New Kid

The next day, the four of us agreed to leave on time, and go out for a drink to celebrate my coming to the magazine and the summer feature. We invited loads of people from the office and everyone wanted to come along.

I was looking forward to it, and I didn't see Adam all day, which made me even happier.

Work was hectic but I loved it. When I went into the cafeteria at lunch so I could get a coffee - I had too much work to do to eat anything- one of the models, Kim, who was the skinniest, most gorgeous woman I'd ever laid eyes upon, was actually eating something for a change and the other models were saying nasty things about her. I was behind two of them.
"Ugh that's disgusting - do you have any idea how many calories are in that stuff?"
"I know she's foul. It makes me feel sick." Kim's eyes filled with tears but she wouldn't cry and I was proud of her.
I ended up shouting at the models, making them all feel bad. I gave Kim a big cuddle and told her to come eat in my office, which she did. And we ended up talking about all kinds of things, and she told me about Adam and how he was on the rampage today - he'd made five different girls cry and one of the layout designers, Jamie, quit. No one knew what had got him into a rage this time, but apparently it only happened when he got really upset about things.

After work we all walked in a big group to the nearest club and got pissed, I mean PISSED.
We all danced, chatted, laughed, did the odd bit of flirting here and there.
At one point I went to the bathroom to splash water on my face - I wasn't used to drinking this much, or at all really, and I was feeling confused, extremely dizzy and lightheaded.
Someone burst in, I think it was John and I felt a hand on my hip.
"Aww baby you can't handle your alcohol can you?" I rested my head back on John's shoulder - he felt like an anchor, something steady and I tried to stop the my world from spinning so violently.
I felt him nuzzling my neck but it didn't register in my head as him getting closer to me until he had me pinned up against the wall with my legs wrapped around his waist, unable to say anything as there were one too many tongues in my mouth and I was drunk and upset and sick and all I knew at the time was that it felt good.
He started feeling around my ass and I freaked out so he settled for hand jobs instead. Clumsy and bad, and we both came too quickly, but at the time I didn't really know what we were doing, everything was a massive haze and I didn't think of it in a bad way.

So that night, when I was stumbling home cause I'm too poor to afford a cab, feeling drunker than ever and sensitive due to my cum fest with not only John, but some other guy who's name I'd already forgotten. These two guys started calling after me, I stumbled on, only crashing into a sign once. They teased and jested, through my drunken haze I was starting to feel scared, if I hadn't have been drunk, I would've been terrified.
"Where you goin' in such a rush babe?" One of them called, I forced down bile that threatened to come up and tried to walk quicker, only succeeding in tripping and stumbling more.

Their footsteps got quicker and I tried to run, I ended up tripping over something and sent myself sprawling, my head hitting the floor with a sickening thud.
I felt hands on me then suddenly they were gone, there were voices - loud voices....someone I knew? Then hands were back on me but they were soft and comforting and lifted me up.

I blacked out after that.

The next morning I woke with a splitting headache and a swirly stomach that threatened to spew up what little it had left in it.
I went to move to my side and fell to the floor, cursing in pain as I cradled my hurting elbow and hips.
I opened my eyes properly and took in my surroundings.

This isn't my apartment. Oh dear lord what have I done?

I looked around nervously. Whoever's this place is. I'm sleeping on their very fancy couch.
Actually, everything was very fancy. Too fancy.

You know when you walk into someone's home, and it can be old with cheap furniture and a bit chaotic, but you can tell that it's loved and it's someone's home and that makes you love it despite it's faults? Yeah, this was the complete opposite of that.

It was one of those absolutely massive, billionaire loft apartments that could home a large family.
It was modern, everything looked brand new, nothing looked used, from the sofas, to the top-notch kitchen, to the huge plasma screen TV.
It didn't look lived in and had a really sad kind of atmosphere.

Bringing myself back to reality and the problem at hand, I heard footsteps and scrambled to my feet.
"Calm down." I froze at that voice and blinked slowly before turning round to see, sure enough, Adam Levine, already up and dressed and as immaculate as ever, leaning against his glass dining table with his arms crossed.
I didn't know what to say, I bit my lip to try and stop myself from welling up. I did not need to cry right now. I just felt so stupid. I turned around to pick up my stuff that he had put ever so carefully right by me, trying and failing to hold back my tears.
"Do you remember what happened last night?" I spun round.
"Oh god, what happened? We didn't, I didn't-..." I trailed off, Adam looked almost...angry? Upset? Hurt? Disappointed? Screw this man with his undecipherable expressions.
"You can relax. Again, I don't need to fuck people who are below me for fun." His words stabbed at me but all I cared about right now was what happened last night.
"You don't remember?" He asked and I shook my head too quickly, making it pound.
"You left the club, were walking home...?" He waited to see if I could remember but I couldn't.
"Long story short then, I was driving home myself and saw these two rather heavily muscled men going after you. You were trying to escape and failing miserably as you had drunk yourself into a horrible state. You fell, they went after you, I told the driver to pull over, got out and brought you back here." I felt immobilised with shock. He'd saved me...against two guys..? This time I did start crying and I sat back down and faced away from him, humiliated.
He sighed and came and stood by the back of the couch. He made no move to touch me or say anything comforting, which I hadn't expected him to, and I just grabbed my stuff and tried to walk out.
"Where are you going?"
"Home!! I need to shower and..and get changed and...and get my stuff then go to work."
"And you're seriously going to walk out of my apartment in your underwear in tears? No offence but that doesn't exactly bode well with my reputation." I was forced to laugh a little bit at that and I stopped and wiped my eyes.
"Umm...w-where is my suit?"
"In the bathroom along with clean underwear and a shirt. Go shower, get changed, then you can come to work with me. Make it quick, I don't plan on being late just because you drunk too much last night." I met his eyes and we looked at one another for too long before I just nodded and walked into his bathroom.

