"Step into the room like it's a catwalk," I sing as I get out the bathroom in a diva way. I laugh to myself, finding myself so ridiculous. Good thing Melody is still stuck with me. After all, she's pretty much crazy herself, too. I wonder if she and Matt did the naughty thing.
Looking through the window, at the magnificent view of the Brooklyn Bridge, where cars move fast, in a blink, the sun angling at its direction, giving it a look of something angels would walk on. I smile to myself, feeling that today is going to be a good day. I have done my work yesterday, and did some work yesterday for today's shift, which leaves me just a few tasks for today.
This is where Melody and I differ; I work so much, she works less. She does the job only for today, and if she has a spare time, she consumes with a non-work related thing, like Matt whereas I continue to do my job nonstop. I would only stop to get some coffee, to just have a chat with Melody when I'm feeling bored then I'd go back to work once it seems that I'm being unproductive, or when I need to pee or eat.
Today we're going to meet the new CEO of the company as well, and I can't wait to him. Based on Mr. McKenzie's email, the man who's going to take over his position is great – that's basically it, right? Also it seems like Mr. McKenzie is excited to let everyone know who's going to take over his position. Questions run inside my head in one go, being put on pending, like there's a traffic made of questions in my head. What does he look like? Is he young? Is he old? Is he great? Questions like that.
Unwrapping the towel around me, the towel dropping on the floor, I get my white polo shirt that is hanging at the back of the door and a white and fit pants. I never really much into fashion, considering I only buy polo shirts, t-shirts, V-necks, and no, I don't have suits. In fact the last time I wore a suit is when I was in a High School – promenade party. To everyone, to my classmates, to every High School student, that would be the most party they're going to be excited for. I wasn't. I never was. I never liked going to the prom of Jacksonville High School. Just thinking about the promenade party makes me frown, remembering when my number one bully slash enemy was making fun of me everyone. Had Melody not interfered and protected me, I would have been in a deeper mess. But Melody, being the hero she is to me, being Melody, threatened that she was going to report them to the dean and had the promenade party cancelled if they didn't stop making fun of me. They did stop. But that didn't stop them from giving me disgusted and mockingly looks.
I only purchase skinny jeans, and shorts. That's it. For shoes, I only have three black shoes, five rubber shoes, and slippers. Melody is always being persistent when it comes to fashion; she always insists me to buy this and buy that because it would look good on me. I already know I look good (I'm not full of myself, just stating a fact!). Melody always calls me fashionless, or unfashionistaidiot. I'm now anticipating the look when she sees me wearing only a plain white polo shirt and a white pants, and a white shoes. She's going to look at me like I've grown another head. Good thing I have my own weapon: She and Matt must have already done the naughty thing, and I could use that as a weapon. Grinning to myself, I fist my hand and punch the air.
When I arrive at work, my colleagues are pretty much in a good work. Even the grumpy janitor Ernie. Ernie whistles as he mops the floor, whistling a song I don't recognize. Ernie is this guy with a bald head, doesn't have a wife or a kid, and pretty much living by himself. He's, like, in his mid-30s, I guess. He tips his imaginary hat at me in acknowledgement, and I do the same, smiling brightly at him.
"Oh, the unfashionistaidiot is here," Melody says as Matt wraps his arms around her waist. "Good morning, Pierce." She greets me, walking towards my direction and giving me a kiss on the cheek. She earns a frown from me.
Making a face at her, I say "Yuck," and she just rolls her eyes at me like a Queen she is. "Good morning, too, ass-face." I greet her, chuckling. Matt is too caught up at staring at my best friend he doesn't have time to acknowledge my presence. Too whipped, I think. I put my bag on the top of the desk just beside the stack of papers beside the monitor, and sit comfortably on my chair. I turn on my computer.
"See Mr. McKenzie's email. Assistant position." Melody almost squeals her words out loud but manages to be quiet. Even though the people here are in a good mood, they tend to have mood swings. I shrug, not really interested at what she's saying. As if somehow offended, she grabs the backrest of my chair and pushes me forward to her. I look at Matt and he just shrugs at me nonchalantly. Matt doesn't check his email often. My best friend opens Mr. McKenzie's email excitedly, too excited that she accidentally closes some tabs or browsers she always uses. She motions for me to read the email, so I do.
As I read the email, my eyes widen at every word, at every sentence, and my eyes linger at one sentence that has my heart beating excitedly: Mr. Pierson Matthews is being offered of an assistant position for the new CEO of the company. And then his compliments for me, and my heart does another leap from excitement.
"Grab the opportunity!" She says out loud, which causes some of the colleague to stand up and put their index finger over their lips. Melody rolls her eyes at them and doesn't spare them another glance. Instead, she clutches my hand and leans down. "Accept it! Accept it! Accept it! Tell me if the CEO is hot."
