AN: This isn't the end of the book.!! We still have a couple of chapters left people!

I'm the special type of idiot that will get my nails done when I still have to type on my keyboard and then get frustrated with my nails.
BTW. Winter's Luna, my other book, won First place in The Wing Awards. 🙌😍😁

I stare at the door for a while.

It's not like I expect him to come back through it, it's more like I'm surprised at what just happened. 

A simple knife fight turned into a gun show, and neither of us won.

The shock I feel barely covers up the deep hurt from his words.

I cling to it, otherwise I might have to eat a gallon of ice cream while watching Lifetime.

I glance at my tv and feel utter revulsion towards it.

"I will avoid you at all cost." I snap at my bulky 40 inch.

Feeling better, I prepare for bed ignoring the pain in my chest.

~~

Thankfully, the week is busy enough for me to ignore my personal issues. With finals coming up, my extra hours alone are spent studying.

Some days I have to work double shifts because Rachel asks and Ross makes sure to mention that his sex life is back on track. He always wants to give me the details but I firmly shut him down. That lucky bastard is not allowed to gloat about his late night activities while I sleep alone.

By Friday morning, everything crashes. The numb feeling is gone and I'm hurting.

Mr. M hasn't called me at all this week.

Selfishly, my subconscious decided to have a hot dream involving Mr. M last night.

Everything was fine until I turn to the other side of my bed and he isn't there.

I cringe as I rehash over our fight. My metaphorical wounds have sort of scabbed over, but if I had just dealt with my feelings they would've been semi okay by now. But I'm a coward, so now I'm radiating pain.

'Why did he keep mentioning Ross?' I ask myself. 'Is he with his ex wife now?'

"There's only one person with the answers I seek." I say aloud just to sound like a nerd.

I don't have anything planned today so it's the perfect time to visit his office. It may actually be why my subconscious decided to drop the M bomb on me.

I double my morning bathroom routine to make sure that my skin radiates the warmth of chocolate and that I smell good enough to eat.

There is no way Mr. M can know that I've moved in a zombie like trance all this week just doing the bare minimum. I even wash my hair and straighten it to make sure that it has the freshly done bounce to it.

I must look better than ever.

With that in mind I dress with care. Nothing super sexy because I'm not going to have meaningless sex, but, I also want him to know that he's missed out on a week of ME.

By the time I'm ready, it's nearing the end of the lunch rush and I feel like I need a nap from my over zealous pampering.

"No." I tell myself out loud.

There's no way I'm even going to let a wrinkle mess up my clothes, so I rush out of my apartment like it was on fire just so my bed doesn't tempt me again.

As the bus moves through traffic nearing my stop, the nerves I feel settle down for the ride.

'What if he doesn't want to see me? What if he's not even there? It is Friday, a lot of people get off early. Maybe I should just call him. Ugh! Me and my half assed plans.'

I automatically pull the cord alerting the driver that my stop is coming up. I secretly wish there was a cord that would tell them to just keep going even though it's my chosen destination.

The bus stops and my stomach explodes with butterflies.

I silently leave the bus even though my entire being objects doing so.

Time passes as I stare at the front door gathering my courage. Thankfully, I'm off to the side so the chick at the front desk can't see me.

Mentally I shake myself. 'What would a late night boss ass tv woman do? She'd march her self into his office demand a change in his behavior. Or at least she'd tell him to get his head out of his ass and to have a legitimate conversation with her. I am a late night boss ass tv woman.'

I straighten my spine, lift up my chin, and strut to the front door like a woman of the world. I grab hold of the bar and swing open the door with gusto. I'm only slightly surprised when the girl at the front desk barely looks at me when she waves me through.

But in her defense, she looks like hell. Now, her outward appearance is flawless, but if one looks closely at her posture and eyes- she looks stressed the fuck out.

Still, I strut by her because I am a woman on a mission.

On the elevator ride up, I give myself the "I am Woman" speech.

"...and you will hear my roar." I whisper to myself as the elevator doors open. I bounce on my tip toes a couple of times like fighters do before a fight to pump myself up before strutting out of the elevator.

With each step closer to him, i feel my confidence dwindling, so I make sure to add extra umpth. By the time I get to the second secretaries desk, I'm stomping. She doesn't even seem to notice this because she looks like hell too. I can't even remember her name to ask her what's wrong. Her last name started with something like a 'L', i think. I'm kind of glad that she still has her job though.

"Hello." I say to her. My voice seems to carry in this silent place.

"I'll let him know that-" She starts not even looking up from her computer screen as she reaches for the desk phone.

"No!"I squeak. It sounds like I'm yelling, the surrounding area is that quiet.

The woman in front of me looks startled but she swings her hand in a "do what you want" type of gesture before focusing her entire being into the work in front of her.

I swear I see a look of pity in her eyes but I can't tell for sure as I pass by.

I carefully enter through Mr. M's first office door just in case he's around. There was no need because I didn't see a soul, meaning the he's in his second office. The same office that I lost my virginity in, damn that was a good day.

I make sure that the door doesn't make a lot of noise as it closes and creep up to door number two.

Again, I stare at it trying to build up nerve. Faked self confidence is good only around people who haven't seen you naked.

And then the thought hits me, 'I've seen him naked too! We are equals dammit.'

"What?" Booms a voice from behind the door making me cringe back instinctively.

I look around to wonder how he knows that I'm outside of his door and then i look down. There are two shadow feet/legs over the door which he can probably see.

'Wonder Woman, Olivia Pope, The chick from Pirates of the Caribbean, Cristina Yang, Queens in general, Mulan, Catwoman, Dr. Bailey, Black Widow, Lily Bard, Ellen, Aurora Teagarden, Pink....' I go over strong woman that won't take shit from a man in my head as I open his door.

The man behind the desk radiates power. Not going to lie, I get hot just looking at him.

He looks up and startles when he sees me. The expression is covered up quickly but it's enough for me not to lower my shoulders in his presence. He's not indifferent to my presence.

"Ah. I was wondering when you were going come apologize for your tantrum." Mr. M casually throws out as he goes back to writing on some papers at his desk.

"Tantrum-! If I remember correctly, you were the one stomping out of my apartment and slamming MY door. That was mighty childish considering I was only responding to something you said." I retort without much thought.

'Dammit, I didn't come here to fight.' I plead in my head. I want to regret my words but mama didn't raise no bitch, if he starts with me I have no problems with finishing it. My confidence now is real. Funny how fear blows everything out of perspective, Mr. M is a simple man and I am a simple woman.

Mr. M startles again at my quick response. He's gotten lax and has forgotten that I have a sharp tongue when necessary. That's what a week away from someone does to you.

"Why are you here Phoebe?" He snaps at me. Probably angry that I'm right.

I bite my tongue and walk into the room. The door swings slowly closed behind me and I use the sparse seconds to temper my next words.

"I did come to apologize but not about any so called tantrum. And if you insist on referring to my actions to those of a child then you should start calling yourself a pedophile. Nothing we've done so far has been purely platonic." I cringe at my last words because it's not that serious but he has a way of getting under my skin.

"This is how you come to apologize?" Mr M asks incredulously while putting his pen down and giving me his undivided attention.

"No, but-" I start but he cuts me off.

"I don't have time for some half assed apology that's more insulting than not. You can't just show up whenever you want. This is my place of work Phoebe."

"I fucking know that!" I yell. I'm officially pissed, I hate when he cuts me off. "You could've just told me that you're busy and that we can talk later. Don't get pissy because I won't put up with your shit Mr. M." Now I'm breathing hard and I feel like there's fire shooting from my nostrils like a dragon.

"But don't worry, I won't be bothering you again." I finish.

I say the words but I don't move. I want him to feel my anger.

Mr. M stands up from his chair and our glares match until his eyes soften.

"Phoebe, I'm sor-" He begins.

"Fuck that! You don't get to verbally abuse me and then smooth things over with an apolo--back up!" I yell.

Mr. M is slowly making his way towards me and I use my hand to pat the door for its knob, I need to leave before I get trapped in here with him. Mr. M gets close enough to reach around me and I can hear the dead bolt sliding into place.

I was using the wrong damn hand, searching for the knob on the wrong damn side of the door!

I let him see the anger in my eyes because it's all I have left. My body has already betrayed me, the only thing holding me up right now is the door. Mr. M pushes his body against mine and I shiver in response.

Dammit.

AN: I hope you all don't hate me for taking forever. I swear that my goal is to finish this book by July 30th. That's when I first started this book. Oh! I totally plan on finding an editor and entering this book into the Wattys. Idk how we'll do but I owe it to y'all to try.