Interactive Behaviour at Work

Interactive Behaviour at Work Cheniere Energy was founded in 1983 and is a world leading liquefied natural gas (LNG) company. Through its subsidiaries the company engages in the development, construction, ownership, and operation of onshore LNG receiving terminals and natural gas pipelines in the Gulf Coast of the United States. It also engages in oil and natural gas exploration and development activities. Cheniere Energy is based in Houston, Texas with offices in Johnson Bayou, Louisiana, and London called Cheniere International UK Branch. The London office consists of six people who are responsible for sourcing and trading LNG cargoes for Cheniere as well as managing the day to day operations and activities of the office. Purpose of the report The purpose of this report is to examine work issues at Cheniere International UK Branch resulting from office harassment and specifically the conflict between an office assistant and the operations manager. It focuses on the interactive behaviour themes relating to communication, work relationships and leadership. Definition of Interactive Behaviour at work The term interactive behaviour at work refers to the reciprocal communication conduct of two or more persons. It covers both their overt behaviour and the factors and processes underlying it. It also extends to the use of communication for purposes such as self-presentation, co-operation, influencing others, working in groups and leadership. (Guirdham, 2002) Definition of the themes Communication According to Guirdham (2002) communication is a process of transferring information from one entity to another. Interpersonal communication at work may be face-to-face or indirect, formal or informal, and transmitted verbally or non-verbally. Communication is affected by language, communicator style, the differences between one- and two-way communication, power and status, culture, gender and disability. These effects on communication give rise to barriers, which can be analyzed as intrinsic, individual level and inter-group. To be high in quality, communication must overcome these barriers. Work relationship Interdependence and social orientations, roles, norms and conformity as well as co-operative, competitive and conflict behaviour are all concepts that help us to understand and be more effective in work relationships. Other important aspects related to the issues discussed cover conflict resolution, cultural differences, coping with prejudice, discrimination and harassment. (Guirdham, 2002) Harassment is defined as: conduct which is unreasonable, unwelcome and offensive, and which creates an intimidating, hostile or humiliating working environment. (Mullins, 2005) Harassment is a potential cause of stress. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) defines stress as: The adverse reaction people have to excess pressure. It is not disease. But if stress is intense and goes on for some time, it can lead to a mental and physical ill health. Leadership Leadership can be defined as the ability of an individual to influence, motivate and enable others to contribute towards the effectiveness and success of the organisation of which they are members (Guirdham, 2002) There is a close relationship between leadership and management, especially in work organisation, and an increasing tendency to see them as synonymous. However, arguably there are differences between the two and it does not follow that every leader is a manager. Leadership might be viewed in more general terms, with emphasis on interpersonal behaviour in a broader context. According to Mullins (2005) due to its complex nature there are many alternative ways of analysing leadership. Leadership may be examined in terms of qualities or traits approach, in terms of the functional or group approach, as a behavioural category, in terms of styles of leadership, through the situational approach and contingency models, and in terms of distinction between transactional and transforma tional leadership. Problem identification The issue discussed in this report involves the deteriorating relationship between a manager and an assistant (myself) in a small office environment. In addition the report looks at the behaviour of a director of the company involved to whom the employees were directly responsible to. Matters discussed include the identification of key points of conflict between the two persons involved, the style of management, the reaction of fellow employees, the interaction with the director involved and steps taken to resolve the issue. Background and causes of problems I joined the Cheniere International UK Branch in 2008 as an office assistant. Working at their London office in Mayfair where there were three other employees at my level, two were English and one was an American. I was the only one having English as a second language. The operations manager was a mature English lady with a very strong personality and an accretive attitude. I noticed that I was being asked to do considerably more work than the other assistants and that the manager was querying my efforts every day. At first I thought this was because I was new to the job and that it was a way of measuring my capabilities and ability to cope with the stresses of the work. It became clear however that this was much more of a particular attitude toward me as compared to the other employees. Maybe write something about working in a multi-cultural environment or possibly highlight that there was predominance of white Anglo-Saxon employees and as such no exposure to different cultures or ethnic diversity. Inter-cultural problems arise when members of an in-group perceive members of an out-group as inferior. This can promote in-group favouritism, increased tendency to stereotype members of out-groups and negative attitudes to actual or perceived cultural differences. It can result in exclusion of members of out-groups, negative evaluations and harassment. In a small office environment it would be unusual for someone in a position of authority to feel threatened by a single junior employee. It is difficult to give any clear instances of harassment, as such, as this was a subtle but constant undermining of my position on a daily basis. This was apparent in her constant criticism of my work and references to my Polish background and English not being my native language. I made a point of asking the other assistants to check my work and they always said it was fine and that was just her way and not to worry. One occurrence that began to give me an insight to her behaviour was when she asked me, in front of all the other