Chapter 3
Luna's POV
I looked at my phone, the time read 12:12 p.m. I stood up and packed up my things and slipped them back into my drawer of my cubical before grabbing my purse and walking over to Bella's.
"Hey I'm about to go grab some lunch. Do you wanna join?" I asked leaning up against the cubical wall.
She quickly stood up as she grabbed her purse off of the ground.
"Yes! I thought you'd never ask." She said with a slight laugh.
We headed out the door and walked towards the elevator
The bell rang as we got in, that's when I heard a familiar voice
"Hold the elevator!" Bella clicked the button to open the doors back up as West quickly stepped inside.
I gritted my teeth and took a step backwards.
"Thank you!" He said smiling at Bella, she blushed.
"It's no problem"
"Luna." he said giving me a nod before pulling out his phone and veering his attention towards that.
I said nothing, Bella nudged my arm with hers and looked from me to him as he stood in front, his back to us. I stood still and silent.
As the door opened up and we got to the lobby, West got off and quickly walked towards the front doors
"Lilian" he said giving a wink to a mixed girl with dark curly brown hair who was working at the front desk in the building.
"Mr. Johnson" she said with a seductive look in her eyes as she twirled a strand of her hair around her finger.
I rolled my eyes again. He seemed like such a flirt.
Bella and I got outside and walked down the steps only a couple seconds behind West, I watched as a man dressed in a dark suit opened up the door of a sleek black Audi for him.
"I wonder what that's like." Bella said as we passed him and the car.
"What is that?"
"What it's like to come from money..And so much of it."
I pursed my lips
"In my opinion I doubt it is anything to be proud of."
"Why do you say that?"
"Well think about it. You grow up with tons of money, you don't have to worry about paying for school, or sports, or a lease on an apartment, you don't have to worry about cooking for yourself or shopping for yourself either." I said crossing my arms.
"Wow…somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. What's gotten into you?"
"It's nothing."
"Luna have been best friends and have been working together for four years, I know that when you say it's nothing it's something. So spill?" she said as we approached a cross walk and waited for the cars to pass by.
I sighed
"Fine..he is an arrogant, self centered, doesn't know how to do anything himself playboy and I can't work with him!" I said aggravated.
She said looking at me with surprise.
"What exactly did he do to you?"
"Well dang…tell us how you really feel Luna."
"It's not so much what he did to me, but how he treats others. When Norman and I were going to talk with him earlier this morning, he asked Norman to go get him a drink from Starbucks."
"Oh no! Not Starbucks." Bella said sarcastically with a laugh.
"Seriously?"
"Sorry" she laughed again
"Go on" she said covering her mouth to hide her grin.
We walked a few more blocks until we reached a salad and sandwich shop on the corner.
"We hadn't even spoken to him for more than five minutes. Something as simple as getting your own coffee, and yet he has someone go do it for him."
"So what happened to not judging people before you get to know them?"
"He is not somebody I plan on wanting to get to know." I said brushing my hair out of my face as I approached the counter of the shop and ordered.
"Hey girls! What can I get for you today?" asked Sammy a friend of ours and the owner of the shop.
"The usual for me." I said as I then let Bella in front of me to order.
"Got it! I'll have that out for you both in a few." he said as we pay another one of the other workers and then took our seats at a table in the corner of the shop.
"So then tell Derek you can't work with him and let someone else do it." Bella said as she pulled her phone out of her purse.
"Bella do you remember the last person who said they couldn't work with someone. Derek fired them also. I can't be fired! The pay is slowly getting better for me, and unlike some I actually enjoy my job." I said propping both of my arms up on the table.
"Fine. Than the only other thing I can suggest for you…is that you grin and bare it. You've only got to work with him for three weeks. It'll be over before you know it."
I sighed and covered my face with my hands as my hair fell over my face.
"Crap" Bella said, my head shot up to look at her
"What's wrong?"
"You remember how I told you about Maxwell's sister and mom. How I'm positive they are both out to get me?" I looked at her raising my eyebrows and nodding.
