the one boy i actually want to talk to and get to know can't even speak to me for five months. this universe is cruel.

i spent the weekend with lillian and dakota, checking out cute little venues and discussing flower arrangements until they both felt comfortable with the foundational elements of the wedding.

monday morning i'm definitely regretting not taking the time to rest and catch up on sleep but there's not much i can do about it. i'm glad i spent time with my friends after not seeing them for so long. i'll catch up on sleep soon. for now, i need coffee.

i wordlessly set mr. ward's cup of joe on his desk, too tired to even say good morning, before shuffling back to my office having already given vivian her's. she also seemed out of it, her usually beautifully done hair now laying flat and dull on her shoulders as if she simply showered and let it dry where it laid. i also noticed her face is bare and void of makeup all except a small amount of mascara on her naturally long lashes. i have to admit she looks less intimidating this way.

i drink my coffee alone at my desk, my eyes drooping lower and lower. shaking my head, i sit up straighter in my uncomfortable chair and clear my throat, "wake up, you're supposed to be working." i remind myself.

pulling out my laptop, i pull up my dropbox and begin placing all of the receipts and costs for the gala into the file. i brought all of the paper receipts home with me during the weekend just so i could get them in order and in categories for the accountants.

we don't start setting up for the gala until next week so, for now, i suppose most of the work is done. which makes me wonder what i will be doing until then. then i remember standing there in mr. ward's office as he boldly reminded me that i am his assistant and i very strongly recall him telling me he has a load of work for me to do for him which i have yet to see to be honest.

so, with that thought, i stand up and make my way to his office, knocking on the door.

"come in." i hear his usual monotonous tone. with a chipper smile, i waltz in, coffee in hand as i take a sip.

"good morning, sir." i say, earning a bored glance, "i have finished with almost everything i need to get done before we start setting up next week so i was just coming to ask you if there is anything i can do for you?"

he pauses, his head tilting to the side as he looks at me, leaning back in his chair. the sunlight from the windows give his olive skin a tanner hue and make his chocolate brown eyes look even warmer. he looks much too young to wear such an aged and stressed scowl.

"you finished everything on vivian's list?" his brows raise slightly and i can't tell whether to assume he's angry or impressed.

"yes sir." i clear my throat, "so is there anything else you need done?"

"it's only been a week." he states, twirling a pen between his fingers as he studies me. my cheeks suddenly redden for some reason, heat crawling up my neck.

"yes, sir."

he pauses, narrowing his eyes at me. "yes, i believe i have a few things you could help me with."

"wonderful." i smile, happy to move on to a new subject, "what is it?"

he nods once, "i want you to go over to that filing cabinet and pull out every file in the a section and write a comparison report on who we've had as clients the longest and what properties we've just took on. then, when you're done with that, move on to the b's."

i blink at him, my mouth threatening to fall open. "forgive me but i just need to clear this up - do you mean to tell me you want that done for every single file...sir?" i slowly add, my smile falling from my face.

he looks at me boldly, "unless that's too much of a challenge."

i stand up straight, setting my jaw stubbornly. "not at all."

"then you don't mind if i say it needs to be done by friday?" he asks me lowly.

my spirit sinks. i have so much work to do for lillian and dakota's wedding, i don't where i'll find the time
to do all of this. "no, i can do it." i say in a small voice.

"wonderful." he tells me, "you may get what you need and go."

i do as he says with a scowl of my own before leaving the room, a stack of files in tow. i am definitely regretting ever asking him for something to do. what is with these impossible challenges? i barely made it through the first one and now this? at least party planning is fun. filing and comparison resorts are boring. as if i don't have enough trouble staying awake.

taking a seat, i hear the familiar creak as i open my laptop. first i set up the kind of layout i need for the sheet and then i get to work on the first file at the top of the pile. i'm sure that once i get the hang of doing it, i'll be able to do it much faster...i hope.

☆☆☆

all hope is ultimately gone when i sit at my desk after five o'clock, only just now finishing with the d's. when i think about it, it really is quite impressive that i've done that much today alone considering how many files are in each letter department.

the sun has already started to set and the room gets colder without the little heat from the sun that had been coming through my small single window. grabbing my coat, i switch off the lamp on my desk and leave everything as it is, knowing i'll just be picking up from where i left off tomorrow morning. it takes me forever to get home in the city traffic so i want to get out of here as soon as possible. i've already stayed an hour late as it is.

as i close the door behind me, i step out into the silence of the office. vivian usually leaves earlier than me anyway so she's long gone, the lights in her office switched off and the door locked. i squint down the hall at the ceo's office, a small golden light shining out from under the closed door.

i walk slowly towards it, feeling curious as to what he's doing here so late. i understand that he's the boss and all but doesn't that mean he could just have someone else do the work for him? i'm sure it's not required that he's here for ten hours each day.

adjusting my bag on my shoulder, i lay my coat over the crook of my arm and stop at the door, leaning into it to try and hear something. i'm not sure what i'm listening for but when it's silent my brows furrow. without a second though, my knuckles knock against the hard surface. when there's no answer i begin to think that maybe he's gone already but forgot to turn off the light? if so, someone ought to turn it off.

i then the knob and step inside, shocked to see mr. ward sitting upright in his chair, his head rested on the back of it with his eyes closed. he's asleep? that's the last thing i would have expected him to be doing in here.

i look around, feeling unsure of what i should do. should i just leave him here? that would be kind of cruel considering he would most likely wake up hours from now and have to go out into the cold to drive himself home in a tired daze. which sounds absolutely horrible.

