Consequences

Angelina was smug. She was certain she was the right fit for the job. The job description touched on every skill she knew she possessed and excelled in. 

The job description read, “We are seeking an innovative marketing manager to promote our company’s brand and services. You will need experience in marketing strategies and the ability to identify new business leads. Along with a degree in marketing, you will have superb leadership, communication, and collaboration abilities.”

“Wow, Angelina, you’ve got this one in the bag.” 

The similarity to Angelina’s skills and the job description impressed her best friend, Julia. 

Angelina’s eyes sparkled with confidence. She felt her accomplishments spoke for themselves. 

“Yep. I have the degree, I’m experienced, and I’m good with communication skills.”

Julia’s eyebrows furrowed, and Angelina’s gaze landed on her face, noticing the change in expression.

“What’s the frown for? Don’t you think I’m right for the role?” 

Julia squirmed in her seat. They sat in the middle of a busy pub, the Botanist in Sloane Square in Chelsea. The location, posh as it was, resembled a cocktail bar and restaurant. Every table displayed a small plant on a white tablecloth. Images of plants decorated the place, while the flashy and extensive cocktail menu had a plant-related theme. The ‘Vesuvius’ was the fiery chilli plant-based cocktail which was the highlight of any visit.

Julia and Angelina, inseparable since their private school days, continued their journey together at University College, London. They were always together, sharing countless memories, as close as any sisters would be. Julia studied economics, and Angelina studied marketing. They lived together in student accommodation, and everyone noticed how they supported each other. 

As best friends, they went through family feuds, boyfriend break-ups, celebrations, and commiserations. They were a team.

“Hum, Angelina, it’s just the last bit of the job description. It states collaboration abilities.”

“So?”

“Yes, but don’t you remember? There was a falling out between you and a major client. It was impossible for you to collaborate with them.”

Angelina shook her head in frustration and irritation. 

“Julia.” She said with force, to show Julia, she had no clue what she was talking about.

“That ‘client’ used to chase me round the boardroom table, asking me if I would go out to dinner with him. One time, he even told me he would love to get me into bed with him. I refused to collaborate with that dirty old man.”

“Oh my God, Angelina. I remember you told me about him. What a dirty dog.” 

“He was disgusting, Julia. He threatened to tell my company I was useless if I didn’t sleep with him, but I recorded him making advances on my iPhone, so in the end he couldn’t do a damn thing.”

“Wow. Clever of you. Sherlock Holmes lol.”

“Something like that.” She grinned and sipped on her gin and tonic. 

“God, I love a Hendricks, don’t you, Julia?” She swirled her drink around, and the ice cubes clinked together.

“Yeah, especially when it’s summer, but only if it’s with fever tree tonic.” Julia brandished her glass as though it were a weapon.

Angelina nodded. “True, true, not the same otherwise. The mint and cucumber combo are perfect with the right amount. But what summer, lol? The weather here is always so shitty, I’m tired of it.”

“Anyway, when is your interview?” Julia slurped her drink with relish.

“It’s only up the road. It’s at 3.00pm in their new offices in Fulham. I looked online. They look sleek and modern, quite fancy, in fact.” 

Julia peered at her Rolex watch. Julia and Angelina’s parents, who came from upper-class backgrounds, spoiled them. Even though they left university a few years before, they still shared accommodation together. Although now it was a swanky apartment in Chelsea, not a grotty student accommodation.

“It’s 1.30pm now, Angelina.”

Angelina peered out of the dusty pub window. The rain was coming down in sheets and making a pattern on the reflective glass panelling behind the bar opposite. You could hear the water trickling and running into rivulets on the road.

“I’ve got my car here, haven’t I, so no worries. It’s only ten minutes away.”

Julia nodded. “I know we came by car. I wondered why you looked so smart today.” 

“Thanks, chica. I try. Another G&T?”

“Do you think you should, Angelina?”

Julia avoided conflict and chose her words carefully around Angelina, who suffered from a short fuse and easily got angry.

“They won’t smell it, Julia.” Gesturing towards her bag. 

Julie could see small, round mints tucked in the side of Angelina’s bag.

“No, not that. You are driving.”

“Yeah, well, it’s only a couple of gins. Who do you think you are? My Mum?” Angelina responded.

Julia coughed. “Don’t forget, we also had wine at the apartment before coming out.”

“It’s fine.”

Julia said no more. Julia, knowing how stubborn Angelina could be and hearing the resolute tone in her voice, she chose not to say anything else. Sometimes, Julia worried about her friend, despite loving her. She was headstrong and didn’t always make the best decisions.

The pub door opened, and Jonty walked through. He was familiar to both girls, but Angelina worked with him daily. 

She looked up in surprise when she saw him. Then she whispered to Julia as he passed them both, looking straight ahead, not seeming to notice they were there.

“Oh shit.”

“What’s wrong, Angelina?”

“I was unaware that Jonty had an interview with this company.” The news caught her off guard.

“Who cares if he does, Angelina? He’s a nice guy, but you know you are perfect for the job.”

