To Get to the Top!

“He seriously said that?” Michelle gasped out through the phone line.
Carlee confirmed quietly to her friend while sticking her head out her bedroom door, checking on her father who was currently struggling to come up with some work report.
“But he told his father about this guy and next day, bam! He’s moved up! Dad said it was totally unexpected”
“Sounds like this Alex guy has daddy wrapped around his finger”
“Which means, I’ve got to get him wrapped around my finger”
“Oh no, I can hear the thoughts Carlee, no!” Michelle yelled into her friend’s ear, “Maybe you should just let your dad do things for himself”
“Michelle,” Carlee whined as she closed her bedroom door, “He’s worked there for ten years, in the same department. I mean, they make him grab coffee for a living. From when he first started, they’ve downgraded him. He doesn’t even write any articles anymore! I have to help him somehow...”
“But that’s playing with someone else’s feelings”
“It’s just an idea, I have to find the guy first Michelle”
“I really wish you wouldn’t do this. I mean, let’s just think for a second!” Michelle started and Carlee found her spot behind the computer screen.
Twirling her lush brown hair around her finger Carlee balanced the phone on her shoulder to free a hand for the computer mouse.
During her action Michelle continued to speak, exclaiming how bad of an idea it was, “What if your plan does work?”
“That’s my intention” Carlee answered quickly, grinning when her friend pressed buttons on the phone to express her outrage.
“But what about if your dad finds out. Getting promotions because of his daughter, and not on his own merit. What then?”
Carlee frowned at her homepage screen, cursing Michelle’s quick pessimism, “He won’t find out. And he will be getting it on his own merit; I’m only getting him recognised. And when the hell did you learn the word merit?”
“Oh this cute guy at the restaurant--“ Michelle started, thoughts lost on memories.
“Mich, I’ve gotta go, dad needs me!” Carlee excused herself quickly, hanging up the phone.

She didn’t want to admit it, but Michelle’s words did bother her to some extent.
It didn’t bother her thinking of her father finding out, because surely he would be jumping for joy and thanking her for being such a wonderful daughter.
No, what bothered Carlee was the ‘playing with someone else’s emotions’.
From the minutes she spent in Alexander Gaskarth’s company it became obvious that he was a smart young man.
He knew when someone wanted something for themselves, when he was being played and just the right words to say at just the right moment.
Carlee was smart, but she wasn’t sure she would be able to deceive him.
But he seemed kind when mentioning his father’s workers, so maybe she wouldn’t need to trick him into anything.
Carlee bobbed her head along, grinning triumphantly at her google.ca screen.
Speed typing Carlee searched the web for online games to play, intent on relaxing on her Saturday with no homework left.

After playing a few stickman shooting games Carlee took her bored self to the living room where her father worked, “Hey dad, how’s the work coming?”
Smiling up at his daughter Daniel moved folders off the couch to make room for her, patting the spot beside him, “It’s going slow. I’m trying to write a big report about the violence in hockey but it’s not going too well. This could be my big chance to impress the bosses too!”
Smiling at her father Carlee shuffled a few papers onto her lap to take a look, “Is this another one of your ideas or an actual assignment?”
“One of my ideas, so I don’t have to rush too bad since no one knows anything about it yet”
“Why don’t you pick an easier topic then?”
Laughing Daniel rubbed at his hair, making it stand on end, “Because I work in the sports section”
Nodding Carlee watched her father pour over his work, “Would you like some tea?”
“Um, yes please. But I think we need to go shopping, can you grab my card and go get some groceries?”
“Course dad”

Carlee headed inside their small kitchen, fingers running over the blue marble counters.
There placed on their fridge was a long list of groceries they needed, its colourful balloons decorating the top half.
Snatching it down Carlee scribble ‘tea’ with a lone pen and collected the car keys from the hook.
Saying goodbye to her father, Carlee took the family car down to the store, playing with the radio station on the way.
Her brown shorts were itching at her legs as she waited for the light to turn green, her right foot bouncing in its place.
A sudden quick jerk of her door had Carlee gasping in surprise and looking at the now filled passenger seat.

“Light’s green” Michelle giggled at her shocked friend.
Slamming down on the gas pedal Carlee tried to fight the odd nature of her friend, “What are you doing here Michelle?”
Michelle’s small mouth turned into a quick pout, “You don’t want to see me?”
“You randomly appeared in my car at a stop light” She countered her friend.
“Well when you said your dad needed you for something I guessed it would be the store so I walked down to catch you at the light”
“And what if I wasn’t going to the store, stalker” Carlee mused.
“I’d of activated my cell phone” Michelle cackled, fingers digging into the dashboard as she did so.

