Chapter One
"Akshara!" Nandini's voice rang from downstairs in rageful annoyance. Akshara who was still sound asleep could hear the echoes of her mother's screams in her subconscious but she was so at peace in her dream world, a place specifically created to suit her needs, that she didn't pay attention to her mother's voice. The voice grew louder, gaining more bravado as though it was traveling closer to her and soon, she heard the door bang open and that was the kick that pulled her out of her dream. She sat up instantly but not before her mother could enter the room. She looked at her mother in frustration, almost complaining about her mother waking her up but then she realized, "the time!" "Do you know what time it is?" Nandini spoke with her soft but mostly furious Indian accent. Akshara didn't want to answer that question, so she quickly reached for her phone and checked the time, it was 7:13. "Oh my fuckin God!"
"The gods had nothing to do with this, you did! You have an interview by 8 and you're still asleep?" "I'm awake now, mum." Unlike her mother, Akshara had an American accent. "Come on, get up and get to it! And for goodness sake, watch your language." She sprang up from the bed, grabbed her towel, and ran to the bathroom but her younger brother was inside, she banged the door several times calling his name… "Kashvi! Kashvi open the bloody door!" "You're invading my personal space, Akshara!" "Ah!" She screamed in frustration as she ran to her room and grabbed the clothes she had set aside the previous day. Akshara hurried downstairs where her father was having coffee, she could feel his judgemental and disappointed gaze on her as she ran out of the house but she didn't mind, she had gotten used to it, she echoed a "Good morning" and continued to the house next door. After banging for almost 10 seconds, rapidly and repeatedly, a young man opened the door. "Hi, Jordi, good morning." She greeted with a cute pitiful face. "Good morning, Akshara. Shower?" Jordi greeted her, knowing exactly what she wanted, this was their routine. She used his bathroom from time to time because there was almost always a reason for her to be locked out of the bathroom. "Yes, please. My brother is in the bathroom and he's being a total douche." "Come in. I'm leaving for work, you know what to do with the keys." "Of course. Thanks, Jordi, you're-" "-a lifesaver!" Jordi completed the sentence. "Yeah, yeah." He walked out while she walked in.
In under ten minutes, Akshara was done with her bath, she got dressed in such a tattered manner and continued, arranging herself as she exited Jordi's house and locked the door. In a haste, she forgot to put the key where she was supposed to, she just pocketed it and returned to her house. "This is very shameful, Kanna. A woman like you going to take her bath in a man's house, a man who isn't her husband." Her mother preached the usual gospel to her as she came into the house. "Spare the morning lectures, mum." "Hurry up, it's almost seven twenty." Her mother said as she ran up the stairs. "I don't know why you even bother. She's a lost cause." Her father said with his low deep voice in an unadulterated Indian accent. "Pradeep, don't say that, she's your daughter." "Speak for yourself." "Oh, lords." She expressed disappointment as she walked to the kitchen. Akshara was soon down with the speed of light and arranged herself to look more proper. "Mum, Dad, I'll be leaving now. Pray for me." "It'll take an exorcism to help you." Her father scoffed in disdain. "The gods be with you, Kanna." Her mother said. "Thanks, mum. I love you." "And I love you." Her mother answered with a soft smile. Akshara ran out of the house with nothing but a bag and her dress that blended formality and comfort; a black suit on white sneakers. She had very little makeup on, not that she didn't have time to do more but it wasn't her thing. She strolled so quickly and yet so elegantly that no one would guess how much of a s**t-stormed morning she's had. She knew taking the train would be faster but the walk to it was quite a great trek and she wasn't in the mood for more frustrating stress. She waved a taxi and thankfully, one stopped almost immediately. "Grimes." She said to the driver as she got in. "Grimes, huh?" The driver struck up a conversation as he began driving. "Yeah." "You don't work there, do you?" "What makes you say that?" She asked. "Well, they don't usually use the taxi, but when they do, they don't usually look like you." "Excuse me?" Akshara was offended. "Oh no no, don't take it the wrong way, this isn't a race thing… I just mean that they have a certain composure about that. Like that uptight clique in high school that isn't very welcome of outsiders." "Oh, okay. Thanks… I guess." "You're welcome."
Akshara saw the man as weird, but she didn't want to come off as rude so she continued the conversation. "Well, hopefully, this girl might become a member of the uptight clique soon." "Job interview, huh?" "Oh yes." "Nervous?" "Like crazy. My hands feel cold and sweaty at the same time, I keep feeling a quake within my chest that won't stop." "Damn, that's worse than I thought. What are you applying for?" "Personal memoirist of Mr Grimes himself." "My oh my! Shooting for the big leagues I see. Well, if it means anything, I believe you'll get it." "Thank you. And yeah, it means a lot." The rest of the ride was mostly quiet except for Akshara mumbling the key points she intended to use at the interview and soon, they were the car came to a stop. "We're here," the driver said. "Oh! Okay." She said as she looked out the window and saw the massive structure. She opened her bag to get her fare but couldn't find it. "What!" She expressed shock. She overturned her bag and looked through her stuff. "What's wrong?" The driver asked. "I uh - I think um- it's supposed to be here. Hmm, umm, I uh." "Can't find your fare?" "Erm, yeah, that's exactly it." "Hmmm, it's okay." "Wait, are you serious?" "What, you don't like the gesture?" "No, no, I appreciate it. Thank you." "Consider it a loan. You'll pay me back when you get the job, on the next ride." "You mean if I get the job?" "No, I mean when. You'll get it."
Akshara got out of the car and kept thanking the driver till he drove off. She turned to the gigantic building with a rejuvenated spirit rekindled by a total stranger's words and faith in her. After a few seconds, she took a deep breath and walked in.
