Night Changes

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Joanna’s POV- September 2014
“Thanks” I said as Ariadne handed me a glass of wine.

I couldn’t even ramble to my best friend because she had Pharmacy school to complain about. We also had a schedule that did not allow us to speak to one another. Ari would do for now, I just needed to ramble.

I took a huge gulp of it and closed my eyes. These past few weeks had been so bad at work. I was the boss of this leg here in Pittsburgh because my boss I used to work for decided I would be the boss. I had a superior though, the one who oversaw all the projects, he was there but he would retire soon and I would take over or hire someone who would take schedule of everything.

The only problem was that I was the only female working and all these architects and engineers felt like appalled that I was their superior. After the first week here they told me they weren’t going to report to me because I was a woman and that they were better than me. They went overboard today though.

“What happened?”

I looked at her and sighed.

“Remember those photographs that Jesse took?” I asked him.

She nodded, Jesse was a neighbor of us and he was a photographer/film maker. He was also my best friend. When I was 19 years old he asked me if he could photograph me, some pictures involved me without clothes, I had a blanket over me and you couldn’t see my boobs or anything but I regretted saying yes to him.

“Yea, what about them?”

“They were all over my office this morning” I told her.

Her eyes widened and I let out a sigh as I gulped down the rest of the wine.

“Oh my god”

I nodded and sighed.

“Robert helped me put them down. He’s the guy who’s just overseeing me at the moment” I told her making her nod.

She took a sip of her whine and looked at me.

“What else happened?”

“This stupid intern embarrassed me today. I was at the Pens facility, which is why Beau called you” I said wiping my face.

She frowned and I looked at her.

“You never cry”

“When we got there he just looked at me and said ‘I got it from here, why don’t you go get your nails done? I’m his fucking boss and he said that to me” I said.

She shook her head and I shook my head.

“I just ignored him and they got there. I thought he was going to give them the tour but he just kind of greeted them and then he turned to me and he was like ‘Jovanna give them the tour’” I said shaking my head.

I hate when people call me Jovanna, my name isn’t Jovanna its Joanna.

“I did the stupid tour and as soon as we got to the ice rink the idiot was like I got this” I said shaking my head.

I reached for a tissue.

“It was so embarrassing and Beau and Olli they were pissed. I didn’t even look at Sidney because if I looked at him I would cry” I said dabbing my eyes.

There was a knock on the door and she looked at her phone.

“Its just Lucy”

I nodded and she went to go answer the door. I got myself together and Lucy walked in and frowned when she saw me wiping my eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

“Bad day at work, a guy was an asshole and embarrassed her in front of the guys”

“Like the team?”

Ariadne nodded and Lucy looked at her phone.

“Which could be why Olli messaged me to come over here instead”

Ariadne nodded and offered her wine. Lucy took some and they sat down.

“Continue”

I sighed and shook my head.

“It all piled up that when we got to the office I fired him” I said.

Their eyes widened and I served myself more wine.

“I snapped at him and called a meeting. I then told all of them that I was there to work not socialize or make them like me. They could hate me for all I care but I was to be treated with respect. I’m their boss and I fired two other ones when they told me that a woman’s place was at home in the kitchen” I said sighing.

“Wow”

I sighed and rubbed my face.

“They told me I was a little girl who had slept my way through college. I snapped because I worked my ass off through school” I said.

Ariadne looked at me.

“Jo, you know your worked your ass off. No one gets into a top program or get those internships by sleeping with people. You’re smart and well you’re also very beautiful which is why they say that about you. Let them talk”

“They could talk I just wish I didn’t hear it you know” I said making them nod.

Lucy looked at me.

“What did they do that got you so riled up?”

“They’ve been doing little pranks on her all week. Her first day no one showed up except her superior”

Lucy’s eyes widened and I nodded slowly.

“The second day some of them told her she wouldn’t last”

“It got worse, you know I have a friend that takes racy pictures?”

Lucy nodded, her blue eyes darting over to me.

“Well he photographed her and that intern printed them out and put them around her office today”

“Oh my, that’s horrible. I would have cried so hard”

I nodded slowly, I did cry but my superior Robert told me not to cry. I let out a deep breath and looked at Ariadne.

“An internship is open, you should apply for it. Robert is in charge of that and I feel like he would hire you” I told her.

She nodded and looked at Lucy who smiled.

“An internship looks good Aria”

“I’ll look into it”

“How was your guys’ day?” I asked them.

Lucy smiled and clapped her hands.

“Date night with Olli tonight. Well maybe because he’s been super weird lately”

I smiled and looked at Ariadne who frowned.

