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oklcmc · 2 years

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⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀،̲،̲⠀⠀⠀𝐏𝐋𝐔𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐏𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐄 pt. 𝟏╱𝟐

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀〝⠀If I try to spend SOME TIME with you to make you HAPPY⸝ would you FEEL BETTER？⠀〞

⋆ Ꮺ ָ࣪ ۰ SUMMARY：⠀⠀⠀‘’⠀⠀⠀In which a diligent young woman takes off early from work in order to care for her〝supposedly〞sick boyfriend back at home⸝ despite the fact that it’s pouring down rain outside.⠀⠀⠀‘’

⋆ Ꮺ ָ࣪ ۰ WORD COUNT：2⸝ 296

⋆ Ꮺ ָ࣪ ۰ PAIRING：bryshere y. gray ✕ black!publication editor-in-chief!female oc

⋆ Ꮺ ָ࣪ ۰ FOREWARNING：none thus far.

⋆ Ꮺ ָ࣪ ۰ FUN-SIZE PLAYLIST：i. swv - rain⸝ ii. jamie foxx - rain ❪forcass❫⸝ iii. new edition - can you stand the rain⸝ iv. faith evans - soon as i get home⸝ v. faith evans - reasons

⋆ Ꮺ ָ࣪ ۰ AUTHOR’S NOTE：⠀⠀⠀‘’⠀⠀⠀Reminiscing on that ‘17-‘18 New Edition Wattpad application run while watching their Essence Festival performance this past weekend and thought to repost this gem to this platform instead. I don’t know if I’ll ever finish it⸝ but it’s something to hold y’all off ‘til I make my real return... That’s only if you haven’t read it already through the orange application already. Happy readings⸝ Mermaids!⠀⠀⠀‘’

Lower Manhattan⸝ New York⸝ New York ⋆ Late January

Indra Grady, indisputably the first young Black American woman to take on being editor-in-chief of teen entertainment and music magazine, Trailblazer, stood with confidence in her ombre Christian Louboutin pumps at the headquarter's conference room. Her wide-leg pants hugged her Coke bottle frame nicely while her sleeveless crop top exposed just the slightest bit of her flat stomach, but nevertheless, she was gonna conceal it with a blazer so that she wouldn't have her boss preaching to her about the Code of Conduct again.

It wasn't like she would be laid off anytime soon or knocked from her current position. She had generated more buzz with last month's issue featuring the once Los Angeles Hip-Hop collective known as Odd Future and an exclusive 6-page interview on why they decided to disband than anyone before her. Everyone had been trying to get on or in next, from basketball players to Trap artist. Although that might just bring their sales to an all-time high, she had another profitable idea in the works for next month's issue. She was looking to make Trailblazer the YSB magazine of it's time.

The electric projection screen began to ascend and the dim cove lights of the conference room began to brighten once the 30-second promotional ad starring the multi-talented, Lee Daniels came to an end.

Everyone looked to Indra whom was now standing at the head of the conference table with one hand tucked within the pocket of her pants and the other grasping the remote to the projection screen. Her face said it all.

There was definitely an elephant in the room, and she was going to address it. She loved the idea for an promotional ad, but strongly disliked the spokesperson.

"So, what do you think?" Bailey, one of the art directors, grinned as he repeatedly tapped his no. 2 pencil against his padfolio.

"What do I think?" She allowed a small giggle to escape her lips which were painted in a vibrant tint of red Yves Saint Laurent lipstick. "You're onto something here, Bailey, but--"

Believe it or not, Indra was suddenly silenced. Not at all by her colleagues, but by the single droplet of rain that managed to thump against the windowpane of just one of ten floor-to-ceiling windows located within the conference room.

There had been a storm cloud hovering over New York City since the crack of dawn without a torrential or even a thunder roll. God couldn't have chose a better time to weep for humanity in Indra's opinion, and right against the company's building. It was days like this that made her the happiest because it made her reminisce on being a solitary 7-year-old, back on her family's ranch in her hometown of Lander, Wyoming, who was always anticipating rainfall year round.

Her grandfather would always tell her how her parents couldn't have given her a better name being that her name meant God of Lightning, Thunder, Rains, and River flows in Hinduism. A masculine name, maybe, but if she put her mind to it, maybe she too could be just as skilled with the forecast as a man would.