assistants, why I did not work as a nanny or cleaner as all other Polish girls did. This indicated to me that there was the possibility that her actions were not actually based upon my performance but upon a much deeper prejudice and possible stereotyping of Polish people (either collectively or by gender). In a strange way this was a relief as until then my confidence had been undermined and I felt under stress at work. It seemed nothing I ever did was right, I was often depressed, both at work and at home and it was difficult to understand why she picked on me and what was causing the problem. It also made it difficult for me to try to see how I could resolve the problem. Being aware of the personality clash between us I was trying to understand what caused her hostile behaviour and I blamed myself that it was I who caused the conflict, but on the other hand I knew I normally never have any major problems engaging with people, being an easygoing and friendly person. The Thoms-Kilmann Conflict Mode Questionnaire can be useful in explaining my stance in the conflict. Scoring 9 in avoiding and 9 in accommodating styles shows that I am not an assertive person, do not wish to hurt peoples feelings, obey orders and I am generally a selfless type of person. (See Appendix x for a copy of the Thoms-Kilmann Conflict Mode Questionnaire you took.) It was very difficult to please and satisfy her probably because she developed irrational beliefs and prejudiced views about me. If being from Poland meant to her that I should be a nanny or cleaner she maybe believed that people of other races or backgrounds are in some way inferior and therefore deserve to be treated as second class. According to Tehrani (1996) the lack of self awareness in harassers increases their fears and prejudice. Harassers never feel strong enough to test their views objectively, preferring to live in an irrational world, where they need to continually support their prejudiced views with biased evidence. To explain even deeper her behavior I would say she portrayed the actions of a stigmatizer. Freidson (1983) stated that in Erving Goffmans theory of social stigma a stigma is an attribute, behaviour, or reputation which is socially discrediting in a particular way: it causes an individual to be mentally classified by others in an undesirable, rejected stereotype rather than in an accepted, normal one. In this managers eyes I was different; she may not want to accept me because of my nationality, my different accent, my origin. Goffman divides the individuals relation to a stigma into three categories: the stigmatized are those who bear the stigma; the normals are those who do not bear the stigma; and the wise are those among the normals who are accepted by the stigmatized as wise to their condition. I then represent a stigmatized person, the manager is normal and rest of our team can be seen as wise. Strategic Implications of the problem My case can be seen as a micro problem because it describes a situation in a small office and only a few people are involved in the conflict. I am the only person who was harmed and it could be argued that it is difficult to show macro implications from this issue. However, I would like to stress that harassment at the workplace occurs very often and causes a lot of problems. According to the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) harassment in the workplace costs employers in the UK more than  £2bn per year in sick pay, staff turnover and lower productivity. 19 million working days are lost each year as a direct result of workplace harassment. 1 in 4 people report that they have experienced harassment in the last 5 years. 70% of HR professionals have witnessed or have been aware of harassment in their organisation. Organisations that fail to address the problem of unacceptable behaviour at workplace pay a heavy cost in terms of loss of staff, reduced innovation, mor ale and sickness absence. This is in addition to the cost of litigation and bad public relations (Tehrani, 1996). My issue did not affect the organisation in a significant way, except high staff retention within 1 year two office assistants left the company because of Janes difficult character. As mentioned before 25% of the population suffer from harassment. By describing my personal experience I raise an issue that affects a lot of people and something that organizations have to deal with. Harassment is related with work relationship one of the main themes which are described in this paper. According to Tehrani (1996) harassment has a number of common elements; it involves a hurtful behaviour, this behaviour is repeated over a period of time and the person being harassed finds it difficult to defend themselves. People being harassed will also have difficulty in being rational in their thinking, believing the acts or views of a harasser are the views of everyone else. When I was working for Cheniere I was felling sad, negative and worthless. In addition my feelings were heightened with outbursts of anger, crying, loneliness and hurt. Lack of pleasure in almost everything that I was doing was significant and difficult to cope with. Being humiliated resulted in the lack of self confidence to assert myself and challenge the unacceptable behaviour of operations manager. It needs to be added that harassment is linked with stress. Guirdham (2002) stated: Some of the major effects of stress include sleep trouble, tiredness, being unable to cope well in conflict situations, wanting to be left alone, smoking, drinking and eating too much, being unable to influence or persuade people and finding it difficult to get up in the mornings. I recall that I was often very tired, could not sleep, and did not want to see my friends or family. Some people were asking me why I let her be abusive and rude towards me. The answer is because she had power over me. As I mentioned I held the lowest position in the office and I was supposed to listen to everyone and doing whatever they needed at work. Among French and Ravens (1959) power sources there is one which can be implemented in this situation coercive power. (Podsakoff and Schriesheim, 1985) Threats and punishment are common tools of coercion. I was often given undesirable tasks by Jane. There is one in particular where she spilled tea on her desk and asked me to clean it. My example demonstrates that this source of power can often lead to problems and in many circumstances it involves abuse. Coercive power can cause unhealthy behaviour and dissatisfaction in the workplace. (mindtools.com) From my above evaluation it can be stated that the operations manager was