Stiles closed the door to his Uber, his Jeep was once again in the shop. He should really look into getting a new vehicle but something stopped him every time. He moved inside the tall office building. Smiling to the security guard as he placed his cell phone and messenger bag on the x-ray machine belt, before walking through the archway for the metal detector to scan his body.
"Has your Jeep broken down again?" asked Jordan, the security officer.
"Like clockwork, guess my Jeep hates Mondays too." said Stiles with a soft chuckle as he picked up his messenger bag and phone, reaching into the bag to pull out his ID badge. The bold lettering of Voltage on the top with his picture before and his name below that. 3 years ago after finishing college, he signed on to work at Voltage, a new and very hip online blog and news source. It was a dream for him, to write what he wanted to write and not have to wear a suit.
"I hope you get it fixed soon." said Jordan, Stiles smiled and waved as he made his way to the elevator, pressing the 12 and looking down at his phone as the doors closed, smiling down at the text from Scott.
Can we please get Chinese food tonight? It's a craving
Stiles chuckled, his finger moving at a rapid pace, hitting send on a reply.
That can be arranged. I get off at 7.
Stiles and Scott had been best friends since forever, they were like brothers, which was great since neither one of them had siblings of their own. They had always been there for each other. Scott was more popular than him but that never seemed to matter. Even with the bad nicknames, Scott and Stiles stuck by each other, just like a family should. Stiles put his phone in his pocket, making his way into the office. He threw up his hand to wave at a few fellow employees in a heavy game of foosball. He made his way into the meeting room where a familiar redhead and brunette were waiting for him, with a chair in the middle. Stiles said nothing as he sat down between Lydia and Malia, two work friends he had connected with almost instantly when he started here. Both already in the middle of a usual conversation.
"I am telling you, it was almost too big to fit." said Malia moving her hand at least thirteen inches apart, making Lydia roll her eyes but with a very curious look on her face.
"What did I miss?" asked Stiles looking between them, pulling the coffee cup in front of him to his mouth.
"I asked Malia why she was wearing the same clothes. Which lead to her telling me about her Tindr date's cock size," said Lydia rolling her eyes and taking a bite of the croissant.
"Sounds about usual for a Monday morning," said Stiles with a chuckle, Malia opened her mouth to say something but seeing the Editor in Chief walking in stopped whatever rebuttal she had planned.
"Good morning. The first of the month means that I have some stories I want to do" said Anne, the editor-in-chief in her usual bossy and assertive tone, "All right, I have this idea for an undercover piece. We send someone into a high school, pretend to be one and get all the dirt on how Millenials in high school really are. I mean everything, these teenagers are our future apparently and I want to either prove that or throw some gas onto the fire". Stiles hated the thought of undercover pieces, most of the time Anne really wanted the latter to happen. She wanted people to read their blog and people loved gossip and not hard-hitting journalism like Stiles wanted to do. He found himself sinking into his chair more, flashbacks of high school, before Anne's eyes met his causing Stiles to quite literally gulp loudly.
"Sean, you look like you are still 15, you will do it" said Anne matter-of-factly.
"Me?" asked Stiles his eyes wide as a chuckle escaped from Lydia and Malia's lips.
"Yes, you. That isn't a problem is it?" Anne said this as a challenge, everyone knew she had no problem firing anyone. There was a line of people who wanted to work for Voltage.
"Not at all, Stiles would love to. He was just talking this morning about how he couldn't wait for an undercover piece" said Lydia, Stiles just nodded.
"Perfect. I am friends with the principal of a local high school. Theo in tech will get you a fake ID and we will have you go undercover Monday" said Anne as she began to talk about other articles but Stiles didn't hear anything until people started to move from their chairs.
Stiles looked between Lydia and Malia, wishing it was all just a dream. The looks on their faces told him it was all too real, especially their smirks.
"So high school senior again, sounds fun." said Lydia, who was no doubt popular in high school.
"Why in the hell did she have to pick me?" asked Stiles as rubbed his hands over his face.
"Well let's face it, you do look very much like a high schooler." said Malia poking his cheek. Stiles wanted to crawl into a hole and just never come out, but that wasn't going to happen.
"It won't be so bad, Stiles. Plus, this could be some hard-hitting journalism for you. Maybe there is a secret drug ring at the school? Or maybe it's like Mean Girls, lot's of possibilities" said Lydia, Malia nodded.
"High School isn't so bad." said Malia, Stiles just gave them both a look.
"Maybe not for the two of you, but for me it was Hell." said Stiles as he stood up, both women following suit. They walked out of the room, both still at his sides as Stiles told them a few stories from his high school days.
"Well, this time you get to do it again. Malia and I can fix your style, take out all the plaid." said Lydia.
"Give you a makeover. This time you would be the geeky guy you were the first time around" said Malia with a smile. Stiles knew they were trying to help and he knew that this could be a good story.
"Exactly, this time, we will make sure you are popular" said Lydia as they led Stiles to his office, he sat down in the chair and looked at both of them.
"All right. Why not" said Stiles simply, giving into this second chance nonsense.
