i hate being left on read.

i have officially lost it. i don't know exactly what "it" is...but i've lost it.

"i ordered white orchids. not yellow!" i stress, picking up one of the flowers and shaking it as i clean the dainty yellow decoration in my hand.

with lillian's wedding and the gala both only one week away, my stress levels are at an all time high. all that's holding me together is coffee and a whole light of under eye concealer. i'm almost ready to cry with joy at the thought of getting to rest a little bit this weekend. i feel as if i haven't slept in over two weeks. with the gala and the wedding being only two days apart, i'm falling apart. i barely finished the filing this morning and mr. ward seemed satisfied enough so now i'm putting all of that behind me and focusing on making this event absolutely perfect.

the delivery boy with the flowers looks absolutely horrified by my reaction and i almost feel bad for him until i see the flower arrangements for the tables, "what? i didn't order chrysanthemums! who in their right mind orders chrysanthemums? i wanted white orchids, baby's breath, and some greenery! what the heck is this!" i gesture to the ugly arrangement with a scowl.

the boy's mouth opens and closes, his eyes wide. "i - i don't make the deliveries, ma'am. i just deliver them."

i look at him with an exasperated sigh, "i know, i understand. but this is the biggest event of the year so i suggest you take these back, get my real order to me by wednesday at the latest. the gala is next friday so i don't have much time." i rewrite the order on the corner of the paper i have and tear it off, handing it to the frightened young man, "here. take this back to your boss personally and tell them there's been a huge mistake and i need this order at this venue wednesday morning or i'm finding a new florist. got it?" he nods vigorously, snatching the paper from my grasp and pocketing it.

once he's gone, i release a sigh, leaning against a bare table in the large empty room of the building they have rented. the ceilings are high and look like that of a cathedral. the ballroom looks to be exactly what it's called - a ballroom. the marble floors and vaulted ceilings will make the room prefer space for dancing and music. i couldn't have chosen a better place myself. as soon as i did the walk through i knew it was perfect.

"where is the florist going?" vivian asks me, crossing her arms over her chest.

she's pretty much back to her normal terrifying self with her sleekly straightened long hair and her piercingly bold green eyes, she's a force to be reckoned with. fortunately, i've been too busy filing and event to feel too intimidated.

"they brought the wrong order so i sent it back." i tell her with a sigh.

"yellow orchids and chrysanthemums?" she asks with a raised brow.

"yes, it was absolutely terrible. i mean, what event planner in their right mind with any taste whatsoever would choose those flowers for this gala?" i shake my head.

there's a pause before she says, "i ordered those."

my blood freezes and my eyes widen, my body browning stiff. what have i done? there's nothing i can say to right this wrong. i meant what i said so anything that i say to take it back will be immediately recognizable as a lie. so i say nothing and we stand there awkwardly as i wait for her to say, "just kidding!" which of course doesn't happen.

"if you have a problem with my decorating choices then, by all means, do whatever you like." she tells me.

"really?" i say without thinking before clearing my throat, "i mean...i just believe that white orchids and baby's breath would be a good alternative to...that. the chrysanthemums just didn't really go with the theme or the color schemes." i decided to just be honest instead of lying and getting myself into more trouble.

vivian glares at me, her teeth grinding angrily, "what makes you think you can challenge my authority?" uh oh.

"nothing, ma'am, i'm just -"

"you're just going to lose your job if you keep questioning my decisions." she hisses, pointing an accusing finger at me.

"i'm doing my job." i tell her with an even tone, "mr. ward gave me permission to make decisions so this is me making decisions. i apologize if i've stepped on your toes by choosing new flowers but i assure you that it's only for the better of the gala, not to question your authority. had i known that you were the one who ordered them, i would have reconsidered. since i assumed it was a mistake, i sent them back." i look her in the eye the entire time, refusing to be stomped on by her. she's hidden away in her office the entire time i've planned this whole event and now she wants to step in and change things? no, that's not happening.

her lips purse and she gives me a slightly sinister smile. "well i suppose i'm just going to have to run just how important you think you are to this operation by the ceo and then we'll see if you still have this job by monday morning." she bites, turning on her heel and grabbing her coat from one of the tables, marching out the door.

i roll my eyes, going back to my checklist. i'm almost positively fired but there's no way i'm going to let a woman like that walk all over me just to keep this job. i know i need a place to work but i have some dignity left. my choice in flowers was the right decision and i refuse to ruin all of the decor by matching it with arrangements that just don't go with them at all.

so i guess we'll see what happens on monday.

