Hi! I'm Sandra

"San..., Sandra..." I heard a voice calling my name faintly.

"Yes...?" my brain answered while reminding me that my body felt so... crushed.

"SANDRA!!!" the voice heard louder calling my name.

"Yes!" I replied. I tried to open my eyes. But, wait, wait, why I can't see anything? Pitch black all over. Is it still night or maybe the lights are off? Or..., maybe... could I have gone blind because of last night's torture? Oh, no, no. I can't be blind now, what can I do if I'm blind at the age of 24th? Oh, no... no... no... God, please! I still have a lot to do... please, don't let it happen.

"SANDRA!!! WAKE UP!!" They scream again and this time I felt something cold right on my face.

"YES! YEEESSS!!!" I opened it and was shocked at the same time, believe me, it's not a good thing for your heart health. And sure enough, I feel my heart detached from my body. My breath was almost gone and.... please don't ask me about what kind of expression on my face looked like. Now my eyes are wide open, and hey, my vision is back to normal. I'm not blind today. Maybe the problem is only the lids which are just too heavy to open. I'm happy, not going to be disabled, it's just..., I don't like to see the place where I woke up this morning.

"Sandra, didn't you come home last night?" asked Ma'am Hana. A woman in her 50s who has been my boss for almost 3 months.

I really wanted to answer her question, but for some reason, my lips were frozen. I couldn't say a word. How could I possibly answer that question, when my heart was filled with shame? I don't know how the story goes, but now, the whole team members looked at me with strange looks. They glared at me, like seeing an alien who has just descended from a UFO.

I want to ask them why. Why do they see me like that? I put my hand on my head, and... Damn it! I felt my hair start sticking out without any rule. Now, I seem to understand why they were watching my face with such an expression. Yup, considering what happened last night, I guess my face doesn't look as normal as usual. Ok, ok! I admit that my waking face this morning looked so... you know... ugly.

I don't know how to defend myself against my ugly face this morning. Should I tell them about what happened last night? Should I ask their understanding about my face this morning, if…, first, I cried last night, second, I accidentally overslept in the office, and third, they splashed my face with a little water when they tried to wake me up.

I knew, right? I wanna complain too. I don't think they were polite enough to wake me up that way, but I also understand why that happen. I think..., they've tried everything they could, but these stupid eyelids of mine are so heavy to open, so inevitably, water is the last and only solution. However, the point of this long blabbering is… How expensive the waterproof make-up that I used yesterday, it wouldn't be possible to save my face in front of everybody this morning.

"Ah, thank goodness, you're awake, Sandra. I'm afraid you are not okay," said Ma'am Hana, who already had given up to heard a single answer from me. "Ok, Sandra. Now, clean your face, tidy up your clothes and fix your...ehm, appearance. Today is the presentation day, we have to get ready soon," she continued while glancing at the clock in her hand.

"Oh Shit, the presentation!" I cursed inside my heart. I run and rushed to the toilet to fix my super messy appearance. And sure enough, even the mirror knows how awful I look this morning. Mascara smudged with tears, lipstick half faded from the drool that dripped on the table when I fell asleep, and worst of all, these eye bags that made my face look like a panda. Hey, I think, if the bag grows big enough, maybe I can put some groceries in my eye bag. Oops, sarcasm, well at least I still have a sense of humor in these rough times. One thing, I hope my career is quite successful and I have enough money to do plastic surgery to repair this shit. Yes, absolutely! If I work like this every day, my eyebags will be even wider and wider in my 40s. But looking at my current salary, it looks like I'm going to be poor, die alone, and miserable, very, very miserable.

Ah, I knew, you must think, that I am a negative thinker, right? Well, maybe. But you guys should know a little bit about this job. Honestly, I don't know what was inside my mind when I dream to be an architect. If time could be repeated, then I would never choose that major. Since college, architecture has been torturing me with super many tasks, since college I've been accustomed to sleep deprivation. I slept only two hours a day, and I didn't even dare to take a shower because I fear of catching a cold. And if I am sick, I can't finish my tasks. Yep, that's true. That's why the students who major in architecture may not be as glowing as the students who major in economics. One thing I didn't expect, it turns out, the torture didn't end until I got my diploma certificate, but until the world of work.

My work is piling up on the desk, and please, don't ask when it will be finished, because it will be finished in... umm... several overtime. Ah, maybe you think it will be finished in 1 or 2 hours of overtime? No dear, overtime until midnight or even until morning. Then, you must be thinking, if the company paid me well. Is my salary high? Is architecture a high-paid job? Nah! You can't say it's low, but you can't say it's high either. Medium income. At least what I learned from my condition. yes, it's so sad. My salary will not be able to pay all the hospital fees due to my very chaotic lifestyle. Hicks..., I think need to stop talking about my desperation and suffering. I have no time, I have to get ready soon.

