“Thank you so much—” I gawked when his door opened. “You don’t have to get out.”
He closed his door and walked to meet me at the back of the car. I tried to sidestep but he got in my way.
“Why are you staying in this area?” His eyebrows furrowed.
I opened my mouth and then closed it.He’s out of touch with poverty huh.
“It’s the only place I can afford,” I was embarrassed to say to myboss. “I’m not ashamed of what I have, I earned it on myown.” I lifted my chin. “I’m new to the city, but I did it on my own?—”
He clasped my chin and lifted it up, stopping my ramble. He stared down at me with a look in his eyes that I couldn’t describe. I never thought my heart could threaten to pound out of my chest. I clenched my hands and jerked my chin out of his grip, dashing around him and toward my apartment. The narrow stairs clanged with each step up, but I kept pushing until I reached the fifth floor.
I took care to close my apartment door quietly since the walls were scarily thin here. I slid into my tiny place and dropped face first on my bed.
I leanedback in my office chair, stretching my sore legs out under the desk.
Rocks seemed to have taken root inside each of my limbs, especially my legs, to the point that it’d been so hard waking. Showering had taken a bit of the strain away, butalsoleft me with less time. I’d come rushing into the office with my head low, hoping no one would notice.
Since I’d walked through the front sliding glass doors I’d been on edge, even though Mr. Astor would be in meetings all morning. Another good thing? Judy was with him so she wouldn’t be yelling at me yet.
“Nina,” Ray said, approaching my desk. The Beta was the first person to show me patience on my first day and taught me how to use the scanner. “We on for lunch today?”
“I’m not feeling too good,” I admitted. His eyebrows scrunched close together.
“Are you okay?”
I shook my head. “I just need rest. I’ll be fine tomorrow, I’m sure. Raincheck?”
“Always,” he winked and a ding echoed on the heels of buzzing. He fished out the standard company phone.
“I’ll check in on you tomorrow then,” he said, distractedly walking off as he furiously typed across his screen. “Later.” He grinned back at me again and disappeared around the corner. As nice as it was being away from the hoopla of the open space where all the cubicles were, it sometimes got too lonely.
My head felt a bit fuzzy.
Maybe I should eat to recuperate some strength, but I wasn’t hungry, despite not having had anything yesterday. I rested my head on my bare desk, waiting for any calls to come in . . .
“Nina,” a low hiss shot me into a sitting position, jumpstarting my heart. I blinked quickly to clear my grainy, blurry eyesight.
“I’m here,” I blurted.
Judy stared down at me, and Mr. Astor stood at her back with his eyebrows raised. Amusement glittered in his gaze. I jumped to my feet. The clock over his door reflected the glowing yellow time—I’d dozed off!
“I am so sorry,” I gasped, a tremble starting at my hands. Sleeping on the job was so unprofessional, surely I was done for. My throat closed up. How would I afford my rent? I had nothing to my name, and I wouldn’t go back to my elderly grandparent’s home to continue being a burden. “I really didn’t mean to. I swear it won’t happen again. I’m not even surewhathappened?—”
“You cannot behave like this.” Judy turned to our boss. “I apologize, Mr. Astor, I will make sure she understands her position well.”
“No need for that today, Judy,” he patted her shoulder. I grimaced, forcing my gaze away from the easy touch.
His lips twitched and I dropped my head, horrified that he’d seen the face I made.
“It’s time to clock out.” With that he turned and climbed up the steps to his office. His body moved with such control, careful, practiced, and ready to pounce.
“We will deal with this tomorrow,” Judy threatened in a low whisper and jerked her brief case strap higher on her shoulder. She stormed away. I watched her strut out with crisp strides. I’d messed up. I groaned, rubbing my palms across my face, trying to scrub away the sluggishness, but it was no use. My body hurt and I didn’t feel part of my body, almost numb to a dizzying point.
I waited a few seconds before following her path out. I didn’t want to get stuck in the elevator with her.
We were two people that were here beyond the time of everyone else, so there would be no need to smile and socialize on the way. I sped to the elevator and exhaled in relief at the cloudy view facing the skyscrapers. At least it wasn’t raining. My stomach pitched as the elevator began its descent. I slumped against the cold metal doors, tipping my head back.
I arrived in the lobby and crossed past the security guard again, as disinterested as usual. The outside air hit my face like a wall, heightening the wave of dizziness that I didn’t have the ability to give into. I gritted my teeth, trudging onward. Every step became a little worse, but I managed to get to the end of the roundabout. With the bit-by-bit progress, I would be fine.
