A fresh start
981 Words
The night was long for Mira and the street colder than she had ever known. She barely slept but curled against her suitcase outside the motel, her sweatshirt she changed into during the night was the only protection she had from the cold.
She washed her face in the public restroom of a nearby filling station, changed into a light top and brushed her teeth then told herself one thing:
“Even if all doors are closed on me right now, I will find a window. No matter what, I will create an opening to a new life for myself”
She opened her phone and scrolled through job listings she could find on the internet but every call she made ended the same way:
“Sorry, we don’t hire frauds.”
“Your name is too controversial and we don’t neee that for our organization.”
“Best of luck.”
Doors slammed against her with words instead of locks.
She decided not to hide anymore and took off her cap, changed back into a light blue gown that fits on her waist and drapes down her hips reaching just a little below her knees and wore flat shoes then began to look for jobs.
A petrol attendant was kind enough to help her keep her suitcase in one of the stores while she went job hunting.
She walked around aimlessly but all efforts proved abortive. By midday, her stomach began to hurt from hunger and that’s when she remembered she hadn’t eaten since the day before. She went back to the park from the previous day and sat at the same spot, watching the pigeons.
That was when a shadow fell across her.
She looked up.
And there he was again.
Khalid. Impeccable as always, dressed in a brown suit that complimented his fair skin gloriously. Behind him stood his assistant, Amir.
Mira’s jaw tightened as she asked the same question from the previous day.
“Are you following me?”
“You’ve asked me that before.”, Khalid replied, chuckling.
“And you never denied it.”, Mira also retorted.
He studied her for a moment, assessing every facial feature and emotion.
“You’re persistent. I’ll give you that.”
“Persistent???” She laughed bitterly.
Khalid didn’t flinch. He gestured to his assistant, who stepped forward and handed her a card.
“My company is looking for a new project assistant. Temporary position. Low-level work. But it pays. You could make it in if you try applying. Don’t worry, we don’t judge”
Mira stared unbelievably.
“You… want me to work for you? Despite everything? Do I even have the qualifications?”
“Not “want”. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not asking you to take it. I’m just offering you a chance. Whether you take it or not is your decision.”
She raised her eyebrows with suspicion.
“Why? Why me? You don’t even know me enough to just offer me a chance many would kill for. This is a chance to work at Royles’ company. Even my father couldn’t get a contract signed with them for years. And…you are the CEO, the Khalid Royles people only hear of but never see”
Khalid’s eyes narrowed slightly then he said:
“Because I don’t like wasting potential, especially a burning one. I watched you that night and like I said yesterday,most people in your position would have crawled into hiding but you didn’t. That tells me you’re either stubborn… or resilient. I’m curious to know which it is”
Her heart pounded, loud enough for Khalid to hear.
She wanted to refuse, to throw the card back in his face and say she didn’t need his pity or help but her stomach growled again, weakening her.
She pressed a hand against it but her hunger for revenge was more than she felt for food in that moment. She knew that it takes a monster to kill one and it takes power to go against a powerful person.
She knew she needed the power and connections and she won’t throw away this chance but she also didn’t want to seem desperate.
Khalid kept his gaze on her but said nothing.
Mira exhaled shakily, holding on to the card.
“Fine. I’ll take it. But don’t think I’ll be grateful. I’ll work because I need to. Not because you pity me.”
Surprisingly, Khalid was happy but refused to show it. Yet, he wondered why he felt happy that this woman took his offer.
“Good,” he said
“Report tomorrow at eight. Don’t be late.”
With that, he turned and walked away, his driver following closely behind him. The car zoomed off as Mira watched in silence.
At least, now she has a job. She smiled brightly with happiness and muttered “Weldone, Mirabel”, giving herself an imaginary hug with soft pats on the back.
For a while, her pride screamed at her for accepting his offer but she told herself that this wasn’t surrendering, it was a fresh start, the beginning of her vengeance.
A young boy approached her, offering her a paper bag of chips with burger and a fruit drink.
“The man in suit told me to give this to you”, he said and dropped it on her laps before walking away,not waiting for a reply.
It dawned on her that Khalid noticed she was hungry and in that moment, she genuinely felt loved and cared for.
“At least someone in this world still wants me alive”,she thought.
She opened the bag and began to eat slowly and quietly.
She plugged in her earpods and listened to “Like You” by Tatiana Manaois, humming to the lyrics as if her strength would be found in those words.
- Writer
