Edited! Author's Note: Clarification

Hey, Readers! Just a quick note: A few of you have been guessing who some people are in the story...a lot of people are clearly people in my life (Ross is obviously Elie, Joe is Hillel, Jax is Hinda...) but lots of people, while rooted in real people, are fictional or an amalgam of people (What movie is that from?!). For example, David may seem familiar, but he is really two people. Also, Daniel is not really a douchebag. It's FICTIONAL. It's DRAMA! Because this whole story, while eerily similar to events in my life, is actually NOT REAL. Just clarifying. Thanks for reading!

XOXO

Addendum: Yes, Ed, you're right. Occasionally I do reveal the real "inspiration" behind the character.

Joe the Hero?!

The week wore on. I was at work from 8 am until 8 pm, hammering out the brochure. Joe and I were getting along pretty well. Drinking lots of coffee. I was also doing other projects for Ross. I was stressed. The headache I'd had for the last three days had intensified. My apartment was a mess, I was exhausted, and I was constantly checking my phone to see if the Douchebag had called. And no, by the way. he hadn't. In almost a week. And no, nothing bad happened to him because I'm sure if it did I would know. Okay?!)

Umayeah. So nothing from the Douchebag. No calls, no texts, no emails. And so I feel like it's time to pull the plug and say goodbye.
"You always say that," Lainie said, not even looking up from her computer.
"Yeah but I'm really done."I insisted.
"I know."
I sighed. "Look, if I say it enough, it'll happen eventually, right?"
"Hey." Joe waved at me from his office. "Let's go. Next round of changes."
I made a pouty face and dragged myself to his office.
"I'm thinking of moving."
"Great. You live in the crappiest neighborhood." Joe circled a blurb. "This looks weird. Double check that?"
"Yeah."
"Looking good on this page..."
"You realize this is maybe the eleventh draft."
"Make sure you cross reference these dates with the master calendar."
"Yeah." I peered over his shoulder.
"You didn't change this paragraph."
"I didn't do it on purpose. Re-read it."
Joe mumbled the blurb. "You're right. "
We slogged through the 45 page document and Joe sent me back to my desk to input his myriad of corrections. When I finished that, I dragged myself back to Joe's desk with a stack of publicity materials.
Joe rifled through the stack silently until he got to the last one. He lifted an eyebrow.
"Um, I know, that's why I'm showing it to you."
"Okay, take out that box and then rearrange everything around the graphic."
"Great, thanks." I went back to my desk. I was running out of time, these had to be printed by the end of the day. I did what Joe said. It still didn't look right.
"I can't do it." I reported.
"Yes, you can."
"Clearly not."
Joe sighed. "Let me do it."
Ten minutes later, I had a perfect piece. Joe was definitely on my good list.

This week, anyway.

ARGH!

To make my life even more difficult, I had not heard from Daniel the Douchebag in several days. WTF? Seriously!
I was so stressed and irritated. I was jotting down notes during my meeting with Joe and suddenly I burst out, "What the hell is wrong with him?"
Joe looked up from his desk. "Excuse me?"
I sighed and leaned back. Joe swiveled his chair around. "You have got to stop this," he said firmly. "This is not good for you. I wish I could tell you that there is some way to make yourself feel better when you like someone and they're not into you, but there's not. Life just sucks that way sometimes." (AUTHOR'S NOTE: Actual advice from "Joe". Not bad, right?)
"I know." I was quiet for a minute. "I just wish I knew WHY he doesn't like me."
"Not going to help you." Joe tapped me with his pen. "Come on, let's finish this up."
A few hours later, I was not feeling better. I was so annoyed that I started yelling at Eliana on the phone.
"I just don't freaking understand why he is so freaking irritating!" I started. "I mean, we freaking talk every day for a few freaking weeks, and then...nothing! That's it, El, it's over!"
Beep. I glanced at my caller ID. It was Daniel.

And so it begins...

It's starting again.

Oh, you aren't sure what I am talking about?

I'm on my third large iced coffee. It is Wednesday morning. It is early. I have already worked 22 hours. That would be on Monday and Tuesday. I am stressed. STRESSED. Two of our biggest events of the year were coming up in September, back to back, and I was coordinating a huge brochure for another client, plus the new company publicity. I also had all my usual press releases, searches, and administrative responsibilities. Oh, and I was also trying to divide my time between Joe and Ross, who both thought their work took priority. Neither liked to share me.

The brochure I was working on was two weeks overdue to the designer. I was still waiting finalization on numerous details, including prices and dates. Joe was getting VERY antsy. By antsy I mean FREAKING OUT. And Ross wanted the Moxie publicity out and we were already behind on the preliminary deadlines for the September and October events. I had heartburn. I had a headache. And I had STRESS. Half of my friends were annoyed with me because I was too tense to carry on a normal convesation without interrupting and shrieking "Oh, no, I forgot to input the December changes!". A few others, like Trace and Jax, had taken to alternating camping out in my apartment so I would not forget what they looked like. Not that I was ever in my apartment, because I was in..the office. Where else?

I had left my apartment this morning at 7 am, got to the office at 8 in anticipation of my meeting with Joe. He waltzed in at 8:45 with a large iced coffee. Just one. I gave him a dirty look. "Thanks, but I didn't want any." Joe just laughed and dropped a huge file on my desk. "Changes. Let's meet in an hour."
"Right." I said brightly.
"Great, you're here." Ross handed me a thick folder. "Take care of these. And why is the new text not on the sebsite yet?"
"Ross, I need her to finish the brochure changes," Joe interceded. "She can do this next week."
"Well, it should have been done last week," Ross pointed out. "So today."
"I'm sorry, but the brochure takes priority."
"Guys." I took a deep breath. "It's fine. It will all get done." I picked up the phone to cancel on Emily.
"Don't stay late," Joe said when Ross had returned to his office. "None of that really needs to get done this week."
"It's fine." I turned to the files. "Thanks."
"Get yourself some more coffee."
I turned to glare at him. He winked and walked away .

I am out of post it notes. This is a bad, bad omen.