definitely my significant other at that time. She had very strong influence on my self-esteem and my behaviour. Many organisations and their managers and executives are guilty of ignoring, tolerating or sustaining conflicts and harassment (Guirdham, 2002). This statement confirms the behaviour of my director who was trying to explain me that I should accept the fact that Jane is generally a difficult person and therefore should not take it personally what she says and how she behaves. Lack of leadership qualities can be seen in my bosss attitude. A large portion of the existing literature on leadership focuses only on the positive traits of leaders. However, the so-called dark side of leadership, or negative personal traits of leaders, has received relatively less attention. Also, in practice, leadership is mostly evaluated in terms of the positive traits and strengths of leaders, even though certain organizational factors and followers characteristics significantly contribute to the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of leaders (Toor and Ogunlana, 2009). The director was not an effective leader . A leader  who lacks character or integrity will not be seen as a competent one. Even though he was intelligent, affable, persuasive, or savvy, he was also prone to rationalizing unethical behaviour. Office harassment is a very unethical issue and should be resolved by a companys leader, but it was not in my case. Moreover leaders not attuned to the needs of the employees are not effective either. Successful leaders focus on workers satisfaction and loyalty. They should find ways to consistently engage them and incorporate them into companys policies and make sure they know and obey their code of conduct. If they ignore, mistreat, or otherwise do not value their employees, they will not be valued for competences. Furthermore good leaders should communicate effectively across mediums, constituencies, environments of course employees. My boss was aware that Janes behavior was harmful but did not react and did not want to be involved in the conflict. This observation can lead to a s tatement that the director represented a laissez faire leadership style. According to Flynn (2009) this type of a leader describes passive leaders who are reluctant to influence subordinates or give direction. They generally refrain from participating in group or individual decision making and to a large extent, abdicate their leadership role. Subordinates are given considerable freedom of action and, therefore, seem likely to maximize their power and influence. Although laissez- faire leadership can be very successful in some environments where followers are responsible for self-monitoring, problem solving in my case it was not what I needed. I was looking for a mediator in my conflict with Jane, someone who can direct and take steps to resolve the problem. From Blake Mouton Managerial Grid perspective, it could be argued that the director represented Impoverished Leadership which is known for creating a work environment that is not satisfying and not motivating. The result is a pl ace of disorganization, dissatisfaction and disharmony. (Rollinson, 2005) My boss had low concern for employee satisfaction because knowing I was depressed and was in a conflict he was not concerned about it. A major danger of stereotyping is that it can block out accurate perception of an individual and lead to potential situation of prejudice or discrimination. This in consequence can build communication barriers. Janes tendency to ascribe negative characteristics to me on the basis of a general categorisation was a simplified process of her perception. Her stereotyping process based on my nationality and education had a significant implication to the atmosphere in our office and my wellbeing. Her prejudice caused communication problem between us. According to Erven (2008) stereotyping is a barrier to communication when it causes people to act as if they already know the message that is coming from the sender or worse, as if no message is necessary because everybody already knows. People stereotype genders, races, religions, and cultures. They combine them to say things but often incorrectly creating assumptions. Stereotypes develop from reality. Poles steal British jobs became a stereotype because a lot of Poles are poor and had to learn how to survive and came here to look for a job but they do not deserve to be stereotyped. It might be true that most of Polish women work as nannies or cleaners but, it does not identify me, my needs, and my weaknesses. So if Jane used the stereotypical view of Polish women towards me, she missed who I actually am, as an individual. I wanted to communicate, talk to her and did not want to be lost in the stereotypical concept. People are complex and need to be understood as individuals, not stereotypes. Uniqueness is what gets lost in the stereotypes and lack of proper communication. People should listen, understand, consider the whole person, and that requires rejecting the preconceived assumptions, based on the stereotypes t hat are created and used. Communication is at the heart of many interpersonal problems faced by employers. Understanding the communication process and then working at improvement provide a recipe for becoming more effective communicators. Knowing the common barriers to communication is the first step to minimizing their impact. Stereotyping is a barrier to proper communication, it cannot just disrupt communication, it can destroy it. The significance of non-verbal communication and body language need to be evaluated in this report as in my case it was more important than verbal communication. According to Mullins (2005) non-verbal communication includes inferences drawn from posture, gesture, touch, invasion of personal space, extent of eye contact, tone of voice or facial expression. Very often the operations manger was using proper language and if was not obvious for others to see the conflict between us and her antipathy. Her tone of voice and facial expression were sending messages that I was not accepted and were unwelcomed. Mullins (2005) adds also that in our face-to face communication with other people the messages about our feelings and attitudes come only 7 per cent from the words we use, 38 per cent from our voice and 55 per cent from body language, including facial expression. Significantly, when body language such as gestures and tone of voice conflicts with the words, greater emphasis is likely to be placed on the non-verbal message. He also suggests that when verbal and non-verbal messages are in conflict (like in my case regarding