*Andrea*
The evening would have gone better if I hadn’t seen Lucas striding into the restaurant with the same girl he had cheated on me with. I couldn’t afford to have him see me with his dad. So I left first.
I was glad I had seen him first.
It wasn’t fair to Alejandro, but I had no other choice. I walked to the bathroom to avoid bumping into him at the entrance. Lucas can be an ass sometimes and could create a scene though he is with another woman. Our last encounter hadn’t gone quite extraordinary.
His hands were wrapped around the woman’s slender waist until they got to the seat he reserved, which was adjacent to ours. I walked out of the bathroom and took the back door one of the waiters had shown me, which cost fifty dollars.
I hailed a cab.
I sent a text message to Alejandro. I was sorry we had to end today like this-a day that was going well. I’ll make up for it by buying him dinner next time.
When I got home, I opened the door and stepped in roughly as if I was being followed. This startled Alison, who was seated in the living room. I laid my back on the door.
“What’s up, how did the dinner go?” She asked.
I flung the small purse I held, walked to the fridge, and opened it. I took a bottle of water, uncapped it, and gulped everything down.
I drank up to half the water and hit the bottle on the table with a thud. “You won’t believe what happened. I had to use you as an escape route again.” I said to Alison, who was leaning out of her chair.
“What happened? You used me for what?” She asked.
I told her everything about how the dinner had been going well. He liked art just like me, and it was ruined by Lucas, who walked in with the same girl he had been sleeping with. And how I had seen them first and left before Lucad saw me with his father. Alison left her chair to sit close to me. I adjusted.
“I’m so sorry, dear. How are you feeling?” She asked. I raised a brow before what she said sank in. “You saw Luca with another girl; it must have tugged your chest,” she said.
I smiled and picked up the bottle of water; I twirled it before taking a sip as if it were wine, “why should it? I wasn’t joking when I said I was done with that jerk. I only felt slightly sad because I had to end my time with Alejandro.” I said.
“I’m glad he no longer affects you.” She said.
“I’ll be having dinner with Alejandro again. I promised since I had to run off today.” I said.
“That’s a good one.” Alison always supports whatever I want. Sometimes, I do wonder how we got to this point, from being just roommates to being best of friends. She became the family I never had and a friend.
“But there is a problem,” I said.
“You didn’t get into another mess now, did you?” She asked.
“What do you take me for?” I laughed and hit her playfully on her shoulders.
“I don’t have a job. Alejandro is a rich man. The restaurant he took me to was expensive. I drank expensive wine, and the chocolate cake was dame good,” I said.
“So? Where is this heading?” Alison asked. She still isn’t getting it.
“I don’t have a job. If I am to take him out and treat him to dinner like I promise, I need money, and right now, I don’t have a job, else I sell a kidney,” I said.
“You should have gotten feedback from the recruiters you met with today. How was it?” She asked.
“It wasn’t bad, but I can’t say they helped me get a job. The interviewer had the same smile for everyone, so it’s hard to tell what went on in his head.” I said.
“Have you checked?” She asked, and I shook my head, “so check now.” She said, I checked my mail but haven’t received any messages from them yet.
“Be patient. It’s not as if you have to take him to dinner tomorrow or something.” Alison said, and she was right.
We discussed other things that night, and I slept early. And that might be why I fantasized about Alejandro. I knew he was fighting hard to control himself that night. His eyes permanently settled on my lips. He took me to a hotel after dinner at the restaurant and made love to me.
I woke up the next day feeling refreshed.
Alison left early, and she left a note for me. She made breakfast, and I had some before taking my bath. Afterward, I sat on my bed and opened my mail again. There was a message this time, but unfortunately, it wasn’t positive.
I refuse to give up or become down as a result.
I would find other ways. I had different ways. First, I went to Facebook to see if there was any way I could get a job. I found a few, but none was suitable to my liking.
When Alison came back, I told her about it, and she suggested I use LinkedIn, and I did. I was getting tired, and it was already past seven in the evening, with no hope.
I was still scrolling down when I saw something that almost made me scream in happiness. This must be fate. Alejandro’s company, Costa Enterprise, had a vacant position.
I wanted to apply but stopped mid-way. It was the position of a secretary. What if I bumped into Alejandro one of these days with a name tag, ‘Andrea,’ and he finds out I am using a fake name?
But what are the chances of him finding out?
I was torn and decided to meet Alison for help. “I know someone who works there. I’ll see if there’s something I can do. All you have to do is change your name, right?” She asked, and I nodded. “What would I do without you, Alison?” I asked, and she smiled before pulling out her phone to call someone.
