The Statement - 1. Chapter One

- PART A

It was a bitterly cold morning as I fought my way through the crowd to get off the tram. The luxurious smell of freshly brewed coffee wafted over to me, and nearly caused me to deviate from my determined trek to Lonsdale Street. But I was terrified of being late (even though it was only 7 am) so I kept going. I recognised the gleaming office tower where I was about to start my career, and the moment bowled me over. I was fresh out of university and starting my Practical Legal Training with Pace and Malthau, one of the most prestigious law firms in Melbourne. I'm still stunned that they had chosen me as one of their new recruits, over all the other thousands of graduates that would've applied for such a coveted position. I'm just a simple country boy from Benalla and now I'm on the verge of securing my future.

My mum would be so proud of me.

Just after I'd got my VCE results - 98.6, thank you very much - mum told me that she expected me to make something of myself and that she was proud of me overcoming obstacles all through school to get into uni. Being raised by a single mother in a conservative country town, being deaf with cochlear implants and being gay had been hard. It was no picnic for mum either. After she passed away from a rare form of brain cancer, and I moved to Melbourne, I'd often felt chaos and despair lapping just at the edge of my vision. I'd felt so alone. But somehow I made friends - particularly my best friend and housemate Sophie who'd been a fellow law student and had saved my arse at university more than once - and worked my way through my degree. Slowly I'd gotten my life sorted.

I entered the building at the same time as about half a dozen other immaculately suited men and women. I wondered if any of them would be people I'd work with. They were engrossed with their phones or sheets of paper or steaming cups of coffee, dragging wheeled bags or carrying briefcases. I only had a heart full of regret that I hadn't stopped for some coffee, and my ancient denim knapsack. I'd kinda thrown all my money at the suit I was now wearing. It'd costed a bomb but it was especially tailored to my slim and short build. Totally worth it. Each of fellow travellers waved their ID cards to the building concierge. I was completely thrown until I remembered my orientation letter. I showed it to the concierge who looked at me skeptically before phoning someone. After she hung up she grinned at me and shrugged.

"You're right to go up Mr Lacan. Level fifteen. Good luck, you're gonna need it!" she said.

"Umm... thanks." I mumbled. I hated when people pronounced my surname like 'lackin'. It's pronounced 'La Carn' people!

As the doors to the lift were about to close I heard someone running for the lift,

"Hold the door!" his voice boomed.

I pressed the open doors button and a strapping tall man got in. I thought I filled my suit well... well this guy had me beat. His suit accentuated his broad shoulders, his defined chest, muscled biceps and his narrow waist. They hugged his legs and curved around his gorgeous bum. His severe haircut and trimmed five o'clock style shadow beard only made him more handsome, although his face could do without the scowl that he was directing towards me.

"Are you going to let the doors close?" he asked, his piercing blue eyes ensnaring me.

I shook myself and returned to my senses and realised I was still holding the button. I immediately blushed down to my neck.

"Sorry!" I choked.

I let go of the button and immediately dove into my bag for a Mylanta tablet. At my first law exam in first year of uni I discovered that I'd developed a slightly disgusting habit of getting indigestion every time I was stressed. Ever since, I'd always made sure to have tablets on me. As I tried to swallow the tablet dry - now I really wish I'd bought that coffee! - could see him watching me out of the corner of his eye, a slightly amused expression on his face. As I calmed down, he sighed and turned to look at me - actually, more down at me, he was so tall!

"I'm sorry I snapped at you," he said, "after all you did hold the lift for me. So thanks."

He held out his hand,

"I'm Ollie."

I stared at his big hand for a second before shaking it. It was as warm as I imagined.

"I'm James."

His eyes did that crinkling thing at the edges as he smiled.

"Where are you headed James?"

"Pace and Malthau. I'm just starting there."

He stared into my eyes for a few long moments, smiling delightedly.

I heard a phone chime, and his head immediately snapped down to his phone in his other hand.

"Fuck!" he exclaimed.

As the lift reached the fifteenth floor and the doors opened, he stormed out and through the frosted door to Pace and Malthau. Then I realised we'd held hands way longer than was socially necessary.

