Difference

(Ch. 4) Adam's POV

Adam sat at his desk at the agency, staring at the tiny gaggle of adornments that rested there. There was a blank picture frame (he didn’t know what to put in it), a little Hawaiian bobble head dog, and a lamp. It all looked rather boring - probably more a reflection of his life than he might care to admit.

Adam didn’t feel like working at the moment, especially since everybody had gone to raid the coffee room for morning fuel. He leaned back in his seat and stared at the clock by the door. It had been fifteen minutes since he had gotten there - he was always punctual - and relied on routine to get him through the day. For example, two minutes after 8:00, Sandra (the rotund woman who worked three rooms over) would run in, asking for a stapler. Adam waited until the long hand of the clock ticked over the giant twelve and surely enough, two minutes later, Sandra ran in, yelling for the stapler. Adam handed the stapler - that was unsurprisingly on Paul’s desk, as it had been every morning for the past five years - to the woman, who thanked him, and rushed back out. He turned back to the clock.

It was now 8:06, right on schedule. In about four minutes, Kelly would walk in as if she were on a runway strutting her stuff, put her things down at her desk next to Adam, and immediately sit down to begin applying more mascara and lipstick than she really needed. Adam waited expectantly, watching the door. However, for the first time ever, there was a flurry of movement coming through the door before the clock struck 8:10. At 8:08, a woman Adam had never seen before hurried through the door, her hair a mess and her face pink from exertion. She set her stuff down at the desk next to Adam’s, and quickly tried to tame her hair and undo herself from her long coat, all at the same time. Once she had wrestled her coat off, she turned to Adam and offered her hand.

“Hello, I’m Zoey. I’m replacing Kelly, so we’ll be working together from now on, Mister... um... ”

“Lewinsky,” Adam said, snapping out of his initial shock and taking her hand, giving it a firm handshake. “And please, call me Adam. Mr. Lewinsky sounds too formal. I’m your coworker now.”

“Oh. All right then, Adam. Nice to meet you,” Zoey replied, giving him a bright smile. “I know I’m a little late, but it’s my first time working here in New York, and I’m just starting to learn the ropes. I moved in about three days ago and I haven’t quite figured out my way around yet, but I promise I will do my best to be here earlier from now on.”

Adam looked indifferently at her. “I’m not your boss. I couldn’t care less whether you came in late all the time or not, just as long as you work hard and do what you say you’ll do.” He paused. “So, since you just promised to be here earlier from now on, I do care if you come in late. I just don’t hold any authority over you, so don’t talk to me as if I do. Just... be yourself.”

“Yes, sir. I mean, Adam.” She blinked a few times, opening her mouth as if she wanted to say something. She swallowed whatever words she wanted to say and, smiling politely at Adam, turned back towards her bag to orient herself.

Adam raised an eyebrow at the new girl as she began unloading her bag. He watched her slightly jerky movements caused by her nervousness and decided that his present had just gotten a little bit more interesting.

Author's Note

Let me know what you think :D