When you Smile
Phoenix: What makes a successful woman?
“Alright Char, I’m leaving.” I slipped on my Tory Burch Jasmine Glen Plaid coat and grabbed my tan Versace signature handbag. If you were to ask any of the other girls what the brand of any of their clothes were the only one beside myself who would be able to get it down to the tee would be Ashlee.
I made sure everything that I needed was in my bag and made my way to the door. “Bye Nixie,” Charlie had called as she stepped out in view in a navy blue cashmere sweater and vintage skinny jeans.
“8:00, Nando’s. Don’t forget.” She smirked as I gave a wink and stepped out into the hall and made my way down to the elevator. I pressed the garage button and watched as the numbers lowered.
A beep sounded letting me know I had made it to the garage floor. The doors open and as I stepped out I was met face to face with a familiar pair of dark brown eyes. “Good morning malady.”
Shaking my head I walked towards that familiar face, with my arms crossed against my chest and started nibbling at my lip. “Your carriage awaits…” I smiled motioning to his Mini cooper.
“Liam, what are you doing?” I sighed starting at the freshly shaven boy. “And what happened to your head?” Letting out chuckle.
“Giving you a ride and mum was being on a nag on facebook, telling me I needed to get a hair cut.” He ran his fingers through his invisible and then opened the passenger door. “Now get in” he ushered.
“You don’t need to give me a ride Liam… I am perfectly fine taking my own vehicle.” I smiled and he shook his head disapprovingly. “Get in or I will use force.” I sighed, I knew he would; I didn’t fight Liam Payne.
Slipping into the passenger seat he closed the door and went around to the driver’s side and soon pulled out. “What’s the special occasion?” I mumbled picking at the handle of my handbag.
“Well miss-I-snagged-a-spread-for-February.” My headshot towards him only letting fate join our eyes. “How do you know that?” I had just received the call last night before dinner, how could he have possibly known?
“Seeing as I’m the nephew of your boss and super brilliant. I know everything that goes on in the office. That and I-kindofconvincedhertogiveyouachance. His words were too fast but I understood it all.
“LIAM!” I yelped out loud, shrugging his shoulders “what?” I let out a sigh and turned my head and stared out the window. “Come on now, you really can’t be mad at me. I know how much this means to you!”
“Yeah and I wanted to earn it on my own, not have my bosses’ nephew convince her to give me a spread. I truly thought that I earned this, I’m going to have to tell Lorelei that I can’t accept.”
My eyes didn’t leave the scenery of buildings and people who crowded downtown London. “Phee, I’m sorry.” His hand slipped in mine, I tried to pull away but he wouldn’t let me.
“Listen, I’ll make it up to you. How about we dinner tonight, I made plans with the lads but I can always cancel.” I looked at him and sighed shaking my head. “I’m doing Nando’s with the girls tonight.” I looked away once more and watched as the car came to a stop.
Silence filled the car for a few seconds before Liam took a hold of my chin and made me face him. I felt his lips on mine but I didn’t respond. He sighed.
“Phoenix… what are we?” was he really doing this right now. “One day you’re willing to hold my hand, let me hold you, and actually want to be with me. This has been going on for the past year now,” He sighed again.
“And I know right now isn’t just about me talking to my aunt, I know it isn’t.” I began to fidget with my fingers. “Lee, I like you a lot but right now I just need to focus on me. Especially now seeing as I really have to prove myself of a spread.”
I unbuckled, pushed open the door, and then slipped out closing the door behind me. I stopped for minute, closed my eyes taking a deep breath, and then walked away.
“Good morning Phoenix, I heard about your spread. Congratulations!” I smiled and nodded, “Thank you Becky.” I walked past her and to the elevators.
He was right; I was kind of playing him. Giving him mixed signals and all but he never gives me a chance to decline. I pressed the 10th floor button and closed my eyes on the way up seeing as I wasn’t a fan of elevators, I mean I was getting better but it still was there.
As soon as the door opened I shook everything that recently happened and breathed in positive. I clocked in and within 5 minutes I was called into Lorelei’s office.
“Hey, you wanted to see me?” Lorelei looked up to me from her Mac and smiled. “Yes come in. Here are the files for your spread; it’s going to be about 5 pages…” her voice trailed as she continued to go through some papers.
“Lorelei listen,” she stopped what she was doing and looked at me. “I know Liam talked to you about give me my own spread… I’m going to have to decline. I can’t do the spread if I truly didn’t earn-“
I was cut off before I could finish my sentence. She let out a chuckle. “Phoenix sit,” I nodded my head, “yes Liam did come to my and mentioned it but he didn’t have to do much convincing. You have been here 2 years and shown me more than a lot of them out there did when they were where you were.” I took a deep breath
“You’re passionate, driven, and amazing at what you do and I can see that. Now don’t get me wrong, I love my nephew but the kid is brain dead when it comes to this industry. He’s smart, talented, and very good-looking but he’s blind as a bat and wouldn’t be able to tell a draft from a final copy.” Her smile was genuine,
“I like you a lot Phee, don’t be hard on yourself. Now take this file and move your ass. You have a spread to do.” With that I took the file, stood up, and headed out of Lorelei’s office.
