"Hold the door!" I shouted as I wobbled across the polished floor on my high heels. Faster. I must go faster, despite my aching side and weary lungs. The weight of employee and customer eyes rested on me as if my behavior was strange. Believe me, I knew I looked like an idiot and that their stares were justified.
A man stood in the elevator, staring down at his watch as if he were completely unaware of my existence. Did he hear me? I was already late and couldn't afford to lose another minute.
My stomach twisted as the elevator doors started to close.
"The door!" I yelped, my voice echoing in the high ceilings of the Agreste Inc. lobby.
Finally, the man glanced up at me in frustration. Even though he had me, he made no effort to keep it open. My view of him was shrinking and soon the doors would close. I'd have to wait for the next elevator. The receptionist had told me that in the mornings it usually took about ten minutes to catch another one.
Just as the doors were about to ceil shut, I flung my leg in the small space. The doors closed, felt the pressure of my leg, and immediately opened. Thankfully, it didn't hurt. But I lost my balance, and tumbled into the elevator wall.
My legs ended up in a splits position in order to stabilize myself. I managed to drop nearly all my notes and papers I had in a file. They fluttered from my grip and were covering the ground. Worst of all, I believed my skirt had ripped all the way up to the back of my knee after my gymnastics move.
I slumped over, scooped up my papers, and recklessly stuffed them back in my folder. Standing up straight, I smoothed out the back of my hair and took a deep breath. What a wonderful way to start the first day of my internship.
Nervously, I peeked over at the man to see how he was reacting to my clumsiness. To my surprise, he wasn't even looking at me. He was on his phone.
Now that I had a chance to stare at him, he actually looked less like a man, and more like a teenage boy around my age. He wore a black suit and a gray tie. His blonde hair was slicked back, without a single loose piece. Was he an intern too?
"You good now?" He said, with hints of irritation, his attention focused on his screen.
"Oh. Umm. Yes. Sorry about that."
He sighed, "Which floor?"
He looked up from his phone and met my gaze. I suddenly lost my train of thought. His eyes. They were. Uncommonly blue. Too blue in my opinion. In fact, it was almost unearthly and creepy. Dark circles traced the outline of his eyes as if he hadn't slept in weeks. His pale skin only seemed to highlight the blueness.
"Well?" The frustration only grew, as he raised his brows.
"Oh right. Floor. I'm on floor 7. Please."
He pressed the button with his knuckle.
I felt my stomach sink as the elevator rose. Suddenly, I felt awkwardness creep in. It was quiet, with only piano music playing from a speaker above. Should I attempt to start a conversation? Or would it be pointless since we would be on floor 7 soon? I just needed to be brave enough to endure this silence.
I was too weak though.
"So are you an intern too?" I asked.
He continued typing something on his phone, "No."
"Oh. I just...you look...nevermind."
"You've got nerve," he shoved his phone in his front pocket and glanced at his watch again.
I didn't know what he meant.
He let out another quick sigh, "You don't know who I am, do you?"
I hesitated, feeling as if I was the biggest idiot ever. No. I didn't know who this guy was. Should I? He seemed vaguely familiar, but not quite.
"Sorry. I don't."
"That explains a lot."
"What do you mean?"
"Good chance you wouldn't have gotten on the elevator if you did."
"Why not?"
The doors opened. Without looking at me, he brushed past my shoulder and strode away as if finishing our conversation meant nothing to him. Before he turned the corner, I called out, "What's your name?"
I knew he had heard me based on the way he tilted his head in my direction. But he kept on walking and vanished behind a corner. Whoever he was, I didn't like him. He seemed...off. Hopefully, I wouldn't have to see him again.
As I exited, the elevator doors closed on my shoulders...because what kind of day would it be if things actually worked in my favor?
So this was the 7th floor. Straight ahead was a young woman wearing bright red lipstick, fake eyelashes, and perfectly curled hair - so perfect I wondered if it was a wig. She sat at a receptionist's desk, gawking at me as if I were some kind of ghost. I hobbled over, feeling as if I were walking on stilts. Why, oh why did I decide to wear these heels? So far, they had done nothing but cause me humiliation.
My hands grasped the stone desk as if I were a little child who collided with the wall of an ice-skating rink after nearly falling.
"You must be new," she said, brushing her nutmeg wig back with her finger.
"Funny. Everyone keeps saying that me," I sighed, setting my folder on the surface.
