“Well, let’s say it is true. Statistically, on paper, the odds may be stacked against you, but I wager that you managed to shine during your interview.” Alice leans in closer to the screen. “Whenever you start on about roller coasters, you’re passionate to the point that you’ve almost hadmeconvinced a few times that I should switch my course from structural to civic engineering.”
She laughs. “Passion like that isn’t something you can fake. It’s your strength. And I’m sure whoever interviewed you saw that. And in the end, it’ll makeyoustand out against all the other applicants.”
“I hope you’re right, Alice,” I say softly. “I can’t see myself being happy working anywhere else.”
“When will you know?”
“In a few weeks. Which is probably for the best,” I say with a tired sigh. “There’s a lot I need to take care of before my parents arrive for graduation. Plus, I have those Zoom calls for United Voices tomorrow.”
“I never had a chance to thank you for that!” Alice says, her face lighting up. “Our Kindness Ambassadors are going to be so excited to talk to you. It’s been hard keeping it a secret from them.”
I smile. “I wish you’d asked sooner. You’re doing so many amazing things with your foundation. I’m so proud of you. I wish I were more like you.”
And I mean it. In fact, it makes me hyperaware that Ishouldbe doing more. Unlike Alice, who built United Voices from the ground up, I don’t have a clear platform of my own. Yet.
While I make an effort to do monthly virtualappearances for my parents’ official charities, I feel disconnected from it all. I mean, I’m happy to support them, but it doesn’t feel like it’s enough. It’s just going through the motions—reading the script I’m given and smiling when I’m told to.
“You’re too hard on yourself, K,” Alice says. “You’re doing plenty.”
“Not really, but thanks for saying so.”
A small ping from my laptop cuts through our conversation at the same moment the microwave beeps. Normally, I’d ignore my emails until later, but my breath catches when I see who it’s from before the notification vanishes—Excelsior Parks.
My stomach does a slow, dizzying flip. It’s only been three days since the interview. Mara said it would take a few weeks, not days.
“Kaori?” Alice leans closer, frowning. “What’s going on?”
“I just got an email from them.”
“Them who? One of the companies you applied for?”
I nod.
Alice leans in, her eyes wide with anticipation. “Well. Don’t keep the audience waiting. Open it,” she urges.
“I want to, but what if it’s a ‘thank you for applying, but we’ve gone with another candidate.’”
“Then at least you’ll know and you can move on,” Alice says firmly. “But K, remember, you’re an MIT engineer who’s graduating magna cum laude. If they passed on you, it’s their loss. Now, quit being a chicken and open the damn thing.”
My fingers hover over the track pad. My pulse is pounding in my ears as I minimize the video chat and click the mail icon. I take a deep breath.
My inbox loads. I click.
The email expands, filling the screen with the Excelsior Parks logo. My eyes scan the lines, searching for the words “regret to inform you” or “unfortunately.”
Instead, I see:
Congratulations. On behalf of the Excelsior Parks recruitment team, we are delighted to formally extend an offer of employment for the position of Junior Theme Park Attractions Engineer.
I read it twice, then a third time, just to be absolutely sure my eyes aren’t playing tricks on me. A wide, uncontrollable smile spreads across my face. I press a hand over my mouth as laughter bubbles up. I’ve been offered the job. Not justajob. My dream job. I’m going to be a theme-park engineer. A real one.
“Kaori! What does it say?” Alice’s voice is laced with anticipation.
“I got it,” I whisper, my voice cracking. “I got the job. They offered me the position.”
“Oh my gosh! Congratulations!” she squeals. “Iknewyou would! Their main office is in London, right? Eek, you’ll be so close to me! If you don’t mind a bit of a commute to central London, you can even move in with me and Art. We’ll be like sisters. Maybe we can even?—”
I’m barely listening. My eyes are glued to the screen, scrolling past the salary details and the benefits package to the most important line:
