Chapter 4

The entire weekend, I've been riddled with guilt. Like a debilitating flu, haunting every move, thought, and cringe in Mother Earth.

There was a contemplation of confessing to Casey, but a part of me wasn't sorry enough to be genuine, and every time my conscience chastised me how I should, I just shook it off like a dog with wet fur.

One thing I did muster though, is the courage to at least knock on Lucas's office door on Monday.

"Lucas? Got a minute?" I ask, cracking the door open.

He's typing away, like an important politician, not even looking my way. "What's up Layla?"

I slowly step in, close the door behind me, press my back against it for support. "I wanted to apologize for Friday, at Casey's..." His suspicious eyes lock on mine, and he furrows his eyebrows when he notices my sincerity. "It was way out of line and inappropriate. And God forbid if the roles were reversed, it would be downright inexcusable. So...I'm sorry."

His lips twitch with a faint smile, but he quickly looks back at the computer screen. "It's fine, don't sweat it."

I focus on the hideous carpet design, burdened for not feeling relieved whatsoever. Suddenly Lucas gets up from his seat and strides towards me.

He sighs as he looks down at my timid expression, a soft amusement in his features. The quiet gesture offers a sliver of comfort, and I almost smile.

"Can you move out of the way?" He asks.

Never mind.

He smirks as I step to the side for him to open the door. "Take it easy, you're going to be on your own for a little while, you'll need the energy."

"What do you mean?" I frown, following him out.

"Oh, just that Grant asked me to go to New York." He gloats like a mean, high school bimbo, "I'm pitching to Ritz crackers."

"Excuse me?" I whisper, trying not to draw attention as he rushes down the hall. "You mean, my concepts? Why the hell are you pitching my concepts?"

"Because I'm more likeable than you?" He grins at my furious glare and opens Grant's door without even knocking. "I'm in! When am I leaving?"

Except Grant doesn't get to reply, because I'm already arguing. "Grant, what happened to kick off calls in the conference room? Why are we traveling? No, why is Lucas traveling with my ideas?"

My boss's initial smile slowly deflates, and he searches his executive room for a rescue, finding none. "Uhm, I made the call to send Lucas because of his experience with different personalities on set. And I can't send both of you, someone needs to stay to oversee the team."

"See?" Lucas raises his hands, "he's letting you lead the team, I'm just a seller boy!"

I shake my head, "no, that's not what's happening here. What's happening is that I'm being left behind from learning these types of high level interactions, which is exactly what a VP is supposed to do. How can I prove that I'm capable, if I'm doubted from the beginning?"

"Now, there's no need to turn this into a big deal. There will be many more opportunities, so let's just let Lucas go this time." Grant tries to reason with me, as if I'm a child who's jealous of her sibling.

"But there's less than two months left, we won't get any more branded campaigns until the fourth quarter! I know all the reasons why these concepts should be approved, Lucas executes them, but he's not the one behind research. How will he answer any of their questions?"

"Layla, these meetings with clients are all fluff! They're bullshit!" Lucas walks around the room, spreading his arms. "It's about boosting their ego so they feel important and getting their signature, that's all!"

"But they're also about negotiations, client relations, and communication." I say quietly, sinking with disappointment, "they're all the things that I've been busting my ass off to learn. And now, just because you happen to be more extroverted, you get to go."

"Look, if you feel so strongly about it, then figure out who'll take care of the team and go together," Grant leans back in his seat with exasperation, "but I think you should let Lucas lead it, and learn how he does it."

Lucas and I stare, giving each other a pointed look, both struggling with defiance.

"I'm going with you." I snap.

"Of course, you are."

~

"Hey dad! Listen, my boss is sending me to New York to pitch to a client. He's already trusting me with this VP role, huh? Isn't that great? I was thinking, if you're free, we could catch up over dinner. I'll be there Thursday night through Saturday, so, let me know. Alright...bye."

I leave the voicemail while packing, one of the perks of working at Grant's company is that they spoil their employees. We'll be staying at a hotel with a pool, spa, and a fitness center, all of which I plan to take full advantage of.

But when I drag my giant luggage into the airplane and find Lucas with a small traveling bag, I realize that I might've gotten a little carried away.

"Did you bring your computer with you?" He teases, eyeing my floral suitcase. He's already seated by the window, and I have to hide my pout, because I love looking out the window.

