Page 4 of Size Game

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Claire

I’ve ordered my coffee and haven’t yet found Hailey. She’s supposed to meet me today so we can do some work. She’s been my best friend since moving to New York. I came here to make it big, but that hardly ever happens. So, I got a job as a waitress for a private party company and worked hard.

I served drinks and food. I dealt with the drunken uncles hitting on me and trying to grope me. I dealt with the flirtatious thirteen-year-old boys who suddenly became men at their bar mitzvahs. I dealt with all of that, all with a big smile on my face and a chipper attitude.

After about a year, my boss asked if I’d like to take the next step in my career and lead the parties instead of working them. I jumped at the opportunity within seconds. He told me to show up at some old building the next day and take the interview. I showed up and was one of about thirty people trying to get this job.

I knew this was a competitive business, but I thought when my boss approached me that I was just going to get a promotion, not have to interview all over again. I had served at enough parties that planning one shouldn’t be a big deal.

Hailey was one of my competitors. We had to pitch a party idea to this group of people who would rate us, and whoever got the highest rating got the job. Well, Hailey started talking to me about this idea she had, and I told her my idea. Then, we got the great idea to pitch it as a team, to combine our ideas.

We were the only ones who pitched it as a team, and the raters loved it. They had never once seen a pair of competitors team up to propose an idea together. We both walked out of there with high-end jobs and our own teams of caterers, decorators, and waitstaff. Honestly, I think the fact we teamed up is what got us the job. Since then we have joined a company that employs about twenty planners who each have their own teams. So, we work together and in competition at the same time. It’s odd, but it works for us.

The company allows the planners to take jobs they want and not take the ones they don’t want. Some of us bid and compete for certain jobs; others just have their portfolio on display and let the clients come to them.

After a few minutes, I manage to find a table and wipe a few crumbs off it while I wait for Hailey. She’s fashionably late as usual. Finally, she struts through the door holding a few giant portfolios in her arms. She comes to the table, sets her things down, and goes to order her coffee.

I open my laptop and pull up the details on the next party while I wait for her. Once she sits, she lets out a huge sigh.

“Oh. My. God. Claire, you would not believe my clients. They literally walked into my office with all of these drawings of everything they want. Like, who does that?”

“Looks like you have your hands full with those clients. What do they want?”

“Some jungle-themed sweet sixteen party for their snooty daughter who just got a modeling job clearly because Daddy bought her a couple of tits.”

We have a good laugh about that and drink our coffee while comparing parties. She’s got her sweet sixteen, and I have a thirtieth anniversary of some strip club. We start talking about the jobs and bounce ideas off one another. She seems a little more excited about my party than hers.

Hailey enjoys working the more public parties where the publicity is over-the-top. She was born and raised here, so she knows how it goes. Any chance she gets to be in the limelight, she takes. She likes to tell me that there is no bad publicity. Pretty much everyone, myself included, thinks she’s wrong. But whatever makes her happy.

After the first coffee, we settle down and chat about everyday stuff. She tells me about some of her dates, and I tell her about the guy from FLICK.

“Claire, you got a date tomorrow? Ahh!”

“I know, I know. He seems like a decent guy. He actually didn’t send me a dick pic.”

“Really? Is there something wrong with him?”

I laugh and pull out my phone to show her the conversation we had. It’s not uncommon for me to show her my conversations with the random guys that message me on dating sites. Usually I try to see if she knows who they are first. Only because she goes on so many dates that I honestly don’t want to jump in the same pool as her. Nothing against her, just… ew.

“Oh. He’s cute. Sounds like a decent guy too.”

“Yeah, but it’s been so long since I’ve been on a date with adecentguy. I mean, he was confused when I asked him if he wanted to see my tits.”

“You sent him a pic, right?”

“Yeah.”

“So, you’ll take your shirt off for him over the phone but not in person?”

I laugh at her, and she laughs in return.

“C’mon, girl. It’ll be fun. Go out, have a few drinks, dance with him, and if he’s not your type, no big deal. You’ll be at a club—go home with someone else.”

“You’re a terrible person, Hailey.”

“But you love me for it.”