Chapter 4

"Ama, what the hell are you wearing?!"

My best friend Cassie shouted from afar as she hurried towards me. 

"That's a funny question given the fact that I'm putting on clothes and you don't have an eye problem." 

“Oh, quite alright, you are putting on clothes, but what do you call the disaster your legs are in?“ She fires back. 

My legs? I questioned inwardly before glancing down to see what she was referring to. 

"No fucking way," I whispered-yelled as I noticed the chaos I was wearing; two different shoes. It would have been a bit unnoticeable if I had at least stuck to two colours that didn't contradict each other, but my crazy and disorganized self decided to put on a black and a red shoe. 

“How could you not have noticed that you were putting on two different shoes?" Cassie shouted.

"I was in a hurry. How am I supposed to know that I would make such a mistake? You should be grateful that I'm not wearing heels instead.“ 

“Indeed! Thank you for not letting me get a call that my best friend has been admitted into a psychiatric hospital. It's a miracle that you came to the office without anyone noticing those contradicting colours you're walking in," she said, giving my feet a scrutinizing look. 

"Actually…" I started, drawing her attention from my feet to my face. 

She notices the guilty look on my face immediately. “Don't tell me you were getting stares from passersby?“ 

I couldn't come up with a response and settled for nodding my head instead.

"Ama!" She yells. 

“What? You are partly to blame for this chaos!“ 

"I wonder how you are so organized when it comes to working but not your personal life."

" That's why I have you.“ 

"Why am I still your best friend?“ She facepalmed. 

“Because you love me and can never find another friend who cooks tasty dishes."

“Haha…" she laughs briefly. "It's definitely for the first reason and not the second. Tasty dishes my ass. You're supposed to be given a restricted order from the kitchen." 

"I know," I squeaked. Both of us burst into laughter causing stares from workers moving around.

“Let's try to rectify this disaster first before moving to the next one. You are lucky I have a spare in the office, and we wear the same size."

"That's why I love you," I said as I squeezed her for a bear-crushing hug, making her let out a smile. 

Cassie has been my best friend right from my college days. I majored in media management while she took public relations as her major. We met when we were paired for a group project in journalism and, since then, the bond between us grew. 

We both walked towards my office, ignoring the stares of our co-workers. Cassie made a stop at her desk to pick up the shoes before I opened the door to my office and we went in together. 

“So, what's going on?“ I asked as soon as we entered my office. I walked towards my desk and sat down on the chair as I kicked off my shoes. 

“Gerald is being an ass,“ she complained,

"Tell me something I don't know already." I bent down to put on the new pair of shoes. Finally, the colours matched and I stopped looking like I was preparing to go on stage for a comedy show. 

“You remember the article we're writing about Giovanni Montes?“ 

“Yes, I do. We are supposed to be sending it in for printing tomorrow," I reminded her. 

She let out a defeated sigh before answering me. “That's where the problem lies. It's already on the front cover for today's papers.” 

“How is that possible? I haven't even emailed it to Leslie.“ 

"That's where Gerald comes in. I was shocked to come in this morning and find out that the article had already been printed in today's papers. I thought you finished editing it on time and decided to push the publication forward but I noticed there was a difference between the write-up and ours. I decided to do some digging and I found out it was Gerald. He had an interview with Giovanni two days before us.“ 

"What in God's name is wrong with him? Why is he so interested in getting my work?"

"Honestly, I have no idea, Ama. I just think he is jealous."

Gerald couldn't be jealous of me. He was the head editor of the Fashion Department. He was always wanting to encroach into news concerning the Art Department. This was not the first time he had done something like this.

“He can't be jealous. He is the head editor of the Fashion Department." I shouted, throwing my hands up. 

"Maybe he is being greedy?“ She asked.

"I don't know. I think this goes way beyond that and I'm going to confront him straight on."

“Are you sure that's the right thing to do?" 

"What do you suggest? Sit down and let him continue his cheap games? This isn't the first time nor is it the second, Cassie. If I don't confront him, then I wouldn't know his reasons behind all these stupid games."

"I see your point. I think you also need to talk with Leslie, then. She knew the Art Department was on that project and it's majorly under our field. Why would she accept Gerald's article without asking you about it first?“ 

I scoffed. “That's just one more issue to add to the already existing problem. Give me a few minutes. I'm going to settle this once and for all." 

“Alright! Don't be too harsh on him. If he says anything stupid, call me and I would be there to pass judgement between his legs," Cassie shouted as I left the office, making me smile. 

Poor Gerald. You have no idea what's coming for you