Which, I might add, was about twice the size of my bedroom.

When I was out, smelling of him once again, which I couldn't help but enjoy as for some reason his presence made me feel safe, he shoved a coffee into my hands along with aspirin and hurried out of the apartment and down to his car.
"Umm..Adam.." His head snapped to the side.
"Would you prefer if I called you Sir or Mr Levine or Levine? I wasn't really sure what to-"
"Adam is fine when there's no one else around, stop babbling and get to the point." I nodded.
"I don't know...how to do this..exactly but..thank you, so much, for everything-"
"No thanks, no apologies. I helped you, you do your job and don't tell anyone, that's all I ask." I nodded again.
"But you saved me from getting..from getting raped Adam, I mean that's not like...giving someone aspirin when they're hungover...or...ok I can't think of another example but, that's a huge deal. I want to do something. Please? Just as a way of thanks. Even if it is buying a shit bottle of wine which I think is nice but you think is like drain water because let's face it you probably know wine better than I do....or...ok I can't think of anything else but....let me do something?" Adam stared off into space for a moment.
"I'll think about it." I smiled.
"Thank you."
We got out of the car and I ignored the looks and whispers from people as we walked in together again. I kept up with Adam even though he was walking at practically warp speed and we got into the elevator, he pressed the close doors button and turned to me.
"Listen. People are starting to think that there's something else going on here. If anyone should as you, set the record straight. I don't care if you tell them what happened, but that I gave you a place to stay after you were drunk and almost raped is much more professional than fucking you. Got it?" My face turned bright red and he rolled his eyes.
"You're like a schoolgirl." That made me blush again and as the door opened I spoke to him and left before he could reply.
"You love it."

I got to my office and pretty soon John was in the doorway, smirking like an idiot.
"Shut up John." His smile faded.
"What?"
"I don't want to talk about it." I wasn't in the mood to deny rumours about me and Levine if I could help if.
"What so last night was just-"
"It was nothing. Nothing happened, got it?" His face turned from shocked, to hurt, to absolutely crushed and he left without another word.

Why did he react that badly to me saying that noting was going on with me and Levine?

The rest of the day John and Kennedy avoided me, Devin nodded at me but followed them.
Was I an outcast now? Just because of stupid rumours?
I went to the wardrobe department and found Kim at lunch break.
"Hey Chris! Someone's arriving with the boss again?"
"No it's not like that. I got into some trouble last night after I left and he sort of, helped me out." Her face fell.
"Aww my poor baby are you ok?" I nodded.
"Yeah I am now, hungover but ok. Listen I wanted to talk to you about-"
"John?" I nodded, Kim sighed.
"Look honey, I love you so much, you know that, but did you really have to go off at him like that this morning?" I looked confused.
"What are you talking about? Look, Levine had a go at me this morning because he doesn't want people thinking that there's something going on between us. Then John comes in his usual smirky self, asking me about last night!??! I mean I'm sorry but yeah I was pissed." She gasped.
"What?!!"
"Oh no!! You thought he was talking about you and Levine!?!"
"Well yeah who else-NO!!!" She nodded and I cursed loudly, apologising to some of the other models who were there.
"Oh my god I have to go and find him." She nodded.
"Thanks Kim, god I'm so fucking stupid. I'll see you later babe."
"Yeah good luck!!"
"Thanks!!" I called back before running back upstairs - not bothering to wait for the elevator - and went to find John. He was in his office with Kennedy and Devin.
"John!" I said, they all jumped and turned round only to turn away from me again.
"John-"
"Go away Chris, you got your message across loud and clear this morning we don't need to do it again-"
"John listen to me!!!! I thought you were talking about me and Levine!! Not you and me!!" He looked up at me and I nodded.
"Really?"
"Yes!! Listen, I don't know what happened last night, and I'm sorry for that. But that's why I didn't know you were talking about us because I can't remember what happened." He smiled.
"Well ok, phew. It was no big deal, we didn't fuck or anything cause apparently someone's never done it before...." He elbowed me teasingly and Devin and Kennedy "awed" at me. I, being the little nun that I am, turned at beautiful shade of red.
"John!! Shut up!!"
"So instead we just gave each other sloppy hand jobs and then you went onto someone else and I don't know what you did with him but it definitely wasn't fucking." I looked at him in shock.
"...I went off with some random guy...?" The others were all giggling.
"Well yeah! You were getting everyone all hot and heavy last night babe!!" I felt sick.
"C'mon Chris what's the big deal?" Devin asked.
"The big d-deal....is that I'm not a whore and since I came here I've started acting like one!!!" I started crying and ran out. I think they were all shocked at my outburst because I was in the bathroom for almost ten minutes before they came rushing in.
"What's this? Hey come on, hugs." Kennedy wrapped me in his arms gently and kissed my forehead.
"Babe you're not a whore. All you did was do hand jobs with two guys, and one of them was JOHN I mean...we've all been there." We all laughed, even me.
"I just...thanks guys...but I think I should just be by myself...for a little while..." They nodded understandingly and wished me well as I walked back to my office.