I click the top compartment open and stand on my tiptoes to push the crowded luggages aside for some space. It's a hundred degrees today, and my high rise shorts are moist with perspiration.

"Excuse me." A man behind me snaps, revealing a line of other unhappy strangers, waiting for me to move out of the way.

"Sorry!" I plead and step in front of my seat, ignoring the way Lucas's eyes rest on my thighs. Once the crowd clears, I get out again and lift my suitcase above my head, hopping to shove it inside.

"Jesus Christ," Lucas mutters, standing up, "you really are just limited to being book smart."

"It's not my fault that people are impatient!" I hop again, slapping my suitcase, "and plus, these airlines clearly don't consider the person to luggage ratio!"

Lucas lifts a long arm above my head, giving me an 'you're incompetent' smirk and nudges my luggage back. The thing complies to his touch like I wasn't over here suffering for an ounce of that same respect. Even my own items prefer him over me.

"Thank you." I mumble as we take our seats. "Excuse me?" I call the waitress- um, flight attendant. "Could I please get some cold water, and uh, what do you have for alcohol?"

"We have red wine, white wine, champagne, and whiskey."

I turn to Lucas, "do you want anything?"

"It's 2 p.m."

I smile and turn back to the waitress - flight attendant, damn it. "White wine please, and uh, he'll have a whiskey."

"Sure thing." She nods, walking away.

Lucas raises a smug eyebrow. "Trying to get me drunk, Layla?"

I'm preoccupied with pushing the buttons on the little monitor in front of me for a movie. "It's weird to drink alone, just keep it with you as a prop- I haven't seen any of these!"

"When's the last time you traveled?"

I decide on "Crazy Stupid Love" and plug in my headphones. Suddenly the screen freezes with an 'announcement' and I gasp, horrified that my connection has a malfunction.

But the flight attendant begins a 'how to not die' protocol over the speakers and I sink back in relief with a hand over my chest. That was a close call.

Lucas chuckles, "never mind."

"Oh, sorry. Um, last time I traveled was...when I went on a road trip to check out the UC schools."

His eyebrows shoot up to his forehead. "For college?"

I nod, counting with my fingers, "six years? Seven years ago? Something like that. It was a lot of fun though!"

"You've got to be kidding me...why don't you ever take a break?"

I frown with a half-hearted shrug. "I will when I reach my goals."

"Isn't your dad a big businessman?"

"And?"

He searches my face, but I pretend to rummage through my purse for nonessential items, and thankfully he doesn't press further.

~

I'm finishing up the second movie, 'Tangled,' when striking paint strokes of pinks and reds overpower my peripheral vision. As the airplane lowers for a landing, a stunning sunset cloaks over Manhattan, taking my breath away.

Dumb Lucas is asleep, so I lean close to his window to get a better view.

Millions of concrete buildings texturize the land with an appealing promise of activity and chaos. A soft smile finds its way on my lips, happy to be someplace new, to explore and make memories.

Um, we might be too close to Lucas...because he smells incredibly nice...

Bougie fucker. I bet he spent his entire paycheck to buy this cologne.

Forget him, let's focus on New York.

That's right, we are Blair Waldorf.

"Can I help you?" Lucas's hoarse murmur, too close to my ear, jolts me from my daydreams.

"Sorry." I back away, heat gushing to my face. "The sunset was so pretty, I wanted a closer look."

"Mhm, the sunset." He stretches, rubbing his eyes. "Were you doing despicable things to me while I was asleep?"

"Yes, I drew a penis on your forehead."

~

"Wow!" I beam when we enter the hotel.

The building is like a modern, chic palace. With crystal chandeliers, marble tiles, an unnecessarily long reception center, a promiscuous bar, an upscale restaurant, and elephant sized centerpieces by the elevators.

"See ya." Lucas walks past me towards the front desk, leaving me alone.

Casey has texted to check if I landed safely, though I think she also wants details on Lucas. I send her a quick message that I'm alright, and that I'm going to bed as soon as I have dinner and shower. The meeting with the Ritz clients is at four tomorrow, so I'll have all day to explore beforehand, just as long as I dedicate tonight to preparing for the presentation.

I text Lucas if he wants to go over the slides together, but he replies with a curt 'stop sweating it, we'll crush it', and for once, I wish I had someone who loved over preparing as much as I did.

Or, for once, I wish I could just stop sweating it.

~~A/N~~

Let the chaotic business trip begin, hehe

What do you think awaits these two? Any predictions?

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