It was Sunday morning, and Julian barely said a word during the entire weekend. Yep, my boyfriend was mad at me, and he wasn't going to be the one making the first move. So, obviously, I went to his place to yell at him. I was being ridiculous, like a stray dog after its master; but, let's face it, I was the one who screw up, so I had to be the one apologizing first, too – being a proud girl at this hour would be really dumb of me.

I took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

"Hey" I mumbled as Julian opened the door.

"You're up early on a Sunday." He frowned behind his black hoops "Did someone die?"

"Funny." I muttered, punching his chest so I could walk inside "I'm here to beg for your forgiveness, so you better turn serious, because I'm really not in a good mood."

"Sweetheart, you don't need my forgiveness." He said as he locked the door; he crossed his arms over his black sweater, and I realized he was barefoot, sexy tanned feet on the shinning wooden floor "I'm not angry at you, I'm disappointed."

"Aw, mom, please!" I whined and he grinned "That's the worst sentence ever."

"But it's true." He shrugged, showing me his couch so I would take a seat "Now, sit; talk."

"Ok..." I sighed, brushing my eyes with my fingertips; Julian took the seat next to mine and waited "I know I screwed up. I know I shouldn't have told anyone about Matisse's issues, but... Well, didn't you ever have a group of friends and you all trashed talk on people, and it's funny and made you feel good?!"

"If I was a fourteen year old, yes, I probably would." He nodded and I glared at him "Georgia, you told the people in your workplace about another co-worker's personal issues; that's not nice, it's not professional and it's certainly not good friend material."

"I know you're right..." I moaned, hiding my face in my hands "God, I was a real bitch, wasn't I? Matisse now hates my guts, which she being a Junior Editor sucks, and I'm the new gossiper in town. Awesome..."

"Everything has a way to be fixed." He assured me, as he pulled my legs up to his lap; his thumbs caressed the arch of my bare feet, making me relax "I just don't want a Pandora Barbie, G... You're nothing like those girls; you're so superior to them in so many ways, you have no idea. I don't want you to lose what makes you so special. And not just to me; Cynthia sees something special in you as well, and I'm certain it isn't your amazing ability to talk about other people's lives."

"Alright, I get it: bad Georgia, good – and sexy as hell in those glasses – Julian" I sighed, rolling my eyes.

"Sexy?" He raised a brow, stopping his massage "Well, well, you really are sorry."

I grinned, blowing him a kiss. He crawled to stay on top of me, and started to tickle me, kissing and biting my neck.

"That's not fair! You know my weak spot, no fair! You promised- Julian!" I was laughing loud and we rolled towards the floor, him still tickling me like he was now the fourteen year old he talked about.

"It's really early, and I know for a fact you don't eat this early. So, what about late breakfast?" He murmured into my ear, his hands now traveling their way up my belly and ribs, making me purr like a cat.

"Hum... later." I mumbled, biting his earlobe and taking off his sweater quickly, biting my lower lip as his washboard abs came out to brighten my day "I love Sunday mornings..."

He laughed, throwing his head back, and once he lay on top of me, he showed me just how wonderful a Sunday morning could actually be.

***

I was in a very good mood. First of all, Julian had told me how good his appointment with Dr. Platt went Saturday afternoon, and how much progress he was making – which was something I could see and experience. For example, he wasn't as obsessed with my clothes hanging around his bedroom, after a good love making session – seriously, there were more important things to think about during sex than laundry, am I right? And, second of all, I was reading the monthly issue of Pandora, and I was really proud about the end result. I couldn't wait to start working with Cynthia on the next issue; she had really awesome ideas for the next cover and main spread, in which I was participating as well.

Not even Harmony and Kim's constant nagging about the damn bedroom could turn my mood around. Let them go to an arena and fight like gladiators, for all I cared!

"Hey, Karen." I beamed at the receptionist "Have you read this? Gosh, it's amazing!"

"Yeah... It's great, right?" She smiled little, which was weird; Karen was the kind of girl that was beaming about everything.

"Hey, something wrong?" I frowned, stopping by her reception area to eye her closely.

"Oh, no. I'm fine... I just... I heard about you and... the Big Man" She whispered, pointing towards the ceiling.

"Jesus? I'm not religious, Karen."

"You two broke up, right?" She sighed, grabbing one of my hands and tapping it in a soothing way "Corporate guys are assholes, G. You can do better."

"What on earth are you talking about?" I tossed, confused.

"Well, Ken and Cece said you two weren't doing well. That you guys had a fight, and you were crying, and miserable- Hey, wait up!" I heard her yell as I quickened my steps towards the coffee room.

