Page 14 of Spinning Out Of Control

I was absolutely devastated a year later when I read about Jonathan Graham’s streaming fitness company, Spin Sync, was launching in San Francisco.

There was nothing I could do about it. I couldn’t prove that he’d stolen what I considered my intellectual property. Jonathan had been quicker, richer, and slimier than I was at twenty. Coincidentally, the news came just a few weeks before my dads came out to Los Angeles and saved my life.

By the time I’d graduated, I’d been over the pain of the betrayal. When Jonathan reached out three years ago to tell me the company was expanding and offered me a spot as an instructor, I was still pissed. I wanted to strangle him, but I wanted to work for Spin Sync more. I’d negotiated my way into an executive position alongside the instructor role, and the rest was history.

Jonathan and I have a tumultuous personal relationship, but we’ve made good enough business partners.

Still, I won’t be upset to see him go.

James bids me farewell with a kiss on the cheek that I make a show of wiping off in disgust, and I continue up the fourth-floor executive suites. I stop into my office to drop my bag and the rest of my uneaten bagel on my desk. I check my teeth in the mirror on the back of my door to make sure they’re clear of any leftover food bits, and then I let my hair out its bun, opting to tie my locks into a side braid instead. For a moment, I feel a little insecure about my outfit. Maybe I should have worn something more professional, like a blazer and some…I don’t know. What do professional women wear? Chinos? Boat shoes? I should’ve worn boat shoes.

Giving myself a once over, I decide that it’s fine. I want to appear nonchalant when I walk into Jonathan’s office. Like today is just any old day, and the meeting is just any old meeting, not one that is about to change the trajectory of my life.

Let’s be real, if I wore a blazer, I’d be setting myself up for Jonathan to mock me endlessly for being a try hard.

Nope, my ‘don’t give a fuck, just rolled out of bed and I’m ready to workout’ look is perfect. It’s cute, casual, and hot. I’m the picture of a laid back, California fitness personality.

Flipping off the light in my office, I practically skipdown the hall to Jonathan’s space. The door is open, but I knock twice on the door frame, anyway.

“C’mon in,” Jonathan calls out. I cross the threshold, immediately plopping into a chair and pulling up my legs to sit crisscross applesauce style. Jonathan is typing away at his computer and holds up a finger to signal he’ll be a moment, even though I haven’t said anything yet. I fight the urge to roll my eyes. Jonathan is arrogant, self-inflated and more than a little annoying. He always thinks he knows what’s best, and he’s convinced that his time is more valuable than anyone else's.

He finishes his typing with a gusto and a dramatic sigh, then turns to me with his practiced CEO smile.

“Kiki,” he beams, and I hold back the wince I feel at his cutesy nickname. I didn’t love it when he called me Kiki in bed, and Ireallydon’t love that he’s continued, no matter how many times I’ve asked him to stop.

“Kira,” I correct, softly. It’s not in my nature to be demure, but you know what they say. Don’t bite the hand that’s about to hand you the keys to the kingdom it stole from you, or something like that.

“Right. Kiki, we have a lot to discuss. As you know, I’ve been thinking a lot about my life, my career, and next steps. As fun as it’s been, I feel as though I’ve outgrown this little adventure of ours. I just feel like I’m built for bigger and better things, you know? I mean, you want to be a fitness instructor forever and that’s great for you, but it’s not enough for me.”

Years of working with Jonathan have taught me tokeep my face passive, even when my insides are boiling in rage at his passive aggressive, ‘I’m so much better than you’ attitude. I’d love to remind him he’d be nothing without me, the woman who is okay with being “just a fitness instructor”, but I keep my mouth shut.

He’ll be gone soon, Kira. He’ll be gone soon.

“I digress. It’s time that I spread my wings. Move beyond our little world here at Spin Sync and see what I’m capable of, you know?”

“I get it. You always had aspirations beyond being the CEO of a multimillion-dollar fitness and streaming conglomerate,” I agree, my words coming sickly sweet like I dipped them in maple syrup to mask my disdain for the man. Lucky for me, Jonathan is too far up his own ass to notice my sarcasm.

“And so, that brings me to why I’ve asked you here this morning,” he stands, rounding in his desk to prop himself on the corner in front of me. Something I definitely won’t miss about Jonathan? The stupid, ill-fitting suits with the skinny ties he wears everyday like he’s the frontman of some shitty British pop-punk band.

But even his dumbass choice of outfit can get me down today. I’ve got the money in the bank. I’ve got my legal team on standby. I’ve even got the perfect caption for my first Instagram post after the news breaks.

We didn’t come this far just to come this far.

Our journey together has only just begun.

An inspirational quote accompanied by a picture ofmy rock solid ass and back that I’ve worked so hard for, it will be perfect.

“This day has been a long time coming, Kiki. I’m delighted to be the first to tell you…I’ve sold Spin Sync. The deal is done, a new era is dawning. I’d like you to meet your new CEO.”

Jonathan gestures towards the door as my brain tries to catch up with everything he just said.

The deal is done.

He sold Spin Sync.

He sold it to someone else. My company. My heart and soul. My blood, sweat, and tears. Everything I’ve worked towards; Jonathan just gave away.

He knew I wanted it.

---