communication with the operations manager) accepted wisdom is that the non-verbal signals should be the ones to rely on, and that what is not said is frequently louder than what is said, revealing attitudes and feelings in a way words cannot express. Alternative options for resolving problem Leave the job or stay. People have bad days at work. But if that bad day is every day, it might be time to consider leaving the job. Some causes of job dissatisfaction are impossible to alter, and in this case employees may well be better off making an exit. Leaving the job is usually a very difficult decision and can often cause mixed emotions: joy because of moving on to something better, sadness at losing people we enjoyed work with, relief we dont have to cope with the problem and conflicts anymore. Uncertainty about the future and new job has usually a big impact on peoples decisions. I was also concerned about my future. Staying with Cheniere was an alternative, but I was concerned how I can change the atmosphere and Janes behaviour. Talking to her or to my boss were the options to make my work conditions better. Alternatively I could stay with the company and try to accept the environment and ambiance, and try to reduce sensitivity to hostility or displays of prejudice. Mullins (2005) evaluated difficult people: Perhaps our reluctance to identify, and then directly address, conflict within organisations is based upon the widely held belief that conflict is inevitable, negative and unmanageable. There is a tendency to see conflict as a result one persons personality. Conflict may be inevitable, but how dramatically situations could be changed if we could also view it as positive and manageable. What if we think of these situations as raising questions of difference? What if we were to make a shift away from blaming individuals and their personalities, recognizing instead that it is through normal hum an interaction that outward expressions of difference are produced? Unfortunately coping with difficult people is not one of my strong points. Another option was to beat her at her own game. Act like her, be unsympathetic, telling colleagues how unfair she is. This option would be very difficult because she held higher position and therefore had power and because I respect people it wound be something against my values and beliefs. Choice of option I was trying to resolve the problem. I talked to the director but was ignored and was told that I should accept the situation as it is and accept Janes behaviour because she is difficult and she is not going to change her attitude. Another advice was that I should be less emotional and try to be mentally stronger. He did not wish to speak to Jane to ask to change her attitude and help her to cope with her hostile behaviour. Tehrani (1996) argue that the role of leader in developing the skills which enable people to communicate in an open and assertive manner is perhaps one of the most effective tools in addressing conflicts. The support of an assertive and caring manager is an important aspect of rehabilitating a harasser. Harassers need support when they are developing the new skills and behaviors in communication which will replace the harassing behaviours. I also talked to Jane but I was told that I read her intentions badly. She was trying to tell me that there was no issue betwe en us and I should not waste her time for such conversations. Rationale for choice Because I had an interesting job, was satisfied with my compensation I did not want to leave thus I was trying to find a resolution. I was not accepted by one of the co-workers but I did not want to be a victim of harassment. I was trying to be a survivor. According to Tehrani (1996) victims of harassment frequently express the view that there is little they can do to prevent the harassment taking place. They have no choice but to put up with what is being done to them. This perception of lack of personal control or power must be changed if the harassee is ever to make sense of what has happened to them. Survivors, on the other hand, are able to begin to make choices and decisions about what they want to do to stop or resolve the harassment. Survivors of harassment take an active part in deciding how they would like things to be handled when resolving their problems. They are keen to take responsibility for making things happen, rather than behaving passively, allowing others, howeve r well meaning, to take over control. One of the main skills survivors of harassment learn is to be assertive in expressing what they want and do not want to happen during the harassment investigation; to be able to say yes or no regardless of the wishes of others. Assertiveness is also one of the most important skills needed to prevent harassees becoming victims of harassment in the future. Finally the survivors of harassment are able to look forward to the future, a future without harassment, while the victims concentrate on the harassment itself, rather than on how they can change things to prevent the harassment occurring again. Although I was trying to help myself, was looking for help from the directors and also arranged a meeting with Jane, nothing changed. Implementation of Option I eventually decided to leave. It took me 2 weeks to find another job. The difference in the working environment was immense. New co-workers were pleasant and friendly. I am glad that I took control over the situation and left the company. I will never fully forget this experience but sometimes we should experience and accept the extremes, because if the contrast is lost, we lose appreciation. Time for Implementation I was working for this company for 5 months before handing in my resignation. Conclusion In recent years there has been an increasing recognition of the harm that could be done to individuals who become the victims of harassment or bullying. Although there have been significant moves to introduce legislation and guidelines that deal with the introduction of organizational policy and procedures on harassment and bullying, the occurrence of harassment is still common in many British organizations. My case in this paper can be perceived as a representation of this problem for many organizations. This is not an easy issue to deal with for mangers, people who cause harassment and most of all for people who suffer from hostile behavior. Background and causes of such conflicts are often implicit and not easy to resolve. Understanding the communication process and communication barriers is important to effectively control the problem. Leadership skills and appropriate use of power can be crucial.

