A Psychopath For a Boss

Chapter 4 Alo Offices

The first readers inspired me to write more per chapter!

Travis's POV

Lucy and I spoke for a while before I headed out of the office. I was tired and ready to go home, heading to the bus stop down a few blocks. I had to jog to get there in time before the big bus sped off, using my bus card and looking for a spot to sit. I found a place near the back, where I'd normally sit by a kind old woman. Her name was Gertrude, and she was an interesting German grandma, luckily on the bus today.

"Hello again miss." I smiled, sitting by her and putting my suitcase on my lap. "This could be one of the last days I sit by you."

"Good riddance." She said, though her wrinkled smile and playful tone was familiar to me by now. "Better pay elsevere I hope?" She asked.

"Yes...." I told her with a nod, though my tone sunk a little as the thought of my new boss came to mind. There was a pit in my stomach I couldn't help feeling, and I wasn't doing so well convincing myself I'd probably never even have to see mister Sanders.

"You are dreadingk zee job?" She asked, knowing what was on my mind pretty easily. She wasn't very good with her English, but she could read people.

I nodded a bit in honesty. "The boss is pretty concerning. I don't think I'd mind the job so much if it wasn't for him."

"Zee big asshole." Gertrude guessed with a laughing grin.

I couldn't help a chuckle. She had hit the nail on the head there. "The worst kind."

"You vill do fine." She said, words reassuring and serious.

I relaxed and nodded. "You know what? I think I will." I told her, confirming the confidence in myself. I was more content now, and as the bus stopped on my block, I rose from my seat. I wished her well and said a quick goodbye, before shuffling out behind the other commuters.

I'd face tomorrow with no difficulties. I had figured that out, or so I thought.

---

The next day, I walked into Alo Tower. I finished everything I could over in the Alo Advertisement building, and my confidence was high, but compared to the tower, my confidence wasn't exactly forty-five stories.

Looking up at the imposing building, I swallowed shakily before heading inside. I was immediately out of style and underdressed. Everyone was in suits, or professional dresses, blues and reds and professional dark colors. I was caught a little off guard with just my blue plaid button-up and slacks. I figured 'Who ordered the clown?' was a whisper behind my back as I walked towards the receptionist.

The entry room itself was very big and rather welcoming compared to the people. Alo advertising was across the walls, spaced out and even under good lighting. The most recent advertising hung in two places, and on the very back wall was three of the oldest advertising layouts. They had a gold plate under them, and I couldn't make out the wording, but they gave me something to look at as I headed to a front desk and introduced myself.

I was immediately swept off by the lady behind the desk. By that I mean she wasn't rude, just a nice woman with a very well-styled afro and too much work in front of her hands. She told me where to go pretty quickly in calm, quick and clear words, and I thanked her and headed towards the central elevator. The CEO was on the top floor, she told me. His secretary would let me into his office from there.

A lot of people got out of the elevator. Luckily I was the only one going in, I enjoy riding by myself. In the elevator, everything was silver and there was a touch-screen for the floor selection. I selected the top of the building and moved into a corner, resting back against a gold railing. I hummed softly to myself to pass time until I realized the elevator had stopped at the fifth floor. Three people got in, and pressed different buttons. One was a very short man, who came maybe up to my thigh and seemed very irritable. The second was a brunette doing her lipstick. The third was a blond that did not stop checking his watch.

They all spread out on different floors. I was ready to let out a breath of air as the last one got out, but then the mailman came in. He was a pretty good looking man, but he seemed like a creep, staring at me over the mail wagon like a eighty-year old predator. I clutched my papers and watched the floors go by, begging for floor twenty to arrive so he would leave.

"You're going to the boss? Are you the new model?" He smirked. "One of those men that are being introduced in ads now, wearing makeup?"

"No, not at all." I said, softly, his gaze still creeping me out. I looked towards him once and he cracked a smile and moved unnecessarily close. I just closed my eyes and took a breath.

Thank goodness for floor fourteen. A nice lady walked in and had zero problems moving between me and him. She gave me a gentle look that said, 'ignore him', and pressed floor twenty-one, though I could guess that she didn't really need to go there. The gesture eased me a little. Some people are genuinely outgoing and kind.

"Hi, I am Maryam. Are you new?" She asked. "I'm a floor manager, I sort of manage people around here."

"I am- well, I am new to this building anyways. The name is Travis, I just came over from advertising." I smiled. "I am getting a transfer today to this building, I believe. Mister Sanders was very clear on that."

Maryam nodded. "Were you a model?" She asked, and I shook my head. Why did everyone think that? "I'm sorry, you just seem like you would be a model. You have a very likable face."

I chuckled. "Do I? Thank you."

Soon we began a polite chat about the weather, until the elevator stopped at floor twenty. Then we relaxed in silence as the elevator moved up one more floor. "I am sorry you had to be alone in an elevator with that man earlier. He is a creepy asshole. Too bad I can't fire mail department staff." She apologized, an arm out to hold the door. "I hope you get the right job for you." She waved and left.

Alone and heading up with less stops, I was left smiling peacefully. I was hoping I'd get to work with Miss Maryam in the future for certain, though by the time I reached the forty-fifth floor, my hands were sticking to my folder of papers. I was nervous as I was at my first job interview. I brought my resume, my credentials, proof everything was nice in the office, everything I thought I'd need. I was just hoping this was enough.