"Well," I thought, "I wonder if that hunk of a man is one of my new colleagues... wait till I tell Sophie about this."

Little did I know!

- PART B

I braced myself and entered the office of Pace and Malthau, clutching at my bag like a lifeline. Inside was an immaculate reception area and a very dapper gentleman manning the front desk. I went up to him and introduced myself.

"Hi. James Lacan for..." I perused my orientation letter, "Margaret Cabresi?"

He looked at me calmly.

"Have a seat Mr Lacan."

Success! He pronounced it correctly, and now everyone in the office will know the correct pronounciation.

Me 1, World 0.

I sat down. It was one of those horrible Spanish chairs. Stiff leather and no luimbar support. From the expensive and monochromatic minimalist theme of the reception area, it figured that the chair was probably an original. That just made me even more uncomfortable. I felt very out of place. I heard the receptionist murmering into a phone for a few monents until all was silent again.

Before long, a pitch black haired scowling whirl of a person came through the a door off to the side and rushed up to me

"Are you Mr Lacan?" she thundered at me intensely.

"Uh... yes?" I was clutching my bag even closer now.

"Well don't just stand there! Follow me!" she barked as she swept back where she came.

I followed somewhat reluctantly.

She led me through an open plan office full of people who barely glanced at either of us. There was a low level hum, but the warm light and soft coloured walls and the occasional wooden beams on the ceiling and walls gave the place a surprisingly different feel than the reception.

I was led into a small office. The lady turned around and leveled her gaze on me. She didn't seem too impressed with what she saw. I stiffened my spine a little.

"I'm Margaret Cabresi, but you may call me Maggie. Some in the office have taken to calling me Miyagi, which I do not find amusing. I have no sense of humour so be warned. I'm the HR Manager of Junior Associates here at Pace and Malthau. I've worked here for seven years and I would LITERALLY die for this place. So don't test me, Mr Lacan, and we'll get on fine."

I gulped, wide-eyed, as she finished her sermon.

Then Maggie smiled at me and her gaze softened.

"Oh relax Mr Lacan. I'm just teasing."

I heard laughter from behind me. I turned and saw a slim blonde man and a curvy dark-skinned woman a bit older than me, looking at me highly amused.

"Miyagi got you good, sport" said the guy as he laughed, "I'm Matt, one of the junior associates."

The woman came forward and hugged me,

"Don't worry hun, Maggie is all bark and only a slight bite. Might want to get checked for rabies though."

"I heard that" Maggie said witheringly.

The woman continued, "I'm Tomika. It's lovely to meet you...?"

"I-I'm James." I held out my hand for her to shake.

Tomika laughed.

"Oh aren't you adorable!"

She hugged me again and I blushed.

"Gawd woman, can't you see he's suffering!" Matt said.

Tomika let me go and stood back, grinning at me.

I glanced from Matt to Tomika,

"So will you guys be the ones training me?"

Matt chuckled,

"Good grief no! We're barely out of the training diapers ourselves."

Tomika grimaced, "And with that lovely image we better leave you and Mags to it."

I looked to Maggie who rolled her eyes.

"Thank Christ they're leaving." she said.

"Hey!" Matt and Tomika exclaimed.

Matt called out that it was nice to meet me and they both waved to me as they left.

"Take a seat Mr Lacan."

"Y-you can call me James if you want..." I offered stutteringly.

Maggie smiled at me again.

"Thank you James."

"So will you be training me then?"

Maggie laughed.

"Stop guessing James. You're not very good at it." she grinned to let me know she was teasing.

I smiled and laughed a little.

"Now... as to who will be doing the training..."

Maggie looked through her papers searching for a name, I guessed. She glanced at me and grabbed some what looked like forms.

"Fill these out while I get this info."

I sighed with relief at having something to do with my hands and brain.

She found a piece of paper.

"So it seems Mike from contracts will be handling your preliminary train-"

An email chime went off, and Maggie stopped talking as she read it.

She frowned and glanced at me, slightly perturbed.

"Scratch that. Seems like Oliver will be instead."