Love In Between

Ava finally got to her workplace, after a long unnecessary speech about traffic safety at the traffic court.

She was pissed, to say the least.

She was having a bad day, and it wasn’t even 12pm yet.

For the first time in a long time, she ignored the greetings of everyone at the entrance of The Quinns Co and just headed straight for the elevator. She wasn’t in the mood for any interactions whatsoever.

“Hold the elevator!” She heard a voice call out from afar.

Bruce was ecstatic.

He had initially come for a job interview at The Quinns Co very early in the morning, but he was told the hiring manager wasn’t on seat.

Fortunately for him, he met with the Vice President, Mason Quinn.

“Exceptional! This is wonderful, Bruce.” Mason had told him with a happy smile as he pursued his resumé.

“Thank you.” He gave Mason a curt smile.

“Well, as impressive as your resumé is, I’m still going to have to ask you some questions because an executive assistant is a pretty big role in this company.”

“I understand.” Bruce retained his curt smile, not faltering once.

“It says here that you’ve had five years of experience as an executive assistant, is that correct?”

“That is correct.”

“So how do you handle a demanding supervisor?”

“Well-”

He got the job.

Mason was so impressed that he gave him the job on the spot.

He was excited, but also hungry. He left his house so early in the morning to make a good impression that he forgot to eat.

Since the CEO wasn’t around yet for him to meet him or her and begin working, he decided to go get something to eat. He didn’t take any time there though, so they wouldn’t change their minds.

“Hey!! Please hold the elevator!!” He called out, seeing a young lady getting into the elevator alone.

The building had many floors and he didn’t want to have to wait for almost twenty minutes for the elevator to come back down.

Bruce was taken aback when he saw the lady press the button hurriedly.

Ava didn’t want to. She didn’t even want to ride in the elevator with anyone else, so she quickly clicked the button for the top floor and smiled internally as the elevator doors began to close.

Upon seeing this, Bruce ran faster. Unfortunately for her and fortunately for him, he put his hand through the tiny crack left between the elevator doors, causing it to slide back open.

Ava rolled her eyes as Bruce walked in smugly. He wasn’t even panting from the run he just had.

“Wow! Just wow!” He turned to her with a scorn on his face.

Knowing where he was going with the conversation, she immediately told him, “Save it!”

“No! I will not save it! You’re a rude person, you know that? Has anyone ever told you that? How hard would it have been for you to just hold the elevator?” Bruce quarreled. Though he tried to maintain it, Ava was quite annoying to him.

Ava was stunned. Did he not know who she was?

“Excuse me?” She exclaimed with a frown.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“Yeah, excuse your terrible manners.” Bruce ended the argument, leaving Ava speechless.

The elevator kept going up for what felt like forever and the silence between them was anything but comfortable.

Suddenly, Bruce began to sniff the air. He put his palm over his nose as he turned to Ava with wide eyes.

“Did you just fart?” He asked.

“What?!” Ava pretending not to notice anything.

“Wow! Just wow. So, you not only have terrible manners, but you’re also classless. That’s quite irritating!” Bruce glared at her with judgmental eyes.

“Hold on! I’ve been watching you say all of that bullshit about me, but not this time. Are you crazy? Who the hell do you think you are?” Ava spazzed out.

“Who the hell do you think I am? I’m certainly not the one who farted in the elevator. But, with just two people in it, who among us didn’t do that?” Bruce asked with a raised brow.

“I did not even fart. Do you have some kind of mental illness or something?” Ava throws her hands in the air from frustration. She wasn’t going to lose to some stranger.

“No, but I’m sure as hell you do. Maybe not mental, but you’re sick! Especially if your fart smells like that! What did you eat? Rotten eggs mixed with sour pickles and sewage juice or something?” He asked.

“Shut the fuck up! Can you do that for just a second?” Ava has gotten tired of the whole thing.

“Well, you shut your butt up!! Can you do that for one second?” He mimicked her.

“Oh my goodness!! Why do I have the worst luck today?” Ava groaned in frustration.

“You have the worst luck? You think? You’re not the one having to inhale gangrene, you skunk.”

“Did you just call me a skunk?” Ava turned to him fully with her hands crossed over her chest.

“Your fart sure does give your secret identity away, doesn’t it?” Bruce rolled his eyes.

“Now I’ve watched you talk all that smack about me. What exactly is your problem, dummy? Are you stupid? Did you get hit in the head this morning or something? Is this some kind of prank or joke?” Ava was genuinely confused.

“If this is a prank, your prank stinks!” Bruce concluded, taking his palm off his nose and breathing in fresh fartless air again. “Finally! You would have killed me with that.”

“What the hell is even going-” Ava let out another slightly louder fart again and turned her face away in embarrassment.

Not your day, Ava.

“Oh wow!” Bruce laughs dryly. “Go ahead and deny it this time, you classless hooligan.” He turned to her, but the smell hit him right in the face. “Oh my goodness!” His face contorts into one of disgust.

“Just… shut up, okay? I’ve had enough of your nonsense.” Ava said.

Fortunately, the elevator door opens and Bruce rushes out, leaving Ava in the midst of her smelly fart.

“It is just not my day, is it?” Ava walks out and straight to her friend and office manager, Roxie.

“Ava! What’s going on? You look different?” The redhead pointed out.

“Way to point out the obvious! Like you didn’t ruin me last night!” Ava glared angrily at her friend. “Besides, how are you so put together this morning and with heels on?” Ava wondered. “Do you have some kind of restoration potion at home or something?”

“Well, I didn’t shoot shots like you and the girls did. Honestly, I didn’t even expect you to come to work today.” Roxie giggled.

“I can’t miss a day of work. There’s so much to be done. Like hiring a new executive assistant.” Ava leaned on Roxie’s desk, positioning her head in her palms.

“A new executive assistant? Oh well, Mason already did that for you! Less stress!” Rolxe said and Ava’s face turned red.

“What?!”

“Yup! He’s actually been waiting for you.” Rolxe understood the tension between them. Mason and Ava are never in good condition. They fight like dogs and cats.

“Again, what?!” Ava felt there were more and so wanted Rolxe to continue.

“I know, right? I initially told him to go home and return tomorrow because you wouldn’t be coming in to work today, thank goodness he didn’t listen to me.” Roxie’s eyes twinkled. “Also, he’s such an eye candy, you’d thank Mason for making the decision for you.” Roxie bit her lip.

“What?!”