Page 10 of So Not My Type

She shoved the phone back in her purse and stared out the window. Jasmine was the one who decided to bring someone else home that night, disregard her commitment to Ella, throw their relationship out the window like trash, like Ella was meaningless. The heartbreak was more than Ella ever thought possible. Her stomach knotted thinking of the night she discovered what Jasmine had done.

Gray clouds hovered, blanketing her in murkiness. Even with the windows closed, the damp, briny Puget Sound air filled the vehicle. She shivered against the luxury leather seat and snugged her jacket lapel. Seeing her ex was not the way she wanted to start her first day of work. She had to focus. Starting now, she would bring her A game every day until she could land a different job on her own.

The car eased into its double-parked position. She’d long ago accepted the fact that her family had a driver. But was it necessary to have a twelve-mile-a-gallon giant that was the least subtle car known to exist? She didn’t love the fact that five times out of ten when she stepped out, bystanders tossed disappointed glances. People probably hoped she was a celebrity. Or maybe they scowled because she was contributing to the ozone layer deterioration.

Thomas opened the door. “Happy first day.” He inched closer. “You’re going to do amazing.”

Those hushed words and the genuine tone delivering them was the boost she needed. She thanked him and pulled in a deep breath.

A hint of cherry blossom scent wafted to her nose from a budding tree. She stepped onto the sidewalk, careful not to slip with her low heels on cracked pavement. The last thing she needed was a nosedive on the sidewalk.

She tugged the strap of the luxury cross-body laptop bag her mother bought her and glanced up at the skyscraper that would be her home for the next few months.The career self-help book she read last week repeated in her mind.Look people in the eye, smile, firm handshake.I can do this.Her first real day of work, earning money that wasactuallyhers. Her parents were staunch regurgitators of the phraseJust because we’re rich doesn’t mean you are. They aligned to the philosophy that they would never give her enough money to live on her own, otherwise she wouldn’t properly understand the value of a dollar. Which she called bullshit on as her mom handed out this lecture over the years while drinking from her heirloom teapot that cost more than most people’s weekly income. And she called double bullshit as her mother never worked a day in her life, after being handed down money from grandparents to parents to her. Ella knew in her core that withholding finances wasn’t only to teach ethics or fiscal responsibility. It was another way to tighten her golden handcuffs, which may have worked for a while. But she’d be damned to let them hold her hostage much longer.

A metro’s electric wires banged against its metal roof and the bus screeched to a high-pitched stop. And out popped Sophie, headphones wrapped around her buzzed head, rocking a retro ’80s punk-singer outfit with a skull-patterned skirt, backpack, and off-the-shoulder black shirt.Ugh.If Ella even attempted to pull off an outfit like that, she’d look ridiculous. Cool was never a word one would use to describe her. Not that she hadn’t tried. Two years ago, she made a nose-piercing appointment and freaked out when the guy approached her with forceps and a giant needle. And here, Sophie had her lip, nose, ear cartilage, probably even nipples pierced. Ella tapped her fingers on her neck and thanked herself for at least having the foresight to swap her strand of pearls this morning for the gold clasp.

A couple of cars honked behind Thomas and swerved, and the heat of a stare bored into her. She peeked at Sophie, who held an unreadable expression. Sophie’s gaze flicked between Ella and the monster SUV, her mouth twisted in an odd half smirk, half frown. Ella may not have decoded the expression, but her body did, and a sickly bubble rose in her chest.

Whatever.A lot of people had drivers, right? Okay, that wasn’t entirely true. Growing up, she hadn’t even questioned it. Only when she turned ten or eleven did she start to notice how different she looked from other kids tripping out of cars at the mall. The hot second she spent in a certain prep school in the greater Seattle area (yes,thatone), she distinctly remembered a fleet of black SUV and sedans. Not all were parents dropping off kids. Right?

Sophie stomped over, thigh-high, thick black boots with buckles running down the side.

Cursing herself for forgetting to do one final lipstick-to-teeth mirror check, Ella ran her tongue over the ridges.

“Morning.” Sophie removed her headphones and hung them from her neck. “First day. You ready?”

Not even for a second.“Yes.” Ella held back a smile until she could verify MAC Ruby Woo lipstick hadn’t seeped onto her pearly whites.

The SUV pulled into traffic, and Sophie’s gaze followed it down the street. “Funny how vehicles like that think rules don’t apply to them and can double-park and hold up traffic.”

Vehicles like that.Ella’s face heated. It didn’t take a genius to catch what Sophie was throwing. Ella bristled and walked toward the large glass doors. “I’ve seen plenty of Uber and Lyft drivers doing the same.”

Sophie glared, and Ella felt a surge of satisfaction in seeing defeat.

Sophie stepped ahead and looped her backpack behind both arms. A large button pinned to the top featured a feminine flying superhero with a rainbow cape and the wordsHave no fear: I’m here and queer.

It wasn’t any of Ella’s business if Sophie was queer. And she didn’t appreciate the tiny tingle that manifested in her belly from knowing that information.

“After you.” Sophie held the door open.

Ella wondered if Sophie was being polite, or digging at her perceived princess-nature. Ella couldn’t help but sense it was a dig.

The building was too quiet, with only a few folks trickling through the lobby, sipping coffee with AirPods glued to their ears and faces buried in cells. Ella squared her shoulders and tried to ignore the amplified clacking of her heels against the waxed floor as she moved toward the elevator. She cleared her throat, part to mask the sound, part to rid herself of whatever tacky monstrosity was happening in the back of her throat, part to cut the thick tension lingering in the air.

Was Sophie nervous? Even a little? Ella shot a quick side-glance at her and…nope.Thumbs looped through the backpack straps. A foot tapping against the floor to whatever was still streaming through her headphones. Blinking up at the flashing floor numbers. She had no idea what a monumental moment this was.

In all fairness, Sophie couldn’t possibly know. That Ella being here, now, meant Ella was on the cusp of changing her life. That what happened that night with her parents might be worth it… The threats… the words she screamed… She shook her head. She refused to revisit that moment.

Her phone buzzed, and she swiped it open.

Reminder:Appointment at UW Med. 11:00 a.m.

Crap.How had she forgotten to cancel? She shoved the phone into her bag. No chance in hell she’d leave early on her first day and let Sophie think she was getting another favor.

“The facilities person should’ve set up your desk by mine.” Sophie stared ahead.

Was Sophie avoiding eye contact? Hard to tell. Maybe she wasn’t a morning person. Or maybe Ella should apologize for being a total shit yesterday.

The elevator door opened, and Ella followed Sophie. Tables with dangling cords and monitors sprawled before her. They rounded a corner to the “Creative Hub” space, with long working tables, empty rolling chairs, funky lamps, and strange bobbleheads strewn on the desks. Ella breathed through the belly knots at seeing her home for the next few months.

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