☆☆☆

"you really stood up to her?" lilian asks me, looking at me through the reflection of her vanity mirror as she fixes her makeup for tonight. i've arranged it to that the three of us are going to taste cakes and choose the caterers for the wedding. we thought about just cooking ourselves but i'll be much too busy and i don't want to bridge to have to be stuck in the kitchen all up until she walks down the isle.

"i don't see it as standing up to her i just feel that she was only upset because i overruled her decision. they're just flowers. i wish she could just not get so upset and see that i had better ideas than her." i pause, "wow i sound extremely conceited but i promise i'm not trying to be." i laugh, crossing my legs as i sit on her bed with a half smile.

lillian turns around, a sad expression on her face. "well i know you've done a terrific job on this gala. you've only been there for two weeks and you've basically planned the entire thing. if your boss doesn't see that as you being valuable enough to keep on staff then he's an idiot. a rich idiot but an idiot all the same." she smiles as i laugh, nodding.

"you're right. it's up to him now i guess." i shrug, "so i'll just enjoy my weekend, get some rest, and not worry about what will happen on monday morning. on the bright side, if i'm fired, i won't have to wake up at five in the morning every day."

"that's definitely a bright side." she agrees.

"your mom is a bright side." dakota waltzes through the door with an apple in his hand, a large bite taken out, "what are we talking about?"

"how i might be getting fired." i sigh.

"wow, fun." he sits on the bed next to me, watching lillian do her mascara, "hey there," he smirks at her in the mirror, "are you a little caesar's pizza? because you're hot and i'm ready." his wink send me into a fit of laughter as lillian gives me a dry look, a small smile on her face.

"thanks, babe." she replies, obviously knowing that this is his way of giving her a compliment.

"you're welcome, fiancé." dakota smiles, looking over at me with a dramatically dreamy expression, "you see that girl? that's my fiancé." his eyebrows bob up and down, "we're getting married and having babies."

"dakota." lillian sighs, her cheeks turning red.

i laugh at my best friend's embarrassment, "i honestly don't know how you put up with him." i tell her, shaking my head in disbelief.

"i don't either." she shrugs, earning a scoff from him.

"psh." dakota scoffs, "i'm the one who puts up with her."

"i very much doubt that." i give him a bland look. just as dakota's about to argue with me, my phone starts to ring. i look at it, not recognizing the number, and set it back down.

"are you going to answer that?" dakota asks me, glancing back and forth between me and the phone.

"no, it's probably a telemarketer." i reply just as he picks it up. i try to stop him but it's too late.

"hello?" he says, listening for a moment before replying, "look, man, she doesn't want what you're selling. i'd give up now."

"see?" i say, "telemarketers." i say to lillian and she nods.

"what?" he says, "look, i don't care if your name is pen guy, i'm not telling her who's calling. she's busy, romeo. ew, no i'm not her boyfriend i'm her friends fiancé. listen, bud, call back another time. yeah okay whatever. bye." he hangs up with an eye roll, "men."

my mouth drops open, "dakota!"

"what?" he yells back, "i just saved you from the desperation of the male species! you should thank me."

i growl, grabbing my phone from his hands and quickly texting his number an apology before saving the contact under "pen guy."

"he's just a friend i met in college, dakota. plus you're the one who literally just said i should get a boyfriend." i glare.

he smirks, "oh so now you want him to be your boyfriend? i see."

"no!" i groan, looking at lillian, "please help me."  she just laughs and shakes her head as if it's way too amusing watching us bicker to stop it.

"well he definitely wants to date you." he snorts, "he was talking about asking you to get coffee. a guy only asks to get coffee if he likes you."

"that's false." i roll my eyes, "i've had coffee with tons of guys."

"with guys who wanted to date you." he says slowly.

my brows furrow, "shut up. i buy coffee for my boss all the time, does that automatically mean we're dating?"

"no." he scoffs, "it only counts if he asks you to get coffee with him. those are the rules."

"you are so annoying." i sigh, shaking my head.

"okay guys, i'm going to cut in here." lillian stands you, grabbing her coat, "we have things to do and a wedding to plan."

"right." dakota grins, standing up and grabbing her hand, "i keep forgetting that we're getting married." he sighs dramatically.

"well don't forget your wallet because we're definitely going to need that." she plants a kiss on his cheeks as a sour expression overtakes his features. i stuck my tongue out at him and he returns it.

this ought to be fun.

☆★☆

merry christmas!!!!