Chapter 3: thank you

I dropped my napkin on the counter and walked towards his office. He walked much faster so before I could get half way there, he was already waiting in his office. Someone stepped in my way.

The blonde idiot smiled at me. "Look who's in trouble, huh." Her eyes wondered to my destination. "Manager's office."

"Bad news does travel fast and I mean you."

Rolling my eyes, I tried to push her out of my way because I knew making Wilson wait wasn't going to be in my best interest. She didn't budge.

"Let's just see if you'll still have a job by the end of today, smart mouth." She laughed with her stupid humor. I could feel each butterfly in my stomach running a marathon and this bickering with her wasn't helping.

"You know what Alison, I don't have the time for this. I advise you go find another place to poke your nose in and shove that fake, dirty ass into a dumpster."

Her eyes narrowed into slits. "We'll see who'll be in the dumpster by the end of today." Sparing me one last death glare, she walked away with her blonde hair, fastened into a ponytail, swaying from side to side. I rolled my eyes at that. Stupid blondes.

Immediately I stepped into Wilson's office, he stopped typing on his computer. He lifted his head and his eyes met mine. Hard. My eyes fell to my hands and when I subtly looked up, his eyes were still boring into my soul several seconds later. I decided to break the silence. "You asked to see me sir," I said more like a statement than a question.

"Have a seat." He finally broke eye contact. I heard the rustling of papers and when I looked up, I saw him opening the register to the current week's page. "You have been late to work three times this week, Roxanne." He eyed me and I cringed.

"I'm really sorry. On Monday I woke up really late because I was stressed the previous day and I had a killer headache. I didn't have any painkillers so I had to go over to the store to get some and after that I had to head back home to change before I headed to work. Then on Tuesday I-."

"I didn't ask for an explanation," he gave me a sky look, "or an excuse. I just called you here to commend you on coming to work early today."

My fingers finally unclenched and I let the breath I had been holding out.

"Also, I want to make it clear to you that if you make it late to work again, I will query you." I had to look away for fear of being burnt by his glare.

"I'm sorry. I will make sure I turn in early to work from now on."

"Good. You're excused," he said with a dismissing tone.

I scrambled out of his office and took in several calming breaths. Walking down to the restaurant, I saw Jenna and Alison having a conversation, well more like argument. And with the looks on their faces, Alison didn't have the upper hand. Immediately Jenna saw me, she walked out on Alison and came up to me.

"Did he realize that it wasn't your signature? What happened?"

Sipping some water from Jenna's water bottle, I narrated everything from my encounter with Alison to how the manager dismissed me from his office.

"That was so close," she said and after that, she smacked me on the head.

"Ouch! Fuck Jenna!" I glared at her and rubbed my head. "What the hell is your problem?"

"You almost got me fired today all because of sex. That's my problem," she said.

"And just what are you talking about now?" I was bewildered by just how far her thoughts travel.

"The reason why you were late to work was because you and Eric slept together, right?" she asked and now, I was the one that smacked her head.

"Of course not. You know, sometimes I wonder if that brain of yours has anything in it except for stupid innuendos." I paused, registering her body language.

"Hey! You better start being nice to me. I totally saved your ass today," she said. "That reminds me. Where is my package?"

"What package?" I was confused.

"Yet people say I'm the slow one." She sighed before directly turning to face me. "Where. Is. My. Comfy. Condom. Package?" She snapped her fingers in front of my head.

I pushed her hand from my front. "Stop that." And then looked at her like she'd grown two heads.

"What?"

"The reason I called you was because I was late to work, right?"

I paused and she nodded.

"Well wouldn't it have been stupid for me to go shopping at the supermarket instead of just directly going to work?"

I paused and let everything sink in.

"I'll answer that for you. It would have been very stupid of me. Do you understand now?" I said extra slowly so that her minute brain could process all of it.

"Oh. I get it now that I think about it," she said and I scoffed.

"Now I think that it's been correctly established that you're the slow one." Jenna jabbed my shoulder and we ended up laughing together. "What's got you so excited and what are you using protection for?"

She tilted her head to the side and stared at me before replying. "Well I'm no sex ed teacher but speaking from experience, I think protection is used by two people, precisely a male and a female, who-."

"I know what it is generally used for, Jenna," I deadpanned. "I just want to know why you need it since your boyfriend is in California."

"What? I can't have sex when I need to?"

"I repeat," I turned to her, "your boyfriend is in California."

"Alright fine," she popped her gum, "you got me."

"Why are you chewing gum?"

"I don't know. I've been trying a lot of stuff lately for foreplay."

I almost choked on my own spit. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Foreplay. Yunno, the thing you do when-."

"Fuck, I know what it is. I wasn't best in sex ed for nothing."

"Fine. I'll tell you," she smiled. "Ed's coming to Philly next month!"

*************

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-C