Page 138 of The Build-a-Boyfriend Project
And for a second, just a second, Eli considers what it all means. More job security, the opportunity to write more, to make a larger name for himself, to build a career. Vent is only the first step to something larger. Once he has that platform, once he has a stronger portfolio, he can leave. He can go somewhere else, somewhere they’d let him write the harder-hitting, important pieces that he’s been desperate to write for years.
And in exchange, all he has to do is give up Peter.
It’s not like Peter will want to see him ever again, not with the article out there. So he should take the offer, right?
“You’re right, this is my fault,” Eli admits to him. “I could’ve said no to you, I could’ve come to you earlier and said that this is wrong. But I didn’t, and I can’t go back and fix that. Just like I can’t make Peter forgive me. But at the very least, I can make a choice, right here, right now, to not be the person that you’re asking me to be.”
The frustration is apparent on Michael’s face in an instant. “Well . . . I can’t say I’m surprised, but I’m disappointed.”
“I’ll pack my desk up,” Eli cuts in, walking toward the door.
“You’ve been a strength at Vent, Eli. You’ll be missed.”
“Thanks, Michael, can’t say the same about you.” Eli lets the door close behind him, then walks over and sinks into his desk chair. He doesn’t quite know what to do with himself except start gathering his things and tossing them into his bag.
None of his coworkers bother to come up to him, none of them wondering just what happened in Michael’s office. In fact, only one of his—now former—coworkers dares to look him in the eye.
From the comfort of his office too.
Eli stands, covering the distance to Keith’s office in quick strides.
“Can I talk to you?” Eli asks, closing Keith’s open door behind him.
“Sure, I have the time.”
“Do you feel good about what you did? Worming your way into my article, turning around and finishing it for me after Michael told you what he was planning?”
“I did my job, Eli.” Keith’s voice is firm, unwavering. “I did what I was told to do because unlike you, I have what it takes to survive in this business.”
“Oh, yeah . . . writing articles about TikTok trends by the time they’re already outdated and some celebrity bleaching her hair blonde and how it gives you ‘all the feels.’ Real groundbreaking journalism, Keith.”
“Did it ever occur to you that we don’t have the same aspirations? That I don’t want to wake up every morning and wonder how I can win the Pulitzer Prize as a secretary? That not everyone has the same level of self-important righteousness that you do?”
Eli pauses, not expecting the biting words.
“Yeah, at the end of the day I’m writing garbage, and I’m not always happy with myself. But at least I’m not a coward, Eli.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means that you’ve been here for five years, and for four of those, you chewed my ear off about the lack of opportunities, never getting the chance to grow, when you could’ve left at any time. No one was stopping you.”
“Michael was, he—”
“You could have left. And maybe things would’ve been rough, but at the very least you could’ve finally been working to make something of yourself instead of just talking about it.”
Eli swallows.
“Is that why—”
Keith rolls his eyes, raking his hands through his hair. “Don’t ask if that’s why I broke up with you.”
“Well, is it?” Eli begs anyway. “Is that the reason?”
Keith sighs before he asks, “Do you want the truth?”
And Eli nods.
“Yeah, it is. Part of it, at least,” he finally says. “Because I’m an adult, and I had to move on with my life. And I couldn’t be with someone who weighed himself down so badly to the point that he was afraid to move on. I want a future, Eli. I want a career, I want a home, and I want . . . I want. I want and so do you, but it was clear that we didn’t want in the same way.”
