Bailey

 

I held up my drink and yelled over the noise of the bar.

“And this one is a big fat fuck you to exams-I so owned you this semester, oh and cheers to finally being done.” I squealed, clicking my Jager bomb against my best friend Jessica’s before downing the shot in one gulp. I savored the smoothness of the drink and the warming sensation that washed over me as the liquor filled my belly.

“Woohoo!” I exclaimed, placing my shot glass down on the bar.

“I feel so alive right now!” Jessica proclaimed to half the bar and some people within earshot who happened to notice raised their glasses in unison and shouted out in agreement.

We were at the most popular but more importantly trendy bar in downtown D.C., called 21. Anyone who was anyone came to this bar and, I craved the vibe of being in a crowd with music playing and people having the time of their lives on a Friday night over sitting at home with my cat while drinking a glass of wine alone.

I was beyond ready to start the next chapter in my life, and though I was exhausted I was still on a mission to succeed in my career. I worked so damn hard for this degree and in a few short days, I would have a business degree from Georgetown University which in my own honest opinion had to be the most prestigious college off the entire Eastern seaboard.

“I’ll tell you one thing,” I eyed the bartender and waved him over so he would know we were in desperate need for a second round. “I’m getting fucked up tonight because you only graduate from college once,” I announced to Jessica who smiled at me with so much heart.

“Ugh, let’s just hope we meet some cute guys in here tonight who will be willing to buy us some shots because I’m ready to close out my tab and move forward with my flirting game on point.” Jessica winked at me and I tossed my hair over my shoulder in agreement eyeing the crowd for any good-looking guys. I mean I didn’t get dressed in a skin-tight black dress for nothing.

Taking a sip of water in between shots, I heard my phone buzz against the bar top and I gaze down at looked at it for a second before picking it up to check it. My heart skipped a beat because I had been a basket case when it came to checking my phone. It seemed like I was checking it literally every minute since I began popping out resumes left and right, trying to get a job before the summer started.  

“I’ve got to check this Jess, it might be a job opportunity.” I declared proudly hoping to find something in my inbox.

“Oh, look at you! Little Miss professional woman out on the prowl looking for a job. Have you been sending out applications and stuff? Because we both know that I know tons of people, so if you need interviews or need to get to the top of the contestant chain really quick, you know you can always hit me up!” Jessica looked at me with curiosity and pride. Now that she was out in the real world and had become a working, woman herself as of a year ago she was always offering up advice to me.

“I may take you up on that offer it comes down to it.” I paused for a second biting my bottom lip. One would hope it didn’t come down to that though. “I’ve been sending out tons of resumes. And I do mean tons. I’ve been a resume printing machine lately, you honestly have no idea. I’ve been like, obsessed with it, because I want to score the perfect job. Since you know I’ve got to put those brain cells to work.” I laughed at Jess and I knew she totally got me.

“Not to mention the fact that, rent in DC is not cheap. I’ve looked around and even the suburbs are ridiculously priced.” I quickly typed out the password on my phone’s lock screen and dove right into my email. It took a century to load but once it did, it was totally worth it.

“I know completely how you feel. What do they want us to do sell our souls to make rent on time? That’s why I got a roommate!” Jessica shook her head, feeling dumbfounded by the pricing in DC.

“Adulting is hard work. Like nobody prepared us for how hard it was going to be.” I said even though technically I hadn’t gone out into the shark, infested waters called real life. Though I knew, real life was just around the curve. I gazed down at my phone again, this time looking over the inbox of emails.

“Fuck yes!” I shouted a little bit louder than I needed too.

 “What?” Jessica took a sip of her Leinenkugel Summer Shandy.

“You wouldn’t believe it if I told you…” I exhaled. “But I’ve got an email in response to one of the resume’s I sent out earlier this week.” I couldn’t breathe as the excitement of the unknown zinged through me. There was no way I could suppress the feelings I was feeling

 “So, who’s the employer?” Jessica nudged me playfully. She had graduated from Georgetown too, but a year earlier, and if there was anyone I wanted here with me to celebrate it was her. She was like the big sister I never had, and we had been inseparable since we met at rush week, freshman year. We were Chi Omega sisters, and we were bound for life.

“It’s actually at Cress Industries,” I said the name, nervously, wondering if I said it to many times if I would jinx myself.

“Holy shit, are you serious right now?” Jessica stared at me with excitement. “You have no idea how proud of you that I am. I’m like beyond thrilled that you’ve got an interview there but as your friend, I must warn you that I’ve heard it's crazy hard to snag a job there.” Jessica’s face fell, but mine didn’t. I had dreams, and Cress Industries was just the tip, of the iceberg. I was beaming with pride because I knew all about Cress Industries since it was the first resume I sent out and the place I had wanted to work since I started business school four years ago.

“You girls celebrating something special?” A deep voice met my ears forcing me to twist around on the barstool. As soon as I turned to my left, I wished I hadn’t. An older guy wearing flannel was leaning against the bar right next to me grinning from ear to ear at the two of us.