For a moment a thought of him and felt bad for earlier, I decided to shake everything that happened off and focused on my work. Things are definitely looking up.
I made sure everything that I needed was in my bag and made my way to the door. “Bye Nixie,” Charlie had called as she stepped out in view in a navy blue cashmere sweater and vintage skinny jeans.
“8:00, Nando’s. Don’t forget.” She smirked as I gave a wink and stepped out into the hall and made my way down to the elevator. I pressed the garage button and watched as the numbers lowered.
A beep sounded letting me know I had made it to the garage floor. The doors open and as I stepped out I was met face to face with a familiar pair of dark brown eyes. “Good morning malady.”
Shaking my head I walked towards that familiar face, with my arms crossed against my chest and started nibbling at my lip. “Your carriage awaits…” I smiled motioning to his Mini cooper.
“Liam, what are you doing?” I sighed starting at the freshly shaven boy. “And what happened to your head?” Letting out chuckle.
“Giving you a ride and mum was being on a nag on facebook, telling me I needed to get a hair cut.” He ran his fingers through his invisible and then opened the passenger door. “Now get in” he ushered.
“You don’t need to give me a ride Liam… I am perfectly fine taking my own vehicle.” I smiled and he shook his head disapprovingly. “Get in or I will use force.” I sighed, I knew he would; I didn’t fight Liam Payne.
Slipping into the passenger seat he closed the door and went around to the driver’s side and soon pulled out. “What’s the special occasion?” I mumbled picking at the handle of my handbag.
“Well miss-I-snagged-a-spread-for-February.” My headshot towards him only letting fate join our eyes. “How do you know that?” I had just received the call last night before dinner, how could he have possibly known?
“Seeing as I’m the nephew of your boss and super brilliant. I know everything that goes on in the office. That and I-kindofconvincedhertogiveyouachance. His words were too fast but I understood it all.
“LIAM!” I yelped out loud, shrugging his shoulders “what?” I let out a sigh and turned my head and stared out the window. “Come on now, you really can’t be mad at me. I know how much this means to you!”
“Yeah and I wanted to earn it on my own, not have my bosses’ nephew convince her to give me a spread. I truly thought that I earned this, I’m going to have to tell Lorelei that I can’t accept.”
My eyes didn’t leave the scenery of buildings and people who crowded downtown London. “Phee, I’m sorry.” His hand slipped in mine, I tried to pull away but he wouldn’t let me.
“Listen, I’ll make it up to you. How about we dinner tonight, I made plans with the lads but I can always cancel.” I looked at him and sighed shaking my head. “I’m doing Nando’s with the girls tonight.” I looked away once more and watched as the car came to a stop.
Silence filled the car for a few seconds before Liam took a hold of my chin and made me face him. I felt his lips on mine but I didn’t respond. He sighed.
“Phoenix… what are we?” was he really doing this right now. “One day you’re willing to hold my hand, let me hold you, and actually want to be with me. This has been going on for the past year now,” He sighed again.
“And I know right now isn’t just about me talking to my aunt, I know it isn’t.” I began to fidget with my fingers. “Lee, I like you a lot but right now I just need to focus on me. Especially now seeing as I really have to prove myself of a spread.”
I unbuckled, pushed open the door, and then slipped out closing the door behind me. I stopped for minute, closed my eyes taking a deep breath, and then walked away.
“Good morning Phoenix, I heard about your spread. Congratulations!” I smiled and nodded, “Thank you Becky.” I walked past her and to the elevators.
He was right; I was kind of playing him. Giving him mixed signals and all but he never gives me a chance to decline. I pressed the 10th floor button and closed my eyes on the way up seeing as I wasn’t a fan of elevators, I mean I was getting better but it still was there.
As soon as the door opened I shook everything that recently happened and breathed in positive. I clocked in and within 5 minutes I was called into Lorelei’s office.
“Hey, you wanted to see me?” Lorelei looked up to me from her Mac and smiled. “Yes come in. Here are the files for your spread; it’s going to be about 5 pages…” her voice trailed as she continued to go through some papers.
“Lorelei listen,” she stopped what she was doing and looked at me. “I know Liam talked to you about give me my own spread… I’m going to have to decline. I can’t do the spread if I truly didn’t earn-“
I was cut off before I could finish my sentence. She let out a chuckle. “Phoenix sit,” I nodded my head, “yes Liam did come to my and mentioned it but he didn’t have to do much convincing. You have been here 2 years and shown me more than a lot of them out there did when they were where you were.” I took a deep breath
“You’re passionate, driven, and amazing at what you do and I can see that. Now don’t get me wrong, I love my nephew but the kid is brain dead when it comes to this industry. He’s smart, talented, and very good-looking but he’s blind as a bat and wouldn’t be able to tell a draft from a final copy.” Her smile was genuine,
“I like you a lot Phee, don’t be hard on yourself. Now take this file and move your ass. You have a spread to do.” With that I took the file, stood up, and headed out of Lorelei’s office.
For a moment a thought of him and felt bad for earlier, I decided to shake everything that happened off and focused on my work. Things are definitely looking up.
Notes
Chapter 3, bam! Liam's chapter coming up next.Phoenix's outfit: http://www.polyvore.com/when_you_smile_phoenix_01/set?id=67433174
1/4/13