Angelina sipped her G&T, got up, and went to the bar. She could not stay still, restless, her legs moving in a perpetual dance.

“Two more G&T’s, please.” 

The clear glasses clinked as the barman poured their drinks. Smiling at him, she used her contactless debit card, paid, and sat down again on the padded seat opposite Julia.

Julia was confused. Angelina was unaffected by anything, as she was a confident person, but Jonty’s presence was unsettling her.

Angelina saw Julia’s inquiring looks. 

“Look. I’ve been worried about business slipping through my fingers as Jonty’s influence has grown within the company. We’ve had a bit of a run in. It’s just…”

Angelina shifted in her seat, as though it was on fire. Tears were welling up in her eyes.

Julia said, “What? What has happened? You are not making any sense.” Julia leaned forward and put her hand on her arm to comfort her. She could see Angelina was at a near breaking point.

“A minor mix-up, nothing more.”

“But you work with him, Angelina. I thought you got on with everyone at B&C Products. You introduced him to me at one of your work ‘do’s’ and I thought he was lovely.”

Angelina couldn’t sit still. She stood up; she sat down. She paced up and down the room, like a soldier engaged in square bashing. As she sat back down again, her fingers drummed on the tabletop.

“For god’s sake, tell me what the problem is, Angelina.”

She sat down again, with a bump. “I set up a company to work with B&C Products.” She swallowed hard. Her heart was beating in her chest.

“What do you mean? You work for B&C, how could you set up a company?”

“I was just using this, I suppose, fake company, and pretended to trial some products overseas. I wanted to get ahead of Jonty. He’s always right about everything. He was getting too much interest from the leadership team. There is a promotion coming up, and I didn’t want him to get it.” 

“I’ve been at that company for five years, Julia. A man got the promotion instead of me last year. I should have got the job. It’s a man’s world. I’m not having it.”

“I created a fake company to endorse me. They trial the products overseas, commend me, tell B&C how amazing I am, but then at the last-minute drop out of buying the products."

“But it was you, all along, pretending to be the fake company?”

Angelina hung her head in shame. “Yeah.”

“So, no-one trialled anything overseas?”

“No.”

Julia felt overwhelmed. The words echoed in her ears, leaving her stunned. She couldn’t believe Angelina’s fraudulent actions.

“Does Jonty know?”

“He suspects something. He’s been asking lots of questions. I think he’s getting close. But I can’t believe he’s going for the same job interview. This was my chance to escape before anyone finds out.”

Julia took her friend’s hand in both of hers. 

“Look, Angelina. I’m not happy you’ve done this. But once he’s gone, you can eliminate the fake company.”

Angelina’s head came up. “I suppose so, but I wanted this job.”

“You’ve been playing with fire. What’s the best option here? Should you prioritise him, and keep your secret hidden, or risk him discovering it before you leave?”

Angelina was silent for a few moments, then sighed. 

“As usual, you are right, my friend.” She acknowledged her friend’s wisdom with a slight smile.

Julia could see the conflict in Angelina’s eyes, despite her outward smile. She looked at her watch.

“It’s too late to call off the interview now, Angelina, but turn up late. If you don’t go, Jonty will suspect why you pulled out.”

“But we don’t know if he knows I’m attending.”

“Yeah, but you can’t take the risk. He might spot us at the pub any second. Plus, he may see that we’ve been drinking.”

She gestured with her hand. “It’s obvious from all the glasses on the table.”

“Okay, I will call them and make an excuse, but I will turn up late on purpose. Then I have no chance of getting the job. He can have it. He deserves it, anyway.”

“And you will get rid of the fake company?”

“Yes, I will, Julia. Thanks for clearing my mind on this.”

“That’s what friends are for.” Julia smiled. 

She’d talked Angelina round. She would go to the interview, running late. They were unlikely to give her the job because of the lateness. Jonty would get it. Problem solved.

The girls sat for a bit. Angelina contemplated what she’d done. Julia thought about her friend, and how ambition and jealousy made her do something as stupid as trying to hoodwink her employer.

Just then, Jonty ran past at a pace towards the pub’s door.

He spotted Angelina, and said, “Hi Angelina. I guess you are going to the job interview. I’m not surprised you are going for this job. It’s exceptional, but oh my God, I’m running so late. I was supposed to be there half an hour ago.” 

He burst out of the pub doors, then fled up the road.

Julia looked at Angelina. She looked at Julia. Then they laughed until their bellies ached and they could laugh no more. 

“Can you believe it? He’s running late.” She chortled. 

Returning to being serious, Julia asked, “What’s your plan now, Angelina? He’s blown his interview. You go to the interview. I think you will smash it and get the job. It’s 2.45pm, you still have time.”

“Yeah, true, but it leaves me with the same problem.” She drained the last of her drink and put the glass on the table.

“No, not really. You know for certain that you must remove the fake company. You’ve got this far. Just get rid of it and make sure you cover your tracks.”

