Two

Hailey strolled through the busy streets of New York City as the traffic and pedestrians yelled at each other.

She was lost in thoughts as she wondered how her day of promotion turned to the day she got fired. This wasn't what she was expecting at all.

Her phone beeped and she glanced at it wondering if it was her best friend, maybe wanting to check up on her and know the progress of her promotion.

Tears misted her eyes as she unlocked her phone but the tears disappeared immediately she saw the number displayed on her screen.

It wasn't her best friend, it was the lying snitch who had thrown her under the bus and wrecked her life and her career!

He wanted to meet, right? A sly smile blossomed on her lips and she cackled maniacally earning weird glances from people around.

She couldn't care less. She was about to show him that he shouldn't take her for granted and by the time she was done with him then he would regret his actions.

She headed towards the restaurant he had typed in as the address. With her map, she found out it was so far from where she was but she ended up trekking for twenty-five minutes.

When she entered the restaurant, she saw him smiling at her and waving from a reserved table.

“Hi, honey,” he smiled at her, kissing her cheeks.

Hailey gave him a tight-lipped smile. “Hi.”

“I’m so glad you were able to make it for a moment. I thought you would be too busy at work,” he stated.

She gave him a saccharine smile. “I’m here. What's the occasion?”

“I got a promotion at work!” he exclaimed happily.

Hailey nodded and he gave her a weird look.

“Congratulations,” she mumbled.

“Babe is that all you've got to say?” he queried.

The nerve of this snitch!

“Actually, I've got a lot to say,” she stated calmly.

He gave her an encouraging look. “Go ahead.”

“You are a lying bastard and a piece of shit!” she yelled at him.

The customers in the restaurant glanced at them and then ignored them.

Hailey almost doubled over with laughter as he gave her an innocent look. His brown eyes were furrowed in confusion and his pink lips pouted in a small frown.

He smoothed his white plain shirt and ran a hand through his messy dark curls.

Her boyfriend, Conner gave her a small smile and edged her on.

“Go on darling.”

Hailey wasn't the least bit fazed by his acting.

“You used me!” she snapped.

He nodded, then pointed out. “We used each other. It was a mutually beneficial relationship.”

She glared at him, anger radiating off her. “That was supposed to be my story! You know how badly I've needed that promotion.”

He shrugged. “All is fair in love and war, darling. I saw the story and it was a nice story so I jumped on it to boost my career.”

“Then you fed me lies,” she snapped.

“Hey don't blame me for your incompetence. As a journalist, you are supposed to double-check your sources before you jump to conclusions like printing it in the paper,” he said.

She gaped at him, shocked. “I was supposed to double-check my sources? You were my source!”

He tsked. “That’s where you got it all wrong, darling. I just decided to help you for my benefit. You're the one who thought I would put our romantic relationship in the way of our career.”

Hailey was stunned. “I lost my job, Conner.”

He frowned. “Ouch! I didn't see that coming but I'm sure I can tell my manager, he could offer you a position on Channel 5 once an opening comes out.”

“My boss was sued with a ten million dollars lawsuit,” she stated even further.

He shrugged. “She’s worth more than that.”

Hailey’s bad mood got worse, there wasn't any atom of remorse in his blood for what he had done. Then Miss. Whitmore’s voice rang clear in her ears.

This is New York, baby. The earlier you learn to stand on your own the better for you.

Conner used her to get to his ladder of success and left her to sink below him!

Rage flooded through her veins and her hand acted on its own. She slapped him across the face, hard!

He clutched his cheeks and glared at her, attracting the attention of other customers who didn't want to look away at some lovers' squabble.

“What was that for?” he quizzed angrily.

“That is for being the world's greatest douche bag. We’re over, asshat!” she snarled.

“You’re gonna regret this, Hailey. I'm the only one that can get you through your career in New York City,” he bragged.

“You already ruined my career, I won't allow you to ruin my life!”

With those words, she picked up her bag and left the restaurant while she heard him order an expensive wine. He could drink all he wanted; she could only wish he would choke on the drink.

She bit her lips hard, drawing blood as she jumped into the nearest taxi. She needed to vent and cry because truth be told, she had loved and trusted Conner and now she was feeling very frustrated.

***

“I can't believe he was such a jerk!”

Hailey nodded sniffling into the tissue as her roommate sympathized and consoled her.

“To think he lied to you and got you to lose your job on the day you were supposed to be promoted and he didn't feel guilty about it,” Ciara steamed quietly.

“And to think I actually had feelings for him,” she bemoaned, “Oh, I'm so pathetic, Ciara.”

“No, you're not. You're a strong woman and you'll bounce back to your feet in no time,” Ciara encouraged her fiercely.

Hailey shook her head as tears rolled down her cheeks. Losing her job and boyfriend in one day wasn't such an encouraging moment.

“I don't have a job, Ciara. I can't do what Miss. Whitmore wants me to do.” she cried.

She saw Ciara chew the inside of her cheeks and put on her thinking face then suddenly a smile spread across her face.

“Oh no, I know that look. What are you planning?” she asked with a dreadful look in her eyes.

Ciara gave her an innocent look as she typed furiously on her laptop.

“Me? Why would you think I'm planning something?”

Hailey gave her a pointed look. “Because I know you.”

Ciara chuckled. “I just set you up for an interview for a new job tomorrow at 8 am.”

Hailey gazed at her, shocked. “How did you do that so fast?”

Ciara giggled. “Don’t get so excited. Just wait till you get to the job interview tomorrow. It's going to blow your mind away!”

Hailey gave her a suspicious look and she shrugged.

“What did you do, Ciara?”

Ciara shrugged. “Let’s just say I just got you an exclusive job.”

Hailey tried to probe more information from her but she wouldn’t divulge anything so she ended up going to bed filled with curiosity and anxious for daybreak.

Who knows what Ciara has planned for her.