Ruthless In A Suit(76)

No one speaks up, so I raise my hand just to get the discussion moved on so we can get out of here. I want to get to the café and warm up with a hot tea and bagel.

“No one?” Brent says. “I’ll give you a hint—there are two things that must happen.” I keep my hand raised; he keeps ignoring me. “If these steps aren’t followed any conviction can be overturned so you better know this.” Someone yawns loudly. Brent sighs. “You must first—”

“Hello,” I say, pretty much surprising myself and everyone in the class—including Brent. “I know the answer. I’ve been raising my hand.” And we never raise our hands—we normally just speak out.

“The Fourth and Fifth Amendments, people,” Brent says. “Concerning—”

“Privacy and fundamental fairness,” I interrupt. Even from four rows back I can see Brent tighten his jaw. “The Fourth Amendment concerns itself with privacy issues and the Fifth Amendment gives the accused the right to heard. Ironic, huh?

“I don’t appreciate you speaking out of turn,” Brent says, and damn if he isn’t ballsy. Well, guess what? My balls are bigger.

“You don’t get to ignore me and spread rumors about me. Rumors, everyone. All lies,” I say, looking around the class. People had been staring at me, but now a few look away—the guilty. “The only thing I did to Brent was turn him down when he tried to get physical with me. Which, by the way, was pretty scary. I hope you ladies never have to experience having a guy shove himself on you. I should report you to Professor Stanwick,” I say, looking back to Brent. He doesn’t look pissed anyone—he looks scared. He should be.

I think about storming out of class. There’s only ten minutes left. But in that moment I decide staying will make Brent more uncomfortable. So I don’t move, and watch as he clumsily tries to get back on track with his boring-ass lecture. He dismisses us five minutes early. No one looks at him as they shuffle out the door. With a gut-full of confidence and Natalie by my side, I stop by him on my way out.

“I mean it,” I say to him. His eyes flash at me before continuing to shuffle papers into his canvas bag. “I will report you for mistreatment if you don’t stop harassing me,” That word seems to catch his attention—harassing. As it should. “You’re lucky I haven’t done it yet but I’m not afraid to.”

As I walk out the door I hear Natalie say, “Yeah, you spineless jackhole.”

Once we’re down the hall I turn to her and laugh. “What is a spineless jackhole?”

“I don’t know,” she laughs. “It was the first thing of.”

“I’m using it from now on,” I say. “Thanks for hanging around.”

“Of course,” she says.

I don’t know if it’s because I’m angry with the way things turned out with Jackson, or sad or surprised or what, but there’s something in me that says, No more messing around. If I want to get something done, I’m doing it. I can be professional, but I also don’t have the energy to deal with any nonsense.

Later I’m sitting in a meeting at the office, listening as junior members of the development team talk about their frustration with not getting meetings with prospects.

“They won’t respond,” says Amanda, who was recently promoted from administrative assistant. “I’ve sent two emails and gotten nothing back. I don’t want to be pushy about.”

Amanda is smart but this is frustrating. I know I'm only part time but I do far more work than many of the full-time employees.

“Who is this?” I ask.

“The senior VP over at Chase,” she says.

“Sonja Atkins?” I ask.

I feel the room’s eyes turn on me—yeah, I know who our prospects are. Everyone here should. Amanda says yes, it’s Sonja.

I lean forward. “What’s her number? Let’s call her now.”

I look to Jules for approval. “No time like the present. Want me to talk, Emily, or do you want to take this?”

“I’ll take it,” I say. I look to Amanda, who looks like she might vomit. “All she can say is no,” I tell her, repeating the old phrase from my dad.

We get through to Sonja and I swear the call lasts three minutes. All Amanda had to do was agree to a meeting with her and Jules about possible partnerships. That’s the first step. Sonja quickly agrees, and it’s done. Just like that.

“Well done, Emily,” Jules says. She looks to Amanda and the other junior staff and says, “Don’t be afraid of the phone, guys.”