Winter's Love: Christmas In Your Arms

I caught my reflection in the glass door of the establishment before stepping inside. Today was supposed to be my initial interview for the position I applied for. Honestly, I had already sent applications to maybe four companies, none of which seemed interested in someone like me, a fresh graduate with almost no real experience. Finding a job nowadays feels impossible. They keep demanding experience from us. Well, how are we supposed to gain experience if no one will hire us in the first place, right? I sighed at that ridiculous thought, nerves twisting in my stomach. If I get rejected again today, I’m probably doomed. As soon as I pushed open the door and entered, I was greeted by a room full of beautiful staff, all perfectly placed like they were part of a display. No wonder this company has high sales, just look at the women working here. One woman caught my attention immediately—tight pencil skirt, talking to a probably-rich bald man whose eyes were clearly focused somewhere below her face. Her blouse looked like it was about to betray her at any second, and the guy didn’t seem to hear a word she was saying. Then the HR called my name just as I took a seat, so I immediately stood and hurried over, trying to smooth my hair while my $49 online-purchased heels clacked dramatically against the floor. The HR interviewer sat behind her desk, looking like she owned the entire company just by the way she stared at me. Honestly, she gave off this 40-year-old millennial Karen energy short blonde hair, bossy aura, as if she could snap at me any moment. “Selene Rodriguez... c*m Laude... no experience...” she read from the resume I sent a week ago. I sat down, my palms sweating despite how cold the room was, trying my best to look calm while my hands trembled. She looked at me again, almost as if she was dissecting my entire life story with her eyes. “So, what exactly can you offer our company since you have no experience?” “Even though I’m new to the business world,” I replied, “having a degree means I actually understand how business works. I can handle pressure, I’m willing to learn fast, and I promise you won’t regret hiring me.” I was practically praying to my ancestors at that point. “Being a c*m Laude won’t take you anywhere if you lack experience, Selene Rodriguez.” The expression on her face clearly showed she wasn’t impressed. She placed my resume down with the other papers like it didn’t belong anywhere at all. “I’m sorry, but unfortunately, we will not be hiring you.” She stood up, looking down at me like I was some tiny fried chicken not worth a bite. I remained seated, eyes burning, tears threatening to fall. I had been hoping this job would help me pay off the debts my father left me. Now those loan sharks would be after me again for something I didn’t even owe. I finally stood, head bowed, but anger rising. The way HR staff look down on applicants with no experience as if they own the world, it’s infuriating. Walking outside, the cold winter air slapped against my skin. I exhaled all my frustration, anger simmering inside my head. Without thinking, I kicked the wheel of a Toyota parked in the company’s lot. “You rude witch!” I yelled, then continued walking. I had prepared for an hour for this outfit only to get rejected in a literal minute. She didn’t even bother to ask me more questions or test what I could actually do. Witch indeed. I spotted a coffee shop nearby and decided to cool my head there and also because the weather was downright freezing. I ordered a simple coffee to-go and took a long sip while walking, trying to melt the frustration away one step at a time. As I drink the coffee I didn't even know that I am near the crossing pedestrian. I walk as I drink, and the sound of a horn immediately startled my body and the coffee I brought was thrown into my outfit. It was still burning hot as ever, and the car was a black limbo. I cursed and cursed in my mind, but it was my fault for not paying attention to where I am walking. The limbo didn't even give attention to me after it stopped and horned, it drives passing me with thr coffee all over my outfit. I remove the suit that I always repeat, a casual outfit repeater btw. Then came a man who have blue eyes, who happens to saw what happened and he came running to where I was standing. He is tall, puppy eyes, curly hair like he is some kind of model with his face. “Are you okay?” he asks as he handed me a handkerchief and a tissue. I nodded my head and get the handkerchief he handed to me because I also need it to wipe the coffee in my white sleeve. The coffee made my bra barely visible because of the spilled. “Thank you.” I replied. He smiles at me. “Next time do not mistake pedestrian as your own road, okay? Glad you're fine.” I didn't answer him because he was smiling really hard while looking at me. “Tommy,” he offered his hand to a handshake. “Selene..” I replied meeting his handshake. “I gotta go,” because I wasn't inclined to have a long conversation. I still have a lot in my mind and I really appreciate his help towards me. “Thanks for the help, Tommy. But I needed to go.” “Watch your steps.” He wave his hands but he has something he wants to say but didn't go on. And his handkerchief is in my pocket. I didn't even plan to give it back to him though since it was just a brief encounter but thanks to him I felt that there's still kind people who looks out ready to help. I hailed a taxi and headed home as fast as possible. The moment the cab stopped in front of my house, I instantly noticed two men standing by the gate and of course, I knew exactly who they were. The same loan sharks who wouldn’t leave me alone, always demanding money. I’d already given them a thousand dollars, my entire savings—money I should’ve spent on new clothes for job interviews. But they didn’t just want payment; they always lingered with intentions that made me uncomfortable, something I tried hard to avoid. The second I stepped out of the taxi, the men watched me, grinning like they were enjoying every moment of intimidating me. One smirked as I approached the gate. “I don’t have money yet,” I told them quietly, fumbling for my keys. “I swear I’ll pay once I finally get a job.” The other burst out laughing. “Almost a month, and still no job?” Their laughter only fueled my frustration. “Maybe you’re just not destined for a decent job… just be my wife and your debts