“I got to go take a shift at the bar. One of them called sick”

“I get that your parents own the place Aria, but why don’t you hire more people?” I asked her.

She groaned and looked at me.

“I don’t want to interview people. My parents are on me for that”

I looked at her and smiled.

“I don’t work weekends. I can help you” I told her.

“Oh my god really?”

I nodded.

“Yea, target college students. They could use the tips” I said making her nod.

“Alright, I need to call Max”

She left and Lucy turned to me.

“So you’re going to need engineers?”

I looked at her and nodded.

“Yes” I said.

My phone began ringing and I looked at the phone.

“That is if I don’t get fired right now” I said.

She looked at me and I answered the phone call. It was my boss.

“Hello” I said.

“Hello Joanna, so Robert just reported that you fired three people today. An intern and two engineers”

I rubbed my face and let out a sigh.

“Congrats, you just showed me your ready”

“What?” I asked.

He laughed.

“Robert has been trying to get rid of those two for years and that intern well he was an idiot. Thank you”

“What?” I asked again.

“I’m sending two engineers sometime next week to just test out waters. Tell me what you think”

“Ok” I said.

“Rob says you’re handling it very well. I look forward to our Skype meeting in two days”

“Yes sir” I said.

“Alright Joanna, go relax”

I thanked him once more and I hung up.

“What?”

I looked at Lucy and smiled.

“My job is still mine, he’s sending two engineers over next week” I said making her nod.

“Nice, see things are setting out for you”

I nodded and looked at her.

“You look like you’ve been in a lot of relationships”

I laughed and shook my head.

“No, I’ve actually never had a boyfriend. I went out on a few dates but I was always focused on school that they would never ask for another date” I said.

She frowned and I shrugged.

“I don’t mind” I said.

“Well, my boyfriend told me he loves me”

“That’s great” I told her.

“Of course it is, but he told me not to tell him back. I love him but I don’t know how to tell him anymore. He told me when we were just cuddling at my place”

I smiled at her and she sighed happily.

“Just tell him when you think you should”

She nodded and looked at her phone.

“Why does my brother want me to go pick him up? He could get a ride with Beau who’s picking Olli up”

She sighed and looked at me as her phone vibrated two more other times.

“Well it’s a good thing I had a small sip of this wine. I have to go”

I nodded and stood up. She hugged me and smiled.

“I need your number, we need to have lunch”

I nodded and handed her my iPhone. She put in her number and texted herself.

“I’ll text you”

I nodded and she waved as she walked over to the living room. Ariadne walked in and looked at me.

“Why’d Lucy leave?”

I looked at her.

“She had to pick up her brother” I said making her nod.

“Yea, well I was thinking about ordering Chinese? Beau isn’t coming over because he’s really tired”

I nodded and she smiled.

“We can discuss how Sidney is in bed”

I looked at her and she winked.

“I know that I’ve had sex with you look”

I laughed and shrugged.

“Is he good?”

“Aria, keep it down” I told her.

She gasped.

“Oh my god, you’re blushing!”

I laughed and looked at her.

“He said he wanted to be friends though so you know” I said shrugging.

She frowned and looked at me.

“Let’s order that Chinese” I told her.

I went to shower as she ordered and when I got out of the shower I noticed Beau was here. He gave me a smile and I gave Aria a questioning look as I slipped on a hoodie.

“Something is going on at their place and Beau didn’t want to interrupt”

I looked at Beau a little worried.

“Does this have anything to do with Lucy going to pick up her brother?” I asked him.

He nodded slowly and shrugged.

“I don’t know but Olli couldn’t even talk so I just decided to come. Did I ruin ladies night?”

I smiled and shook my head.

“Nonsense” I told him.

His face instantly got a worried look.

“What about you? How are you? I felt like punching that guy”

I laughed.

“I’m fine, I fired him” I said.

I laughed when he declared a high five.

“Good!”

I laughed and I sat on the one-person couch.

“So, what are we watching?” I asked.

“Parks and Recs”

I smiled and nodded.

“Yes, I love that show” I said.

“Who’s your favorite?”

“Ron” I said making him laughs.

“He hates people, I love it” I added when he nodded.

The Chinese food got here and we ate. We watched TV for a bit and I looked at them. I smiled when I saw they were asleep. I wanted a relationship, I was 25 years old and I had no one. I wanted someone to tell me they loved me but not to say it back if I was comfortable. I also wanted someone to cuddle with and just talk with. My phone vibrated and I saw it was a text from Sidney. He was asking me if I was up. I ignored the text and turned off the tv. I threw a blanket over them and went to my room. He was my friend, that’s what he would be. I would start dating again; I just needed to remember how to flirt.