"They are coming into town to visit and they are staying at Maxwell's for the next few weeks."
"So what?"
"I can't deal with their criticism and rude looks they give me."
"No! It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out they don't like me."
"Why wouldn't they like you? What's there to not like about you, you're funny and sweet and pretty and an awesome cook."
"Thanks..I don't know, I just get that vibe whenever they are around."
"Look just go spend time with Maxwell and don't think twice about his mom or sister and if you truly need help than just text me and I'll think of a clever way for you to ditch." I said giving her a smirk.
She grinned
"What would I do without you?" she asked laughing
"Here you girls go. So what's been up with the two of you recently?" Sammy asked as he placed our food down on the table, it smelled delicious.
"Well Luna is dealing with a crisis at work, and I'm falling victim to a family gathering at Maxwell's in which I do not want to attend." She said looking up at Sammy who was a slightly bigger guy with dark hair and dark eyes.
One of the sweetest guys I knew.
"Do what I do when I have to attend family gatherings just stay on your phone the whole time, and if you are really desperate come up with an excuse to leave..say your neighbors dog is sick and you need to take it to the vet…or something." he said with a grin, I couldn't help but laugh.
"This worked for you?" she asked
"I'm not necessarily saying it works…but it doesn't hurt to try." Bella shook her head and took a bite of her salad.
"So what's your dilemma Luna?" he asked crossing his arms.
"I have to work with an incompetent playboy." I said sighing and sipping my cup of coffee.
"Who would he be?"
"Westley Johnson."
"The Westley Johnson? Like the son of billionaire Evans Johnson?" he asked in shock.
I nodded
"Yes"
"Dang…I'm sorry about that."
"Why do you say that? He probably isn't even that bad you guys? Besides he's pretty cute." Bella said, both Sammy and I shook our heads.
"He only cares for himself." Sammy said
"You would know this how?"
"Because..I went to college with him." Sammy said stuffing his hands in his pockets.
"Sammy! Wait you went to Harvard?" I asked in surprise.
"Yeah…don't sound so surprised." he said with a laugh
"No. No I just didn't think that type of place would be your scene. I mean I-"
"You can say it. Others have." he said
"Say what?"
"How a guy who runs and owns a sandwich shop could afford to go to a school like Harvard."
"What? No that isn't what I was going to say at all. People say that?"
"Of course they do. They automatically jump to conclusion about me. I come from a very nice family and we live fairly well. So yes I went to Harvard with him, we were in the same frat house…" he said sounding ashamed.
Bella busted out laughing
"Bella!" I said.
"No! I know…I'm sorry that was uncalled for. I just can't see you in a frat house." She says to Sammy.
"Yeah..It isn't something I'm proud of now. Either way I was in the house for two years before I moved out and got my own place off campus." Sammy says.
"So what is it that he did?" she aske
"I roomed two doors down from his room. He probably had a different girl over every other night…" he said, a disgusted look on his face.
"Ew" I said
"Go on" said Bella
"Every Friday night our house would host the craziest party on campus, West always found ways to get alcohol and other things for the nights. But there was one night I will never forget.
He jumped off of the balcony and into an above ground pool he got for the backyard, the music was so loud and it reeked of liquor and weed. I think I saw some people doing lines off the kitchen table at one point.
I deadass can't count how many times I saw couples entering and exiting the upstairs that night as well.
It was awful, it was because of that party that I chose to leave and move out.
Well that and his attitude, he got into fights over the stupidest shit and got arrested twice, but of course his billionaire dad sent money over to bail him out each time." Sammy finishes his story; shaking his head.
"God, so he might be as bad as all of those tabloids say" Bella said.
"One thing is for sure, the West that I knew in college hasn't seemed to have gone away. Don't expect much from him Luna, sorry to say."
I pursed my lips and sighed
"Good to know."
Bella looked at me and touched my arm.
"Three weeks Luna, and then you won't have to worry about him ever again."
I nodded, those three weeks couldn't come and go any faster.