Inevitable Ever After

Part 1

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Once upon a time - I've always hated this line. Because it's a lie. Nothing of those stories that start with 'Once upon a time' are things of a long forgotten past. People are just tricked into thinking so to keep them from digging too deep when something awful or unexplainable happens.

Judging by the weary smile my assistant Amber gives me while I glance down on the picture book she just handed me, my grim thoughts are clearly reflected on my face.

Another thing I've always hated. How incapable I am of keeping secrets, despite it being everything I do.

"So," Jared says in his matter-of-fact voice and leans back in his office chair like he has already won. 

The single word rings through his office with a sensation of finality. Starting from his desk, to the shelves stuffed with folders and the greyish walls, over to the little meeting table where Amber and I sit.

The afternoon light from the window is reflected on his stupidly shiny hair in such a manner that it looks like he's wearing a crown and I want to punch him - again. "We agree then, you'll take over the organization of this year's story telling event," he says.

A national program, in which companies all over the country participate every year for a good cause.

"No," I say. For so many reasons, but mostly because of the one he asked me to do the event instead of him. The reason we have in common. The reason he knows we have in common. And he still dared to ask me that favour. God, I hate him. "I can't. I am swamped with preparations for the new product release." 

Electro Corp's latest vacuum cleaner is the thing to have, at least as soon as we - the company's marketing department - have convinced the people that it is.

"So am I," Jared says. I ignore the piles of paperwork on his office desk that prove it so.

I open my mouth to protest more, but he cuts me off. "Come on, it's an event for kids. You are so much better with stuff like that than I could ever be."

"Come again?" I snap. He isn't suggesting what I think he is, is he?

"You are doing all the factory tours for the schools. You have experience when it comes to preparing content for a younger audience. We've got three times more applications for student workers since you took that over."

I clench my teeth, unsure if he is trying to save himself from a harassment complaint or if he is for real. I can never tell. That's probably the most infuriating thing about him. I've seen him lie through his perfect teeth with the most charming smile so many times already that I am not sure anything at all he says is true.

"I'll even dig one of my guys free to help," he adds with a nod to his team's calendar spanning over one entire wall of his office, where multi-coloured post-it notes fight for space.

I shake my head, staring back down on the picture book in my hands. Apparently Mr. Schneider's choice for this year. 'Folk and fairy tales' reads the title. The cover is old and worn, strange flowers and animals are drawn on it.

"I think it would be fun," Amber says, blue eyes shining with excitement. "It's only two weeks until then. If we put in some extra hours we can do it."

I want to murder her. Not because of the workload - I am used to going to the office when it's still dark outside and coming back home long after the moon rose - just because.