(Renata Pellegrini)
As the car approaches the company, I feel a chill run down my spine, my hands are trembling and my breathing is getting more and more labored. Just imagining the conversations that will take place as soon as I get out of the car makes me frustrated.
I glance at Filippo and he doesn’t show me anything, it’s like he’s been a wall, since we left the store, he’s kept quiet.
I begin to feel guilty. I know what the attendant did is wrong, but that doesn’t justify the way I spoke to her… Shit… I hate feeling this way.
“We are very close to the company.” I comment, I give him some time but he doesn’t answer anything and doesn’t even look away from the road, I take a deep breath, “I think it’s better to leave me here, I won’t have to walk far, it wouldn’t look good to see me arriving in your car, people are very mean with their opinions and the gossip….”
“I don’t give a shit about other people’s opinions, you should do that too.”
“Oh, I get it,” I try to appear calm, but I’m almost freaking out inside.
“It’s good that they see us together, mia ragazza, so that everyone will know that you are mine,” he says succinctly, choking on my saliva.
“Of… What are you talking about?” I recovered from the choking. What does he mean by “you are mine”?
“Our affair,” he replies, looking at me as if it were obvious.
“Dating? What relationship? I don’t remember accepting anything!” I say, feeling my heart hammering hard in my chest.
“But I do remember your proposal.”
“Are you crazy? I would never ask you to go steady, stop talking nonsense!”
“What happens next?” I feel my face burn with anger and shame, I hate being patched up, “I care, I don’t want to be treated like any other, I deserve affection…”
“Stop it, I remember what I said, but this was not a proposal, I was just trying to avoid an embarrassing situation.”
“Too late, you are now my girlfriend.”
“No, I’m not…”
He opens the car door and gets out, only now realizing that we are already in front of the company. I swallow dryly, take off my seat belt and my fingers tremble, I hate to be the subject of gossip. I better get a move on, the faster I get out, the better it will be. The door on my side is opened and Filippo extends his hand towards me.
“Agr! Idiottttt!” – I shouted in thought, I just didn’t want to attract attention. With no other choices, I take his hand and step out of the car.
I feel the angry glances of the women on me, I try to focus on the entrance door in order not to fall off my heels, dying of embarrassment, I hurry my steps and enter the company before Filippo.
“Renata?” I hear Amanda’s voice, I breathe relieved. “What happened to you? It’s almost ten in the morning.”
“Amanda, hi!” I approached her at the reception desk. “Why didn’t you come yesterday?” I will try to change the subject.
I was more than two hours late, this happened because Filippo, even without saying anything – he just didn’t talk to me, the other people did – made me go into the salon and told the head hairdresser that we would not leave until I had my hair, make-up and nails done. I can’t say that I didn’t like it, I felt like a pampered princess and it was a great experience, but the feeling that I did something wrong spoils everything.
“I had to solve some problems at the doctor’s,” she answers, looking away. I feel as if she, like me, is in a very bad situation and doesn’t want to expose herself.
“Ah.”
“Tell me, is the gossip true?”
“What gossip?” I ask nervously.
“That you beat up Veronica and she was fired,” she finishes, and I feel relieved.
“Oh yes, it’s true, she will never threaten you again nor humiliate you,” I say smiling, and it takes her a few seconds to understand that I already know what that shrew did to her.
“Caio told you,” she confirms, I just affirmed with a nod of my head, “Thank you for avenging me.”
“Anytime, and I’m also sorry for yelling at you on Friday.”
“That’s water under the bridge, forget about it. Oh, shit! I wish I could have seen it!”
I laugh with her indignation, it’s really a pity she didn’t see it.
“Why are you dressed like that? All fancy, you look like a secretary..”.
“I am now Mr. Filippo’s secretary and personal assistant,” I tell her.
“How so?”
“The day I arrived here…” I told him everything that happened that day, about him allowing me to continue coming here to see how I would do, and that yesterday he gave me the answer and today I will start working in the position.
“I am very happy for you, Rê. Congratulations!” She comes out from behind the counter and hugs me. “Make sure you don’t forget about lowly mortals like me, okay?”
“I would never forget you, you’re the first friend I ever had in my life,” I say and her eyes fill with water.
“You’re also the first real friend I’ve ever had. Let’s make an appointment later to do something together, like watch some movies, do your nails… that girl stuff.”
“Yes we will,” I say smiling, “I have to go now, see you later.
“See you.”
The way to the elevator is filled with whispering. I raise my head, I can’t let them get to me, I know I haven’t done anything wrong and if I am where I am, it’s because I deserved it.
“Don’t think you are just because you became Mr. Valentini’s secretary, you may have taken Veronica out of the company, but she is not out of your way,” one of the receptionists says, staring at me darkly, I never noticed her before. I swallow dryly. Why is she talking to me like that?
“What are you talking about?”
“I think it’s good to be very careful where you walk, you never know what kind of person you might have behind the wheel.”
She smiles without showing her teeth and turns her back to me, walks elegantly on top of the huge heels and sits down next to Amanda at the reception counter. I hug myself and get into the elevator. I have a very bad feeling, I didn’t like what she told me, and I have a feeling I will see Veronica again.
“Hello!” Sophie says to me as soon as I get out of the elevator.
“We kiss each other on the cheek twice.”
“Mr. Valentini told me to explain to you what you have to do. Come, since you are more than two hours late, we have to run after the damage.”
She starts to walk and I follow her, I notice a counter in front of Filippo’s room, we get closer and the computer inside the counter is the same line as the one in his room.
“Get your notebook, let’s get started,” she says and I start to smile. Finally a job where I will work in front of a computer!