Make Me Bad

Addison Wallace gnawed away at her fingernails as she had been all morning. It was a nervous habit of hers, and one she would rather not admit.

It wasn’t that Addison was a girly-girl, necessarily, but more that she found it embarrassing to have short, ripped nails all the time. She didn’t even bother painting them anymore. Nail polish wasn’t exactly her favorite flavor.

Her eyes darted up to the clock for the third time in thirteen seconds. It was currently one thirty-three, meaning she still had twenty seven minutes before the interview was scheduled. She was thankful she had put on some decent smelling deodorant this morning, though it didn’t seem to be helping much right now. She was sweating up a storm.

Though she would never openly admit it, Addison worried about everything. She was an extremely nervous person, something that no one would ever guess by looking at her. Under her well kept and confident exterior, Addison Wallace was really a frazzled, nervous, and paranoid wreck.

The reason for her nervous level to be higher than normal was this interview she was sitting in on. As part of her internship, her advisor had told her, she would be helping to answer questions and write down responses during the interview. It didn’t seem too hard, but Addison was afraid of messing up. She was always worried about what others thought of her, despite the fact that she was terrible at reading people’s feelings and emotions.

Addison felt a tap on her shoulder and calmly looked to her left, no sign of her nervousness present.

“Doing okay?”

Addison smiled at Amber, “I’m fine.”

Amber was also an intern at the publishing company training Addison. The two had quickly become friends, Addison admiring the shorter girl’s taste in style. Amber’s flaming red hair was naturally stick straight, something Addison always wished her hair would be like. Today, Amber’s bangs were split down the middle, going down in layers and framing her sleek jawline. Addison couldn’t help but admire her beauty.

“You’ll do good in there,” Amber encouraged, patting Addison on the knee, just below where the skirt cut off.

Something Addison never understood was why Amber was so…touchy. She would always touch in the strangest places, like Addison’s knee or collar bone. She didn’t really like it all that much, but was afraid saying something to Amber about it would ruin one of her few friendships she had made since her transfer to California.

Addison pulled down on her tight, black skirt. She called it her ‘stereotypical secretary’ skirt, for obvious reasons. There was a slit in the middle of the back, which Addison found strange, but she never questioned it. She wasn’t a fashion designer, by any means.

“I hope so,” she replied to Amber.

Addison adjusted her matching short jacket, which had one button that connected it in the middle. She wore a deep red, lacy tank top under it, striking against her somewhat tan skin and light green eyes. She slipped her heel in and out of her heeled black shoe, using it as a way to let out her pent up anxiousness.

“Don’t hope so, know so,” Amber said, her dark blue eyes boring into Addison.

Addison said nothing, simply turning away. Amber always made her feel so…weird.

When her advisor, Sally, came into view, Addison immediately straightened and Amber scurried off, knowing she wasn’t supposed to be around at the time.

Sally walked in such a professional manner that it intimidated Addison to be in her presence. Sally’s long blonde hair hung far past her shoulders, curled to perfection. She was wearing a low cut, navy blue top and a gray skirt with matching navy blue heels. She directed her gaze towards Addison and spoke in a voice full of confidence and command.

“It’s time. Ready for your first interview?”

Addison wanted to be just like her. She wanted to be intimidating like Sally. She wanted to get the looks from men that Sally did. She wanted to have the confidence and showmanship Sally did.

Addison stood up straight after she got out of her seat, “I am.”

Sally smiled brightly at the younger, inexperienced girl, “Good. Follow me.”

Addison quickly caught up to Sally, matching her superior in stride. She turned to the blonde woman.

“What’s the band?”

Sally slightly turned her head, barely acknowledging her intern, “Avenged Sevenfold. I doubt you’ve ever heard of them; you don’t seem like the type.”

Addison hid her scowl, instead keeping a straight face. She didn’t take well to insults.

“I do recognize the name, actually. My sister loves them.”

Sally paid no attention, “I see.”

“So tell me about why we’re interviewing them,” Addison said, trying to sound commanding like Sally.

Sally let out a laugh, “I don’t know much. Just that they’re coming out with a new album next week. It’s called City of Evil, or something like that. I could care less, really. I’m not into that kind of stuff.”

“Then why are you doing the interview if you care less?” Addison asked, trying to keep her voice level and not show her frustration with the woman she wanted to be like.

Addison knew Sally wasn’t the best person to look up to since most of the time she was just a huge bitch, whether she meant to be or not. It wasn’t Sally’s personality or the way she treated people that Addison wanted; it was the way people, especially men, treated her.

It wasn’t that Addison could never get a man. That wasn’t the case at all. She had no problem with getting a guy. It was getting a guy to stick around and not see her as just a toy that she wanted.

Sally wasn’t a whore, not at all. She’d had a boyfriend for three years and was currently engaged while never cheating on him. Yet, men still tried to get her to fall for them. She fought them all off and turned them all down, which only made the guys want her more. Addison wished she knew how to do that.

Keeping a guy around for that long, that is.

Sally shook her head, “You’re such a newbie, Addison. You have to take what you can get, whether you know about the subject or not. Besides, I hear the guys are pretty hot.”

Addison chuckled at the wink Sally sent her. She enjoyed the moments when Sally was nice and joking around because they didn’t happen very often.

“Here we are,” Sally announced, arranging her folders and papers before putting her hand on the doorknob.

Addison adjusted her posture, making herself look more like Sally and more confident.

“You’re ready for this, right, Addison?”

It was almost as if her superior was mocking her. Addison shook off the though and mustered a smirk as she held open the door for Sally, following her inside the room.

“I was born ready for this.”