Coping Like Everyone Else!

The world seems to be moving non-stop. People were moving back and forth, careless of everyone else around. The world itself is cold, and rain is making it worst. What a busy, snubby, and cold world. People were busy going about their own business oblivious of others existence.

Among them was Lynn. She was on her way home, just like everyone else, she's exhausted by today's work and just hoping to get home. She knew it is going to be a struggle to get home with this weather. It is rushed-hour, people were struggling to get a ride. She tried to hail a cab but to no avail. She tried booking for a ride online but nothing is available. Her last choice was to take a bus. She took a deep breath, then preapared herself for the battle ahead.

She is 23 years old this year, she graduated two years ago, and just like everyone else she started hunting for jobs. It took her almost a year to get employed. That's not surprising because the unemployment rate in the county was high. There are thousands of unemployed people every year, the number gets doubled each year, newly graduates were out to take on the job market. In a country where only 10% are blessed with riches, while some were in the middle class, but majority struggled to live on. Lynn was among those trying to survive.

As the bus approaches, she tightened her hold on her sling bag, move her right foot forward. She finds it funny, she was imagining herself joining a marathon, but in this case it is a must for her to win, she must get on the bus, she must get home as soon as possible or else she doesn't know how long she needs to wait for the next bus. She's really tired and she wanted to go home and lay down in her bed.

The crowd started to move forward, each one trying to get a ride. Lynn squeezes her small frame inside the bus, she even manages to get a vacant seat. That's one of the few perks of being a small girl, she thought to herself with a victorious smile in her face. She put on her headset, played her favorite song by Bread.

Her attention was caught by a couple opposite her seat. They seem to love each other so much. They were holding hands, the girl was leaning on her boyfriend's shoulder. She felt a little envious, she's 23 but never had a boyfriend. It's not by choice but no one in her twenty three years of life paid attention to her. She always thought that she was beautiful, she has long black hair, brown eyes, her nose was perfectly shaped, her lips was not perfect but it's imperfection was over ruled by her rosy-cheeks. She got a slim body, but she likes wearing boyish outfit. Her presence stands out without her knowledge, but her silence overtook her looks. She's a timid lady, so timid that she finds it hard to make friends.

Her shyness was mainly cause by her lack of self-confidence. She always felt unworthy of attention, undeserving of love. She probably feels that way because she was adopted. Though, her adopted parents loved her like their own, but no one would understand the feelings of being rejected by the people who gave birth to you. It makes one feel unworthy in all aspects of life.

She got off the bus, she entered the apartment building, make her way to the elevator. She pushed 7th floor. She opened the lock to the apartment she shared with her cousin, Janey.

"You're back, it is raining really hard, I though you will be stuck in traffic.", Janey said.

"Almost, but the bus driver was like superman, faster than the speeding bullet.", she exclaimed while giggling.

Janey laughed, "Is the driver as handsome as superman as well?"

"Definitely, but right after superman was beaten badly by his enemy and was fed by thousands kryptonite, that he is covered by black eyes and everything nice.", she said followed by a laud laughter.

Janey was her bestfriend, the only one she was comfortable with, they grew up together, they were cousins, neighbors and classmates, they even have the same major in college, which is computer science, but both of them sucks at it. That's why Lynn ended up in the customer service field while her cousin ended up being an online seller.

"Have you eaten?" Lynn asked while unpacking her take out food.

Janey nodded. Janey and Lynn were opposite. Janey was independent and strong, in fact, she moved out from her parents and live in M City right after graduation. While Lynn was dependent and close to her parents, it was difficult for her to leave them and move to M City. She did not have a choice. She couldn't find a job at their province and her folks were getting older, her dad is unemployed due to his diabetes. She has four siblings but they all have their own family. She knew that she needed to pay back their kindness, and besides it hurts her looking at them struggling. That's why she muster all her courage and move in to the largest city in the country.

"Fried chicken again, you'll grow wings if you won't stop eating those stuff."Janey exclaimed.

"What, their yummy, convenient, and cheap" Lynn said while chewing her food.

Janey raise her eye brows, she knows that Lynn is a good cook. In fact between the two of them, she's the one that mostly eat take out food. But recently, Lynn would only cook on weekends, during her off, and would just buy take out food during her work days.

"The rain wouldn't stop, it would be nice to have someone to hug in this cold weather.", Lynn!", Janey giggled.

"I don't need a boyfriend, I can hug my pillow, ha ha ha!" Lynn playfully said.

Janey smiled and said, "Pillow aren't as warm as men."

"I know, not as warm as Jimmy." Lynn blurted out the taboo name suddenly.

Jimmy was Janey's ex-boyfriend. He was their classmate during their college days. He is a well-known playboy, who flirts with anyone wearing skirts. But he was very famous in the campus, being the grandson of the school owner, he was rich and really handsome. Janey fell for his charm. She thought that he will take her seriously but she was wrong. He treated her the way he treated his ex-girlfriends. He would replace them as soon as he's done with them. Janey was hurt severely. She hated him, but has not forgotten him.

Lynn bit her lip, realizing that she mention the forbidden name. "I'm sorry", she said apologetically.

Jane smiled, 'It's fine, I've forgotten all about it, I'll head to bed first. Good night!"

Lynn sighed under her breath

The alarm woke Lynn up, it's 6:00 AM. She lazilly headed to the bathroom, she opted for a black jeans, and brown shirt. She wore her sling bag around her body, tied her hair in a messy bun, put on a mocha lipstick, wore her white sneakers and ran towards the door. She took a bus going to work, because it's cheaper and anyways there are'nt much traffic because it's still early.

As she enters the building, she went to the cafeteria to get coffee before heading to her station. It's another boring day, she thought, she will be speaking with clients for eight hours non- stop except lunch and breaks. She has been working there for three months, her first customer service job. When she just graduated, she was able to land an office job as a data encoder, she only stayed for six months, she was over worked and under paid. But she struggled to find another job after that. It's when she was force to move to M City, being a customer service rep pays well, but the work was toxic. Plus her boss was a snubby pregnant woman, she's not close with her team mates. She feels discriminated, her boss doesn't seem to like people from the province.

She was good at what she does anyways, her KPI's were high, that's why her boss was not saying anything. But she can tell that she doesn't like her. But despite all of these, she has no plans of leaving, she needs this job. She was just trying to survive, she's trying to cope, like everyone else.

The clock hits 8:00, she logs in and the first call came in. Here we go again, she thought, the eight hour battle of wits and mouth with her clients.