Chapter 14

“Damn! We're straight, man!” Jack drawled through clenched teeth.

“Do we need to watch your shapely butt, man?” Simon asked, laughing. He was the complete opposite of his younger friend: about thirty centimeters shorter, stocky build, but he didn't care at all.

A long time ago, he had accepted the fact that he has no chance of becoming a model. However, that didn’t diminish his sense of great humor. Even in the most dramatic moments of the editorial office's life, he was able to summon a bit of optimism, reach for a piece of paper, a pencil and draw a caricature of one of his colleagues.

“Get out, Simon! I'm in no mood for jokes!” Alex said, offended. He didn’t tolerate discussions about his appearance. He considered taking care of his body and soul as a completely natural thing and conversations about it were unnecessary.

“Alex, please!” Adam was begging, terrified. “In a moment we will have all the ladies on our necks! Dress up! Immediately!”

“Not you, but me. That’s the difference. It is better for them to come here...” All his friends were amused by his honesty. “Than to come up with the idea of watching some stupid TV series in the newsroom. There sleeps Michael who was barely conscious. He overdid it again.”

“I know!” Adam replied. “He was barely on his feet and we wanted to send him home by taxi but he insisted on returning to the editorial office with us. I don’t have to explain that to you. You know him.”

“Damn, this guy's been bending lately!” Simon confirmed.

In his voice, they could hear sincere anxiety about a friend who had actually been exaggerating recently, and not only about drinking.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Alex shrugged helplessly. “He's bending! He has no moderation. I cannot help it.”

“Talk to him!” Simon said. He repeatedly tried to tell Michael that he had a problem, but he didn’t listen to him.

“I already talked to him. He's an adult! I can't explain to him by hand.”

“Why not?” Adam said as he was also worried about Michael. “Maybe this way he would understand!”

“Get the fuck off me! I'm not his nanny!”

“Wow!!! I don’t believe it! Do you see what I see?” Simon pointed to female editorial colleagues mixing some paint in the corner of the room. “That's an amazing phenomenon! They work!” He began to laugh mockingly. “The ladies are working! For the first time since I work here, I see these women doing something!”

“Wow! I hear disdain!” Thomas laughed. “Where was your contempt, brother, when you were dating Nicolas’ assistant or Rose?”

“Get out, Thomas! I don't ask who you sleep with!” He snapped back to him.

"I think something’s up..." Adam said. “Our beautiful boss has left her estate.”

Indeed, the chief editor had left her room and was approaching them.

"Gentleman, I need the help of one of you." She announced.

No one was eager to help the witch who forced them to make a superhuman effort.

“With pleasure. I wanted to offer my help.” Alex replied, quickly moving towards her room.

“And this is a shit!” Simon laughed. “Apparently, it is not only Michael who likes the witch. Have you seen him run like a dog on a leash like this, ever?”

“They look good together.” Adam said honestly. “Ken and Barbie in denim! They could have a dizzying career on the spread of some stripper magazine or in hard-core porn…” He began to laugh.

“Actually, you are right, man.” Simon agreed.

Then Nicolas Williams entered the editorial office, but he fled so quickly to his office that they didn’t even manage to assess his mood.

“And this is what? Time running has begun to be practiced?” Simon commented sneeringly.

"He is certainly proud of his witch! Finally, someone bent our necks to work.” Thomas said quietly, painting.

“Sure! Very proud!” Simon added.

"But where the hell did he get her from?" Thomas wondered aloud.

“You should ask him about it yourself!” Simon suggested.

They knew it was no joke. Painting their workplace won’t miss them. After their controversial greeting, they were aware that if they fell down, the chief editor would fire them out without any qualms.

She made no secret of the fact that she didn’t care about the team she was working with.

Recently, in several women's magazines, the entire editorial team has changed with the change of the boss. Seeing no other option, they had to work.

Their editorial witch had set a good example for them and was the first to finish painting her room.

They couldn't believe that around three o'clock she had come out to tell them that she had already finished painting her workplace.

At the same time, the girls in the advertising department finished their share of the work too. They all went to the kitchen afterwards where the chief editor had ordered Chinese food.

Even though the male part of the team was invited, they didn’t dare to join. There were noises from the kitchen that the women were enjoying themselves. Eventually, the chief editor came personally to tell the busy journalists that there was a hot meal waiting for them in the kitchen.

"We'll come in about 10 minutes." Simon said “We'll just finish this wall.” He pointed to the wall they were tormenting together with Thomas and Adam. As soon as Alice disappeared inside the kitchen door, he moaned:

“I am hungry. I am so hungry!”

“Shut up, please!” Thomas said pleadingly. “My bowels are playing the march. Let's go eat. Hot Chinese food is waiting for us in the kitchen. Can you smell all that heavenly aroma?”

“Do you want to sit there with women and that witch?” Jack interjected. “I am hungry, but I have my dignity!”

“Fuck your dignity! It is a pity that you forget about it in pubs when you report to the competition.” Alex attacked him as he heard their conversation approaching them.

“What do you mean? What are you talking about?” Jack gasped out surprised.

“About your dignity which you do not possess!”

“Get off you brat!” Jack said contemptuously.

“Get out yourself!” Alex stormed.

“End of discussion. Enough!!!” Adam interjected, standing between his colleagues. “A truce! You're both leaving, I can't see you anymore!”

He knew that given another moment and Jack would jump to Alex's throat, which will end tragically. It was no secret that they didn’t tolerate each other. More than once, there was a sharp exchange of views and even drastic tensions between them.