Imagination and Literature Essay -- Literature Essays Literary Critici

Imagination and Literature      Ã‚   The importance and influence of imagination on the creation and critique of literature varies between and within various artistic eras. Originally seen as an aberrant function of the mind, imagination was subservient to the powers of reason and order. Art involved mere replication of the real, a craft rather than an unique act of creation. Beginning as early as Aristotle, however,   human imagination has been linked to the power and value of art. The ascendancy and, in some eras even superiority, of imagination as a potent mental faculty gave birth to new critical enterprises bent on articulating the manner, motivation, and merit embedded in art and the artistic process. By tracing the development of this basic literary concept, it may not be possible to discover a coherent and universal idea of imagination that has evolved throughout history. However, such an inquiry could lead to a better understanding of how the ideas and attitudes about imagination from one age enter i nto an informative and influential dialogue with others. From the rational and pragmatic critics of the Enlightenment to the expressive and Romantic critics of the Nineteenth Century, we can begin to formulate a synthetic rather than absolute understanding of imagination.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Though Aristotle first created room for imagination by expanding the expressions of a poet from the actual to the possible "in accordance with the laws of probability or necessity", it was not until much later that the capacity and power of imagination was adequately explored. Imagination was seen as a turbulent, unpredictable, but potentially beneficial force which must be refined and kept within the bounds of reason to pragmatic critic... ... each definition of imagination we have discussed struggles to be independent while simultaneously remaining intertwined to the preceding critical traditions.    Works Cited Coleridge, Samuel Taylor. "Bibliographia Literaria" The Critical Tradition. Ed., David H. Richter, New York: St. Martin's Press, 1989.    Hume David. "Of the Standard Taste" The Critical Tradition. Ed., David H. Richter, New York: St. Martin's Press, 1989.    Johnson, Samuel. "Rambler, No. 4" The Critical Tradition. Ed., David H. Richter, New York: St. Martin's Press, 1989.    ---. "Rasselas, Chapter 10" The Critical Tradition. Ed., David H. Richter, New York: St. Martin's Press, 1989.       Shelley, Percy Bysshe. "A Defence of Poetry" The Critical Tradition. Ed., David H. Richter, New York: St. Martin's Press, 1989.

The Golden Lily Chapter 8

GOING OUT AGAIN didn't really happen until the weekend. Brayden and I were both overachieving enough to manage weeknight outings and still finish homework – but neither of us liked to do it if we could avoid it. Besides, my weeknights usually had some other conflict with the gang, be it a feeding or the experiments. Eddie had given his blood this week, and I'd made a point to not be around when it happened, lest Sonya try to pitch to me again. Brayden had wanted to go out Saturday, but that was the day I'd promised to drive Adrian to San Diego. Brayden compromised on breakfast, catching me before I hit the road, and we went out to a restaurant adjacent to one of Palm Springs' many lush golf resorts. Although I had long since offered to pull my share, Brayden continued picking up the bills and doing all the driving. As he pulled up in front of my dorm to drop me off afterward, I saw a surprising and not entirely welcome sight awaiting me: Adrian sitting outside on a bench, looking bored. â€Å"Oh geez,† I said. â€Å"What?† asked Brayden. â€Å"That's my brother.† I knew there was no avoiding this. The inevitable had happened. Adrian would probably cling to Brayden's bumper until he got an introduction. â€Å"Come on, you can meet him.† Brayden left the car idling and stepped out, casting an anxious glance at the NO PARKING sign. Adrian jumped up from his seat, a look of supreme satisfaction on his face. â€Å"Wasn't I supposed to pick you up?† I asked. â€Å"Sonya had some errands to run and offered to drop me here while she was out,† he explained. â€Å"Figured we'd save you some trouble.† Adrian had known what I was doing this morning, so I wasn't entirely sure his motives had been all that selfless. â€Å"This is Brayden,† I told him. â€Å"Brayden, Adrian.† Adrian shook his hand. â€Å"I've heard so much about you.† I didn't doubt that but wondered who exactly he'd heard it from. Brayden gave a friendly smile back. â€Å"I've actually never heard of you. I didn't even know Sydney had another brother.† â€Å"You never mentioned me?† Adrian shot me a look of mock hurt. â€Å"It never came up,† I said. â€Å"You're still in high school, right?† asked Adrian. He nodded toward the Mustang. â€Å"You must have a side job to make those car payments, though. Unless you're one of those slackers who just tries to get money off of their parents.