There’s no way this is happening. How… why… what are the chances that the guy I called an asshole on Friday ends up being my boss?! Is the world that cruel? Does it hate me so much that it won’t allow me a moment of peace? What the hell am I meant to do now? Fuck!

The only thing I feel sitting before Zeke’s desk is discomfort. Zeke remains silent while he looks over my class schedule to determine the best days to have me come in. Kennedy left moments ago since she had other things to get to. I really wish she would have stayed because the air in the room dropped about ten degrees the second she walked out the door.

Now here I sit, waiting patiently for Zeke to say something while wishing Kennedy was the one I had to answer to. I thought she would be since she is the one I spoke to Friday. It seems the big boss had better things to do than interview possible future interns. Ok, so I shouldn’t be sassy about that because he probably honestly does but my opinion is a little biased with him for obvious reasons.

The guy I called an asshole is my boss.

What is my life? Why must I live it? I may as well quit now because I am more than doomed. There’s no word in any language to possibly describe the shitstorm that I am now in.

“Monday, Wednesday and Friday you get out at noon,” Zeke says, catching my attention. His tone is nothing like the one he had on Friday that was filled with disdain. At this moment, his voice is deep and serene yet still holds such authority that it sends a ripple down my spine.

“Yes, I do,” I answer, recalling my class schedule. I sit straight in the chair, keeping my voice calm even if internally I’m screaming every curse word I can think of. I try to present myself the best that I can since we didn’t originally meet on good terms.

Would one consider this karma or just a sick form of torture from the universe?

“Will coming in from one to five work for you those days?” Zeke inquires, setting my schedule aside before he leans back into his chair. He rests his hands on his chest, intertwining his fingers in a comfortable manner. He doesn’t seem at all bothered by any of this, while my toes can’t stop curling.

“Yes, sir, that would work for me,” I reply, feeling myself internally growl at the smirk he is now wearing because of it.

“Monday, Wednesday, Friday it is.” Zeke sits back up to scribble this information onto his calendar. He brushes back some stray strands of hair behind his ear before returning his gaze to me. “I’m not sure if Kennedy has already gone over this with you, but I’ll bring it up again just in case. Our dress code is business attire—suits and ties, though dress pants and a dress shirt are acceptable unless we are expecting guests.

“You will get a stipend at the end of this internship,” Zeke explains, which actually has me smiling. That’s nice to hear; at least I’ll get some money towards school, so it’s better than nothing. “Kennedy may have been the one to do the interview, but I am the one you report to.”

And that smile is immediately gone because, fuck, I was really hoping I would speak with Kennedy more. She’s bright and smiley while Zeke is… none of that.

I look the man up and down, taking in the apathetic expression he’s wearing combined with his intimidating presence. I can understand now why he’s the boss. His posture screams respect me. It’s annoying, really.

“You will be working with everyone in this office so you can get as much experience as possible. Eventually we will determine whether or not you can afford to work on projects or reports on your own. If you have questions or need help with something, feel free to ask any of us here. You’re not only here to help us, but we are also here to help you take advantage of the knowledge of those around you. Any questions?”

Not really a question. More like a possible apology because I have no other ideas for to fix the tense atmosphere between us. I want to bring up what happened during our first meeting, but if he isn’t bringing it up, maybe that means I shouldn’t, either? Pretending it never happened isn’t something I feel I am capable of doing, to be honest. Even now I can feel my face contorting into one of discomfort, though I’m trying my best not to show it.

If we’re going to be working together for the next few months, isn’t it better to just get it out of the way? Fuck it, I’d rather bring it up and get it over with than continue fretting about it.

“Sir—”

“Zeke is fine.”

“Zeke.” It feels incredibly weird to call him that. “I would like to apologize for what happened on Friday. I shouldn’t have called you that.”

Zeke’s eyebrows rise in surprise. It seems he didn’t believe I would bring it up. I feel my teeth nip at the insides of my cheeks while the man sits in awkward silence.

However, slowly his lips pull back into a smirk that I feel only he can pull off. “No need to worry about it.”

Huh? Really? ‘Cause it feels like the arctic in here and I’m sure that’s because of what happened.

“If you’re worried that I am judging you now based on your actions from Friday, then I assure that isn’t the case,” Zeke explains moments before getting up from his chair. I do the same, following Zeke with my eyes while he walks around his desk. “I will only judge you based on the work you do here. Believe me when I say that I will fire you if you don’t bring your best to this job. There were many people who wanted this internship and I will replace you should you not take this seriously.”

With that, Zeke pats my shoulder like he didn’t just scare the shit out of me. My eyes remain wide while his are cold and closed off. He doesn’t seem at all bothered with what he said. Of course he isn’t—he doesn’t have to worry about getting fired!

As if I wouldn’t take this seriously, though. Who the hell does he take me for? I’ll be so great at this internship that he’ll be begging to hire me by the end of it!

Removing his hand, Zeke gestures for me to follow him, which I do after a moment of internally screaming my determination to boost my morale. The two of us head for his office doors, which he opens to lead us back into the offices with everyone else.