Crappy Morning

Kate

When I was in fifth grade, I was in a musical play. Most of my classmates don't even know how to sing, and I'm one of them as well, but my teacher doesn't mind our tones; she just really wants us to have fun and have a beautiful experience that we'll reminisce about when we grow older. I was a rock, a beautiful, shiny, important rock, and I had to sing a solo for 2 minutes, but those minutes felt like an hour, and I could feel my heart pumping out of my chest, and my stomach was turning and twisting so much that it felt like I was about to spit and puke myself on that stage and a lot of people were looking at me, and like they were waiting for me to mess up my solo.

I vow to myself that when I grow up, I don't want to feel those kinds of feelings again. It was horrible, but here I am starting at skyscrapers, and those horrible feelings are back again. I feel like I could shit any moment, and I don't know what my future will become after going inside this particular building that holds my life and my job.

I'm supposed to come here at 8, but it's just 7 a.m., and I don't know what to do. Maybe I came here earlier because maybe, just maybe, it'll make up for what I did yesterday. I do hope this will make up for everything I did yesterday.

I just took a deep breath and went inside. There were a lot of people here already; some are clients and some are employees, but that information didn't stop me from running to the nearest elevator I could find and pressing the highest floor. From what I remember from yesterday, I'll be the secretary to an important person. I don't know who he is, but Sophia knew him. She said it was just someone from her team, but since I'm on her team, I think I'll be seeing her more often.

I hope she's not mad at me anymore.

I heard a ding, and the elevator opened. "Hi." A man greeted me. He has blonde hair and blue eyes—just the typical man you see every day. He was good-looking and bulky, even though he had a pair of glasses sitting between his noses. "Good morning; you don't look so dandy today." He said this with a hint of worry in his voice as he looked at me up and down.

"Do I look obviously down this morning?" I asked, getting all conscious, and looked at my reflection on the stainless steel elevator: "I should have slept more; I'm an hour early today."

"I can't say down, more like stressed out; is it your first day?"

"Yes, it's my first day. I just want to make a good impression on everyone, that's all." I said.

He nodded in understanding, saying, "Well, I hope you'll do well. I'm John, by the way, and don't be nervous; I'm sure you'll do great. Where are you heading anyway, and what team are you on?" He asked again, but the elevator dings again and opens.

I was about to give him a reply when the man who was behind the elevator was the man whom I had disrespected yesterday with another man who's someone my age beside him. I felt like running and crying at the same time as he set foot in the elevator locking his eyes at me. I want to scream out loud and let the ground bury me alive.

John just scooted over to the side to give space for him and the other man beside him.

As a good woman, and when I say good woman, I should be a good woman today. I scooted over as well, slowly but surely.

John asked, "Are you okay?" making me jump in surprise. "Damn, you're really that nervous, huh?"

That's when I realized that my sweat was forming slowly on my forehead and I was breathing rapidly, and freaking hell, this is so embarrassing.

I laughed nervously, looked at John, and took a glance at the man whom I disrespected yesterday. His eyes pierced through me at the reflection of the stainless steel elevator, and my heart was pounding so much inside my chest.

He's mad… He's mad! I'm going to get fired today!

"I-I'm okay." I stuttered, "I'm on Team A."

"Oh, really? I'm on Team B; we're just on the same floor on the 7th. What's your position? You look like a journalist to me."

The word journalist just lifted a piece of my nervousness away; who knew, with the way I stand and the way I look like a journalist? "I do? I would love to be a journalist soon, but my position is secretary for now."

The man in front of me shifted his shoes, making a little noise. John and I took it as a sign for both of us to shut up. He is the next owner of Des Company; he will be our boss soon, and that means if we want to keep our job, we have to do what he says or wants. I know Des Company is not that kind of company, but judging him by his cold stairs and plain, hard face, he looks like he could fire anyone with just a blink of an eye.

And as for me, I have to prepare myself because I might get fired today.

The elevator dings finally to our destined floor, and John and I just exchange glances. Even though both of us are on the same floor, we go to different locations. Looking at the signs above, the arrow pointed to the right, where Team A's office is, and to my surprise, Sophia was already inside the office.

"Kate?" She looked at me with surprise and said, "You should have called me that you'd be here early; I could have at least assisted you in coming here." She said it so casually, making me suspiciously look at her. She's not mad anymore.

"You're not mad?" I asked as I slowly walked toward her.

She looked at me, confused. "What do you mean? About what happened yesterday?" I nodded, and she just shrugged and said, "Oh, well, it happened; we'll just wait, I guess. Aren't you supposed to be here at 8? It's 7 am, you're an hour early."

"Yeah, I was just so nervous. I woke up too early, got ready, and came here in hopes it would make up for everything I did yesterday." I said it with all honesty. "I don't want to get fired, Sophia." I whimpered hopelessly, "I have nowhere else to go."

"I know," She sighed and said, "We'll just keep it casual and do our work for today." She continues, "You'll meet Ricky later; he's our team leader, and you will be his secretary. Please be careful with him; he tends to get flirty with new employees." She rolls her eyes as she unpacks her stuff. "Office time actually runs at 7, but Ricky is always late; he usually arrives at 9. That's why I told you to come here at 8."

"It's okay; I want to come here early anyway." I said, "Do I have a specific cubicle around here, Sophia?"

"Oh yeah, you are..." Sophia was about to lead the way when everyone, or, should I say, Team A members, came in with smiles on their faces.

"Good morning, Sophia!"

"Morning Pia!"

"Mornin!"

"Oh, please, shut up and go to your cubicles. I hate happy morning." Sophia said while placing her hands on my back, she put me in front where everyone could see me, "I'll be introducing a new member on our team. This is Kate Temples; she's our new secretary, and Kate, this is everyone."

Some waved at me, some nodded, some even verbally said hi, and some just starred at me. I was really expecting that Team A would have 20 members, but looking at the cubicle inside the office, there were only 8 of us in here. "Are we complete?"

"Well yeah, Ricky's late, so..." She shrugged and pointed at the vacant cubicle. "This will be your cubicle, Kate; feel free to do whatever you want in there." She said so and left. But I couldn't hold back my smile and excitement; I finally have a cubicle, an office, and a team!

I actually have no idea where my life is going, but I just know that it is definitely getting started. I unpacked my things, a few papers, sticky notes, and such; my PC has already been set up, and I spent 30 minutes arranging and designing my cubicle to at least make my stay here worthwhile. And to my surprise, Sophia was not wrong, Ricky did arrive at 9, and he was smiling from ear to ear as he opened that door and wished everyone a good morning.

"Why are you late?" Sophia asked as soon as he said good morning to her.

"Oh, come on, Sophia, lighten up." He said, "Where is my new secretary?" He roamed his eyes everywhere and finally landed on me. "Are you Kate?" His eyes sparkled in delight, and he walked towards me, saying, "Oh, wow, you are such a beautiful woman. I'm Ricky, the team leader of Team A. It's nice to finally meet you. Don't you have a boyfriend? I swear you look lovely as..."

"Shut it, Ricky! You are going to scare Kate away!" Sophia grabbed his ears and placed him in his respective place. I can't help but laugh a little on this eventful morning; it's not my usual morning anymore. "I'm so sorry, Kate. Ricky -"

There was a sudden knock on the office door, making Sophia stop talking. Everyone was looking at the door, and it was the same man who came with the son's owner of Des company. "Excuse me, is anybody here named Kate Temples?"

Not a happy morning indeed.