Same Workplace

The moment she checked on the time, she immediately headed to the elevator, but it was jammed. Noelle got pissed and waited for the cars to open. She pressed the up button twice, but after a minute, nothing opened up.

Noelle got tired of waiting, but some of the people from the utility and repair were dispatched to the elevator's area. She understood the delay, and just waited on another car. The other one turned off its red screen above due to its repair hours.

Noelle got bored of waiting, so she decided to take the stairs.

But before she could even head straight to the fire exit, Noelle bumped to a man.

In that clash, the clipboard and papers he was holding dropped to the ground.

Noelle got annoyed and apologetic at the same time. She picked up some of the papers as a way for her sorry. Noelle gave it to the man, and when she looked at his face to say sorry, she got bewildered.

Joe? Was it the man she…

Both of them recognized each other. Joe's drop fell, and stated her name in a hush.

"Noelle? We see each other again!" Joe exclaimed, not realizing that she was working at A&E, too, but not as someone from utility or from the front clothing store or someone who is in the information desk. Noelle couldn't have any better reason to drop it unless he asked.

"Why are you here, though? Do you work here? Are you applying?"

He looked so innocent, so naïve in things that are way confidential than before.

Noelle tried to find a lie, or an answer that can save her from embarrassment. But he'll find it eventually, right? No matter how much she tried to be a woman of dignity, it is still shattered. Noelle had to find any way out of this, but still came back at the first step… like all of her efforts were wasted down based on her profession.

Was even a porn star a profession?

"Ummm… I am not applying Joe. I am a regular employee here."

Joe's face lightened up. He must have thought it was for marketing, a film creator, or anything beyond being the star itself. Joe listed it down with his fingers, trying to enumerate the jobs, but he concluded at the last one.

His eyes were not insulting, and based on how he looks, Joe already understood it.

"Do you mean… a frequent one?"

Noelle smiled sadly, and nodded. "Yeah. A frequent, regular, always one."

Joe lowered down his clipboard. His expressions drastically change from cheerful to stony. Noelle bowed her head down to say goodbye, and walked past ahead. She doesn't want to have any grudge by regretting her decisions, so it's better to just get away.

Joe didn't say anything and just watched her leave. He was called to attention by one of his co-worker and Joe instantly attended to it.

Noelle was halfway to the second floor, but she stopped. At that moment, she's doomed. Why did Joe had to get back to her life again? Everything became a problem whenever a person who walked out of her life enters back in. Noelle was settling with Cole, forgetting Blake, and now she's encountering another past and hard love.

"How am I supposed to move now that he's the past person I've built my dreams with?"

Noelle closed her eyes in frustration. Fate really does have a lot of things in common with annoyance. Noelle continued towards the site, walked with a grim face, and didn't even greet someone at the hall—even if they do it frequently.

Noelle headed to the dressing room, irritable, and yelled at one of the staffs that were on her way to the fitting room. When she realized what she has done, Noelle instantly apologized to the staff and explained, "It was a very bad morning for me. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to burst the bubble. I had to… I'm sorry."

Noelle didn't push it further and just slip it to her thin dress. She adjusted her creased forehead and smiled ear to ear as much as she could. Noelle had to be delighted she's having sex once again. It's going to be a good day having rounds as her way to earn money.

Right after separating her personal life at the fitting room, Noelle let the glam team do their magic. She read the script, the position they are in, and the way she had to act as the submissive one. There are no cowgirl positions, and Noelle was glad she's always at the bottom now.

She got tired of being at the top for the rest of the week.

When she came out, the directors and cameramen were all ready. The studio was set up, lights are on, bed is ready, and the guy, in whom she's going to have sex with, cleared some scenes and let it cut to the chase.

Noelle wore off her bathroom robe. The guy jumped and gave her a peck on the cheek.

"So, cameras ready, artists ready, lights ready. In 3,2, 1… rolling, action!"

Noelle started to kiss the guy slowly, fervently, not eating any crumbs. The guy's hand traveled to her waist back, and hitched her closer, making her giggle a little. Noelle was literally enjoying the scene but…. Suddenly, a light burst.

Their kissing got interrupted rapidly as the director shrieked "Cut!"

Retrieving their bathroom robes, the guy she's being partnered with guided her towards the other end of the set. Shards of the glass from the light stand were all over the floor, and good thing Noelle had slippers under her feet.

"What happened?" Noelle asked one of the staff.

"It must be overheating. We're calling the repairmen to have it checked."

Repairmen. It rung a bell to her head. Joe was one of them. Noelle planned to get out, but the director called her. She pursed her lips and headed towards him. Noelle's questioning look gave enough reason for him to say what he needed to announce.

It was just based on the time. The director would just call it towards the next shoot Noelle has.

"Just stay here, okay? Don't go back to the dressing room."

That's when her heart beat louder. Noelle knew she had to call the saints into hiding…

But it was too late.

She hugged her bathrobe close to her body when the doors opened, and the yellow men appeared. Yeah, Joe has the same uniform, and even though Noelle expected it, she had second thoughts of running towards another room.

Well, she should die of embarrassment now.

This is not how she thought her day would be.

"Where is the light?" Joe asked.