New Kid

I was up for most of the night washing, drying and ironing his fucking shirt. Even though the second I gave it back to him he'd probably throw it away or shove it into a bag to take home so one of the servants could clean it for him. Fucking prick.

I went in early that day, hoping to be able to discreetly place it on his desk without having to talk to him.
When I got there, all the lights were off, no one was in yet. Thank god.
However when I walked into his office, he was there. Changing. He spun round and saw me just standing there gaping.
"What?!?" He snapped, I focused my eyes on his, my face turning a dark shade of red.
"I-I umm..I-I w-was just b-bringing...back...umm...y-your shirt!! Yes! Your shirt umm..I washed it and everything umm.." I could not BELIEVE how awkward I was being. Stood there with my eyes clamped shut, holding his shirt out in his direction.
"For god's sake you can open your eyes. You're facing the wrong way anyway." I cursed under my breath as I realised I had been holding out his shirt to a wall.

I went to put it on his desk as he reached out for it, which then led to an embarrassing to-and-fro between his hand and the desk as I didn't know what to do before I just threw it on his desk and practically ran out.

An hour later - still before anyone had arrived. Yes, I really had tried that hard to avoid him - I got an email from him about a meeting with some designers today.
Rather than emailing him back, which is what I probably should've done, I went to his office again. I noticed that the shirt had been put away in his desk again as it was not there or in the bin.
"You wanted to talk to me?"
"Via email would have sufficed." He replied shortly, never looking away from his laptop.
"Well unlike you I'm not rude and antisocial so here I am. What is it?" I couldn't be doing with his treating me like the idiot I knew I acted like whenever I was around him and he seemed to both appreciate and hate my words.
"I have a meeting today at one o'clock with Dolce and Gabbana to discuss their role in the next months summer catwalk. I was actually going to ask you if you would like to be present during that meeting." I felt my face turn hot and I squirmed slightly as he looked on with slight amusement.
"Really? You want me there?"
"Not particularly no. I would have either done everything myself or asked John or Caleb to be present. However...what's his name? The dark haired one with the quiff."
"Kennedy?"
"Yes Kennedy, he was nattering away at me yesterday all about you. He gave me some folders with things you've done before. He was right about one key aspect - your ideas and designs are quite...extraordinary. I want you to present these designs along with some of how we can present their new summer collection in the magazine. I want them to be impressed Christofer. I want them to come to us for their summer promotion." I was shocked.
"Ok." I squeaked, he raised an eyebrow.
"I would be, very happy to do all that. May I ask...what exactly...what...never mind...I'll get straight to it..." I felt a bit light headed as I walked out of his office.
"Oh and Christofer?"
"Yes!?"
"Make sure you're ready for this by 12 today. If you mess this up, they won't come to us and it will be entirely your fault." I felt like I was going to have a heart attack as I ran off to my office to start the designs.

"Hey Chris, what you doing here so early?" I looked up from where I was on my office floor, doing collages for how we could present this, to see Devin.
"Oh hi! Umm...got so much to do!! I was up all last night washing that fucking moron's shirt then this morning my coffee maker was still broken AND he's just called me into his office to say that he wants ME to come with him to the meeting today with Dolce and Gabbana!! And I have to present my designs along with brand new ones about how we're going to display their summer collection in our magazine!!! He said he wants them to "come to us, and if I mess it up, it's all on me." Devin grabbed hold of my shoulders as I tried to rush past him and he gave me a hug. I flopped against him after a few seconds and hugged him back.
"Thank you. I'm sorry." He chuckled quietly and held me at arm's length.
"Don't stress Chris. Listen, this is a huge deal, but Levine'a just trying to make you sweat. You'll probably get to the meeting and he'll say everything completely different to how you've told him. If he thinks you're gonna screw up, he won't let you do it. Simple as."
"Yes but if he thinks I can't handle it then he'll think EVEN more than he already does that I can't do my job!!!" Devin hugged me again.
"I need this job...I've lost so many." He shushed me and laughed.
"You're such a nervous nelly. It's adorable. He's just a bully, he's playing with you to see how much you can take okay? So listen. Calm down, get this sorted. And make sure that in that meeting you talk to those designers. Don't you let him bully you. If you stand up to him and show him how well you can do this - he'll like you. Because no one else has the guts to do it. 'Cept maybe John." I giggled at that and he smiled.
"Much better. You look so much better with a smile on that cute little face." I knew I was blushing and he laughed, ruffled my hair and walked out.

The next few hours were frantic, then I remembered.
I ran down to Kennedy's office and practically threw myself on him, sending both of us flying back against the wall.
"Wha!?!" Kennedy cried out in surprise.
"Thank you so much!!!!! Oh, haha, sorry!!" I backed off, feeling awkward and Kennedy burst out laughing.
"Anytime you wanna throw yourself on me Chris - I'm here for you." I blushed again. Curse my pale skin, this was ridiculous.
"Anyway!! I just wanted to say thank you, SO MUCH, for what you said to Levine about me!!" Kennedy's own cheeks coloured slightly at that.
"Your designs are amazing Chris, anyone can see that. He had to see them, you're the only one that's got a real chance to move up here." I smiled, trying not to cry. Those were my two faults. I blushed at everything, and was far too emotional about everything else.
"Thank you so much, is there anything I can do to repay you? Cause I mean...you've given me the most amazing opportunity here, let me do something?" He smiled.
"Let me take you out for a celebratory dinner tonight? To get to know one another better and for you to tell me all about the meeting?"
"That sounds fantastic!! But I'm paying for you not the other way round mister! Anyway, I'm really sorry but I've gotta go, see you later!!!" He laughed as I ran off again.