Julia couldn’t believe she was pushing Angelina to be deceitful, but there was no alternative. She didn’t want her friend to end up in trouble.

Angelina stood up with purpose.

“You know what? You are right! I’m going to go. I deserve that job, too.” 

With that, she flounced out of the pub, waving goodbye to Julia. She was determined to see it through.

Julia sat nursing the dregs of her drink. She felt awkward but wasn’t certain why.

As she got into her white BMW Series 1 car, Angelina was only thinking about the interview. A confident smirk played on her lips, as she knew she was the perfect match for the job. Goddamn it, she deserved the job, not Jonty. She worked hard, harder than anyone else. She put her own unacceptable behaviour to the back of her mind.

The traffic was busy, and Angelina was getting frustrated. With a determined expression, she put her foot down, and the car growled and shot forward in response. Despite everything, she couldn’t bear the thought of arriving late. The traffic lights were turning red, already on amber.

Ignoring the red light, her last thought was, “I can make it.”

A large, white Range Rover Evoque turned across her path and crashed into the side of her car. Her BMW crumpled, killing Angelina outright. No-one could have survived such a crash.

The driver, whose right of way it was, sat in disbelief in their car. Their airbag deployed, and they were okay, and in one piece.

Julia heard the crash even whilst sitting in the pub. There was a sound of screeching metal as the two cars collided. Her heart stopped. It was Angelina. She knew, she just knew. Putting her head in her hands, she sobbed her heart out. Although Angelina came from a large family, Julia didn’t, and Angelina became as close to her as any sibling would have.

When the police arrived, they interviewed the driver of the vehicle, which hit the side of Angelina’s car. The driver muttered, overwhelmed by shock. She wasn’t seriously injured. Her Range Rover Evoque was solid, and although it hit Angelina’s car front on, withstood the collision well. There was blood on her knee where she’d hit her steering wheel, and a black eye from the airbag. She was incredibly lucky.

“Did the other driver survive?” She asked. Just looking at Angelina’s car gave an immediate answer. Debris from her car was scattered across the road. Two police cars and an ambulance were also present. Vehicles were diverted as traffic mounted on both sides of the road.

The police officer shook his head. “I’m so sorry.” He was a young police officer. He had seen many road traffic accidents whilst on duty, but not many, which ended in a fatality. The hardest part was telling friends and family.

The woman in her fifties, wearing a smart blue suit, said, “Officer, I can’t believe it. I was running late for an interview with a candidate this morning, which tempted me to speed, but realised it’s never worth breaking the rules, so I didn’t speed.”

“I saw the other car, but my green filter said I could go. I never expected that she would keep coming. It’s horrifying.”

With a wry expression, the police officer said, “She went through a red light. There was no way you could avoid hitting her. People never learn.” 

Just then, running down the street from the pub, Julia appeared on the scene. Her tear-stained face showed she already knew the news wasn’t good. She fell to her knees in despair in front of the police officer and the woman driver. Before her, the road lay covered in remnants of the two vehicles and scattered debris.

“What happened?”

“Due to your friend running a red light, this lady had no opportunity to stop.”

Julia said, “Is she okay? Is Angelina all right?”

The police officer looked down and shook his head. “I’m sorry Miss, she had no chance.”

Julia wailed. “She lived her life at one hundred miles an hour. She just wanted to be the best.”

She didn’t know how she was going to deal with the loss of her close friend. The other driver, her name was Cynthia, touched Julia on the arm to comfort her.

“I’m so sorry.” She spoke. 

“I couldn’t stop in time. Your friend kept coming. I was in a hurry to meet a candidate for an interview, but I was running late. However, I never bend the rules. It just isn’t worth it.”

Julia put her hand to her mouth. The irony of it all. The interviewer for the job she so desperately wanted killed her. 

He shook his head again. “I wish young people would realise. More haste, less speed.”

After Angelina’s demise, the company discovered her deception but chose not to broadcast it, as they didn’t want to tarnish her memory. They were, of course, shocked at what she did. Jonty spoke up for Angelina, stating that she was a committed employee who acted to have her achievements acknowledged. It was decent of him to support her in that way.

“What a shame,” he thought. He wasn't ready to leave B&C Products. When Angelina and Julia saw him in the pub, he was going to a meeting at the company, which was interviewing Angelina. But his role was to provide a reference. They already knew her, and they were going to offer her the position. 

He was a family man, with a young wife and two children. Angelina’s behaviour shocked him, but he understood what an ambitious person she was. He became a Senior Director of B&C Products, and made sure from then on, that any female in the company got a fair shot at promotion.

Julia, meanwhile, surprised everyone. She gave up her banking career and retrained as a nurse. She found banking inconsequential. Since Angelina’s death, and wanted to make a positive difference in the world. She realised happiness, and even life, could be taken away in an instant.

She became tea total, and when she encountered those who needed a little help in giving up alcohol, she told them the story of Angelina, and how she lived her life at a fast pace but tragically ended up dead. 

“Remember, life is a series of choices. Make them wisely, for the consequences are yours to bear.”