His to take

2. The fates have a little fun

Charlotte

New Day. New job. Man, I love Mondays. And no I am not crazy. So what if 95 percent of the world hated Mondays? I love it and that’s all that matters. I caught my reflection in the glass door that led into High Tech, and I straightened the jacket of my light blue suit before heading into the building. High Tech is like the biggest tech company in the world. And I am not exaggerating. They have seventy five branches around the world and make as much as some countries do. It was a relatively new company. It was first introduced ten years ago but only became a big company five years ago. They are involved in everything tech. Everything. Even bio-tech.

“I.D. please” The automated machine said as I passed by and I turned to swipe my card through it. I could not stop smiling as I did it. The machine had A.I motion sensors. It could recognize any employee that passed by through their walking pattern and many other complicated algorithms that I do not know about. Isn’t that cool?

I am actually not a tech expert which you will guess by the fact that I am going to the twelfth floor. I am the sole lucky recruit to work in the marketing department of High Tech. I wouldn’t say it was my dream job because honestly it wasn’t. It was way better. It was one of those things you never thought you could achieve so you don’t put your mind to.

“Hello. I am a new recruit for the marketing department” I told the girl at the reception table and she looked up at me clearly not sharing my joy about Mondays.

“Name?” She asked

“Charlotte Kingsley” I replied. I always loved my name and I had no idea why

“Okay” She said after a minute “Go down to the end of the hall, then go right. After that, ask for Terrence Yoda, he will sort you through everything”

“Thanks” I say and start to go but turn back around. “Sorry, I didn’t get your name”

“Gianna. Gianna Kris with a K” She replied and her lips move up slightly like she was glad I had asked

“Well Gianna, have a great day” I say and continue to the path of my destiny. Down the hall, right, I open the door to a huge white room with just about fifteen people in it. The desks were arranged in groups of 4 and there was enough free space to practice yoga if you wanted. A few people were scribbling on notepads while most were engaged in discussion. I sighted a man in a blue, animal print suit and went to him “Hello. I am looking for Terrence Yoda” I ask and he quirked a perfectly carved brow at him

“Sorry. You’re not my type” He says and turns to whatever he was doing

“No. That’s not…” I breath “My name is Charlotte Kingsley and I am the new recruit” I explained and he looked me up and down

“I see. I distinctly remember you wearing a shower cap when you came for the interview” He says and I wished the ground would swallow me

“I had an accident that day sir. I had to use it else I would be late for the interview” I explained

“I liked the shower cap” He told me.

“Don’t dress so formally next time you are not the one to be meeting investors” He collected the file she was holding and flipped through “Good good. Come with me” He went to the middle of the room and cleared his throat. Everyone turned to him immediately “Team, we have a new member here today. As you can see, she is pretty but overdressed. Let’s try to make her feel welcome. I will leave her to introduce herself” he says turning to look at me

Was I nervous? Yes. Did I not like this situation at all? Yes. But after being in about fifty debates and giving numerous presentations, all through my life, I was used to being put on the spot. “Good morning. My name is Charlotte Kingsley and…”

“Can we call you Charlie?” Someone asked and I turned to the guy who had spoken

“Just Char would be fine. Thanks” I say and everyone nods “I am very happy to be here.” I conclude and they all seemed to be taking me in. Terrence was not joking when he claimed I was over dressed. Everyone else was dressed casually. Not business casual, casual casual. I was seeing shorts and beanies, leather jackets and chains, et cetera et cetera.

“Johnny, could you lead Char to her desk please?” Terrence asked and the guy who had asked the question nodded

“When do I come for my debriefing sir?” I ask

“Call me Terry. Sir makes me sound old” He said

“I thought you were…”

“The team leader? I am. I still want to be called Terry. Come find me in two hours. I have a meeting now” He checked his watch with a frown

“Come on Charlie” Johnny says and I took a close look at him. Tall, handsome, lean, not very muscular, blue eyes that were several shades darker than mine and brown hair. Overall, cute.

“It’s Char” I reminded him as I followed him to where is suppose was my desk

“So, Charlie, what sort of things do you like?” He asked pointing to a desk. My desk. I guessed he could call me Charlie if he wanted to

“Things like?”

“What type of music?” He asked going to the desk beside mine to sit

“Um... I like a little bit of everything” I say and he taps my desk

“Are you going to keep standing?”

“What?”

“Sit down Charlie” He said and I sat “This is my desk so we are neighbors”

“Oh” This guy was my kind of guy. Jolly. So why was I tongue tied. Perhaps I did not want to be bold and crazy on my first day. “I like almost everything but I love old rock. I am talking Lionel Richie and all”

“Noooo” Johnny groaned

“What’s wrong?”

“How about AC/DC? Fall out boy?”

“They are good too” I admit “But not my favorite”

“Okay. I guess we will walk around that. What is the best cop movie to you?”