will magically disappear.” They laughed again. I rolled my eyes but stayed silent, I knew better than to provoke them. “Hey,” one of them said, lifting my chin, eyes full of warning. “You pay your father’s debt next week. Final notice. No money… we take the house as collateral. Understand?” “Y-yes… I will,” I replied, voice trembling. He mocked me by repeating my stutter, and they both laughed before walking off. My fists curled tight. If I can just get a job, I swear I’ll pay every cent triple even and make them choke on it. I rushed to unlock the gate and shut it behind me, making sure it clicked securely. I climbed the small stairs toward the front door when suddenly my heel snapped and I crashed onto the floor. Perfect. Just perfect. I closed my eyes, gathered what was left of my strength, unlocked the door, picked up my broken heels, and tossed them straight into the trash bin inside the living room. I spent the whole day searching for companies that might actually consider hiring a newbie like me. I checked every listing I could find on my laptop, even used GPS to locate nearby offices, and created a checklist because tomorrow was going to be another round of job hunting. My stomach growled, reminding me I hadn’t eaten much. I opened the fridge three cans of beans, two eggs, and a cabbage. Basically, tomorrow’s ration. I only had about eighty bucks left, and I had no idea how long it would last. With no other option, I popped open a can of beans with a spoon and ate right there in front of my laptop. While chewing, a tear slipped down my cheek. My mom left me when I was still a kid for another man, my father never showed any real care, and the only person who ever raised me with love was my grandmother. My phone suddenly rang. I glanced at the screen and saw Grandma’s name. Just hearing her voice made my tears fall again. “How was your job?” she asked gently. “It’s fine,” I answered, my voice barely steady. I’ve always told her I already have a decent job, just so she wouldn’t worry. I’ve been a burden my whole life, and I didn’t want to add more to her worries. “Visit here when you have time, I miss you dear…” That shattered me a little. “I will, Grandma. Don’t forget your meds. I—I need to hang up for now, I’m busy.” “Sorry for disturbing you… just don’t skip your meals, dear,” she said softly. “I won’t.” I forced a smile she couldn’t even see, hung up, wiped my tears, and kept scrolling through job posts. Evening came. I finished my dinner, the same beans and then kept browsing until I unknowingly fell asleep in my chair. My stomach still needed more, but what else could I do? I didn’t know if I’d still have food tomorrow, so I had to save everything I could. My bed was calling. Sometimes I spent nights imagining fantasies, things I wanted to feel, things I still haven’t experienced—yes, I’m still a virgin, but that doesn’t stop my imagination from running wild. My body felt heavy at just the sight of my comforter, and I knew sleep would take over once I lay down. But before I could, my phone rang again. “Seriously? Who calls at this hour?” I muttered, grabbing my old phone. I thought it might be Grandma again but it was the HR. I froze for a second, then quickly answered. “Hel—” “Is this Selene Rodriguez, the one I interviewed today?” the familiar voice cut me off. “Yes, this is Selene,” I said, confused. “Good. Come here immediately, no questions. Right now. Be here in less than ten minutes. We’ll give you a bonus just for coming as fast as you can and the job is yours immediately. Hurry. He’s waiting!” Her voice sounded nervous… almost scared. I grabbed the only outfit I hadn’t worn for a week—no makeup, no effort, nothing fancy. I just needed this job, and if going there immediately would secure it, then I wasn’t wasting a second. Feeling oddly hopeful, I left the house wearing just my loafers. It was already evening and the streets were almost empty. I hailed another taxi and told the driver to go faster, glancing nervously at my cheap wristwatch. “Five minutes… I still have five minutes,” I muttered under my breath. The taxi stopped. I paid in cash and rushed out, practically running toward the entrance. And there she was the same woman who rejected me earlier because I had no experience. “Get your ass here!” she snapped as soon as I approached. She practically dragged me inside, moving fast—too fast. Like she was terrified of messing up somehow. “He’s waiting in his office. When you enter, sit down and don’t say a word unless spoken to. And one more thing, don’t you dare tell him I rejected you earlier.” She pointed a finger at me like this was all my fault. Honestly, unbelievable. But whatever I followed her instructions. The moment I stepped into the massive office, I saw him adjusting his tux jacket, looking at me with that cold, unreadable stare. He fixed his tie, eyes traveling up and down before settling back on his seat. He was… honestly breathtaking. Tall—probably six feet, sharp features, long lashes, thick eyebrows, perfect nose. A literal Greek god but with the emotional warmth of ice. “I need you here at 6 A.M. every day. You clock out at 8 P.M., no more or less. Fix my schedule, create schedules if needed, handle my meetings, appointments—everything. Just do the job. Salary won’t be an issue. Contract signing bonus, ten grand." Ten grand. For signing a contract. I could survive a whole year with that amount. He pulled out a paper from his drawer and handed it to me. "Read the contract and sign it. Everything will be settled after. Tomorrow is your first day, you’ll receive the money then.” I took the papers as calmly as I could, even though my mind was screaming from happiness. I actually got the job. A ten grand bonus. After all that humiliation earlier, this felt unreal. “Speak,” he suddenly said, impatience in his tone. “Are you deaf or something? You haven’t said a word since you walked in.” I paused and forced a small smile. “I hear you, sir. Loud and clear.” He stared, brows nearly touching. “You purposely skipped the interview at 9 A.M., didn’t you?” My heart dropped. What on earth was he talking about? “What do you mean, sir? I did come for the interview earlier today, but the HR rejected me because I didn’t have experience so I left. I was honestly surprised I got a call afterward.” He looked at me like he hadn’t expected that answer, exhaled sharply, and simply sighed. “You're lucky I urgently needed an assistant.”