Michelle was a small girl, only 5’ feet even with pretty brown hair, everything about her was miniature, tiny, and adorable.
Her sense of humour was always changing like the winds, just like her moods were shifting from laughing wildly in the car to glaring at all the peas lining the frozen aisle.
Carlee ignored her as she plucked a bag to drop it into her cart, pushing it with slumped shoulders as her short companion bounced through the aisles wildly.

“Hey Cars, what did that Gaskarth boy look like?” Michelle called from the end of the aisle, half her body sticking out.
Sticking her bottom lip out Carlee frowned at her friend, “Way to bring out a neon sign”
Giggling Michelle skipped back to her friend, face suddenly serious when she reached her side, “Please don’t go toying with his feelings. Just be straight out, I’m sure he’s a nice enough guy”
At that time the skinny male turned the corner, thick eyebrows raised in question and hands stuffed into the front of his skinny black jeans.
“Smythe, I’m guessing?” He mused as he cut the distance between them.
Carlee nodded faintly, watching him look back to the end of the aisle for three loud obnoxious boys that cheered after him.
“Glad you remembered me” Carlee spoke to him, moving from her friend to get closer to the brunette male.
“I figured I’d be seeing you again soon, and since I only saw you yesterday it wasn’t too hard to remember your name”
“You were planning on seeing me again, huh?” Carlee teased.
Grinning a flawless smile at her Alexander shook his head, “Nah, I just knew you’d come looking for me”
“Then what are you doing shopping here?”
“I think you answered your own question there” He teased before walking off to his waiting friends.
“That went well,” Michelle giggled, “He’s cute”

Carlee watched him interact with his friends, swinging his arm over his equally tall friend whose hair reminded her of a skunk with its blonde chunks mixed amongst the black.
They laughed about something as the skunk haired boy tried juggling bottles of spices, dropping a few that a curly blonde picked up.

“So are his friends” Michelle mused, smiling a million watt smile in her friends direction.
“I’ve got to find a way to talk to him” Carlee muttered, in her own world.
“Ask him away from his friends then, don’t be shy. Hop to it!”
Carlee stared bewildered at her friend as fingers snapped in front of her face, “Can you get the rest of my shopping done?”
“I’m on it” Michelle shooed her, heading away to collect the rest of the items on the shopping list.

Nervously Carlee headed over to the playful boys, tapping Alexander on his shoulder to catch his attention.
His body whirled around at her touch, chocolate brown eyes twinkling down at her politely.
His friends quieted down behind him, each shifting subconsciously in their spots.

“Yes Carlee?”
“Can I talk to you alone?”
His friends cat called and whistled loudly, turning Alexander’s face a flush red, “Yeah, sure. Guys, I’ll be right back, don’t let Jack into the frozen aisle”
“Oh come on, I’m not actually going to steal the ice cream” The skunk haired boy cried, face scrunching up in annoyance.
“I’m so sure,” Alexander rolled his eyes before nodding his head in the opposite direction, “Come on”

Carlee tailed after him until they were in the produce section, both quiet until Alexander took initiative, “So what exactly did you want to talk to me about?”
“My dad,” Carlee answered honestly, “I saw how you helped that guy at the party and well... My dad works hard and never gets any recognition--“
Alexander held a hand up to stop her, “You want me to talk to my dad and help him get it. I get it, but I can’t help you”
“What, why?”
Alexander sighed heavily and shook his brown hair out, tousling the blonde pieces, “I think it’s sort of obvious. I mean, how fair is it to everyone else if I start helping your dad for no reason?”
“You want a reason to help him? I can give you as many as you need. For one, he can help your fathers company. Second, because you’ll never have a harder worker!”
“Look, I’ve heard this all before, but it’s my dad’s company. Not mine...”
“Just talk to you dad for me, please, I’ll do anything if you just try talking to him. I’m not asking for anything more, just put some attention on him. Please” Carlee stressed.
“You’d do anything?” Alexander’s face suddenly lit up.
“Yes” Carlee answered suspiciously.
Snapping his fingers Alexander smiled her way, “How much do you know about History?”
“My fair share, why?”
“Help me boost my grade up and I’ll talk to my dad”
“Really?” Carlee’s face lit up like a Christmas light, “You have a deal!”
Alexander grinned, holding his hand out, “It’s a deal then”

Sealing the deal with a handshake Carlee tried to control the intense feelings of happiness, waving goodbye to the skinny boy as he jogged back over to his friends.
“So, did he agree?”