Matt frowns. Melody kisses him on the cheek. Matt smiles at her, as if he's in heaven. Too whipped.
"I'm not going to accept the position just to let you know if the CEO is hot, Melody." I say, shrugging her off. I turn around my chair, slide it until I reach my station, and put my login credentials into the field and the computer starts to display my files. "If you want, you can take over."
From the corner of my eyes, I see Matt freezes.
"No," my best friend immediately says without putting much thought about it. "I love it here."
"You love it here because Matt is here," I state, starting to open a Chrome browser and type in the email website. Matt's ears perk up. If he were a dog, his tongue would be lolling out of his mouth while staring happily at his master, which would be Melody. "Don't try to deny it." I say in a sing-song voice.
"Well... kind of?" she says as if she's unsure of the answer when we all know it's definitely true. "Anyways, just accept the position, bitch."
"Whatever, slut."
My Excel file is opened, and on the other monitor is the Powerpoint that displays the Weekly Business Review for last week. The volume of the calls has lessened. Working in a customer service is exhausting. After staring at the Excel file for a couple of seconds, I decide to take a break since I know my mind is fogging up. I can't even think straight of which formula to use to compute the percentage.
Standing up, I crane my neck and stretch my arms out. "I'm getting coffee. You guys want any?" I ask Melody and Matt. Matt nods but Melody shakes her head. I shrug and get out of my station and head straight to the pantry.
A few people are on lunch. Our company's pantry is big, and the company has five pantries. The pantry I'm in is located in the fourth floor. It's just a few meters walk from my station. Some people I know give me a nod of acknowledgement and I do the same.
I curse under my breath when I realize I forgot to bring my cup and Matt's. I head back to my station, feeling dumb, and get my and Matt's mugs, then I head back to the pantry. There's a man getting a coffee in the coffee vendo machine and I wait for a couple of seconds before he turns around and his eyes immediately shine when he sees my face.
"Pierce? Pierson Matthews?" the man says as he looks at me.
The man has a pair of grey eyes, with flecks of golds surrounding the irises. His cheekbones are sharp, and he has the face of a baby. He just looks like he's in his early twenties. The man is wearing a light blue polo short, tuck inside his cream-colored pants. His belt is leather and dark brown. This is what Melody would call stylish and fancy. I look at him, confusion drawn all over my face.
"Do I know you?" I ask, tilting my head.
"Hey, it's me! Kevin James! Remember? Rugby team? Does it ring a bell?" He searches for any sign of recognition in my eyes but I just can't remember him. I rack my brain, searching, thinking of the names I know in the Jacksonville's Rugby team. He sighs. "I was the one who got knocked out by Wyatt."
Oooooooh. I definitely remember now.
"Does it ring a bell now?"
Nodding, I say "Yes! Yes, it is!"
Kevin James was the tough guy who thought he could have a fight with the one and only Wyatt. They scheduled a fight on a Saturday, at the back of the school. Kevin James was really full of himself, and decided to throw shits at Wyatt. Then Wyatt found out about that, and they decided to have a fight. I was really there, was able to see how the fight went, and then within five minutes, Kevin James was knocked out.
Remembering the fierce look Wyatt had on his face, I cringe at the memory. Kevin's face was a mess; there were wounds on his cheek, and a black eye on his left one, then blood was running from his temple, tipping down underneath his chin.
Everyone knew Wyatt didn't take shit.
It was the topic of the month. When I went to each part of the school, students were always talking about it. They were always talking about how Kevin James went limp, and that he had to go to the hospital for some stitches. When we saw him back in the school, we almost couldn't recognize him due to how bad his face was. He looked really awful.
"What are you doing here?" I ask him, smiling, happy that I'm seeing a schoolmate in front of me, who recognize me, even though I was basically a nobody in that school. Perhaps he's able to recognize me because Ajax Chase Wyatt had always been making fun of me in front of everyone.
"Applied here, got accepted, and now here I am," he says happily. "Mind showing me around?"
I sigh, shaking my head. His face drops. "Not really declining you, but I'm in the middle of doing something. Need to submit the reports before the deadline. But hey, there's always another time. My station is just located there, at the fourth section. You can drop by there. Melody is with me. My best friend, do you remember her?"
"Ah, Melody! Yes, yes, of course. The fierce and crazy one."
"She is that," I chortle, chuckling. "Let me just get some coffee and I'll walk you through this floor. Which room are you guys using?"
"Oh, third floor. Just went here to get some coffee. Training department."
I get some coffee for Matt and I, then walk him through the floor. I point using my index finger my station and point Melody. Kevin nods, saying that he'd drop by when he's on lunch break. I nod my head, deciding already, internally, that I'll invite Melody to have some lunch with Kevin. She needs to have at least a Matt-free time.