Chapter 5 - monday blues

“Did you have a good Saturday night?” Jared grinned, spotting Melissa walking in on Monday morning and following close behind. The young man seemed to be so full of fresh energy and enthusiasm, that he made Melissa feel like even more of a sleepy mess than she already did. He was so well groomed and smart, his hair so effortlessly sexy. Whereas Melissa still felt like she was recovering from the weekend, having not arrived home until 3am on Saturday night. Sunday had been a lost cause. It was a good job she didn’t do these big weekends too often these days, she thought to herself.

“I did, thanks,” Melissa nodded, unable to match Jared’s youthful buoyancy, no matter how hard she tried. She pushed her eyes open a little wider and tried to plaster an energetic smile onto her face. “Were you alright after you left the club? You didn’t get mugged on the way home?” she joked, seeing that Jared was looking in fine health.

“Oh, I was more than alright!” Jared grinned, seeming to be very pleased with himself.

“It sounds like there’s a story in there…” Melissa chuckled, interested in hearing more and daring Jared to continue.

“I hooked up with this sexy girl at the very next bar I went to.” He sighed in marvel of the memory in his head. “Damn! It was a hot night!” he chuckled, suddenly remembering where he was and looking around to see if anyone had heard him speaking so unprofessionally.

“A girl with a nice, big, fat butt, huh?” Melissa chuckled, still surprised by the hot guy’s taste. She had already sensed that Jared didn’t want people to overhear and so she had lowered her voice. It was their little secret and no-one else's.

“Hell yes!” Jared laughed unashamed, despite his whispering voice. He chuckled and shook his head. “I can’t believe I told you about my thing for big girls!” he joked, probably realising that he must have been more drunk on Saturday night that he first thought. But, rather than dwelling on it, Jared effortlessly returned to his usually sweet and innocent nature, greeting everyone else who came to join them in the elevator. “Hi Wendy, how’re the dogs doing?” he asked to be polite. "Morning Bill!"

Melissa watched him work, buttering his colleagues up perfectly. She could already sense that Jared was one of those people, on their way to the very top. But despite knowing a little more about him than everyone else in this company, Melissa was now certain that she was never going to be in with a chance with him, romantically-speaking. Sure, she’d been a little chubby in high school, but at only 5’5, her now slender, slim build was the stuff of dreams to many guys out there. However, it was nothing like the body that Jared desperately hungered for in his women.