Dose 𝓢ix

Dose Six Observations:
Subject breaks dress code again as another attempt to get fired.

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The next morning, I woke up with an agenda.

Or technically, the night prior, I planned said agenda.

Briggszilla wanted me to properly adhere to the dress code, which was something that wouldn’t be happening.

In fact, the complete opposite would be happening.

The goal is to get fired, and as soon as possible.

I’m fully ready to go back to freelancing, especially if it means not being in the same building as her.

So last night, I combed through my closet, trying to find something even more inappropriate than yesterday’s outfit.

A blazer and a skirt.

It sounds boring, I know.

But there was something about the short skirt and the low-cut blazer, which was subtly short at the end.

I wouldn’t be wearing any stockings today on purpose.

And I slept in a little longer this morning on purpose, deciding not to put much effort into my hair.  

I kept it parted in the middle, pulling the wavy strands back into a cute messy bun at the back of my head.

I left a few strands out to frame my face and did a little bit of light makeup.  

Then I pulled on a pair of black, clear-lens glasses.

And even though my feet still hurt from the day before, I still picked a pair of stilettos that were three inches.

They weren’t platform, thank god, but the height of the heels was enough to add to my look.

After I finished in the bathroom, I quickly sprayed some perfume on my wrists and neck.

Then I put on some jewelry—a delicate silver necklace with a matching bracelet.

Once they were both clasped into place, I walked out of my bedroom with Jynx following me.

Her paw patters were faint compared to the clicking of my heels.

And I could feel her blue eyes on me, staring up at me with a look that said—

This again?

It was only my second time leaving her for another long day, and I knew she was still trying to make sense of it.

There’s really no point in her adjusting.

I’ll be fired soon, and we can move on from this little point in my life.

“I’ll be back in a few hours, Jynxie,” I murmured as I scratched behind her ears, briefly kissing the top of her head before I rose to my full height again.

I glanced over when my phone buzzed, quickly grabbing it when I noticed it was a text.  

I assumed it was from Zion, but it turned out to be Lia instead.

Hey, are you free any time soon?

It was blunt and without any sort of details on why I would need to be free.

Or when I should be free.

I decided not to answer—I was already behind, which is fine with me, but I know Zion likes to walk in with me.

Yesterday he waited, even though I was a couple of minutes behind.

I didn’t want to do the same thing to him today.

So I locked my phone and told Jynx a brief goodbye before quickly grabbing a Pop Tart.

I opened it as I slung my large purse over my shoulder, exiting my apartment as I took bites of the substitute breakfast I chose.  

Surprise-surprise, it wasn’t raining for once.

Or at least right now.

The sky looked like it had swallowed a bunch of smoke—even the clouds looked dark.

My goal was to get to work before the downpour started.

Nothing is worse than driving in heavy rain when people magically forget how to operate a car properly.

Otherwise, I didn’t really care, especially since I would be getting out in the parking garage, so there wasn’t a chance of getting wet.

Levane looked just as it did yesterday.

Probably scarier.

I’m not even sure how a building can look fucking scary, but it was the sharp edges of it, how the hundreds of windows glimmered.

The dark grey sky seemed to make the building look even more like a villain compared to the others on the street.

Maybe it was a villain.

Maybe the things that go down in that building contribute to the downfall of society’s health as a whole.

That’s not even a maybe.

I’m sure whatever Levane is working on won’t be beneficial for the public.

Perhaps for the rich it will.

“Libs,” I heard his deep voice as soon as I stepped out of my car.

“I’m coming-I’m coming,” I quickly murmured, draping my bag over my shoulder.

Then I closed my door and quickly reached for my keys, locking the Porsche with a few soft beeps.

Zion was dressed in a brown turtleneck sweater with dress pants and leather dress shoes.

They looked so shiny that I contemplated whether he shines all of his shoes before leaving the house.

“What?” I said as soon as I registered the look on his face.

It was blank.

His lips were pursed, blinking at me like I had somehow fucked something up without being here less than a minute.

“Again?” Zion asked, glancing down at my outfit.

I smiled, halting my walking to do a small twirl.

“This is cute, right?” I asked him, somehow earning an even blanker look than before.

“Briggszilla’s going to dress code you again,” Zion pointed out, making my smile grow wider.

“I know,” I whispered with a dramatic amount of excitement, “Hopefully, this is the day I get fired,” I said, clasping my hands together as if I were praying for it.

I am praying for it, in all honesty.

“She’s not going to fire you,” Zion pointed out as we walked together toward the elevator. “Only one person can fire either of us.”

“Apparently, even she can’t,” I mumbled, clicking the button for the elevator.

It lit up immediately, and one of the three elevators dinged open, the shiny doors sliding open.

“She made that clear in the email she sent me last night,” I added, stepping on the elevator with Zion.

