The Ex Best Friend

Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

"Where is she?" A commotion near the other end of the room echoed through the office. I looked up in annoyance. Who the heck is causing all that noise?

"Where is she? Dammit I wanna see her!" The voice grew nearer and nearer.

"She's really busy right now. It's almost the show which means she has to schedule a ton of meetings and dinners and everything!" Stacy said, I assume to whoever's causing all that ruckus. I had a feeling so was talking about me because I was booking dinner reservations for Jake and the Director of Advertisement of Chanel just as we speak.

"I don't care! Ugh that b-tch, where is - oh, there she is."

I turned up to see who it was and there stood Anthony. His face was beet red and he was clutching the new issue to US Weekly.

"Hello Jessica," Anthony said with such distaste you would've thought my name was actually a plague that wiped out his whole family.

"Hi," I replied, eyeing his magazine carefully. I'm no psychic, but I'm pretty sure I know what he's so upset about.

"Can you explain something to me?" he asked through clenched teeth.

I rolled my eyes and went back to the reservations. "What?"

All of a sudden, his magazine slammed down beside my keyboard with a loud slapping sound. Flipping eagerly through the pages, he stopped at the one with my picture on it an pointed to the article. "This."

I didn't read it yet so I scanned through it.

- Did La Ballerine finally find its dancer?

After just one year of it's debut at the 2010 New York Fashion Week, La Ballerine has stole the fashinista hearts of everyone. The everyday clothing line inspired by the class and elegance art of ballet has faced great luck in its phenomenal public acceptance. But there is, I mean there was something missing - a dancer to steal the show. Up until just last week, the fashion line has switched model to model. Now, we see a new face, and one that is sure to stay. Jessica Bryans was discovered by the junior executive Jacob Marshall in a desperate attempt to fill in for a missing model however ... -

Anthony sighed. "Can you just read this line?"

Brushing his hand away, I read where he was pointing.

- US : That guy that you were sitting with, was he your boyfriend?

Jessica: Anthony? Oh, no. We're just friends. -

As soon as I finished reading, Anthony ripped the magazine away.

"Just friends? Just FRIENDS?" he roared, getting all up in my face.

I scrunched up my face and stared at him from my chair. "That's what we are."

Anthony gaped at me. "We - you - uh."

"What did you think was going on?" I asked slowly.

"What was going on? We were obviously a thing!" he said.

Now it was my turn to gape. "What on earth would make you think that?"

"We were flirting! We went out to lunch! I paid!"

"That doesn't mean we're dating," I told him.

"Uh, yes it does," he argued.

"No. You never asked me to be your girlfriend. We haven't even gone on a proper date and I only let you pay because you begged me to," I retorted.

He stepped forward and leaned in until I was backed up against my desk and he was a fee inches from my face. "Listen Jessica. I dont know what kind of world you live in, but here on Earth, that's how we do it."

"Are you stupid," I snapped. "You're the one living in a different world."

"I think you should call that lady and tell her you misspoke," he instructed calmly.

"I didn't misspeak," I said angrily.

"Well I think you did," he said in a voice that a mother would use to her kid who just did something bad.

"Well I know I didn't, so now if you'll excuse me." I turned my chair around and faced my computer again.

Anthony grabbed the back of my chair and spun me around. When I faced him, he grabbed the collar of my shirt and pulled my face close - too close - to his.

"Listen you ungrateful little -"

"Hey! What are you doing?"

Anthony let go of me and stood upright, unblocking my view to Jake who was standing a few feet away. Stacy was behind him looking scared and a bunch of other people had gathered around.

"Well well well, if it isn't Jacob Marshall himself. Here to save your damsel in distress?" Anthony sneered.

"You need to go," Jake ordered.

"I think I'm quite comfortable here," Anthony said. He walked back to me and started playing with my hair. I remained still.

"Anthony leave now or I'll make you," Jake ordered again, this time in a threatening tone.

"But I haven't had fun yet."

His hands trailed down my cheeks to cup my chin. One hand held a death grip on my chin while the other smoothed away hair from my forehead.

In a flash, he was gone and I heard a bone chilling crack. I stared at Jake in amazement and my eyes went to Anthony who was holding a bloody nose.

Turns out I wasn't the only one amazed by Jake. Everyone in the office was now staring at him too.

Not noticing the crowd, Jake took a threatening step towards Anthony. "You gonna leave or am I going to have to break another bone?"

"You..." Anthony raised a finger and pointed at Jake then me, glaring hard at both of us. With a final huff, he whipped around and ran to the doors that lead to the stairs. I don't know what his problem was. He can have fun walking down 35 flights of stairs.

Jake looked around the room. "What're you all looking at? get back to work!"

Everybody agreed quickly and ran back to their rooms/cubicles.

"You okay?" Jake asked softly, looking at me.

I blinked a few times. "Yeah..."

"You don't sound okay," Jake laughed.

I simply stared at him.

"Why don't you take the rest of the day off?" he suggested.

"Yeah..." I said in a daze.

He looked at me worriedly. "Do you need me to drive you home?"

"No, it's okay," I replied quickly, coming out of my state of shock. "You should check up on your hand."

Jake nodded. "Yeah, I'll do that."

There was an awkward silence between us.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow. Second run through of the show, remember," Jake finally said.

"Okay. Bye."

"Bye."

Stuffing his good hand in his pocket, he sauntered back into his room, leaving me at my desk. My hands mechanically moved to grab my things so I could go home and my mind was somewhere else.

My mind was in the land of "what the heck just happened"?!

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