Chapter 05.

Gabriella

It's Thursday and I'm to resume work by eight but instead, I'm already at the office at 7:30am.

You really can't blame me this time for acting desperate but I need extra points from Jack just in case I'm getting fired. I couldn't sleep at all last night, till I finally overdosed on some sleeping pills and fell asleep but honestly, I don't feel so good right now.

"Good morning Jack," I drawl lazily, and by the look on Jack's face, he could tell something was off with me.

"Gabriella, are you okay?" he asked.

"Yes of course, I'm just fine. I just didn't sleep too well last night, that's all," I lie, he simply shrugs and I walk away from him. Couldn't he have persisted? I definitely don't look okay.

"Hey Gab, what's up!" I feel someone tap me from behind and I turn to see Fabian right behind me, with a wide smile on his face.

"Hey Fabian, can we talk later? I don't feel so good," I tell him tiredly and he persists on knowing why I looked so stressed out.

"You don't look too good, can I help you?" He's asking like a gentleman but I could not possibly bring myself to tell him anything.

"It's nothing serious, just cramps," I lie again and he comforts me for a while and leaves but somehow, his little childish way of helping me, made me feel relaxed. I guess laughter is really the best medicine.

"Gabriella Johansson?" Jack calls out suddenly and I immediately feel my face turn ten times paler than it was.

"You c...called Jack," I stutter nervously.

"The director just called for you. I don't know what trouble you got yourself in but be careful not to talk too much, I hear he can be really merciless," he warns me and I cry. Yes, the stupid tear came out without my permission.

"Thanks for the heads up Jack, I'll do my best not to upset him." I reply calmly and walk out of the office with shaky hands.

*****

"Good morning sir, you called for me." I greet calmly, since I already made up my mind that getting fired isn't going to be the end of the world for me, besides I've been fired before and I got up so surely the same thing can happen again and although it's painfully too soon.

"Good morning miss Johannson. Please have a seat," he replies.

"Do you have any idea why I called for you?" He asks, making me wonder if he thinks I'm dumb or stupid.

"Well, it's probably to fire me for being an idiot but before you do, I want to tell you that I'm very sorry for not realizing who you were, it was my mistake and I apologize and I'm willing to accept my punishment. Whatever it may be," I said to him, trying my best to sound confident and surprisingly, he found my words very hilarious.

"I'm so sorry Gabriella, but you're very funny," He comments whilst laughing and all I felt at that moment was disappointed, angry and disgusted. Did he just insult me to my face? Is he mocking my sincerity?

"I'm sorry but I've never really found myself to be very funny," I replied as politely as I could although all I felt like breaking his face.

"I'm sorry but you're misunderstanding everything. I didn't call you up here to fire you, it's actually the complete opposite," he says and my already distraught mind starts to calm down.

"I called you up here to apologize to you for putting you in such a difficult position. I actually didn't tell you I was the director on purpose and I apologize for doing that," he explains and my heart melts with gratitude, as a feeling of relief washed over me. He really wasn't that bad after all.

"May I ask why you did that?" my curiosity kicks in.

"It's simple miss Johannson, I'm new here and I don't really have friends, most especially at the office but then you came along and I thought that I finally made my first real friend here but then you ran off and I felt bad and I really didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I hope I'm forgiven?" He asks with a childish pout and I immediately feel bad for misjudging him.

I actually thought he kept his identity a secret because he's one of those bosses that feel the need to pretend to be one of the workers just to have an excuse to screw the innocent dummies like me over. Trust me, such psychotic humans exist but fortunately, he isn't one of them.

"Apology accepted sir, and it's not like I'm actually upset with you. I just didn't want any trouble with the higher ups which is why I ran off like that.l," I admit it honestly.

"I completely understand. Thanks for accepting my apology and could you please not call me sir, I'm pretty sure I'm not that older than you are and I'd like for us to be good friends without any uncomfortable situations, sound good to you?" He asks and honestly, that sexy look on his face, right at this moment, wasn't helping me think straight at all.

"No problem Liam, I'd love to be friends with you, but can our friendship be our little secret? I really hate being the center of office gossip, it's very uncomfortable," I told him.

I generally don't know how to make new friends but making a friend like Liam is definitely something to talk about and I really hate being the center of attention or gossip cause it makes me very anxious and nauseous.

"That is definitely not a problem Gabriella," He agrees.

"Yeah about that, I prefer to be called Ella. Gabriella is way too similar to my twin sister's name, Gabrielle and I don't like it when people mispronounce our names," I tell him honestly cause, I really disliked Elle and the fact that we even have similar names was torturous for me.

"I'm not gonna ask why you sound this upset but I'm sure you'll tell me one day but as of right now, we both need to get back to work so, I'll see you later Ella," He says, obviously letting me know it was time for me to run along and this just happens to be one of the many reasons our friendship might not work. He's the boss no matter what and I'm nothing but a newbie designer that shouldn't even be allowed in his office. Sad, but true.