People told her she would be grow up to be nothing more than a lawn jockey or worse since all she seemed to be good for was standing around, observing, but observing got her very far in life. In fact, it got her out of a city where rainfall was scarce and to a city where it was common. It got her a bachelor's degree in journalism which led to her landing a job as editor-in-chief of one of the best selling magazine. It had even earned her a going on 5-year relationship with an well-known entertainer. She couldn't ask for anything more.

"Um, Indra?" Bailey called out, causing Indra to draw her attention away from the windowpane. "You were saying?"

"O-Oh, yes," Stammered Indra, batting her false eyelashes. "As I was saying, your idea for a promotional ad is brilliant, Bailey. I just don't think we need Lee Daniels for it."

"What? But why? Are you forgetting that this man has a net worth of $5 million?"

Once again Indra had to refrain from being unprofessional in the workplace by rolling her eyes.

"No, but did you forget that I'm dating one of the main characters of his television show? Let's not get rowdy here, okay, Bailey? All I'm suggesting is that we find a better spokesperson."

"Like who?"

"Like Jesse Collins? Wood Harris maybe?"

"You can't be serious. All those two are known for are Real Husbands of Hollywood and Paid in Full."

"Does it matter?!" Indra shouted, slamming her fists against the conference table. "If you can't fit one of the two in for a promotional ad come next Monday, this whole idea is finished and so are you!"

The tension in the room was released once the frameless glass door was frantically being pulled open by Indra's personal assistant, Trish.

"Indra?" Trish called out, avoiding eye contact as she always did.

Indra was nothing but nice to Trish, so she couldn't quite understand why she was always acting intimidated when around her.

"Yes, Trish?" Indra sighed out.

"Bryshere's on line 2 requesting for you again. Would you like for me to tell him that you're busy?"

"No, that won't be necessary, Trish. I'll just take the call in my office. Thank you for informing me." Indra smiled and nodded in Trish's direction, signifying that she could leave.

Trish wasted no time rushing back towards her cubicle so that she could deliver the message while Indra faced her colleagues again. They were all seated in front of a padfolio and a bottle of Voss water, patiently waiting on her say-so on when they could leave.

"Meeting adjourned." She declared with a flick of her wrist.

Not even a second later, the conference room was filled with noise, from piling papers to sidebar conversation about weekend plans.

Though Indra knew there were billions of unanswered questions to be thrown her way about the new issue due for release in just a week, she insisted on sneaking back to her private office for her boyfriend's sake.

Indra couldn't help but to allow a restless yawn escape her mouth upon entering as she was finally able to peel the blazer from her body. Indra absolutely cherished her position as editor-in-chief of Trailblazer, but even she could admit that this job could wear the average person out.

She drug her feet towards her desk area where she placed her blazer on the back of her office chair then proceeded to take a well-needed seat inside of it.

Out of all the distractions scattered across her desk; an iMac, important documents, a full coffee mug, and even the bouquet of fruit flowers her boyfriend sent weekly, she reached for the telephone's headset first. Pulling it over her platinum blonde hair, she quickly hit the call control button.

"Hello again, Bryshere." Indra greeted her boyfriend with just about no enthusiasm, and you could blame this on Bryshere's previous actions. He felt like if he couldn't reach her by her cell phone (Which she powered off during work hours), he was damn sure gonna reach her by the company's phone just to work whatever nerve she had left.

Bryshere was usually the one claiming to be the busiest with his hit television show Empire being renewed for two more seasons, traveling state to state for promotion for this new miniseries that's about to be released in less than a week and for the filming of a new movie, and not to mention studio sessions. That's until his management team suggested that he take a week's break just so he wouldn't burn himself out.

He thought it'd be the perfect opportunity to finally spend quality time with his girlfriend since they both couldn't seem to fit into each other's schedules nowadays, but that changed soon after reality set in and he realized that his woman still had a magazine corporation to run. It had just been him and their Toy Poodle, Prince attempting to keep themselves occupied all week by walking the neighborhood, playing against his castmate, Keith Powers in Madden 17 on Xbox One, and even writing mediocre rhymes from here and there. He knew it was time his woman come home to keep him company after Keith had even gave him instructions on how to prepare a simple Hamburger Helper dish

"Bryshere, I'm serious, you can not continue calling the company's phone like this. It's making me look unprofessional. Do you know I just wrapped up an important business meeting all so that I could come and speak with you? And even then, I had to sneak my way out." Indra subconsciously snatched up the coffee mug that had been sitting out on her desk since the early afternoon when she was reviewing the photos that were soon-to-be revealed in the upcoming magazine issue and began to take a sip from the bitter decaf that sat within it.

