Maybe I’m wrong for this direction of thinking. Jonna is definitely an alpha, and is almost six feet tall. It feels as if she takes up more space than she should. My nails help to center me, the pain keeping my anxiety from running away with my sanity.
She smells like a very potent cleaning solution, and it’s overwhelming as it floods my senses. I have alpha pheromone spray I may need to pull out of my bag to help me breathe. Her presence is overwhelming now that she’s not pretending to be nice. My professional skills are creative. I may like to be a wallflower, but the world can’t forget I exist if I want to be taken seriously.
It’s a very confusing place for me.
“I suppose I should have explained a few things,” Jonna says. “You are expected to go to lunch and also cover whoever is working the register. I had to do it since I had no idea where you were. Please check the notebook behind the counter for when you’re going to lunch in the future. You get half an hour. Also, I expect to be able to find you.”
“I was upstairs in a corner, I needed a quiet spot to put together videos,” I explain. “It’s hard to do this in the open since it makes me look rude for having my head in my phone. Tomorrow, I’ll be using my laptop for things. Is there a more appropriate place for me to work?”
Jonna deflates a tiny bit at my explanation, and I take a deep breath. I’m fucking competent, dammit.
“I can set up an out of the way desk for you,” she finally says.
“Thank you,” I say. “I’ve uploaded videos to the shared folder you gave me, and I also posted content to social media. It takes time to get them trained, which entails consistent posting so the algorithm will push posts out.”
“That’s all gibberish to me,” Jonna admits. “I hired you because I don’t know much about how this works. I didn’t think you’d disappear to do it. You’re an omega, right?”
“I am,” I reply, nodding. “I work best behind the scenes, and I’m not disappearing because I’m not doing my job.”
“I’m back,” Taylor says breathlessly, hurrying back to the register. I gaze dispassionately, glad that I’ll be done with my first day soon. “I thought I was going to explode. I was desperate, Jonna.”
“You’re fine,” she mutters. “It’s been quiet today.”
“It has,” Taylor agrees. I can tell she’s a beta by her muted scent and the way she talks to others. This girl has a lot of opinions, and the privilege of not having to keep them to herself.
“Hopefully, that changes soon,” Jonna grumbles. I can understand that she’s upset, but this store isn’t on a busy street. It needs to be discovered by people.
My boss leaves again, and I shake my head as I lean down to grab my bag.
“If you happen to need me, I’ll be upstairs again,” I tell her. “I was going to wait to work on this until tomorrow, but my laptop has programs on it that I need.”
“Okay,” Taylor says, watching me. “Why are you so nice?”
“I’m a professional,” I say. “I really want this job to work out, which means I’m going to continue to do my job without causing any issues.”
Ignoring her pursed lips, I turn and find a quiet corner to work, paying attention to the time so I can leave on time. My stomach is growling, and it reminds me that Dad wanted to havedinner with me. My laptop is in my lap as I sit in a dark corner, and I hold my phone behind the screen so I won’t get into trouble for texting.
My job does entail that I use my phone, but I feel as if I’m on thin ice here. This position isn’t set in stone since I’m here as a trial, and I have to work twice as hard to prove I deserve to stay.
I didn’t think I’d initially mind it, except the pressure is heavy to be at the top of my game. It’s beginning to hit me that none of this work is my own if she decides not to keep me.
Me
Hi Dad, I almost forgot about dinner and I’m starving. Any ideas on where you want to go?
I don’t expect him to get back to me soon. If he’s holding practice, I’m sure he doesn’t have his phone. Content that I messaged him, I go back to stitching together photos into a video on my laptop. This is what takes me the most time for content. I’m glad I’m ending the day with this, because my brain will resemble Swiss cheese by the end of this.
Glancing at the time, I realize the last hour flew by and I’m officially done. Checking my phone, I find a message waiting for me.
Dad
Practice is running long. I’m not sure what to do, Cae. I didn’t think this would happen. I don’t want to ask you to come to the rink. Should we do a rain check?
I love that he’s giving me the space to choose, knowing my feelings on this. Leaning against the wall, I drop my head back. The sting of pain doesn’t help me make a decision either way.
Figures.
Packing my things up without replying, I get up off the floor and walk downstairs. Jonna owns the store with her husband, but I haven’t seen him at all today.