“She emailed you?” Zion asked, clicking the button for the lobby. “Like she as in—”

“The chief executive officer,” I quoted the stupid plaque by her office door. “Yes, Zi, she emailed me.”

“She didn’t email me,” he emphasized.  

“Be grateful,” I mumbled, watching the floors rise past the parking garage levels.

“Why did she email you?” Zion suddenly asked, causing my stare to shift to him.

“So, you’re going to be nosy instead of grateful?” I joked, nudging him with my elbow.

He wasn’t amused.

I sighed dramatically. “Just to tell me that she wasn’t aware that we were hired in the first place, and to report to Briggszilla moving forward. Both things I had gathered by that point.”

“Did she acknowledge us both in this email?” Zion said, like he was writing a fucking book or something.

“Obviously not,” I said as the elevator doors dinged open. “She probably can’t discuss your work situation with me.”

“Right,” Zion mumbled, making me side-eye him as we stepped off the elevator into the busy lobby.

Just as yesterday, everyone was focused on getting from point A to B.

There was no stopping, no misstep, and definitely no time to look around.

I quietly walked by Zion’s side, trying to blend into the crowd despite my outfit that made me stand out.

But no one had time to even look at me and judge my outfit from head to toe.

It helped me relax a little, following Zion over to the wall of elevators.

There were already a few people hopping on one—some guy in a crisp suit even struck his arm out to hold the elevator for us.

Zion spoke for us both, murmuring a brief thank you as we stepped on.

Then he reached over to click our floor for us, allowing the shiny doors to smoothly close.

The elevator doors were so polished that I could see everyone in the reflection, standing silently.

It was a little awkward, so I glanced up, watching the floors pass us.

We stopped three times total.

The first time, only one person got off.

The second, the majority of everyone stepped off.

And the third, two people got off.

Then it was just me and Zion, heading to the very top.

At least until the elevator stopped again, earning a deep sigh from Zion, who I knew was thinking about us being a few minutes late.

But the moment those shiny doors slid open, he stiffened up.

I think I even stiffened up, squeezing my hands by my sides to ground myself.

Her blue eyes darted down immediately, acknowledging my hands crumpled into fists.

Then her stare shifted, openly zoning in on my outfit.

Disapproval.

Maybe annoyance.

Her face never fully showed it.

But her tense shoulders draped in that familiar white lab coat proved something.

She wore a smooth black shirt and dress pants underneath, her stilettos shining under the fluorescent lights from the lab.

I wasn’t sure when I started holding my breath, or if I already had been, but what I did know was that I didn’t want her in here with us.

I wanted her to take a different elevator, not this one.

“Ms. Fierro,” Kara’s annoying voice cut into my head.

It triggered a headache immediately.

“You disregarded dress code again,” Kara added, standing beside Monroe in a tan blouse and a calf-length navy skirt.

Of course, she had on those stupid tan stockings and her iPad cradled in her arm.

Also, a white lab coat for once, which must be necessary to set foot on this floor beyond those glass doors.

“I did?” I asked like I wasn’t aware whatsoever. “I thought this blazer and skirt would be good?” I purposely added, furrowing my brows just slightly.

“That’s hardly a blazer and that skir—”

“Ms. Briggs.”

Her soft voice diverted my attention.

I think it even diverted Zion’s, too, who I knew was nosily taking this moment in.   

“There’s a meeting I would like to attend on time,” Monroe said, her voice nearly melting into the air like velvet.

I hate her.

“Right, yes, Dr. Leclair,” Kara said, stepping on the elevator with a nod. “But we take our dress code very seriously—”

“I’m well aware,” Monroe said, stepping on the elevator despite my internal arguments for her not to.

It felt like the space had shrunk.

I could smell her familiar floral perfume.

I could feel the warmth of her—the same warmth that would be pressed against me in the mornings.

The air even felt heavier than before.

Maybe it was because we were exchanging the same air.

That was all I could think about suddenly.

And then—

Those annoyingly polished doors closed.

And there she was.

Her blue eyes on me, and mine annoyingly pinned on her.

She held her hands calmly clasped together, and her tense shoulders rolled back as usual.

I looked away with an eye roll.

But I could still feel her.

I could feel her stare still burning into me, like she couldn’t possibly be an adult with manners and look away.

She never does look away.

She stares at me as if she’s entitled to.

“Ms. Fierro,” her soft voice suddenly coated the air, but I refused to look over at her again.

I only hummed in acknowledgment, not even wanting to say a word to her.

“Go home.”

That was enough to make me glance over. “What?”

“You’re not properly dressed,” Monroe said as the doors dinged open. “Go home.”

Suddenly, I didn’t want to go home.

I didn’t want to do anything she told me to.

This is a win, but it felt like I was losing somehow.