I took a deep breath and slowly turned the water faucet on. Washing my super messy face and giving a little freshness to my soul, which is getting more and more fragile every day. While the water washes away all the mess on my face, I also hope its freshness washes away the tiredness in my body. The result? Quite helpful, really, but only a little..., because I think a few packs of the patch would be more very, very helpful. Moreover reflexology massage on weekends, oh it will be so much fun.

"Hey, yoooooooo, Hermioneee...," someone greeted me when I came out of the toilet.

Honestly, I don't understand his greeting. I know I'm tired, but I don't have amnesia. I still remember, my name is Sandra, San... Dra... so easy, not Hermione. Not the smart wizard from the Harry Potter series, uh wait, could they call me that because I'm smart? Should I love the nickname they gave me? Well, for me, nicknames are nicknames, I still don't like it when they call me with a weird name as they please.

"Morning Angga," I answered in such a tired tone. It was far from a cheerful feeling, I guess. Lack of sleep has sucked all my joy since two weeks ago.

"Why so sluggish, Hermione? A little cheerful, please," continued Angga, who realized my tone was not too cheerful as usual.

"I'm sorry, Angga," I replied, smiling full of compulsion. "It just... tired."

"Ha... ha... ha...," Angga's sarcastic laugh answered the sarcastic smile that was still on my lips. "Working here is like hell torture, right?

"True."

"Here, Ma'am Hana asked me to buy you breakfast and a cup of coffee," he said, handing me a package containing chicken porridge and a cup of coffee with a Starbucks logo.

"Aw..., so sweet. Thanks, Angga, you're so kind." I answered a little happier. Yes, at least in my dreary work, I find comrades who always support each other.

"You're welcome. Um, just now, Sri said you sleeping in your cubicle last night. Didn't you come?"

"Oh, here's come the gossip," my heart groaned. "Yes. But, what can I do? Ma'am Hana has warned me before. The architecture mock-up must be finished today. And because of yesterday's accident, because of my carelessness, the mock-up was damaged, and I have to make it again from scratch. From afternoon to midnight until I accidentally fell asleep on my table," I answered resignedly.

"Oh, so sad. But, the positive thing is…, I think your team must be very lucky to have very responsible, hard-working members like you. Oh, another question, are you ready for today's presentation?"

"Yes. All are ready. The drawings, concepts, everything. If I did not accidentally slip and destroy the mock-up, It's been ready since yesterday. And last night, the mock-up is done. Well, it's not too neat, but for the first presentation, It's quite ok. But to be honest, I'm also nervous, this is my first presentation in front of a client. I hope the owner will like my design. If they're not, then I will rethink a new design from the beginning again."

"Clients?"Angga asked a little surprised to hear my words.

"Yup, today's presentation is with the client, right?" I ask him once again.

"Oh, c'mon Sandra. Today you won't be presenting in front of the client. Today you are presenting in front of the… Uhm…, you know..., the one and only Madam Devil."

My eyes bulged bigger than when I woke up embarrassingly with the non-glowing situation. My life, which suffering since two weeks ago has not ended yet. It has not even reached its peak. The boil, which I thought had burst yesterday, is still ready to spit out pus again today.

"This can't be," I whispered to myself. Eh, wait, Sandra, you're only a newcomer who's only been working for 3 months, it's impossible to come forward for a presentation, right? At least Ma'am Hana and the seniors will come forward.

"Ok, Angga. I think I must return to Ma'am Hana to explain the basic idea of the design. So, she can present it fluently in front of Madam Devil today," I replied to Angga.

"No, Hermione, No," answered Angga with a raised eyebrow. "Please think about it! What do you think, why did Ma'am Hana ask me to buy breakfast and coffee for you?"

"Because of Ma'am Hana is a kind-hearted boss? Or because she is pitying me?" I answered plainly.

"No, Hermione. That's because Ma'am Hana wants to make sure you're fresh enough to speak in front of Madam Devil this afternoon."

"Holy Shit!" my little devil rang so smoothly in my ear. That's impossible, right? I have only worked for 3 months, has to make a presentation in front of Madam Devil? What the hell?

"Oh, C'mon. Don't act like that, your facial expression is inappropriate to see. Have a little enthusiasm, your brain is as bright as Hermione Granger. I think you can win Madam Devil's heart, I'm even sure you can be her new trusted employee. The point is you have to be more confident in your abilities."

"Angga!" I protested loudly. "I'm sorry if I made a lot of mistakes during these three months of work in Ruanna. Maybe, I became a super annoying newbie and make trouble with everything I touch."

"Huh, knock, knock, does your brain gone error?" asked Angga. He look surprised to hear my answer, which did not connect with the topic of our conversation.

"No, Angga, I just have a bad feeling. I think I will be fired today. So, before Madam Devil expels me from this office this afternoon. First, I need to apologize..., if, during these first three months, I have had a lot of mistakes to you and all other comrades. Please, forgive me!"