"sir?" i say so softly that i can barely hear myself. i sigh, closing my eyes, feeling more and more uncomfortable with every second that passes. my foot taps against the floor as i clear my throat. he doesn't stir in the slightest, "mr ward." i say louder, still nothing.

i cross my arms, "now what?" i sigh, looking at him with my head angled slightly. he looks so much younger as he sleeps. so carefree. there are no frown lines or hard eyes to age his face.

i don't want to go as far as to nudge him or touch him so i clear my throat a little louder, this time releasing a few coughs for good measure. he stirs slightly, his head rolling to the side as his eyes open slowly. as soon as he focuses on me, his head immediately straightens and his gaze is fixed on me with surprise.

"miss harris." he clears his throat, "what are you doing here so late?"

i smile a little, "well, sir, i could ask you the same thing."

he frowns, "i'm always here this late."

"oh." i exclaim, "well i was just finishing up some work and i saw your light on." he doesn't say anything, simply standing and beginning to gather his belongings.

"um..." i hum, feeling awkward, "i'll see you tomorrow morning...sir." i cringe, knowing i've said sir way too many times again.

he nods once, not looking at me. redness floods my cheeks and i feel oddly embarrassed. but why should i feel embarrassed? i've done nothing wrong.

"goodbye." i mumble, turning on my heel and walking out the door, not looking back.

☆☆☆

my phone rings almost as soon as i walk through my front door, the smell of food pulling my towards the kitchen.

"hello?" i answer absentmindedly, pushing through the doors to find what smells so good. i smile spreads over my face when i find darius, our butler, and lillian stirring some sort of soup as she holds her phone to her ear. her head whips to the side, noticing me with wide excited eyes.

"oh hey! you're home." i hear her in the speaker of my phone as well as right in front of me. i laugh before hanging up, setting my phone into the counter and joining them at the stovetop.

"what are you guys making?" i ask, leaning over to smell what's in the pot.

"your favorite." darius winks at me, holding the wooden spoon up with his other hand underneath as i lean in to taste it.

"chicken noodle soup!" i exclaim happily, "my comfort food. how did you know i needed cheering up?" tears threaten to well up in my eyes, a lump forming in my throat.

lillian shrugs, "mondays are always difficult and i figured you'd need a pick me up. especially when you didn't get here sooner." she winces, "you had to stay late, huh?"

i nod, taking a seat on a barstool and placing my face in my hands. "technically i chose to stay late but that's only because my boss gave me a project to finish by friday."

"again?" lillian raises a brow, setting a steaming cup in front of me, "here's some sleepy time tea. drink it." she points to it with a firm expression.

"yes ma'am." i chuckle, pulling the cup closer to me, warming my hands, "yeah but this time it's not for the gala, it's just a bunch of filing."

"ew." her nose scrunches up.

"tell me about it." i sigh, taking a sip of the hot beverage, feeling more relaxed already in the company of my friend.

"hey, i don't know what is it about rich people but, they've got the nicest bathrooms - oh hey, symphony." dakota cuts himself off, coming to stand next to his fiancé. she wraps an arm around his waist, tucking herself into his side, "you're finally home."

i smile, "hey, dakota."

"how was work?" he asks, pulling my tea from my hands and taking a sip nonchalantly with raised brows. lillian shoves him away with a sigh and an eye roll, grabbing the tea from his hands, "what did i do?" he asks with spread arms.

"it's okay." i tell her, "i can just make another cup." it give dakota a teasing look.

"seriously, what did i do?"

"you're ridiculous." lillian sighs, fighting a smile as he gives her a small smirk.

"i know, i've accepted it." he shrugs, grabbing her by the waist, giving her a small kiss.

lillian looks over at me, her cheeks red. "i'm sorry, we're being coupley." she laughs a little.

"it's okay." i sigh, "you just keep being happy and in love and i'll focus on the wedding." if i can focus at all with my eyes drooping every few seconds that is.

"you wanna know what i think? i think you need a boyfriend." dakota states.

"no." i respond immediately.

"yes."

"no."

"yes." he hisses, sticking his tongue out.

"you're so annoying." i whine.

"i missed you too."

☆★☆

merry christmas eve :)