I can't believe it. Second day and I have a meeting with two of the greatest designers in the world. I have four new friends, one of whom may become my best friend, and my awful boss could be starting to like me.
Things couldn't get any better!
Well, as long as I do this presentation correctly.

By twelve o'clock I had everything finished and packed up. I went to Levine's office and he was surprised to see me there.
"You said be ready for twelve. Wanna see what I've been doing?" My heart was hammering away frantically but I was determined to be calm and collected.
"Very well - amaze me." He said, leaning back in his chair.

I presented my ideas to him, his expression turned from cocky, to thoughtful, to black. And I felt almost sick as I stood at the end waiting for him to say something.
"Let's go." He stood up, I freaked out.
"What?! No! You can't just let me present this to DOLCE AND GABBANA if I don't even know if it's good or not!?!!" He didn't respond, just carried on walking. I picked up everything and hurried after him, both arms full, knocking into people and apologising as I went.

I set everything up myself. Levine seemed unable to do anything other than stand and stare out the window at the other end of the conference room.
When I was done, feeling pretty pleased with myself, he crushed me back down again.
"You look like a complete wreck. Sort yourself out. This is your one chance I hope you realise that."
"God you know what? You just can't stand the fact that I'm not actually as crap at this as you thought I would be!!!" I started, fighting back tears and untucking my shirt to redo it.
"As my boss. You'd think you'd at least try to vaguely point me in the right direction rather than just leaving me completely stranded with no idea what to do!?!! But no, instead you just try to crush me down and make me feel like shit. And I am so DONE with it!! I don't need this job that badly. And I hope you know that in this meeting, you're NOT gonna overshadow me, and you're NOT gonna make me look like an idiot. Cause while I may not be filthy rich and muscly and cool with tattoos and shit like you? I've got a mean streak in me and if you piss me off anymore today, I will fucking tear you a new one, even if it is in front of those two." He didn't respond again and his face was a mask of indifference. I simply redid my hair and we stood in silence until the door opened and the two designers, flanked by bodyguards and Levine's secretary, walked in.

"Bonjour no!! Mr Levine, how are you?" The two men shook his hand warmly, sticking to the Italian custom of kissing each other's cheeks.
"Very well thank you Domenico, how are you?"
"Oh, excellent, I love this country!"
"And Stefano!! My dear man, how are you?" I gritted my teeth as I watched Levine act so lovely and charming.
"And who is this? Do introduce us Adam."
"Hello, I'm Christofer Drew. It's a pleasure to meet you Sir." I shook both their hands and did a good job of introducing myself, without stammering or blushing once. Levine seemed to hate that and I loved every second of it.
"Oh my, is this all your work? Tell us all about it!"
"Adam he's a treasure - così carino!" Adam smiled to him then smirked at me as the two of them sat down and waited expectantly.

Levine had told me that he would start the presentation and that I would go through afterwards. I didn't know how to do this!!!

Adam. Fuck you.

I presented everything as professionally as possible, throwing in a few jokes where possible - which the two Italians enjoyed greatly, their bright personalities and voices seeming amplified by everyone's good mood, well, the three of our good moods.
Afterwards when I was packing up, Stefano came up to me.
"Grazi Christofer for your presentation. It was most inspiring. Listen, Adam is tough. We all know that, on you more than anyone I fear, but he wouldn't have let anyone else do this presentation - have more faith in yourself child and don't let him get to you hmm?" I nodded and smiled brightly.
"Thank you very much Sir-"
"Stefano please, I have a feeling we will be seeing much more of you in the future. Keep it up, and good luck Christofer!" I thanked both designers and said goodbye again before turning to pack up. This time I was ignoring Levine and he didn't seem to like it one bit.
"What did he say to you?"
"You're such good friends with them - why don't you call them and ask?" Adam suddenly stood up and slammed his hand up against the wall next to my head. I slowly straightened up and turned to face him, only centimetres from his face.
"You have forgotten your place-"
"And what exactly is that?" I hissed at him, he balled the hand on the wall up into a fist.
"You speak out of turn. You've let this get to your head. Talent or no, if you upset me Christofer, not only I will fire you, I will ensure that you never get another job in this industry again."
"I'm real scared Levine. I've had to do much worse than jobs I don't want to in order to keep myself and my family off the street before. So don't think you can threaten me, I'm tougher than you think." Something flickered across his face but it was gonna again and he simply straightened up again and left the conference room.

That was when I sat down on the floor and cried.
So when my four new friends burst in, all sporting champagne glasses, they stopped in their tracks and circled round me.
"I'm fine. Just the pressure you know? I'm fine - really. No I don't really fancy it, I-I'll be back in one second ok? Just one second." I repeated that several times before being let through them and going to the bathroom to get cleaned up.

Once again I stayed for hours after everyone else had gone. I was sat at my desk, I'd been crying a little bit - due to my pent up emotions, Levine's bullying, that I'd had to cancel my dinner with Kennedy because I had too much work to do, hunger, exhaustion - and someone coughed. It was Levine. I stood up and packed away my laptop.
"What is it?" I asked, not snappy, just tired.
"I umm...never congratulated you on your presentation. You handled it perfectly, it was faultless." I let out a weak smile, resting my eyes on his.
"Thank you." He shifted awkwardly.
"Stefano called. They're coming to us for their summer feature. Thank you for doing such a good job." I nodded, wiping my eyes.
"I realise I've been harsh on you....I'm harsh on everyone." I nodded.
"I know."
"W-" He never finished his sentence, he just stopped himself and said goodnight before leaving.

This time he actually went home.