[Swan]

((OOC: As stated in the description, this is a closed RP but if while reading you feel there is something you can bring to the story, by all means shoot me a PM and I'll be more than happy to consider it!

With that... enjoy the story!))

*tick, tick, tick, tick* The sound of the wall clock was deafening in the silent corner office where the young blonde spent the majority of her days and some nights. Allison Bormann was a real go-getter and had been since she was a child. She had always been one of the prettiest girls in her class with soft blonde hair and pale green eyes; during the summer she would become the perfect shade of tan which complimented her flawless complexion. All of these things made her stand out, but her mind also caused people to flock around her. Alli was always striving to be the best at everything she did and it showed in her grades and performances in each sport she played. Without question she was Class President and Valedictorian of her class. Alli had everything going for her and it carried over with her into adulthood.

Green eyes darted from the stack of paperwork stacked neatly in the center of the mahogany desk up to the clock; it was almost 9:00 p.m. Alli closed her eyes and exhaled slowly, ‘Where did this day go?’ she thought to herself and her nimble fingers began to massage her neck and shoulders. Just then the black phone on her desk rang; she looked down and saw that it was John, a co-worker. “Guess I’m not the only one here at this hour,” she said quietly and picked up the receiver. “Hello?”

“Oh… hey Alli. I wasn’t expecting you to pick up. I thought you had left hours ago with everyone else.” John’s voice sounded tired but a bit cheerful that he did in fact catch the beautiful blonde still at her desk.

“Yeah, I’m still here… trying to finish up this portfolio for the Zemeniski-Walker account. What’s up?” Alli leaned back in her black leather chair and turned to stare out the enormous windows overlooking the harbor and city; mindlessly she twirled the phone cord around her index finger and watched as a small boat drifted along the black waters.

John cleared his throat, “Well, um… I was wondering if you would be able to give me a hand with this account I’m working on. I can’t seem to get the numbers right and its due by Friday. I really don’t need to look like a moron in front of the clients when they come to hear what we can do for them.”

Alli swiveled back around to her desk and pulled the sleek black planner from the top tray. “Let me see,” her eyes scanned the page and she began to nibble at her bottom lip. “Well, the only time I have available is either Wednesday around 6:00 p.m. or we can meet early on Thursday, say around 7:00?” There was a silence on the other end of the line and Alli quietly rapped her fingers on the planner. To be honest, she didn’t have the time to spare helping him out but Alli never was one to turn someone away if they truly were in a bind.

“Umm… Wednesday would be good,” John said and then paused before continuing the racing thought in his head, “And I can take you to dinner afterwards as a Thank you.”

Alli laughed a charming little laugh and spoke, “That won’t be necessary John. I don’t mind helping. Besides, I’ve already got dinner plans that night around 8:00.” She was totally lying but didn’t want to hurt John’s feelings. Truth be told, Alli hadn’t been on a date since college. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to date; it was that she never had the time. Her life was always rushing around to do this, go here, go there, eat, sleep… breathe; she just didn’t have any space in her life for a relationship, much less a date.

Many have called her determined and goal oriented, but others called her obsessed with climbing up the ladder. Some even went as far as calling Alli a cold heartless bitch but that above all others was the farthest from the truth. Alli prided herself in the fact that she was the youngest executive her company had ever had and that not many 26 year olds had their own luxury home, vehicle and even a loft apartment located downtown for those nights that work kept her too late. She was very successful and it was her hard work that got her where she was, something she was determined to do on her own instead of “sleeping her way to the top” like most women in her profession.

Alli took a deep breath and continued to speak into the receiver, “How about I get a rain check… when we’re not so swamped, okay?” John half-heartedly agreed but knew deep down that he would never get that date. “Well,” she sighed, “I think I’m going to get out of here John. Don’t work too late.” Alli smiled her million dollar smile even though she knew John couldn’t see her but it was felt through the phone as the tone of his voice seemed to lighten a little when he said that he would be leaving shortly as well.

Alli sat the receiver back upon the phone and picked up the stack of papers. She had finished the proposal days ago but the appointment wasn’t until tomorrow and she wanted to look it over several times to make sure that everything was in order. She carefully placed the papers in a manila folder and then in the desk drawer for quick retrieval first thing in the morning when she would go over the plan with her superiors before the clients would arrive. If everything went as planned and they liked what Alli had to offer, she would make her company a substantial amount of money. This made Alli’s lips curl into a soft smile and then she locked the desk.

After straightening her office, Alli pulled the light trench coat from the coat rack in the corner of her office and slipped it over the expensive pin-striped skirt suit she was wearing. The dark navy accentuated her blonde hair and seemed to make her eyes have a teal shade rather than the normal pale green. She turned off the lights as she exited the office with Gucci bag and black briefcase in hand and made her way down the long hall to the front entrance to the suite. As she pressed the elevators down button, she heard John around the corner, cursing at the copy machine and couldn’t help but smirk. ’They really should replace that thing,’ she thought and then pressed the elevator button again.

As Alli stepped out into the brisk October night, she pulled the collar of her coat up around her neck and a gust of wind sent her golden locks flying around her face. Her boss had picked her up that morning for an early meeting with potential clients so she did not have the black Mercedes sitting in the parking garage for her; she would have to hail a cab for the ride home.

As she moved to the edge of the curb, she looked at the oncoming traffic, searching for the bright yellow lights atop one of the local cab company’s cars. In the distance she saw one nearing and began to wave. The car seemed to be traveling in slow motion and Alli began to feel chills race up her legs as the cool air slipped up her skirt. “Come on,” she said through clenched teeth and sighed a trembling sigh of relief when she noticed the driver turn on his turn signal indicating he was going to pull over. “Thank God,” she said again and quickly opened the backseat door to the cab and slipped inside. “8452 Greenmar Place,” she said with determination and the cabbie simply nodded and raced towards her home.

This post has been edited by Swan: 03 August 2009 - 09:26 PM