"Strange. He usually doesn't show mercy," she spoke low as if she were talking to herself.
"I'm sorry, I don't follow."
Her eyes widened and she tilted her head as if she was surprised I'd managed to hear her.
"How can I help you?" She smiled as if she wasn't going to clarify what she meant.
"Oh. Right. I'm an intern. In the HR department. The receptionist on the first floor said I should ask you where to go next."
"What's your name?"
"Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I think my supervisor's name is Natalie Sancoeur."
The receptionist began typing on her computer, her eyes narrowing on her one of her two computer monitors. While she did her thing, I stared into the aqua fish tank behind her, filled with all sorts of fish and crabs. The aqua colors reflected across the walls and on my hot pink blouse.
"Welcome, Marinette. Natalie's office is at the end of the cubicles to the left."
I felt my heart palpitate as my nerves increased.
"Thank you. I might be back soon if I get lost."
"I'll be here. Have a nice day," The receptionist said, immediately answering the phone as I stepped away.
I walked by a sea of grey cubicles lined with actual offices. Would I be stationed in one of those cubicles? If so, I hoped mine was near a window.
Just as I turned the corner, I spotted Natalie's office. It had her name engraved on the glass door. Much to my dismay, the lights were off and there was no sight of her. Should I go in her office and wait? Or just awkwardly stand here?
I decided against going inside. Pretending to go through my folder so I didn't look like a complete idiot, I waited. Ten minutes passed. Twenty minutes passed. I had reorganized my folder four times. My nerves were dying down. At this rate, the day would be over before I'd done anything or met anyone.
So all my rushing and attempts to make it here on time were in vain. Natalie was the late one. I should have just stayed calm the entire time and avoided making that embarrassing scene on the elevator. Oh well. Guess it was too late now.
"Marinette?" I heard a voice from behind me say.
I inhaled sharply, feeling nervous all over again. I turned to face Natalie. She wore a black dress with a white blazer. Her dark hair was slicked back in a low ponytail and the red frames of her glasses matched a strand of dyed red hair near her ears. Just like that guy in the elevator, she had shadows under her eyes. My gosh, did everyone here work themselves to death or something?
"Yes, that's me. You're Mrs. Natalie?"
"Correct. You can just call me Natalie."
I awkwardly nodded.
She unlocked her office and the lights automatically turned on as we entered. She sat herself down behind her desk and logged into her monitors, which consisted of three computer screens. I was amazed by how plain her office was...just whitewashed walls with a glass door. No pictures or decorations. Only office supplies and yellow posted notes.
My heart was beating so heavily, I wondered if she could hear. It was just so quiet and she seemed fixated on her computer.
"Sorry about that," She turned to face me. Her expression was blank, "Had to send a copy of a report over to Finance."
"No worries!" My voice cracked.
"So, I have some unfortunate news," she said, her face remained emotionless.
I suddenly felt a wave of sickness wash over me as my stomach clenched. What was it? Was I going to be fired on my first day? Was she going to tell me that they no longer had a position open?
"I know your contract with Agreste Inc. has you working in the HR department as a Benefits Coordinator, I believe. Would you be open to transferring to a different position? It would still be HR-related."
I felt relief wash over me as I sighed. I didn't mind transferring. Truth was, I only applied to this internship to get my foot in the door with this company. My end goal was to be a fashion designer, but since there were no internships in that, I decided HR would be the next best thing since it would allow me to interact with a bunch of people across departments.
"Oh. Of course! Whatever you need!" I said, hoping I didn't sound like a butt-kisser.
She cracked a slight smile, "That's great. I appreciate your flexibility."
"So, what's my new job?"
"Secretary."
"Oh, so I'll be like a receptionist at the front desk?" I felt my hopes rising. If I could do that, I would meet all kinds of people! Maybe I'd even get to meet some of the fashion designers and show them my designs!
"Not quite. It's a position under our Financial Analyst Intern. He's in need of a secretary. Someone for filing, data entry, phone calls, and things of that nature."
My spirits quickly dipped. An intern? I would be a secretary to another intern? I didn't even know that was a thing.
"I'll take you to meet him," she said, standing to her feet and smoothing out her dress.
This was actually kind of depressing. I would rather be a Benefits Coordinator under Natalie instead of a mere secretary under another intern. My very first day on the job and I was already being demoted.
Just my luck.