LOVE AT THE FORUM

Chapter 13: Door Conversations

Harry POV

I paced around my dressing room after waiting an hour on the stage. She never came. Her phone was off, and I couldn't fight the frustration I felt in my chest. I sat on the couch, and held my head up with my palms.

I heard my door knob turn and I looked up expectantly, and I couldn't help the disappointment that spread across my face when Anita walked in.

She looked at me and quickly looked away, shaking her head. She looked angry, and of course she would be. Though they never acknowledged it out loud, her and Maggie were best friends.

"Anita," I said softly at her.

She ignores me, continuing to stock the food cabinet quickly.

"Anita, please, I didn't mean to hurt her."

"You did far worse."

"What do you mean?"

She throws a bag of chips at the cabinet and turns to look at me, "She's on probation, did you know that? If Charles wasn't in love with her still, she would probably be fired. All because of your precious Olivia. Why did you even try something if you were still dating Olivia? Why?" She throws a bag of chips at me now, and suddenly her eyes widen at what she did.

"Anita, please, what do you mean all because of Olivia?" I feel my eyebrows narrow at her.

"She had Jeff tell Charles about your date. She said she caught Maggie being forward with you." Anita shakes her head, "Maggie won't even talk to me now. I encouraged this."

"Anita, where is Charles' office?"

She shakes her head, "You'll only make it worse Harry."

"Anita. I will figure it out myself either way,"

"The second ramp, to the right, last hall, you'll see the name tag."

"Thank you."

"Harry, her office is on the way. Please don't get her in more trouble."

I nod, quickly following her directions, I stop as I find Maggie's office. I look down at where Charles' office should be, and back at Maggie's door. I take a deep breath knocking on Maggie's door.

"Busy." She yells out.

"Maggie, it's Harry, please open the door."

Nothing but silence comes. I knock again softly, not saying anything. As I knock one last time, I hear a door open, but it's not Maggie's, it's Charles'.

I turn to look at him, frustration clearly on my face, "Charles may I have a word?" I say walking past him, into his office, not waiting for a response.

A few seconds later he walks into his office closing the door behind him. I watch as he takes a seat, a smug look on his face. I calm myself and sit in front of him.

"I need you to remove Maggie's probation. I will not have her punished for Olivia's lies."

"Harry, Miss Santiago confessed to everything herself. I know it's not a lie."

"And what exactly did she confess to? A dinner that was meant to be a lunch, a friendly lunch because I lost a friendly game of tic tac toe? Did she tell you it got moved to a dinner because I had a work meeting? She confessed to coming on to me? Those words left her mouth? Not that I placed my hands on her without asking for permission."

I watched as his hands clenched into fists.

"Harry, we have certain rules that we have to follow— did she confess to those things?"