the air. "Help, please."

With a quick eye roll, Anthony grabbed my hand and helped me up to my feet with his hands lingering on my hips a little.

We both walked into the apartment, Anthony throwing his bag to the side as he took a deep breath and looked around.

I jumped on the couch and looked up at him, waiting for him to realise what I had done and the changes I had made since he's been gone.

He frowned deeply. "Something looks different."

"I'm here." I pointed out.

"Yes but you've done something." His eyes darted around. "Did you move the couch? Shifted the table?"

"None of those things?"

"Burn down my kitchen?" He walked towards the kitchen.

"Nope!" I called out after him just as Hercules jumped up on my lap and cuddled into me. I slightly reached for the pillow and put it over Hercules so that Anthony wouldn't notice him just yet.

"Sky!" He started yelling at me. "What the fuck is on my porch!"

I bit my lip and prepared myself for what was to come. "A chair?"

I heard the sound of the door open as he walked outside to have a look at it. "What did you bring into my house?!"

I moved the pillow and held up Hercules. His cute little ears pricked up as his little nose twitched.

"Why is there a rat in my house?" Anthony asked as he stared at Hercules from just across me.

"His not a rat!" I defended him. "His a bunny!"

"Well he is not staying. Get rid of it."

"No." I stood up and followed Anthony as he walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge. "He is cute, cuddly, doesn't smell, you're not allergic and he is good company."

"I never agreed to this."

"Yes you did in fact."

Anthony closed the fridge and narrowed his eyes at me. "You put a loop hole in the agreement didn't you?"

"Yes. Yes I did." I held Hercules up and gave him a cuddle making Anthony roll his eyes.

"Fine but if he 'accidentally' gets sucked up by the vacuum or wonders out the window it is not my fault." He shrugged and began pulling out a large pot.

"Don't worry Hercules, I'll protect you from the big bad wolf."

"Hercules?"

"It suits him don't you think?"

"I am never letting you name anything." Anthony said in all seriousness.

"Shut up." I waved him off and placed Hercules on the floor letting him hop around. "What are you doing anyways?"

"I'm cooking." He looked at me as if I was blind.

I leaned back a little unsure. "You cook?"

"Yes Skylar, I cook and you are not allowed to touch this stove."

"I can cook!" I defended myself. I'll admit I could only cook the basics but that was good enough. Food was Food as long as it tasted good.

"You're accident prone."

"That is your opinion." I muttered with a slight tilt of my head.

"It's the truth." Anthony began making what looked like some sort of Casserole.

I watched him cut up vegetables and meat and potter along in the kitchen with slight amusement. There was something funny about watching this man who intimidated so many into submission, cutting up vegetables and cooking.

"Stop laughing." He scolded me.

"I'm not laughing." It was true, I was how ever, smiling and seconds away from laughing.

"Then stop smiling."

"You know I have been told my smile is my most redeeming quality." I defended.

"Who ever told you that was big fat liar." He smirked at me and placed a bowl of food in front of me. "Eat, we are going out tonight and I am not going to listen to the words 'I'm hungry' all night."

"Where are we going?" I pulled the bowl closer towards me and reached over the bench top to grab a spoon.

"The Opera with my parents and an investor so I need you on your best behaviour." He explained as he walked towards the bedroom.

I blew on my food cooling it a little before putting in my mouth.

Oh dear god this is so good.

Got to love a man who can cook.

Unless his name is Anthony Renner.

"Skylar!" His voice echoed through the apartment.

I flinched a little. I think he found all of my colourful additions.