† Brayden looked indignant. â€Å"Of course not. I work almost every day at a coffee shop.† â€Å"A coffee shop,† repeated Adrian, managing to convey a million shades of disapproval in his tone. â€Å"I see.† He glanced over at me. â€Å"I suppose it could be worse.† â€Å"Adrian – â€Å" â€Å"Well, it's not like I'm going to work there forever,† protested Brayden. â€Å"I've already been accepted to USC, Stanford, and Dartmouth.† Adrian nodded thoughtfully. â€Å"I guess that's respectable. Although, I've always thought of Dartmouth as the kind of school people go to when they can't get into Yale or Harv – â€Å" â€Å"We really need to go,† I interrupted, grabbing hold of Adrian's arm. I attempted to tug him toward the student parking lot and failed. â€Å"We don't want to get caught in traffic.† Brayden glanced at his cell phone. â€Å"Traffic patterns should be relatively light going west this time of the day, but being a weekend, you never know how tourists might alter things, especially with the various attractions in San Diego. If you look at traffic models applying the Chaos Theory – â€Å" â€Å"Exactly,† I said. â€Å"Better safe than sorry. I'll text you when I get back, okay? We'll figure out the rest of this week.† For once, I didn't have to stress about handshaking or kissing or anything like that. I was too fixated on dragging Adrian away before he could open his mouth and say something inflammatory. Brayden, while passionate about academic topics and me disagreeing with him, tended to otherwise be pretty mild-mannered. He hadn't exactly been upset just now, but that was certainly the most agitated I'd ever seen him. Leave it to Adrian to work up even the most easygoing people. â€Å"Really?† I asked, once we were safely inside Latte. â€Å"You couldn't have just said ‘nice to meet you,' and let it go?† Adrian pushed back the passenger seat, managing the most lounging position possible while still wearing a seatbelt. â€Å"Just looking out for you, sis. Don't want you ending up with some deadbeat. Believe me, I'm an expert on that kind of thing.† â€Å"Well, I appreciate your insider knowledge, but I'll manage this on my own, thanks just the same.† â€Å"Come on, a barista? Why not some business intern?† â€Å"I like that he's a barista. He always smells like coffee.† Adrian rolled down a window, letting the breeze ruffle his hair. â€Å"I'm surprised you let him drive you around, especially considering the way you freak out if anyone touches the controls in your car.† â€Å"Like the window?† I asked pointedly. â€Å"When the air conditioning's on?† Adrian took the hint and raised the window back up. â€Å"He wants to drive. So I let him. Besides, I like that car.† â€Å"That is a nice car,† Adrian admitted. â€Å"Though I never took you for the type to go for status symbols.† â€Å"I don't. I like it because it's an interesting car with a long history.† â€Å"Translation: status symbol.† â€Å"Adrian.† I sighed. â€Å"This is going to be a long ride.† In actuality, we made pretty good time. Despite Brayden's speculations, traffic moved easily, enough that I felt I deserved a coffee break halfway through. Adrian got a mocha – â€Å"Can you spot me this one time, Sage?† – and maintained his usual breezy conversation style throughout most of the trip. I couldn't help but notice, when we were about thirty minutes out, he grew more withdrawn and thoughtful. His banter dropped off, and he spent a lot of time gazing out the window. I could only assume the reality of his seeing his dad was setting in. It was certainly something I could relate to. I'd be just as anxious if I was about to see mine. I didn't really think Adrian would appreciate a shared psychotherapy session, though, so I groped for a safer topic to draw him out of his blue mood. â€Å"Have you guys learned anything from Eddie and Dimitri's blood?† I asked. Adrian glanced at me in surprise. â€Å"Didn't expect you to bring that up.† â€Å"Hey, I'm curious about the science of it. I just didn't want to participate.† He accepted this. â€Å"Not much to tell so soon. They sent the samples off to a lab – one of your labs, I think – to see if there's anything physically different between the two. Sonya and I did pick up a†¦ oh, I don't know how to describe it. Like, a ‘hum' of spirit in Belikov's blood. Not that him having magic blood should surprise anyone. Most people seem to think everything he does is magic.† â€Å"Oh, come on,† I said. â€Å"That's unfair.† â€Å"Is it? You've seen the way Castile worships him. He wants to be just like Belikov when he grows up. And even though Sonya's usually the spokesperson for our research, she won't breathe without checking with him beforehand. ‘What do you think, Dimitri?' ‘Is this a good idea, Dimitri?' ‘Please give us your blessing so that we can fall down and worship you, Dimitri.'† I shook my head in exasperation. â€Å"Again – unfair. They're research partners. Of course she's going to consult him.† â€Å"She consults him more than me.