Especially since I could see Kara smirking out of the corner of my eye as they stepped off the elevator.

I fucking hate her.

I hate them both.

“Of course, Dr. Leclair,” I decided to say with a fake smile.

Monroe turned her head to the side, her blue eyes locking with mine over her shoulder.

It made me draw in a breath whether I liked it or not.

“We’ll dock your pay for today,” she had the nerve to add, her stare not wavering from mine. “And any other day you decide to arrive underdressed.”

I fought the urge to scoff.

I lost.

My scoff was loud and dramatic, “I’m not even underdressed. This is an outfit, is it not?”  

It sounded sassier out loud than it did in my head.

“You’ll continue your work from home today, Ms. Fierro,” Monroe repeated yet again, completely disregarding my question. “That’s final,” she said, turning back around completely.

And even if Kara was facing away from me by Monroe’s side—I just knew she was having a fucking ball with this.

It made my blood boil thinking about her smiling happily to herself.

“Mr. Lewis,” Monroe suddenly called out, now walking as Kara followed along.

Zion glanced away from me immediately. “Yes ma’am?” his deep voice echoed.   

“You should already be at your desk,” Monroe said, her voice as calm as ever, “Unless you’re aiming to work unpaid today like Ms. Fierro.”

Zion struck his arm out before the elevator doors could close on us, turning around to mouth a brief sorry before he stepped off.

“Uh, I’m not aiming for that,” he told her, but he didn’t rush to catch up with her.

I knew he kept the distance for a reason, especially after what I told him about Monroe and her family.

I rolled my eyes with another scoff, “I hope you have the most excellent day—all of you,” I sarcastically said, wanting to get the last word in before those doors shut.

But Monroe already fucking won this conversation—she didn’t have to say anything else.

And she never did.

She only continued walking, her heels sharp with each step, and her white coat annoyingly outlining her figure.

I glanced away from them as the shiny elevator doors shut, crossing my arms tightly over my chest as I tried not to revert to my old ways and throw a fit.

But I genuinely wanted to kick and scream my way out of this building.

I had to squeeze every muscle in my body to prevent myself from doing so, which awarded me a stupid cramp in my calf.

I fucking hate today.

I hate her.

She can’t just do that.

She can’t just send me home to work without paying me.

Yes, she can.

Fuck, of course she can, and she knows that.

So whether I liked it or not, I was heading home to work unpaid for today.

And on top of that—

It was now downpouring rain.

Fucking great.

Not only did people forget how to drive, but I was also stuck in standstill traffic for close to twenty minutes.

The drive is normally five minutes if the lights are all green, so even sitting in traffic for that amount of time was fucking insane for me.

Safe to say, I was pissed by the time I made it back to my apartment.

Even Jynx was confused, whether it was the way she circled around me or just dead staring at me without nuzzling against my leg or attempting to touch me.

It was the first time I had a bigger attitude than hers.

It caught her off guard, especially when I sat in silence on my laptop working.

I really only sat there for a few minutes until I realized—

I don’t have to do anything.

I’m not getting paid, and no one can make me.

I would get the last word in by not doing it at all.

And it felt damn good shutting that laptop.

I grabbed my phone wanting some kind of plans for the day, but Sarai was in class and Zion’s at work.

Then suddenly, I was staring at Lia’s text that I had never answered earlier.

It could be good to make a new friend, honestly, especially for moments like these.

So I texted her back, asking if she was free for lunch today.

Then I closed my curtains and got comfortable in bed, now wearing sweatpants and a sports bra.

Once my phone was on the charger, I flipped over on my side, reaching out for Jynx, who had climbed onto the bed with me.

She let out a deep meow as I cuddled her against my body, closing my heavy eyes as I let myself fall back asleep.

I finally felt content again, knowing Monroe would see that I didn’t complete any work today.

Or Briggszilla would tell her at the very least.

I fell asleep with a happy smile on my face and the warmth of Jynx against my stomach.

It wasn’t until an hour later that I woke up, feeling well rested and calmer than I had been earlier.

Maybe I was just tired.

And hungry since all I had was a few bites of that Pop-Tart that’s still wrapped up in my purse.

Luckily, Lia texted back, so we were on for lunch now.

At this point, I was starving.

I rushed to get ready, putting on something casual.

It was a matching black set, which always made me look put together.

The leggings were flared, and the long-sleeve shirt clung to my waist.

I pulled my hair up into a ponytail at the back of my head, gelling down any stray baby hairs.

Then I slid on a pair of Nikes and kissed the top of Jynx’s head before leaving my apartment.

Lia let me choose the place since she was new to the area, so I purposely chose somewhere nearby.

The closer it was, the quicker I could eat.

She hadn’t even arrived yet, so I decided to go ahead and get us a table and an appetizer.

The weather was completely different now.

