Monday morning dawned terribly bright, dreadfully early, and at the most inconvenient time.

Madelynn opened her eyes slowly, blinking a few times before she reached out to smack her alarm. She felt good physically, but mentally, she was exhausted already. As she sat up, she saw a post-it attached to her lamp.

Headed out early. Text me, - Damien

Her lips pulled into a rueful grin. After Diane had unexpectedly shown up, and was promptly kicked out, Damien had stayed the entire weekend. It was splendid.

Madelynn wasted no time heading into the bathroom to get ready for her work day. Her room was just as messy as before, but Damien had tidied up in other rooms. Like the bathroom. All her makeup stains were gone, though he had the good sense to put all the makeup itself back how he had found it.

With a soft chuckle, she set to work.

The rest of the morning went by in a blur of activity. Hair fluffed, makeup applied, business casual attire donned. Out the door, and down the street. Her commute was fairly easy, as Madelynn normally flew to work. She lived close enough it wasn’t too tiring.

When she arrived at work, bursting into the breakroom with narrowed eyes, she immediately looked for Diana. Who had the good sense to be hiding behind Trevor, their mutual friend.

“Diana, really. Do not use me as a shield.” He raised his hands haplessly to Madelynn. She pointed with her thumb to one side, and with a nod, he darted from in front of Diana.

“Maddie, please. I didn’t know you had company.” Diana walked backwards as Madelynn walked toward her. She kept her steps even, sure; rather than rush her friend, she was taking her time.

“You know that’s not the problem, Diana.” Her head tossed, cloud-like hair bouncing about her head. “It’s what happened after you found out!”

Trevor pulled a chair to one side of the room, and sat down with a bowl of miniature cookies and an apple. He crossed his legs, glancing between the two women as they worked out their issues.

“I’m sorry! He was hot, okay?!” Diana threw her hands in the air. “I can’t help it!”

“You most certainly can!” Pointing a finger at her, Madelynn felt her rage building. It was downright ridiculous this was a discussion. “If you had merely ogled and left, that’d be one thing! But you offered him your number?!”

“I’m sorry, Maddie! It was not my finest moment.” Sinking into a chair, Diana sighed heavily. From his chair, Trevor leaned forward a bit.

“No it was not. I thought we were better friends than that.” Stopping in front of her, Madelynn folded her arms and frowned down at Diana.

Diana was a pretty woman. She was human, taller than Madelynn, with long, luscious brown hair that shimmered in most lights. She had large brown eyes to match, and a curvy, thicker body than Madelynn herself. She was used to men preferring her friend.

“Ah, Maddie!” Diana looked up at her, and opened her mouth, then closed it again. “You’re right Maddie…I am sorry. I shouldn’t have offered your date my number.”

Madelynn sighed at her, and rolled her eyes upward. She used her foot to bring over a chair and sat down in it herself.

“I’m not ready to forgive you, but I’m done being mad.” She put her elbow on the table, and placed her chin on her palm.

“That's okay. I wouldn't forgive me right away either.” Diana offered her a half smile and a shrug.

From his seat, Trevor tossed his head back and groaned loudly.

“Oh come on! Where's the Pixie rage?! The flying punches?!” He gestured with an open palm at the two women. “Show me some blood!”

Madelynn looked over at him at the same time as Diana. Then their gazes met, and both women nodded. Madelynn was on her feet first, and she made her way toward Trevor.

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As she walked toward him, her lips curled into a wide smirk. She cocked a brow at him, enjoying the sight of him leaning back into the chair with a tremble. His eyes darted between her and Diana.

Slamming her hand onto the back of the chair earned her his undivided attention.

“I think Trevor is lonely. What do you think, Diana?” Her head tilted, the smirk falling from her face as she looked at him.

“Mmm, bored more like. He did say he wanted to see blood…” Diana folded her arms, tapping a painted nail on the sleeve of her pressed top. “Oh, we could take him to the ladies’ room and-”

“Ahem.” Came a gruff cough from the doorway. “If you two are quite done forming an HR visit in the break room, your new department head is here.”