“Bad cops and Die Hard have a special spot in my heart” I admit and he punched the air in joy

“Yes. I officially welcome you to marketing team four and to your desk neighbor Charlie” He stretched out is hands and I shook it with a smile. “I will now give you all the survival tips”

Over the next hour and a half, Johnny introduced me to our other desk mates-there were Sophia Heel, who was called Soph and Tristan Gregory, Tris. Both Tris and Soph were gay while Johnny was as straight as they come. Next, he introduced everyone else. I could only remember so many names all at once. I knew the girl chewing a gum was Delia, the girl with the all black ensemble was Rhea and the guy who looked like Chad from high school musical, only he was white, was called Chad. There were two Black-American women, Christine and Claudia; and one Asian man, Henry. The remaining names were lost to me. I would figure them out later.

As a rule, you were only allowed to get coffee for your desk mates and Terry. And different desks took up the responsibility of picking the break room menu each month. There was a ‘show your artistic side’ rule to dressing and a ‘don’t be a wet blanket’ rule for get-togethers. I was starting to think the whole office was just a fun group until Johnny told me that the most important rule of all was the ‘Do not break your deadline’ rule. It was the sacred number one rule. As fun as Terry was, h hated lazy employees. That was fine by me.

“And that is all you need to know. Just ask me if you have any other questions” He says and I nod. When he turns to his computer, I groan because I have nothing to do

“Does anyone need help?” I ask my table members and they all looked up sharply from the wood that separated our desks

Ten minutes later, I had four files on my desk and was working happily.

Apparently, they had a lot of work to do and wasted the lasted hour for my sake not because they were less busy. I love this office already. The files they gave me were neatly and professionally organized, except for the pop of color they put here and there. I was in the middle of the second file when Terry walks in

“Everybody put on your best poker face. The wolf is coming” He says in a rush going to what I assume is his desk. The whole room groaned in unison but everyone sat straight in their seats and buried their noses in their work. She followed suite although she had no idea what they were doing or why. Less than a minute later, she felt a new presence in the room. Whoever it was they were powerful and exuded that power like a fragrance.

“Mr. Harold” terry says and I pause. Harold? Founder of High Tech, Harold? I look up and immediately ducked behind my desk. After taking a few deep breaths, I looked over the edge of the desk once more. s**t. Mr. Harold was Sinewy Muscles! Damn it, I hid behind my desk. How the hell was this possible? Stuff like this only happened in movies and badly written books. This was real life. It was not possible. Perhaps I have misheard or I was seeing Sinewy Muscles in place of Mr. Harold. I looked up again and he was in a conversation with Teddy. What were they talking about? I tried to eavesdrop but years of listening to music at loud volumes played against me and I could not hear a single word. I hope Teddy does not tell him there was a new employee because then he would want to meet me and that would be the end. It was just my first day but I absolutely loved the office and the people. I was already thinking about how nice it would be not to have to dress up all formal for work.

My entire body gathered to release the breath it had been holding as Sinewy Muscles walked out. And then it tensed up again when he turned back “For God’s sake Terrence, tell your team to dress properly to work”

“Sir, I believe that if the staff is comfortable, they work better” Terry sounded different. More refined now than if he were talking to me

“If the clothes affect their work perhaps they should not work here in the first place. This is a cooperate office. We should look the part” Sinewy muscles did not wait to hear Terry’s reply. He walked out once he was done talking. He was still rude. Terry muttered something under his breath then turned to address the room

“I have good news and I have bad news. Which do you want to hear first?” He asked and there was a chorus of incoherent answers “Since we are not in agreement, Char” He called looking at me

“What do you want to hear first?”

“Um…bad news?” I answered and he nodded

“Bad news it is. Next month is our turn to go on the field trip with the fox” He announced and everybody let out a long groan. Even Johnny. I was quiet since I had no idea yet what it would entail. I knew there was no way I would go within twelve feet of him. “Now the good news, we got our budget approved!” He grinned and everybody jumped for joy.

“That is epic” Johnny exclaimed high fiving the other table members

“Why is everyone so happy?”

“Last year, we had a budget cut because of a mistake on our part during an important procedure. It made life quite difficult. Everyone is happy to be back to normal” He explained

“Um…who was that earlier?” I asked the most important question and he rolled his eyes

“You want to tell me you do not know who he is?” Tris asked from opposite me. Even though we couldn’t see each other, I am sure he was looking disappointed from his time of voice

“I do not” I reply honestly

“Search Nathaniel Harold” Sophia told me and I gasped

“No” Please God, no

“Yes” Johnny nodded

Nathaniel Harold. Founder of High Tech. Genius Harvard graduate engineer. Renowned business man. My boss’s boss. And the man I punched two days ago. This was not looking to me? I rest my head on the cool desk. I think I am going to puke.

“Char, come” Terry called from his desk and I stood up trying to look normal but I was a wreck. How was I supposed to avoid him forever? If he ever saw me again…I shivered unwilling. I would surely lose my job. I could not let that happen.