The next day, I was seated amongst a line of people who came for the same job. Soon, it was my turn. Alison’s cousin, whom she had called yesterday, was seated in front of me with another lady.
I don’t know what Alison said or if she had agreed. Alison told me to go to the interview today. I was a bit nervous, “Miss Anna Wilson, can you tell us why you want the job?” This is the last question.
I placed one hand over the other and answered. Whether she was satisfied with it or not, she kept a straight face throughout.
When I left, I hoped and prayed I got the job.
“How did it go?” Alison asked me when I returned home. She wore a short dress, and her hair was tied in a messy bun
and held with a pen. “Well, better than I had thought,” I said and dropped down on the sofa close to her.
“You’ve been in that position all day,” I said.
“I have to finish the story, or my boss will get angry.” She said.
Alison is a reporter. She works with a small company and sometimes writes articles for other smaller companies.
She paused. She raised her head from the computer. “What did you tell this cousin of yours?” I asked. I never thought her cousin would be a girl.
“Well, nothing much. She owed me one. And it is settled,” she paused, then continued,
“You should receive a call or an email this evening or tomorrow morning,” Alison said.
“Any message from Alejandro?” She asked, and I shook my head. “I’ve not gotten any message from him. And I didn’t message him either. I don’t have enough money for dinner right now,” I said.
“So you’re going to wait till you get the job?”
“Yes,” I said.
“What if he is angry you left?” She asked. “He isn’t. He is more mature than that. I gave him a good reason for leaving. I guess he is busy.” I said.
.
.
The next day, I checked my email and saw a message. I got the job. I was ecstatic. I rushed to Alison, who suggested we go out for drinks, and we went out.
It wasn’t worth celebrating to that extent, but I guess we were just looking for an excuse to go out since it has been a while since we did so.
I was asked to resume by noon.
I wore a blue knee-length skirt that hugged my shape and a white top Alison had picked out for me. The shoes were last-minute as the one I had prepared had gone wrong that morning.
The cab I entered stopped a few blocks away from the company. I stepped out. From where I stood, I could see either big sign placed on the top of the building. I didn’t need to read what was written before I knew it: ‘Costa’s enterprise.’
Others dressed in their various clothes walked down to the company. Most of them were in groups. They walked all hurls together, discussing things I didn’t understand.
I had been here before, but standing in front of the entrance, waiting for the person before me to step in, felt different.
“Miss Anna Wilson?” It was Alison’s cousin.
“Good afternoon,” I greeted her, and she nodded. It seems I was early. “Martin will escort you to where you will begin your work,” She said. Her heels clicked sharply on the floor as she walked.
A man wearing square-rimmed glasses hurried from the other end, and Miss Gladis, Alison’s cousin, gestured with her jaws to him. “Thank you,” I said. She didn’t answer and just walked off.
I rubbed my hands together, a bit nervous. I looked around, trying to see if I could see Alejandro. This was his company, so he should be here somewhere. Martin had a big smile on his face as he introduced himself.
“You’ll meet your boss in a few minutes,” he said.
He tried to engage me in small talk all along the way, which I enjoyed so much. We stopped in front of a door. Martin straightened his tie. He cleared his throat before knocking on the door.
I didn’t hear what he said and only walked into the office when he gestured for me to come in. My heels clicked softly on the floor.
“Good afternoon, sir. I’m Anna, your new secretary.”
I bowed slightly in respect, and when I raised my head, I froze for a while. Seated in front of me was Alejandro. Martin left.
“It may take some time for you to adjust to your place. But rest assured that everything will be handed to you soon.” He said without looking at me for another moment.
Did he not recognize me? Why is he so distant?
I nod, “well… I have not been…”
“I’ll call you when I need you,” He said, cutting me short and again leaving me startled. I stepped out.
I was shown to a small space outside his office. There was a table and chair. A computer was on top of the table, and a telephone was on the side.
Martin took his time to make sure I understood everything, from Alejandro’s schedule to the type of snack he ate and every other thing. He also told me to be respectful to any client that came in.
Alejandro had not asked me to come in. I was still contemplating going into his office and explaining why I was there to him when a lady walked in. She had blue hair and was wearing a tight-fitting blue dress.
She asked to see the CEO. “I’ll let him know you are here,” I said, stepping into Alejandro’s office after a knock.
I had barely said what I wanted to when the lady stepped in. Upon seeing her, Alejandro stood up, his brow furrowed.
“Honey,” the woman called out, and then she walked to him and hugged him, pressing her body into his.