As I was going, wiping my eyes, I bumped into someone. Of course, it had to be Adam.
"S-sorry..." We paused awkwardly.
"....are...you alright...?" He asked uncomfortably.
"I'm fine." I strode off and I'm guessing he did the same thing.
I closed my door behind me and sat down at my desk.

I was just so confused. Before I came here, the most sex I'd ever got was when I kissed my best friend. I mean I'd only ever even jerked off twice.
As far as innocence went, I was pretty much up there with 40 year-old virgins.
Then I move here and all of a sudden I've got 5 guys and some random stranger being romantic and sweet and sexy with me. I just couldn't handle all these people.

Was there something wrong with me? Was I just imagining it?

That afternoon, for the first time, my work felt laboured. It really felt like work and I didn't enjoy it.
Eleven o'clock came and went before I finally gave in and left. Adam called me into his office as I went past but I just pretended I didn't hear and carried on.

I couldn't handle it. Especially not from Adam.
He was too confusing.

The next morning I ignored everyone and only spoke when spoken to, giving one word answers.
I didn't even look at Adam.
In the meeting in the morning, I thanked god that it was Friday. The last day of the working week. Then I would have two whole days of relaxation and sloppiness.
I didn't listen to what was being said, my mind was wandering elsewhere.

When we left I was the last one out of the conference room. As I was walking down to the bathroom someone called after me, it shocked me but not enough to make me turn around.
"Christofer!" Don't turn around Chris, stop it, don't.
"Christofer!!!" Don't you even think about it. You're not his plaything.
"Christofer for god's sake!!" He cannot just pick you up and drop you whenever he feels like-

My thoughts were interrupted when an arm grabbed my arm, forcing me to spin round.
"Christofer! Fucking hell what on earth is the matter with you?!!? Why wouldn't you stop?" Some guy walked past us and gave us a funny look, once he'd walked past Adam shoved me into the fancy gents toilets. He did a quick check to see if it was empty them turned back to me.
"Why did you ignore me last night? And today? And you're ignoring everyone else."
"Why do you care-" I tried to push past him but he held me against the wall, not being violent or forceful, just holding me there.
"If I didn't care I wouldn't have saved you from those guys. If I didn't care I wouldn't have let you into my home and instead let you sleep in some alleyway. If I didn't care I wouldn't have let you meet Dolce and Gabbana. If I didn't care, Chris, then I wouldn't have given you my shirts to wear, and once you'd washed them, kept them exactly as they were so that they'd still smell of you." His voice didn't get softer as he spoke but his words did and I felt myself melting inside, but I pushed him away again.
"Stop it!!!" He let me shove him away, I tugged at my hair in frustration.
"Just STOP IT!!! Stop being so nasty and hateful then so sweet and romantic!!! Don't try and tell me that you have feelings for me then cut me down and pick on me, STOP IT!!!" I practically screamed. He just stood there, motionless.
"Stop....taking advantage of how fucking innocent I am!!!" Suddenly he snapped into motion and I was slammed up against the wall.
"Take advantage of you??!! Take advantage of you??!! If I wanted to do that, I could've let you kiss me when you were about to when we got back to my apartment!!! I could've fucked you right there but I didn't!!! I could've let you do all the things you were slurring into my ear but I didn't do that either!!!" He let me go and cursed.
"You want me. But you're too scared. You want to keep your innocence and yet you hate yourself for it!!! One minute you're begging me to let you suck me off and blushing and being so goddamn cute that I can't get you out of my head!! Then then the you're flipping out like this!! So don't talk to me about how I'm the one that's confusing, and I'm the one who's taking advantage of people!!!! You're the one stringing 5 different men along." He tore open the door and strode out, it slammed behind him, making me flinch.

I sat there shaking for a while before going home sick.
No one would question my moves, everyone was wishing me better as I walked out and giving me hugs.
I was exhausted. I had been staying here late every night, then when I got home I would crash in bed but wouldn't be able to stop thinking. I hadn't been eating, the odd piece of fruit or bit of toast here and there, but that was it, and my suit pants were starting to hang off me.

I needed to just be in my little, homey apartment for a few days, eating, relaxing and calling some of my old friends up and having a chat. So I didn't feel so alone anymore.