The Assistant (Matt Sturniolo)

22

"This is Y/N.." I chimed, unable to hold back a sigh. I tried so hard to believe it too.

"Hi, I'm calling about.." The old woman's voice spoke into my ear. I replied and transferred her to the department she should've called in the first place.

My fingers return to the keyboard, as I picked up where I left off.

"I need copies of these"

Looking up, I find Matt's eyes. They disappeared quickly when he turned his back and walked away. Sighing, I reached over and grabbed the stack of books and documents, covered with post it notes.

~

I tapped my finger on the screen, entering Matt's code. I pressed okay and ignored the options, selecting copy. After going through the options, I tap the green button and wait for the printer to start making copies.

Ten minutes later, I plant the last post it notes on a stack from one of the books. After rearranging the stacks in different directions, I picked the pile up before turning around.

I nearly lost it when I heard Matt's voice standing inches away from me, having come into the room like a ghost. In my fright, my arms lose control and in slow motion, the paper jumped into the air.

I groaned loudly at the paper all over the floor.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you, honey" he commented. Falling to his knees, he picked some of them up. "Here, let me help"

"I'm fine" I said, grabbing some paper with an orange post it. "Do you need something?"

"What?"

"You were inches away from my face when I turned around. It implies you needed something" I said, making more stacks.

The reason is fleeting me to why he needs these, but he looked down in concentration. The pause rouses him and he looks up too. A chilling silence filled the air between us.

Minutes later and the stack were growing.

"I wanted to talk to you"

"Of course" I retort, setting aside a page. A word from his lips, but I tried to ignore it.

"Why can't we talk about what happened?"

"Because, Matt, there's nothing to talk about" I said, picking up more copies and patting them against them against my thigh to straighten them up.

"Y/N" he almost pleaded, catching my attention.

"It's over, Matt. Please, drop it"

"I don't want to drop it, Y/N, it's not over"

After sorting through papers, I pick up another, leaving a handful or so left.

"Matt, stop"

"Why?" He asked, pushing his stack into the middle

"It was over the second you didn't give me the benefit of the doubt" I said, staring down at the messy stack. Hugging them to my chest, I carefully stand up.

The red door clicked behind me with a thud as I made my escape.

I had to push away my disappointment when I don't hear his footsteps coming after me.

~

It pained me to open up the door to his office, to feel a pang at seeing his desk and his furniture. It hurt even more to look at his couch, seeing where we sat some late nights. Boxes of food and drinks would sit on the carpet.

I dragged my feet across the room to his desk. The mess grabbed my attention. Papers. Empty mugs. Notes written terribly. I tried to find a space for the papers where they won't get lost. The dark frame beside his phone is what I saw after the light glinted off the glass. Him and his so called girlfriend, Chloe.