Sure as I love Prada, there they were, my friends, laughing with some of the Barbies that worked at Pandora. When they saw me walking inside, the entire group cleared their throats and pretended they were talking about something else.

"You little weasel!" I yelled, squinting my eyes at Kenny; his orbs were huge with fear "I told you something personal, and you go ahead and tell everyone?! The Sticks, Kenny, really?! Why?"

"Aw, c'mon, G!" Cece put in, rolling her dark eyes "What's the big deal? Like you make your life such a big secret You tell everyone everything, anyway!"

"Not everything!" I gasped, offended "You told them what I told you in confidence. What did I ever do to you?"

"What, you think you can amaze Miss Lohr, come here and suddenly be the Queen?" Kenny snorted, and the Sticks all giggled "Aw, c'mon, G. She only took you under her wing because you're the sad fat girl and she pities you."

I felt my throat close and my eyes get watery.

"Yeah, you're right. But, you know, I can lose weight and get screwed by my boyfriend until I'm pumped with joy; now you, on the other hand, go home to kiss your Justin Timberlake poster. I would worry if I were you" I snorted, eyeing him from head to toe.

The Sticks gasped and both Kenny and Cece squinted at me.

"Oh, don't you dare give me that look, Nosejob!" I tossed Cece's way, and she gasped, hiding her perky nose behind her hand.

***

"This is my spot, you know."

I looked up and saw Matisse peeking from the stall's wall; she was probably standing on the toilet next door. I shrugged, cleaning the mascara running down my cheeks.

"That was some show, back there." She gestured with her red head "You know I always suspected Cece had had a nose job. It was just so... symmetrical, it sickened me."

"She did it when she was sixteen; birthday present from her dad that was cheating on her mom with an eighteen year old girl, her friend" I smiled bitterly, through the fog in my eyes.

"If you're crying about them, I'm gonna slap you really hard." She snorted "Look, we all get blind at some point in our lives. You were walking on sunshine when you got here, feeling special and contempt. Things aren't that simple, nor as perfectly symmetrical as Cece's fake nose."

I chuckled again, cleaning my eyes and blowing my nose.

"C'mon, buy you a coffee next door." She gestured with her head "You still have to apologize to me, and we gotta make amends. We're the biggest sluts around here, now, we gotta join forces."

Matisse was actually nice. I mean, after I'd gossiped about her life just a couple of days earlier, she went out and was there to help me overcome my own blow.

So Kenny and Cece weren't my friends. In fact, they had been the ones giving hints to the reporters that always followed Piet and me; and later Julian and me. They had been the ones spreading that I was with Julian, and before that, with Piet. They had been the ones who told some of Julian's most private business to the whole office. I could only thank God for never having told them about Julian's OCD; Jesus, what a mess that would've been.

"Look, I hear you. Sucks to have a roommate." Matisse assured, as she sipped her coffee "I know it's your best friend and your sister, but seriously, Georgia, you're thirty! You gotta have your own apartment, not share like it's a damn sorority."

"Yeah, I know..." I moaned, staring down at my own coffee "It's just apartments are expensive in New York."

"You think I don't know that?" She chuckled, big blue eyes squinting as she did "What about I IM you some really good websites. I got my apartment in one of them. It's not exactly cheap, but it's reasonable, plus, utilities are covered and it's really close to work."

"Wow, get out!" I gasped, my eyes huge, glinting with that wonderful possibility "You would be saving my life and sanity."

"Now you gotta tell me all about your romance with the big boss" She grinned, a glint of mischief in her eyes.

"Why don't we get acquainted first? I really don't want to make the same mistakes I've made before..." I sighed, fighting with the feeling of slapping myself in the face for having been such an idiot.

"Good, you're learning." Matisse smiled, with a satisfied nod; she got up and took one last sip of coffee "Speaking of learning, you'll have to learn all you can about the Pilgrims, 'cause we're doing a shoot for the next monthly spread, and it's Thanksgiving time."

"Pilgrims?" I frowned, as we left the coffee shop.

"It's an historically inspired fashion spread because of the pilgrims and such." Matisse said as we got out into the busy street and walked back to von Hauser "You got the Creative team's memo, right?"

"Yeah, but I had a really crappy weekend." I mumbled, and she sighed, understanding "Look, I didn't do my part for this spread or the photo-shoot. Can you fill me up on the details until we get back?"

"Darling, I've got your fat ass covered" She winked and opened her notebook, full of her own research, which she gladly and very friendly shared with me.

***

One should be professional, especially at the workplace. One should follow their principles, stick up for them right until the end. One should learn with one's mistakes; and, probably the most important, one should always stay on top, no matter how many darts are thrown one's way. These were some of the pearls of wisdom my boyfriend had shared with me over the last months. Principles are what keep you on top; always following your beliefs, but being aware of your weaknesses and mistakes, and what will distinguish you from the rest of the crowd.