The sky was blue, and the air had a subtle breeze just like I preferred.

It was so nice out that I agreed to a table out on the patio.

I even ordered an appetizer while I waited and two waters because who would say no to water?

The mozzarella sticks turned out to be heavenly—from the cheese pull to their crispiness.

And the marinara sauce was steaming too.

God, it was perfect.

“Lia, hey,” I said as soon as I noticed her approaching my table, holding my hand over my mouth as I chewed.

She had her brunette hair in two big dutch braids that looked perfect enough to be on someone’s Pinterest board.

Her face was covered in very minimal makeup, if any at all, and she had on a loose grey top that she wore off one shoulder with a tennis skirt.  

“Hi,” Lia said with a smile, sitting down at the table across from me. “I’m so glad that we can do lunch.”

“Me too,” I said, swallowing the bite I had been chewing. “Sorry—mozzarella sticks. I was hungry.”

“They smell good,” she said, glancing down at the plate. “Can I?”

“Go for it,” I said, pushing the plate closer to the middle. “I got two waters because I figured no one rejects water.”

“Smart,” she said, reaching for a stick and tearing it open.

The cheese pulled like a commercial, and she parted her lips with an impressed look.  

“How are you liking Seattle so far?” I suddenly asked, reaching for another mozzarella stick.

“I haven’t seen enough to make a real opinion,” she said, bringing the half to her lips. “But I love the air. It feels fresher, I don’t know, maybe it’s a placebo.”

“No, I agree,” I said with a nod. “Where’d you move from again?”

“East Coast,” she said, the vaguest answer known to man. “I bounced around a lot recently before settling on Seattle.”

“Why here?” I curiously asked.

Lia silently stared at me for a moment, chewing a few times.

It made me feel a little awkward, wondering if I asked a wrong question or something.

“I heard a lot about it,” she finally said.

“Oh, okay,” I whispered, glancing down at the plate in the center of the table. “What do you do? Work-wise,” I decided to ask a safer question.

“Nothing right now,” Lia said, making my brows furrow.

I wondered how she was affording anything in the city, or anywhere in general, with inflation.

“My parents have been handling stuff for me, which I’m grateful for,” she added, clearly sensing my confusion.

“Yes, I’ve been there before,” I determined, recalling when I recalled on my mother.

Or even… Monroe.

“So you work in… tech?” she asked.

I nodded a few times. “Yes, well, unfortunately, given that I’m at this fellowship now,” I briefly answered. “It’s for a big pharma company. I should’ve read the details before signing on.”

Lia nodded a few times, taking another bite of the mozzarella stick. “Always read thoroughly,” she said, setting one of the mozzarella stick halves down to reach for her water.

“I’ve learned that a couple times by now,” I said, stabbing the mozzarella stick in marinara. “Now I’m stuck trying to get myself fired. Yesterday I wore something HR would frame and use as a training slide, and today I got sent home for doing it again.”

Her brows rose curiously. “Sent home?”

“Docked pay and everything,” I mumbled.

“What’s your plan once you get fired?” Lia asked.

“Go back to freelancing. Wake up when I want. Take my cat to brunch,” I explained, like it was just that simple.

“You take your cat to brunch?” Lia asked, an amused smile on her lips.

“If they have quality seating for her,” I said, knowing Jynx is very particular. “Her name is Jynx. She’s my little diva.”

“Aw, she sounds nice,” Lia said, her smile growing wider.

“Do you have any pets?” I curiously asked, setting my half-eaten mozzarella stick down.

Lia hesitated.

The tiniest pause that I unconsciously picked up.  

“Never really got to,” she said, reaching for her napkin to dust her hands off. “Maybe I will now.”

“You totally should,” I didn’t hesitate to say.

“I should,” Lia murmured, reaching for her water. “Tell me more about Jynx.”

“Okay, so she has this fur as white as snow, and these bright blue eyes,” I said, unconsciously smiling to myself as I envisioned her cute face. “I got her when she was a few months old, so now she’s a little over a year,” I added, and it wasn’t hard to begin talking about Jynx fully.

Suddenly, the entire conversation became about her.

The waitress even came over so we could order our food, and we still reconvened back on Jynx.

Once I got my sandwich and Lia got her salad, we switched the topic over to our plans for this fall.

Lia seemed as enthusiastic as me, so we decided we would have to do a few things.

I think Sarai and Zion would really like her, too.

We also had a really good lunch too—she seems like a good friend already.

Now I just need to figure out how to get fired, and all will be good in the world again.

I didn’t realize how good I had it in California.

Now, I’m determined to get back to freelancing and spending my time with Jynx.

Hopefully, not doing any work today would push me closer to getting fired.  

And I won’t be adhering to the dress code tomorrow either.

They can keep sending me home, I don’t care.

I will win this.