Tapped Out

2. Blue Box

Aya
"Get in Miss Fancy Designer, don't want you to be late for your first day." Nathi jokes as he leans over the passenger seat, opening my door for me because my hands are full.

I slide onto my seat, throwing my bulky portfolio bag onto the backseat. "Thank you Mr. Tardy for being on time." I roll my eyes at him while I rummage through my bag, looking for something to eat.

"Pssh when am I ever not on time?!" He questions in mock shock as he pulls off onto the road.

"Do you seriously want me to write you a list?" I ask raising a perfectly shaped brow, if I do say so myself. Giving up my fruitless hunt, I make a mental note to buy snacks and gum later.

"YES PLEASE! 'Cause you know for a fact there will be a whole lot of, wait for it...NOTHING on it." He dramatically shouts as he playfully pokes my fleshy side.

I jump a little more than is expected or necessary really, because a) I am ridiculously ticklish, which he knows all too well; and b) I am not generally comfortable with people touching my midsection 'cause then they can feel my squishy fat rolls. I use my reaction as an excuse to scoot closer to the door and away from his probing fingers. Not that it helps much with Nathi's long ass arms. Elongated fool, I smile at my silly insult. I'm definitely going to use this later.

"Whatever! You know I'm always right but I'll spare you the embarrassment." I put my hand up, blocking any further argument.

I go quiet and look out the window, watching the city speed by. Thoughts of the obstacle ahead swirl in my head as we get closer and closer to my new "home" for the next month and a half.

"Hey, stop worrying." Nathi's voice pulls me out of my thoughts. "It's going to be great, you were born for this." He places a steadying hand on my bouncing knee, which was a nervous tick and a telltale sign of my anxiety.

"Thanks babe." I softly reply with a small smile, enjoying his warm touch. I place my chin in my hand and resume watching buildings go by outside.

The rest of the car ride is spent in silence. I feel like I blinked and we are outside the ultra-modern glass and steel headquarters of Blue Box Interiors. I get out of the car, collecting my things out of the backseat and say a quick goodbye to Nathi.

I jog up the short flight of stairs to the revolving glass doors where I close my eyes and take a deep breath, composing myself before I go in. I open my eyes and I stumble back a little when I find Nathi unexpectedly standing in front of me.

"Sorry I didn't mean to scare you. I just wanted to give you a good luck hug." He bashfully explains, steadying me with one hand and pulls me in for a big bear hug.

I'm not much of a hugger 'cause I am armpit height to most people, but I must admit this feels pretty good. Nathi is 6'2 with a lean but muscular body and he always smells devine. I have to pull away before my very TINY crush on him rears its unnecessary head. I know Nathi loves me but we'll never be more than friends. I'm not his type.

"Thanks bud...I feel a hundred times better. I'll see you at five." I say too cheerily, trying to avoid any further awkwardness by quickly stepping into the revolving doors entering the reception.

I walked up to the sleek crescent-shaped electric blue reception desk where a pretty pixie-like redhead woman sits. "Good morning, my name is Aya Mbeki, I'm here for the Doore's Internship."

"Good morning, I'm Astrid Michaels. Please sign in here, then take a seat. Miss Waters will be with you shortly." She replies cheerfully as she hands me a pen and a sign-in book.

I fill in my details and see that one of my classmates, Jonathan James is already here. At least one familiar face, I note to myself as I sit down on a funky lime ottoman. I take the time to admire my surroundings. The entire building is made of glass and steel. It kind of looks like a giant glass box. It is all very minimalistic except for the accents of electric blue, sunshine yellow and lime green featured in the furniture, paintings and coloured glass wall panels. It is a great colour scheme and whoever designed this space is brilliant. The standards here are clearly very high.

I am brought out of my gawking by a striking and fashionably dressed woman calling my name. She looks to be in her early 40's, tall and slender with milky white skin, sharply contrasted by her green eyes and bone-straight jet black waist-length hair. I conclude that this must be Miss Waters and I quickly stand up to greet her as she walks up to me.

"Hello Miss Mbeki, I am Julia Waters. Welcome to Blue Box Interiors." She speaks quickly, offering me a well manicured hand to shake.

"Good morning Miss Waters. Thank you and you can call me Aya. I'm very excited to be here." I say as I shake her hand with a smile and curse myself internally Excited to be here! Really?! Desperate much?

"Of course you are, and you can call me Julia. Follow me." She responds dryly and proceeds to walk past Astrid's desk, swiping her key card that rotates the security turnstiles giving her access to the lifts.

"Here is your temporary key card. Come see me at the end of the day for your permanent one. Have a great first day" Astrid smiles up at me as she hands me the card. I already like her.

I swipe my card and go through the turnstiles but there isn't much room between my fatness and my cumbersome portfolio bag. I end up being squeezed in real tight and then suddenly set free which causes me to stumble and land on my knees dropping everything in my hands.

My portfolio with all its million bits and pieces thankful stays closed, but the same can't be said for my handbag. All its contents spill onto the shiny white-tiled floor. Julia just looks over her shoulder at me and then turns back to resume waiting for the lift to arrive. I am mortified and hastily crawl around trying to get my things together as fast as possible. You're a bumbling fool! Now she won't take you seriously! I berate myself as I get up smoothing my dress, just in time for the lift to ding its arrival.

We step inside and I stand right at the back of the lift leaning my head against the cold steel wall. It's going to be a long day, I sigh as the doors close.