I learned with my mistake, with my poor judgment and insufficient assessment of the grown up world. But that would change; I believed Jules: I was special in my own way, if the Pandora's Editor-in-chief believed I had something, if the CEO of the company saw something in me – ok, so we were having sex and that might distort his judgment, although Julian's a very objective man; so maybe I really had something. And that something is called a 'Move forward' attitude.

I was frowning at the laptop on my lap. There were thousands of houses for sale and rent in Manhattan – I could afford none. Oh, wait, there was a basement with rats I could buy!

"So, what's new on Facebook today?"

"No. I'm not on Facebook, I'm house hunting, if you must know." I huffed "I didn't know what I was getting myself into; this is harder than I thought it would be."

"House hunting?" He frowned, and this time looked up from his own laptop; his brown eyes squinted through his lenses as he peeked to my screen "Were you honestly serious about moving out? You love that apartment."

"I love my sanity and my hearing more." I muttered, opening another website Matisse had emailed me "And, as I've just been told, I'm thirty, so I need my own place. It's weird to have roommates at thirty, apparently. This isn't a comedy show, where's cute to have the entire cast living under one roof – which kills my love of Friends, a little bit."

"Well, well, you're turning into a responsible adult!" He teased with a side grin; I punched his shoulder playfully "What exactly are you looking for?"

"Perfect and cheap" I whined.

"Sorry, I'm perfect and rich" He teased again, and this time I had to laugh.

"Honey, you're far from perfect, and you don't really enjoy your richness, which kinda kills it." I assured him "I just want a place close to work, cheap and decent. No rats."

"What have you got so far?" He asked, as I pushed the laptop to stand on both our laps; his work forgotten on the carpet, his focus entirely on my own problem "G, you should rent instead of buying. Buying, with this economy, is bad. Especially since your income will only cover rent plus utilities. And I know how much you like eating and go shopping."

"Yeah, I'm taking a big bite, aren't I?" I sighed, closing the website "I found this little place, close to my old apartment. Not really expensive; rent plus utilities covers half my salary, transportation, food and other expenses and I'm done. But, on the bright side, I won't be homeless or deaf."

"Is it that bad?" He frowned, looking concerned.

"Well... Not that bad, I'm being the usually dramatic one, but it's like watching a group of lions fighting for territory. It's not pretty" I shrugged.

"What I mean is: do you want a place of your own, or do you just want to get out of there?" He asked, crossing his arms over his gray t-shirt.

"Well, both. But I wanted a better home, obviously. Can't be picky, I know. I'll just rent this one. Looks good, not too small, close to my former apartment... it's great."

"Why don't you move in with me?"

I actually missed the space bar as I wrote the email to the real estate agent.

"What?" I frowned, looking at his brown eyes.

"What? Look, we've been together for a while-"

"A couple of months, Julian" I glared at him.

"It's long enough. We know each other's routine. Plus, you're basically here, all the time." He shrugged, practical "This place's paid for, so there's no rent issue. It's close to work, and we can drive together. What's the downside?"

"This house is too expensive to support." I muttered, rolling my eyes "Only the utilities cost more than my entire year of salary."

"Don't exaggerate." He rolled his eyes "I got a maid, a laundry room, plus a gym, a working elevator... And a nice big bed where I'll be sleeping – naked – every night."

That made me grin. He knew how to buy me out, didn't he?

"Are you begging?" I was still grinning, closing my laptop and crossing my own arms, mimicking his pose.

"Are you up to live with a nutcase?" He lifted a brow.

"Like you said, I basically do" I shrugged.

"I'm not begging, I'm offering" He corrected.

"Now seriously, Julian... I can't come live with you. It's really nice of you to offer, and I really appreciate it, but-"

"G, sweetheart, I want to live with you." He said, rolling his eyes and pointing his hands to the sky, as if begging for patience "I love having you around, and I hate when you're gone; the house feels... cold and empty without you in it."

That made me smile and sigh, dreamily. That was exactly what he had to say.

"And about the bills. Tell you what: you promise not to leave your clothes hanging around the floor – for God's sake, it really kills me! –, you cook because you're damn good at it, and you sleep wrapped around me like I'm a sex God, and you're free of utilities."

"I can't-"

"Fine. You can deal with the groceries." He rolled his eyes again "I have no idea how to go shopping, anyway. But that's it. I'm the owner and I was the one offering; I want to do this for you – actually, for us."

"You really are perfect... ish" I giggled, jumping into his lap, making him chuckle.

"And don't you forget it" He grinned, kissing my nose as if to seal our deal.