Are You The One?

Brit nervously watched the clock hoping that Tara would make it in before either John or Stefan but as the minutes passed she regretted clocking her best friend in. At about six fifteen, a little more than two hours since they were supposed to start Stefan walked through the door with a scowl on his face.

“Hey Brit,” he said leaning against the counter. “Any sales?” he asked disinterestedly.

“Nope. A few lookers but no one made any offers,” Brit informed him.

“Where’s Tara?” Stefan asked sifting through the mail that had arrived that day.

“Um she’s…” Brit began.

“Right here. I was getting more wine,” Tara said holding two wine bottles.

When Stefan turned she mouthed the word thanks to Brittany.

Brit waited until they were alone before whispering fiercely to her friend.

“What took you so long?” she asked through gritted teeth.

“Traffic,” Tara explained.

“I’m sorry. I can’t cover for you anymore,” she said. “I almost had a heart attack just then. Can’t you just leave earlier?”

“Yes. It was a one-time thing,” Tar assured her.

It wasn’t. Tara began arriving late to work much to the chagrin of Stefan, Brit couldn’t keep covering for her. She asked Brit if she would mind if Eric could spend the night at their place instead so she wouldn’t have such a long drive every morning.

Brit agreed, she had missed Tara but about a month after Tara began dating Eric, things got better and also worse.  It was better because she had her best friend back. It was worse because Tara being home didn’t mean they really spent time together anyway. She was always pre-occupied with Eric. Even worse than that, Brit had to endure hearing their loud love making sessions while she lay in bed horny and alone.

One night she even had to turn up the music to drown out Tara’s moans. She spent a lot of time out of the apartment after that. Almost another month went by and Eric might as well have moved in. He was there most nights unless he was away on business trips. Brit found this highly amusing. Here was someone who had a huge house preferring to stay in a cramped two-bedroom apartment. It also made her smile because it showed her how much Eric cared about Tara and she was happy for her friend.

Brit didn’t want to be a black cloud of doom and gloom around them so most nights she would come home just to shower and change, say hello to Tara and Eric, and head right back out. Sometimes they invited her along but not wanting to be the third wheel she feigned plans but ended up either going to the gym or to Starbucks for their free Wi-Fi. She also started hanging out with another waitress from work, Allison, and on some nights they went to various clubs where she danced alone and sipped on the free ladies’ night drinks.  She wouldn’t return until later when she knew that they would both be asleep or at least retired to Tara’s room. That way she could just retreat to her own without forcing small-talk.  

One morning she was just getting comfortable in bed when she was awoken to her phone ringing. Brit groaned. Today was her day off. Who could possibly be calling her this early?

“Hello,” she said groggily into the phone.

“Hello good morning. I’m trying to reach Brittany Spencer,” the too loud cheerful voice rang across the line.

“This is she,” she replied.

“Hello Ms. Spencer. This is Matthew Collier from Metro News Network.”

“Metro News Network?” Brit questioned.

“Yes. We are a new publication. I used to be the editor of City News Network before the shutdown. I know it’s highly unorthodox to call on a Sunday but I received your resume and sample articles last year, when I was at City, and thought you would make a great addition to our team. We are just getting underway, with new funding and we need writers, researchers, reporters, the entire staff really. I don’t know if you’ve been hired elsewhere but I was wondering if you would be interested?” he said very fast.

“Yes! I would definitely be interested,” Brit said fully awake now.

“Would an interview tomorrow be too presumptuous?” he inquired.

“Actually tomorrow would be perfect,” Brit enthused.

“Great! Do you have a pen?” Matthew asked.

Brit quickly jotted down the address, said her thanks again, hung up and squealed. MNN might not be an established newspaper like she hoped but it was a chance to finally do what she loved. She jumped up from her bed and raced to go tell Tara. She stopped at Tara’s bedroom door. She had momentarily forgotten that she spent the night at Eric’s. She went back to her room, a little less enthusiastic and scanned her closet, trying to put together an impressive interview outfit. 

The next morning Brit made her way to her interview. She double checked the address on the sheet of paper she had scribbled it down on and made her way to the main entrance of an impressive granite building. This feels like the Daily Planet, she thought to herself with a grin. She walked up to the desk where a young blonde sat answering phones, flanked by two, armed security officers. She was busy adjusting her nametag which said Leslie and didn’t see Brit approach.

“Hello. Excuse me,” Brit said with a wave. “I have an appointment with Matthew Collier.”

“Matthew Collier?” the young receptionist echoed with a frown.

“Yes of Metro News Network,” Brit informed her.

“Um. Let me look,” she said scanning the employee directory.

She ran her finger up and down the directory. It was taking rather long. Brit wanted to suggest she look alphabetically but didn’t want to appear rude. Behind her a line was starting to form.

“Excuse me. I don’t mean to interrupt,” a handsome woman in a navy skirt suit said approaching the desk. “I was wondering if you could please tell me what floor CS&L is on? My cellphone died and I have an important interview and I’m running a little late,” she said.

“Do you mind?” Leslie asked Brit.

She checked her watch and shook her head no.

“What was the name again?” Leslie asked the woman biting her lip.

“CS&L,” she said impatiently.

Leslie scanned the directory once again.

“Oh did you say Matthew Collier?” she asked Brit.

“Yes. Matthew Collier,” Brit repeated.

“I thought you were checking for CS&L,” the lady said tapping her foot.

“Yes but I found her person and she was here first,” she explained.

“Please hurry,” the woman insisted.