To Cure the Playboy

"Leslie, hurry up!" screamed my best friend Beth. She doesn't understand how crucial it is for me to actually look presentable at work, while a messy bun will suffice for an employee in the finance department at Harrison Inc. like herself.

I slicked my brown hair into a professional bun and took one look in the mirror before exiting the bathroom. My grey dress looked bland, boring and predictable, but that was my attire every day. I looked professional at the least and that's all that mattered.

Beth was standing impatiently in the front doorway, adding a dramatic effect by tapping her foot. She had her trademark messy bun, but she still looked gorgeous.

As always.

"I swear if it takes you this long to get ready here, I can't imagine how long it took you at your old place."

I chuckled half-heartedly. She was right; I did take forever to get ready, but only because I'm in front of cameras and press almost every day, talking about someone else's life.

I've been living with Beth for a couple of weeks now. After I was kicked out of the apartment I was living in comfortably with my former boyfriend...by him himself. He had to make room for his new girlfriend, a woman that I used to trust.

I should have believed everyone at Harrison Inc. when they said he was a slimy bastard. He's a lawyer, Garret's former lawyer when they were going through that investment scandal, a decade older than me and loaded with cash. I should have known it was too good to be true.

But I've moved on. I'm focused on my job and have blocked out any desires for a love life. Men are all the same anyway.

I grabbed my phone and purse off of the coffee table and walked to the door. My phone was buzzing with calls and missed emails from various magazines that wanted an interview with Garret, or wanted some questions answered that were not going to be answered either way.

As we walked down the hallway towards the elevator, Beth deemed it appropriate to talk about Gustavo, the janitor that she is having a "scandalous affair" with. Beth's definition of a scandal is completely different from mine. I kept trying to explain to her that Gustavo sneaking snacks from the vending machine to you for free is not a scandalous love affair, but she is completely insular to the words that come out of my mouth.

Blondes.

"So, Gustavo unlocked the vending machine again for me yesterday,” She said excitedly as we walked into the elevator. I glanced at her once, with a judgmental look in my eyes.

"Let me guess, was its Cheetos or Pop tarts? Because Pop tarts would mean that your affair has gone to a higher level.” She nudged me playfully and I laughed. The first time I truly laughed in a while.

Gustavo's secret affair. A janitor and a woman in financing. I would be shunned, ashamed. The very sound of it is so exciting,”

was waiting for the elevator door to open.

it now?" I asked.

like you from what I've

and walked ahead of Beth, so I wouldn't have to hear about Caleb anymore.

in Human Resources and was technically the one who got me the job here. Even though Garret interviewed me himself, Caleb looked at my resume and called me in. I suppose he thinks I owe him a favor for what he did, but he's wrong, because the favor he has in mind is nothing near giving him a couple of dollars

open the door. She jogged impressively in her stiletto heels and reached me, almost out of breath.

"Seriously...Les?" She asked between breaths.

was complaining about me being late."

not the reason you ran from me,” She

are taking my car. You can easily hop in

I argued "and plus, I'm paying for gas remember?"

She had been pestering me to get back on the dating train ever since my former boyfriend kicked me out. I

forget about Hudson. You used to be so happy and now you're a depressed,

I wasn't

talk about it anymore, and she put the keys into the ignition.

Seacrest,” She said, turning on the radio to KIIS FM. Right when it landed on the station, the gossip they were speaking about caught my attention for the first time since our daily

right?" A woman speaker said. Everyone in the studio agreed, adding in funny comments

with the Italian super model Maria Lombardi. She was obviously intoxicated and was barely able

Harrison hotel?" A man asked jokingly. Everyone in the studio laughed in

can't believe he's related to that old raisin tight-wad, Garret,” Beth said as she turned the corner.

tight-wad, and he doesn't look like a raisin."

laughed at my defense. "He's old, Leslie. I can't understand how Sebastian is related to Garret. I mean you've seen Sebastian?

outlook on him. Lucky for me, the second time he visited Harrison Inc. I was out sick. He ended

don't want to see him anymore, considering he's rude and inconsiderate. But he's supposed to visit next week again, some important business dealing with Garret, I'm not sure.