Gloomy On Mars

CHAPTER 5

"We are so glad you could make it here Mr Amari. As you know, the design team and I have been working tirelessly on the new designs for the latest trilogy," The man I later got to know, as Jason says.

"Yes, I know that; show me the designs", Zayne says with the most bored expression I've ever seen.

"Of course" Jason goes over to his laptop and projects the first AI image of a glossy silver metallic car, with sharp angular lines. It was stunning, it probably cost more than my bills for 5 years.

"Why does it look like that" Zayne says in that low demon voice he does when he's about to crash out.

"Li-like what sir" Jason stutters. Zayne taps his fingers on the table, and I start to feel bad for Jason, knowing fully well what is going to happen.

"Like a cheap hunk of metal", He says, his voice dangerously low. I wouldn't want to be on this team right now.

"Show me the yacht", He requests, and Jason puts up an image of a sleek black yacht adorned with intricate silver accents. It was beautiful, but Zayne didn't look impressed. The other team members started to shift uncomfortably in their seats.

"The jet", Zayne says, and Jason quickly pulls up the image of a cream-coloured jet with a black strip running along its length, giving it a sharp aerodynamic look.

I flinch when Zayne slams his fists into the table. He gets up and slams Jason's laptop with such force that that screen must have cracked. He looked Jason in the eye, and I could see him visibly gulp.

"Who the f**k do you think you are wasting his time with such tacky, unoriginal s**t? Those designs are a f*****g insult" He looks at the other team members, and I flinch for them.

"I don't pay you fuckers to think small, get that through your head. Fix whatever that was before tomorrow or I'm firing you all" He scowls at everyone in the room, including me! Looking at me like I did it?!

He storms out of the room and I quickly get up and follow behind him. He takes long strides and I struggle to keep up with him.

We make it inside the reception again, and before I can get into the elevator, he stops me.

"Get me a grande, iced, quad-shot, mocha latte with precisely two sugars, whipped cream on top, and an extra shot of espresso on the side. In a black cup, not white," He says quickly, and I struggle to comprehend what he just said.

"Could you repeat tha-" The elevator doors close and I'm left staring at the metal doors. I can already sense things are gonna go downhill from here.

I try to recall what he said and I ask the receptionist to point me to the cafe.

"Iced...matcha-mocha....fuck", I muttered as I headed to the cafe and told the barista everything I remembered and hurried to bring it back upstairs.

As the elevator doors open on the 12th floor, Emily smiles an encouraging smile, and I sigh.

I walk into the east wing, my heels clicking on the marble floor. My hands haven't stopped shaking since I arrived here, and at this point, it's a part of me now.

I knock on Zayne’s door and I hear an angry 'come in'. I nervously open the door to his luxurious office.

He gets up and snatches the coffee from my hand, opens the lid, and when he takes a sip out of it, he looks down at me with disgust in his eyes.

"Where are my two sugars?!" He yells and I open my mouth to say something when he pours the entire thing on me. It got on my face, in my hair, on my shirt, down my skirt and on my socks.

"Why the f**k would I have an assistant who is not even competent enough to get my damn order right. Lexi was f*****g better than this" Tears prickled in my eyes, begging to be let out, and I tried my hardest for it not to spill. That is until he throws the coffee cup in my face.

"Get another one. Mess it up, and you're fired" He said and went back to his chair and picked up his phone.

Tears ran down my face in both shock and anger. I picked up the stupid cup and left his office, dropping the cup in the trash can.

I hiccuped several tears down and made my way to the restrooms by the reception. Once I got inside all the tears I had been pushing down found their way up again.

Tears streamed down my face, dripping off my chin and onto my blouse. I felt a lump form in my throat as I struggled to contain my sobs. But it was no use. My body shook with silent sobs, my shoulders heaving as I tried to catch my breath. I did quit my job and Ryder & co just to be treated worse here.

The bathroom door opened and I saw Emily standing outside. She came in with one of her sympathetic smiles and more tears rushed out.

I wasn't usually a crier but something about Zayne Amari just flipped everything I knew upside down.

"Oh sweetie don't cry. Let me help you get that stain off" She pulls out a Tide To Go stick and helps me remove the stain, not completely but it helped tremendously.

"Thank you"

"It's okay. Mr Amari can be such a d**k. It's only your first day and he does this?" The look in her eye shows just how much she dislikes our boss.

"Well, you better hurry and get him another coffee. I'll give you a minute to regroup" She leaves me in the bathroom and I sigh.

Well....

Fuck me and my newfound life.