(no subject)
Miranda resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she looked up from her magazine at the girl standing in her office door. Instead she narrowed her them into a slight glare. “Yes?”
“Miranda…” The blonde girl began slowly. Her name was Jenny. She’d been at Runway for nearly two months now and still had not learned the ropes. At the moment, Emily was poised on the edge of her seat just waiting to see how Miranda would react as the girl continued. “It’s Christmas Eve. I’ve spent so much time working for you that I haven’t had time to get my boyfriend anything for Christmas. Please, can I go before all the stores close?” She was beginning to shake slightly as Miranda’s glare turned icy.
“I suggest you sit down at your desk now before I tell you to leave permanently.”
“Yes Miranda.” Jenny nodded slowly, and turned, slinking back to her desk, not daring to look up and see Emily’s ‘I told you so’ expression.
Miranda glared after her before she returned to her magazine, wondering why people bothered to work for her if they weren’t planning to put in the necessary effort.
It was ten-o-clock before she finally emerged from her office. Jenny instantly ran to the closet and grabbed her coat and purse, handing them to her.
“You two are free to go. I expect you back early on the 26th to make up for all the work you will be missing tomorrow.”
“Yes Miranda.” Emily piped in. “Merry Christmas.”
Miranda examined her for a moment as if she wished to say something, but instead she merely turned and left, sweeping out the glass doors, making her usual grand exit.
She was pleased to see that Roy was already waiting for her outside and when he saw her emerge from the building, he immediately hurried around and opened her door for her.
She slid gracefully into her seat, not bothering to look at him as he shut the door.
He drove her home without a word and Miranda was silently grateful for not being forced to make meaningless small talk. Sometimes, Roy really did know what he was doing. He pulled up in front of her house and made his way around the car, once again opening the door for her.
“Merry Christmas, Miranda.” He said with a cheery grin as he shut the door behind her.
She looked at him and nodded slowly, wondering why people were so obsessed with such a meaningless holiday. What was so bright and cheery about it anyway?
She made her way into the house, hanging her coat and purse in the closet. She moved back to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of wine. She was about to make her way into the living room when she thought for a moment and turned, grabbing the entire bottle before she finally made her way to the couch, sinking onto it with a heavy sigh.
Next thing she knew, she was waking up on the couch nearly two hours later, the entire bottle gone. She blinked up at the clock on the mantle, both hands pointed at the twelve. She sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes. She was just beginning to wonder why she’d woken up when she heard a loud noise upstairs.
“Girls?” She called out. Hearing no answer, she made her way from the living room and over to the bottom of the stairs. “Caroline? Cassidy?” She heard nothing. Then she remembered, they’d left this afternoon to spend Christmas with their father. She was alone.
Her brow furrowed, but she didn’t hear the noise again so she moved back to the living room, clearing away the glass and the bottle, bringing them into the kitchen.
Something clanked loudly upstairs and Miranda nearly jumped out of her skin. She hurried into the living room and grabbed the poker from the fireplace, moving tentatively to the bottom of the stairs with it clutched tightly in her grasp. “Who’s there?” She called out.
“Miranda.” The voice sounded far off, almost as if it was coming through a long tunnel. “Miranda Priestly.”
“Who’s there?” Miranda called again, trying to keep her voice from shaking. It was a woman’s voice so that eased her, although it was definitely slight.
“Miranda Priestly.” The voice sounded close and Miranda turned swiftly, swinging the poker as she moved.
Her eyes widened at the girl behind her. “How the hell did you get down here? I just heard you up there!” She paused. “Are there two of you?”
The girl’s lips twisted into a slight smirk. “I never thought I’d see the day Miranda Priestly was afraid. Forget being afraid of me. You used to scare the hell out of me you know. It’s nice to be on the other side of things.”
“Who the hell are you?” Miranda examined the dark-haired girl.
“You really don’t recognize me?” The girl raised an eyebrow, though a slight frown twitched at the corners of her lips.
Miranda turned her nose up haughtily. “I meet a lot of people in my line of work. I can’t be expected to remember them all.”
The girl shook her head. “Figures.” She let out a sigh. “I’m Stephanie. I used to work for you. Nearly two years ago now. I was your assistant. You fired me. I went home and killed myself.” She stated everything simply, a monotone with only a slight hint of sadness.
Miranda laughed derisively. “Yes you killed yourself, that’s exactly why you’re standing here before me.”
“Actually, yes.” The girl gazed at her.
Miranda stopped laughing. “Are you insane?”
“No. Just a ghost.” Stephanie shrugged.
“A ghost?” Miranda scoffed.
“Mmhmm.” She examined Miranda for a moment. “You really should put down that poker. I assure you you won’t be able to do anything with it.”
“We’ll just see about that.” Miranda glowered, clutching it tighter in her grasp.
“Whatever.” Stephanie rolled her dark eyes. “Listen, I’m just here because I’m supposed to tell you you’ll be visited by three more spirits through the course of the night. That’s all.” Her lips curled into a smirk again. “God I’ve always wanted to be the one to say that.”
Miranda shook her head. “I’m drunk. That’s what this is. A drunken hallucination.”
Stephanie shrugged. “Call it what you want. You’ll still be visited.”
Miranda scoffed. “Right.” She shook her head. “I’m not wasting any more of my precious beauty sleep talking to a figment of my imagination.” She turned to head up the stairs. “And if any more of your little friends come, I’ll be sure to ignore them so tell them not to waste their time.” And with that she continued up.
“I’ll tell them, but they won’t listen.” Stephanie called after her.
Miranda whipped her head around to respond, but Stephanie was gone. She shook her head and silently chastised herself. She really shouldn’t have had so much wine.