Tension Released

The factory loomed ahead, all concrete and still like some sleeping beast. Samantha sat in her car just outside the employee lot. Her fingers drumming against the steering wheel in a nervous uneasy rhythm. You've got this, she told herself for the sixth time this morning. Fresh start. New job. No crying. No spiraling. Just... survive the day. She adjusted her lipstick in the rear view mirror and forced a bright smile. Too bright. She softened it,and hardened it again. Corporate polished confidence. Or it would have been if her heart wasn't trying to beat its way out of her chest. With a breath that sounded more like a prayer, she stepped out of the car. The summer heat hit her like a slap, curling her perfectly done hair and smudging the edge of her foundation. Awesome. She was already melting, and it wasn't even 8 a.m. The walk from the lot to the entrance was short, but every step felt like walking a tightrope. Everyone else seemed to know ex-where they were going, steel-toed boots, oil stained uniforms, and their heads down. She on the other hand looked like someone's clueless cousin who wondered into a construction site by mistake. The glass door hissed as they opened. Inside, the air was cool and sharp with the smell of metal, machine grease, and something faintly chemical. Samantha stepped in, clutching the strap on her handbag like a life preserver. Find Tina. Orientation. Be invisible. Until then, don't panic. She spotted a break room to the right and made a hesitant move towards it, hoping for a sign , or better yet a person with a clipboard and a friendly smile. That's when the door swung open. And he walked out. Blonde hair tousled like he just rolled out of bed, a white T-shirt tight across his broad shoulders, and a pair of old blue channel locks peeked from his back pocket. His uniforms were clean crisp blue, and his boots were scuffed, and his face was well- unfair. He didn't just look good. He looked real. The kind of real that made her body react before her brain could catch up. And those eyes blue, steady, startlingly clear landed right on her. Samantha's feet keep moving, but her mind was complete static. He paused mid-step, a rag in his hand, and looked at her with a hint of curiosity. "You lost?" Her mouth opened. Then closed. "I uhh... Yes.. Maybe? I'm supposed to find someone named Tina? For orientation? He gave a small lopsided grin. Not mocking. Just easy. "You're close. I can walk you there." He turned and gestured with a told of his head , and somehow Samantha's legs followed. Her mouth, however, had no idea what to do with it felt. They walked in silence for a few moments, the sound of machinery some where in the distance humming like a nervous heartbeat. He glanced over "First day?" "Is it that obvious?" He chuckled. " A little. You've got that new hire glow , and the hold it together while screaming inside energy. She let out an unexpected laugh, a real one, shape, unfiltered. "Wow. Nailed it." He didn't say anything for a beat. Then "You'll be fine." Factory's aren't as scary as they look. Just loud, a little weird, and full ot caffeine addicts. They turned a corner and came to a door that had "HR & Training." He nodded towards it. "There you go. Tina is in there somewhere. Goodluck." She hesitated. "Thanks for not letting me wander into the weld shot or something." He smiled "That comes later." And then he was gone, just like that he disappeared into the maze of metal, machines and noise. Samantha stood for a moment, her hand on the door knob , and let herself feel.... something... Warmth? Panic? Both? Probably both. She wasn't ready for any of it.But her heart had skipped a beat, just for a moment , and that's how she knew. She exhaled, smoothed her blouse, and stepped into the room. Day one had just begun and she was in trouble.