A CONTRACT ENGAGEMENT

Camille touched her arm.”Yeah I read that too” she said. “And you don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to”

Nina shook her head. “Actually I do. I’m ready to talk about it. I think that I have kept it in too long. It was my big secret and one of the reasons why this hurt so much was because I have been trying really hard to keep it hidden… Because I was ashamed of myself, I was trying so hard to prove something to my dad and I didn’t want Julian to know about it because I was scared that he would see me differently… Like a horrible person”

She shook her head, like she was trying to shake away the bad memories, picked up her glass and finished the contents with a gulp and asked for her glass to be refilled. After it was refilled she continued.

“So my dad has always wanted me to work at his company. I know he loves me but he can be really overprotective… Even my brothers sometimes too. So a year after college I got a job with this advertising firm…. The one you read about in the paper. I got promoted to senior executive real quick-above several other junior executives who’d been there longer than I was. I and my boss were close but I wasn’t having a relationship with him. I guess someone who didn’t like me very much spread that damn story ”

She had her glass refilled again.

“Anyways,” she continued after breathing deeply. “I was so ashamed I had to leave the company and I went back to my dad’s company. Which he was more than okay with. But I wasn’t really happy there. I wanted to get out, have adventures, work hard and succeed without having to wonder if I was doing well because I was good at my job or if I was doing well because my dad was the boss. I decided to leave when I found out that my dad wanted me to marry some guy named Christopher Anderson I barely knew…. The man had my entire life planned out for me and I couldn’t take it anymore. When I applied for the job at Standard Gate, I wasn’t even sure I would get it, and when I did I was scared…. But you know, good kinda scared. I was excited and at the same time sad about pissing off my dad. And then I found out that I would have to get Julian’s account…. I gave it my best…. I know I did, but I just let my feelings for him ruin the whole thing… Ruined what I have tried so hard to build. Now tell me Camille, what’s it gonna look like to other people? Everyone is going to think that I’m a slut who would do anything and sleep with anyone just to get a position at a firm”

“I don’t think that,” Camille said softly.

Nina smiled at her. “Look at you, tryna make me feel better…. Thanks though.”

“Is it working?” Camille asked.

“Maybe a little bit,” Nina said grinning. “I don’t know honestly”

“You wanna hear a little secret of mine” Camille asked.

The bartender filled both their glasses. Nina rested an elbow on the counter.

“Sure thing” she said. “What better time and place is there to share secrets other than in a bar drinking our asses off”

“Actually, you’re the one who’s ‘drinking your ass off'”. Camille said laughing. “I’m just drinking”Belonging to NôvelDrama.Org.

Nina joined her in her laughter. “Shut up… If anything, I deserve to forget all this for a while” she said. “Now out with it”

Camille breathed deeply. “Okay, here goes. You know I kind of understand your situation…. Because I’m kind of in the same boat… Ermmm, Evan and I have actually been dating for a while now”

Nina slipped her drink, trying to hide her smirk behind her glass, but failing woefully. Eventually, she dropped her glass and said, “Ohhhhhhh”

Camille gave her a weird and surprised look. “That’s it?” she asked. “Ohhhhhhh? That’s all you are going to say? I tell you this and that’s all you’re going to say?”

Nina nodded. She was starting to feel the alcohol take effect and she was getting a bit tipsy. “Yeah.” She replied, grinning stupidly. “Is there something else you would like to say?”

“Not really,” Camille said, frowning. “It’s just that you are being kind of weird. I mean, I just thought you would be a little bit more surprised to hear it and all I get from you is ‘Ohhhhhhh’?”

Nina nodded, her smile getting even wider. “Yup, that’s all you get” she said.

Camille looked at her closely for a while, then her eyes widened in understanding and surprise. “Oh my God. You know already, don’t you?”

Nina chuckled and shook her head. “No I don’t” she lied.

Camille narrowed her eyes. “Don’t mess with me. Of course you do” she said. “That’s why you are not surprised”

Nina burst into laughter, nodding her head. “Yes I do. I know about you and Evan and I’m happy for you guys.. Honestly” she said. “Damn this alcohol. I have no control over myself right now. I can’t even lie properly…. Although that’s something I have always sucked at”

She started to laugh again and this time Camille couldn’t help but join her. When Nina finished her drink and asked for another, Camille grabbed her glass and told the bartender not to refill.

“Heyyyyyyy” Nina said, pouting her lips like a child and pointing at the glass. “That’s mine. And you should let me drink. I’m not driving, I just landed a big account for our company and I’m heart broken. If all these are not reasons to get drunk, then I don’t know what is”

“We already celebrated the account…. And alcohol does nothing but make bad decisions look good and you’re not making one of those under my watch” Camille replied and Nina groaned. She paused for a while, then she said. “Seriously, how and when did you find out about Evan and i?”

“Actually I have known for a while now. I just didn’t want to say anything to you because I didn’t know if you would want to talk about it…. And I can understand that… I had the same issue with Julian and I wanted to keep it a secret. It was Rebecca who told me anyways”

Camille rolled her eyes. “Of course it was Rebecca who told you. No gossip passes her by”