A Charitable Scandal

The Innocent Request

Alec hadn't exaggerated. We spent the entirety of Monday brainstorming the best campaigns for each task and whittling those ideas down to a collection of rather tentative points of action. The team members were eventually granted leave after we'd all gone down to the cafeteria for dinner, but Alec had me join him back up in the Pit where we continued to revise the plans we had set out for ourselves.

By the time I rolled out of bed the next day and made my way to the office, I could feel the dark bags bubbling up beneath my eyes. Two early mornings in a row and the future didn't promise for much better. Still, this was the opportunity handed to me and though I would have preferred a slower approach to my goal, this was what I had and I was going to make damn sure I did the best I could with it. So I went over to the kitchenette, made myself the largest cup of coffee I could manage and then went to my office with my head held high.

It took another three coffees to make it through the morning and past lunch. After I met with the team again to officially dole out tasks, Alec requested I pen him in for my afternoon. Since I was the only one working on the interview, Alec wanted to go over my prep for it, among other things.

"You'll need to go down to the show set on your own for the pre-interview. I've got to visit the advertising firm that morning."

With Emi doing some legwork for her team, Alec decided to move our talks from the Pit to my office. There he had notes and sketches for his print ads laid out, while we turned the conversation to my impending date with Mariska.

"Right, well I'll just make sure to review our notes over the next couple of days and then I'll be the absolute expert on the gala."

"I know I can count on you Alexis." A soft grin raised his defined cheekbones and brightened his light brown eyes, which gazed at me from over top of his glasses as they slipped down the bridge of his nose. A light tug pulled at some point just behind my ribcage and I found myself looking down at his rather creative designs for the ads instead of keeping hold of his warm, friendly eyes.

It's not like Alec was necessarily shy about offering praise where it was deserved, it was just that he never went out of his way very often to do it. Yet somehow, I managed to gain multiple compliments in two days. That in itself was enough to make anyone in the office blush with gratitude. However, I found myself more than appreciative before his smile. I felt special. Perhaps it was simply the knowledge that no one but me was there to hear his praise. Which in turn meant that smile was solely for my own benefit. That it was all just for me.

"You know, Mr. Radcliffe, you can call me Lex." I swiped a stray strand of hair from my face and tucked it behind my ear as I glanced up at him with a shy smile. "That's what my friends call me and if we're going to be working together then, maybe..." I paused and cleared my throat. What did I mean? We had been working close together over the past day, but he was still far above me in the hierarchy of the office. I felt my jaw clench as I strained to identify whether or not I just crossed a line I shouldn't have. He could resent the familiarity.

"I just mean that, should you feel like it, you can refer to me as Lex, but Alexis is also fine." I straightened out and gave him a stiff, professional smile. I thought I saw a shadow of amusement flick across his face, but he turned back to his work and the moment vanished.

"Duly noted," he said, scanning over our notes for my Q&A with Mariska. "This personable nature of yours is why I picked you for the interview. If I did it, it would surely end in a disaster."

"You're always so cool and calm," I said, watching the side of his head as he slid his finger down his tablet screen. "I'm sure even a little stage fright would be unable to shake you."