The trio followed their boss, Galvin Brightbeard, to their main office space. He was a stout dwarf with a bald head, and an even balder face. The running joke among the office was that he had to have some human, otherwise he'd be as hairy as any other dwarf.

He was also the man who had nominated, and then lost, Maddie's promotion. And she glared daggers into his back as they walked.

“So, think the new guy will be hot?” Diana had to fill the void. Madelynn didn't glance at her, her eyes narrowing to slits as she watched sweat bead on Galvin’s shiny head.

“Doesn't matter. You know the company rules on dating.” Trevor shrugged his shoulders, and run his fingers through his green hair. “Besides. He's probably gay.”

“You think everyone is gay.” Diana looked at Trevor with a mixture of disapproval, her mouth grimacing.

“There is always a chance. Right, Maddie?’ Leaning forward he peeked around Diana and waved a hand to get her attention.

Madelynn didn't spare him a glance. She had begun to amuse herself by imaging painting a target on the back of Galvin's head.

“I bet I could get a bullseye…” She hadn't realized she had spoken out loud until he looked over his shoulder at her. His coal colored eyes seemed to stare into the depths of her soul.

“I rather you didn't. In fact, I would prefer you three stay out of trouble. You hear?” His gruff voice resonated with his disappointment. Turning off from their group, he waved a hand to the empty spot in the center of their department.

Madelynn and her friends joined the rest of her coworkers, their small group crowding at one end of the space. Their department was not set up with cubicles and desks, but rather skinny, long tables. They were in two rows on either side of the whole room, and the space in the middle was the area in front of the office of the lead designer’s office. That job was supposed to have been Madelynn’s, and she couldn’t help but scoff to herself as she watched Galvin move to the middle of the room.

She crossed her arms, tapping her red painted nails against the side of her arm. Her little heel tapped along with it, eyes remaining locked steadfast on her boss. The glances of the department were boring into her, the knowledge of how close she had come - just to fail.

It stung.

Like the prickle of needles at the backs of her eyes. Rage fueled the tears that wanted to rush forward, but she blinked it away. She had resolved to face this head on, and show this usurper that she was damn good at her job.

“Good Morning everyone. I know you all have been anxiously waiting for news on your new Lead Designer after Caitlyn left us earlier this year for her family.” Someone cleared their throat in the silence that followed that statement, but no one said anything. “Well, after long debates, and going over many candidates...”

This was the hard part. Madelynn could feel the oozing black rage curling around her heart, and she wished a hole would open at her feet. She would gladly fall into its maw than stand here and listen to Galvin drone on.

“I am proud to introduce the newest member of our company to you all, so let’s give a big warm welcome to Damien Sullivan!” Galvin clapped his hands, urging everyone else to follow suit as he turned toward the office behind him.

As the door clicked open, the glaring fluorescent light struck the golden highlights of the red hair pulled into a high tail Madelynn felt her heart plummet to the bottoms of her feet, following the red hair to the broad shoulders, encased in the expensive fitting suit.

She could see out of the corner of her eyes Diana turning to look at her, the color drained from her face. Madelynn couldn’t take her eyes off him, off his lips pulling into a board grin. The feeling of them burning into her flesh was seared into her memory, pulled to the forefront of her mind.

Watching his hands shake Galvin’s, thanking him for the introduction, she remembered how they felt just the night before as they roamed her body. Caressed her, touched her, gripped her.

Her arms fell to her sides, useless appendages as the shock washed over her. His face swam perfectly into view as he talked to the gathered group. He hadn’t noticed her yet, and she felt her fingers tremble as they started to curl into fists.

Madelynn hadn’t felt Diana’s hands on her until she was turned to her friend, who shook her lightly. She slid her eyes up to Diana’s worry creased face, and watched her lips move. She assumed she was asking her if she was okay.

But how could she be?

She glanced toward him one more time out of the corner of her eyes, at just the right moment to make eye contact with him. That microsecond where his eyes widened just enough to let her know he saw her felt like eternity.

Yet he smoothly carried on with his speech, turning his gaze to sweep the gathered crowd.

“I look forward to working with you all.” With that, he turned to head into his office with Galvin. The office that should have been hers. She pulled air in sharply through her nose, feeling herself shake the shock off.

“That bastard stole my job.”