"I wasn't try--" Bryshere could barely even get a sentence in before Indra was spitting coffee back into her mug.

"Hold that thought, baby," She pressed a specific button on her telephone that led to the intercom of her personal assistant. "Trish, I need a fresh cup of coffee as soon as possible, please and thank you."

"Coming right up." Trish responded.

With a deep sigh, Indra placed her coffee mug back on her desk before continuing conversation with her boyfriend.

"What were you saying again, baby?"

Bryshere didn't even waste his breathe because even a simple 'I miss you' couldn't come between her and her work, so he thought of something that would. He began to cough the deadliest cough. As if he were a patient diagnosed with active Tuberculosis.

Indra gasped through the receiver, and it was in that very moment that Bryshere knew he had her fooled.

"Oh my God, baby! Is this the reason you kept trying to reach me? Because you're sick?"

"I didn't mean to come off annoying, baby. I know you're busy with this new issue, but I really need you. It's getting worse." His voice quaked as if he were going through alcohol withdrawal, and you best believe Indra was sopping up every second of it.

"Say no more! I'm on my way!" Indra confirmed, springing up from her seat.

"Hurry!" Bryshere hacked for good measure before ending the call with a vile grin stretching his face.

The pros and cons of being an experienced actor.

Meanwhile Indra was basically running around her office like a chicken with it's head cut clean off, in search of her fur coat, Céline handbag, and transparent umbrella.

Trish barged inside with the steaming cup of coffee Indra requested for earlier just as she was frantically pulling her arms through the sleeves of her coat.

"Um, Indra? I have that cup of coffee you asked for." Trish spoke barely above a whisper.

"Thank you, Trish, but you can just dump it. I have somewhere to be."

"Pardon me for asking, but where are you off to exactly?"

"I have to be on my way home. Bryshere's coming down with a really nasty cold. I'm always the one telling him to wear a coat in this kind of weather, but of course he never listens to me. Nobody ever listens to me." Indra trailed off, the last of her speech coming off as almost inaudible.

How could that possibly be true when Trish was always listening to every order that left Indra's mouth on a daily basis? Listening and doing as she's told basically sums up her day job.

In no time, Indra was vacating her office and approaching the nearest elevator with Trish hot on her trail.

"What would you like for me to do with the fruit sitting out on your desk?" Trish asked, watching Indra continuously smack the elevator's call button with the palm of her hand.

"You can have them if you want." The stainless steel doors before them began to detach from each other and on stepped Indra. She faced her assistant whom was now standing outside of the elevator alone and pressed the button for the lobby using her index finger.

"And as for all those waiting to meet with you?"

By this time the elevator doors slowly began to join as one.

"Tell them to reschedule for Monday."

"Well, let Bryshere know that I hope he feels better!"

"Will do!" Indra spoke with a sincere smile plastered on her face before the elevator doors even had the chance to completely close.

The trip down to the lobby gave enough time for Indra to power on her iPhone 7 Plus and send for her chauffeur.

She exited the headquarters through the revolving doors, her umbrella shielding her from any downpour or wind gust coming her way. She spotted her chauffeur, Trent, standing near the rear door of the overfamiliar Rolls Royce Wraith they rode in regularly and carefully began to approach him. The very last thing she wanted to do was slip up in her Louboutin's and land flat on her ass.

Trent was pulling the rear door open at the very sight of Indra.

She quickly let down her umbrella before climbing inside the backseat where the heat was blowing full blast. Her Céline handbag was tossed aside on the leather seat while her drenched umbrella somehow found it's way on the floor.

"Where to, Indra?" Trent asked once he was seated in the driver's seat with his seat belt strapped across him.

Indra withdrew her Céline sunglasses from the pocket of her coat and pushed them up the bridge of nose before speaking up.

"The nearest pharmaceutical, please."