† Probably because Adrian always looked bored during their research, but I figured it wouldn't help to bring that up. â€Å"They've both been Strigoi. They've kind of got a unique insight to this.† He didn't respond for several moments. â€Å"Okay. I'll give you points for that. But you can't argue that there was any competition between me and him when it came to Rose. You saw them together. I never had a chance. I can't compare.† â€Å"Well, why do you have to?† Part of me also wanted to ask what Rose had to do with this, but Jill had told me numerous times that for Adrian, everything came back to Rose. â€Å"Because I wanted her,† Adrian said. â€Å"Do you still want her?† No answer. Rose was a dangerous topic; one I wished we hadn't weirdly stumbled into. â€Å"Look,† I said. â€Å"You and Dimitri are two different people. You shouldn't compare yourself to him. You shouldn't try to be like him. I mean, I'm not going to sit here and rip him apart or anything. I like Dimitri. He's smart and dedicated, insanely brave and ferocious. Good in a fight. And he's just a nice guy.† Adrian scoffed. â€Å"You left out dreamy and ruggedly handsome.† â€Å"Hey, you're pretty easy on the eyes too,† I teased, quoting something he'd told me a while ago. He didn't smile. â€Å"And don't underestimate yourself. You're smart too, and you can talk yourself out of – and into – anything. You don't even need magical charisma.† â€Å"So far I'm not seeing a lot of difference between me and a carnival con-man.† â€Å"Oh, stop,† I said. He could make me laugh even with the most serious of topics. â€Å"You know what I mean. And you're also one of the most fiercely loyal people I know – and caring, no matter how much you pretend otherwise. I see the way you look after Jill. Not many people would've traveled across the country to help her. And almost no one would have done what you did to save her life.† Again, Adrian took a while to respond. â€Å"But what are loyal and caring really worth?† â€Å"To me? Everything.† There was no hesitation in my answer. I'd seen too much backstabbing and calculation in my life. My own father judged people not by who they were but by what they could do for him. Adrian did care passionately about others underneath all of his bravado and flippancy. I'd seen him risk his life to prove it. Considering I'd had someone's eye cut out to avenge my sister†¦ well. Devotion was definitely something I could appreciate. Adrian didn't say anything else for the rest of the drive, but at least I didn't get the impression he was brooding anymore. Mostly he seemed thoughtful, and that wasn't so concerning. What did make me a little uneasy was that I often caught sight of him studying me in my periphery. I replayed what I'd said over and over in my mind, trying to figure out if there'd been anything to warrant such attention. Adrian's father was staying at a sprawling San Diego hotel with a vibe similar to the resort Brayden and I had eaten breakfast at. Businessmen in suits mingled with pleasure seekers in tropical prints and flip-flops. I'd almost worn jeans to breakfast and was glad now for my choice of a gray skirt and short-sleeved blouse with a muted blue and gray print. It had a tiny ruffled trim, and the skirt had a very, very faint herringbone pattern. Normally, I wouldn't have worn such contrasting textures together, but I'd liked the boldness of the look. I'd pointed it out to Jill before I left the dorm for breakfast. It'd taken her a while to even find the contrasting textures, and when she did, she'd rolled her eyes. â€Å"Yeah, Sydney. You're a real rebel.† Meanwhile, Adrian was in one of his typical summer outfits, jeans and a button-up shirt – though of course the shirt was untucked, with the sleeves rolled up and a few top buttons undone. He wore that look all the time, and despite its casual faà §ade, he often made it appear dressy and fashionable. Not today, however. These were the most worn-out jeans I'd ever seen him wear – the knees were on the verge of having holes. The dark green shirt, while nice quality and a perfect match for his eyes, was wrinkled to inexplicable levels. Sleeping in it or tossing it on the floor wouldn't achieve that state. I was pretty sure someone would have to actually crumple it into a ball and sit on it for it to look that bad. If I'd noticed it back at Amberwood (and hadn't been so distracted getting him away from Brayden), I would've insisted on ironing the shirt before we left. He still looked good, of course. He always looked good, no matter the condition of his clothing and hair. It was one of the more annoying things about him. This rumpled look made him come across as some pensive European model. Studying him as we took the elevator to the second floor lobby, I decided it couldn't be a coincidence that the most disheveled outfit I'd ever seen Adrian in had fallen on the day he had a father-son visit. The question was: why? He'd complained that his dad always found fault with him. Dressing this way seemed like Adrian was just providing one more reason. The elevator opened, and I gasped as we stepped out. The back wall of the lobby was almost entirely covered with windows that offered a dramatic view of the Pacific. Adrian chuckled at my reaction and took out his cell phone. â€Å"Take a closer look while I call the old man.