Ugh. No. I thought to myself. He doesn’t belong here, not in this place. I chanced a look at Jessica who was smiling devilishly. I could tell exactly what she was thinking without even having to ask. Free drinks. That’s what was on her mind.

“Why yes, we are,” I licked my lips as if I was interested while twirling a strand of my hair around one of my fingers. “I’ve got a job interview at a bomb ass company, and I’m graduating from Georgetown University in a few days.” I boasted, a tiny giggling slipping out. All the shots I had taken were finally starting to effect me.

 “Well isn’t that something worth celebrating? Let me buy you ladies a shot. What’s your pleasure?” He leaned over to take his wallet out of his back pocket, his eyes going straight to my tits.

 Score! We’ve got a free drink.

“I’ll take a Jager bomb, and my friend here, she’ll take a lemon drop.” I pointed at Jessica who grinned and waved at him.

“Well, congratulations baby. You deserve it and good luck on landing the job.” He leaned in to get closer to me, but I pulled away. The stench of alcohol that came off of him was horrid and made me wonder about long he had been in the bar drinking.

“Um, yeah, thank you. My friend and I have to go meet up with some friends at the other end of the bar right now, but thank you again.” I lied as Jessica and I scooped up our purses and started to walk away to a booth we had seen vacant in the back. Once out of the guys reach I sucked in a breath of air.

“You ladies have a great night,” Flannel man shouted at us as we hauled ass faster than we ever had before in the direction of the booth.

“Awe, you totally hurt his feelings.” Jessica nudged me in the back playfully and I rolled my eyes at her.

“Oh, I’m sure. ” I jumped into the booth and looked at the details of the interview, finally being able to read the entire email. I read the email aloud so Jessica could know what it said too.

“Dear Ms. Bailey Gorgeson, we have reviewed your application and are pleased to extend an invitation on Monday at 4:00 pm to come into our downtown offices for a formal interview. We look forward to meeting you, sincerely Tyler and Logan Cress.

“OhmyfuckingGod, do you think I’ll have to interview with both of them?” I looked up at Jessica suddenly feeling all kinds of anxiety.

“You can only hope that dream comes true! I mean you do know what they look like right?” Jessica gushed. “Because if you don’t then we need to remedy that because they are gorgeous with a capital G. I’m talking GQ models here. Sexy and dark with dimples and flashy white teeth. They’ve got the body of Gods, I’m not even kidding you. They would but Channing Tatum to shame. I mean you’re seriously going to die when you see them. And not because you’re nervous.” She wiggled her eyebrow at me. She knew I was a virgin and teased me about it from time to time, even though it didn’t bother me very much. How I got through four years of college in a sorority still coming out a virgin was a thought that was lost on most of my friends, and even myself some days.

“Hmm. I guess I’ll find out how godly  when I get there then huh?” I shrugged and downed the Jager bomb shot that nice ol’ flannel shirt guy had been so kind to buy for me. As the smooth liquor made its way into my belly I could tell it was time for me to slow down. I needed to start pacing myself or I was going to end up getting carried out of here. But for now I still in that warm and fuzzy state of my buzz and I wanted to keep it that way for as long as I could.

“So what’s the job for anyway, because if it’s for fucking them I’m totally going to submit my resume too?” Jessica joked, making the nervousness I was feeling dissipate. She was already established at a public relations firm near Capitol Hill and I couldn’t help but admit that I was jealous in some ways that she had already hit the ground running with her career only after a year of being graduated, but now that graduation was right around the corner for me I knew that good things would start happening.

“It’s for a secretarial position.” I shrugged. “I figured it was a good way to get my foot in the door. Since ya know, I can’t exactly run the place myself fresh out of college.” I chuckled and Jessica laughed raising and eyebrow at my remark.

 “Touché,” she replied. “But in all honesty, you’re going to go crazy over these guys. Plus I’m sure the job will be gravy. Here, let me try to Google a picture of them, or hey they might be on LinkedIn.” She started typing on her phone, and within seconds she was talking again. “Oh yes! Here they are.” She shoved her phone into my face, which I took with a slight edge of curiosity.

“Sweet Baby Jesus,” I sighed as I eyed the twins in their pinstriped power suits, with blue power ties around their necks. They were standing next to each other with their arms crossed and they were both wearing deviant smiles on their faces. They looked like sex Gods which lead me to wonder to myself what they would be like in bed, though I was too embarrassed to admit that thought out loud.

“Fucking hot huh?” Jessica giggled, and I knew that if I went to this interview I was going to have a hard time concentrating on anything but them. My heart started to pound against my rib cage and all I had done was seen a photo of them.

 “So I guess I should reply and tell them I’ll be there on Monday at 4 then?” I teased as I typed up the message thanking them for the opportunity well telling them that I couldn’t wait to meet them.

Seconds ticked by where my finger hovered over the send button, and before I could talk myself out of it I hit send.

 “Ok, the reply email has been sent. There’s no going back now.”

“Trust me, once you meet them you won’t want to be going anywhere but onto your knees…” Jessica smirked, taking her shot. I licked my dry lips in anticipation. Yeah, maybe she was right…