† He didn't have to tell me twice. I walked over to one of the glass walls, admiring the vast, blue-gray expanse. I imagined that on cloudy days, it would be hard to tell where sky ended and ocean began. The weather was gorgeous out today, full of sun and a perfectly clear azure-blue sky. On the lobby's right side, a set of doors opened up onto a Mediterranean style balcony where diners were enjoying lunch out in the sun. Looking down to ground level, I caught sight of a sparkling pool as blue as the sky, surrounded in palm trees and sunbathers. I didn't have the same longing for water that a magic user like Jill possessed, but I had been living in the desert for almost two months. This was amazing. I was so transfixed with the beauty outside that I didn't notice Adrian's return. In fact, I didn't even notice he was standing right beside me until a mother calling for her daughter – also named Sydney – made me glance aside. There, I saw Adrian only inches away, watching me with amusement. I flinched and stepped back a little. â€Å"How about some warning next time?† He smiled. â€Å"I didn't want to interrupt. You looked happy for a change.† â€Å"For a change? I'm happy lots of times.† I knew Adrian well enough to recognize the sign of an incoming snarky comment. At the last second, he changed course, his expression turning serious. â€Å"Does that guy – that Brendan guy – â€Å" â€Å"Brayden.† â€Å"Does that Brayden guy make you happy?† I looked at Adrian in surprise. These kinds of questions were almost always a setup from him, but his neutral face made it hard to guess his motives this time. â€Å"I guess,† I said at last. â€Å"Yeah. I mean, he doesn't make me unhappy.† That brought Adrian's smile back. â€Å"Red-hot answer if ever there was one. What do you like about him? Aside from the car? And that he smells like coffee?† â€Å"I like that he's smart,† I said. â€Å"I like that I don't have to dumb myself down around him.† Now Adrian frowned. â€Å"You do that a lot for people?† I was surprised at the bitterness in my own laugh. â€Å"‘A lot?' Try all the time. Probably the most important thing I've learned at Amberwood is that people don't like to know how much you know. With Brayden, there's no censoring for either of us. I mean, just look at this morning. One minute we were talking Halloween costumes, the next we were discussing the ancient Athenian origins of democracy.† â€Å"I'm not going to claim to be a genius, but how the hell did you make that leap?† â€Å"Oh,† I said. â€Å"Our Halloween costumes. We're dressing Greek. From the Athenian era.† â€Å"Of course,† he said. And this time, I could tell the snark was about to return. â€Å"No sexy cat costumes for you. Only the most dignified, feminist attire will do.† I shook my head. â€Å"Feminist? Oh, no. Not Athenian women. They're about as far from feminist as you can – well, forget it. It's not really important.† Adrian did a double take. â€Å"That's it, isn't it?† He leaned toward me, and I nearly moved back†¦ but something held me where I was, something about the intensity in his eyes. â€Å"What?† I asked. He pointed at me. â€Å"You stopped yourself just now. You just dumbed it down for me.† I hesitated only a moment. â€Å"Yeah, I kind of did.† â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Because you really don't want to hear about ancient Athens, any more than you wanted to hear Brayden talk about Chaos Theory.† â€Å"That's different,† said Adrian. He hadn't moved away and was still standing so, so close to me. It seemed like that should've bothered me, but it didn't. â€Å"He's boring. You make learning fun. Like a children's book or after school special. Tell me about your†¦ um, Athenian women.† I tried not to smile. I admired his intentions here but knew he really wasn't up for a history lesson. Again, I wondered what game was going on. Why was he pretending to be interested? I tried to compose an answer that would take less than sixty seconds. â€Å"Most Athenian women weren't educated. They mostly stayed inside and were just expected to have kids and take care of the house. The most progressive women were the hetaerae. They were like entertainers and high-class prostitutes. They were educated and a little flashier. Powerful men kept their wives at home to raise children and then hung out with hetaerae for fun.† I paused, unsure if he'd followed any of that. â€Å"Like I said, it's not really important.† â€Å"I don't know,† said Adrian thoughtfully. â€Å"I find prostitutes vastly important.† â€Å"Well. How refreshing to see that things haven't changed,† a new voice cut in. We both flinched and looked up at the scowling man who had just joined us. Adrian's father had arrived.

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