7

THEODORE

I pull at my tie as I walk into the huge foyer with shiny walls and shiny floors.

Gulping painfully, I increase my pace to reach the long reception. I recognize the snobby woman who also welcomed me to this place for my interview.

“Good morning.” I clear my throat as my gleeful tone gets me a death glare.

I wait a few seconds for her to say something but as she just continues to look at me with an annoyed expression, I decide to dare and speak again. “Theodore… Baxter. I’m the new hire for the tech support team.”

I flash her a smile but she just rolls her eyes and taps on her headset.

“The tech guy is here. Can I send her up to Helga or what do I do with him?”

Seeing her tone and her attitude, the only thing missing is her chewing on bubble gum and blowing big bubbles while chomping on the gun with an open mouth.

I clear my throat again, wanting to get her attention. “Actually, I was told I should report to Gilda.”

It’s hard to keep my smile up as she shoots me another glare as if she wanted to ask me how I would dare interrupt her, so I shut up and wait for her to end the conversation.

As annoyed as she was telephoning, she activates a badge and hands me the key card with an expression that tells me that she would rather set me on fire than tell me where I need to go.

And in fact, she doesn’t.

Remembering the precious moments I already spent in here, I put up my best poker face, walking towards the elevators as if I have always belonged here.

And I fucking do.

Hell yeah! I work here.

I hold the key card against the display incorporated into the wall next to the elevator, and my confidence is quickly crushed as a low beep resounds.

Oh no.

The display shows that my access has been denied in huge red letters and I stare at it wide-eyed as if my world is going to crumble.

Gulping, I lift my head slowly, finding her staring at me with a duh-face.

Oh no, what is it?

She lifts her hand, pointing to her right. “Staff has a separate elevator. This one is reserved for clients and executive-level employees.”

Wow, so she can form longer sentences.

Even though I’m quite sure that she used the word employees, my brain registered her tone and face and I think she meant to say cockroach.

“Oh, okay,” I mumble and walk to where she is pointing to.

Crossing the luxurious hallway, I enter a narrow and dimly-lit hallway.

Suddenly, I have the strange sensation of being watched. I turn around, finding the receptionist engrossed with her computer, and I sigh.

Stretching my neck by moving my head from one side to the other, I drive my hand over my nape, as if it would help me to lose the feeling.

I feel incredibly insecure and am convinced that I’m going the wrong way, but I push forward and thankfully, after passing through double doors, I find myself in a totally unglamorous, small hall with a highly unsafe-looking elevator.

With a deep breath, I hold my card against a shabby display and finally, the green letters telling me that my access has been granted appear on it.

“Oh, thank God. I would have rather killed myself and go back,” I push out a relieved sigh as I mutter under my breath.

The ride up in the shaky elevator is completely out of character for a building like this, but it looks like the awesome pay comes with the reality of being some sort of corporate slave.

But I don’t care.

I grin, rolling back my shoulders at the thought that I will be able to finally decline the monthly allowance my mother sends me and with that also half of her calls.

I squeal quietly as I think about even cutting it to eighty percent of her calls in a few weeks.

God, maybe I can even go no contact if I pass my probation period.

I sigh happily just as the elevator halts on a floor with a ding, and opens up onto a bustling floor.

Taking a few cautious steps in the kerfuffle, I tap the shoulder of a guy who is figuring out how to make some copies.

“Hey, could you point out which way I can find Helga?” I ask, making him look up at me confused.

He turns his head around, scanning the room as if he were seeing it for the first time before he lifts his hand to point down a hallway. “Erm… It should be one of the doors down there.”

“Oh, thank you!” I smile, happy about him at least trying to help me out and not shoving me to the side like the receptionist.

“Sure,” he grunts, concentrating back on hitting the copy machine which seems to not act as he would like it to.

I walk down yet another hallway, even if I’m pleased to find it lit and luxuriously furnished.

I peek into an office on the right, finding an elderly lady with a high bun.

Looks like a Helga to me.

Knocking, I step into the office, getting her to lift her eyes to me. “Hey, I’m Theodore Baxter. Are you Helga? They told me to report to you to start work.”

“Yes,” she tilts her head slightly, eying me up over her small glasses. “But there must be a mistake. You are appointed to the CEO, aren’t you?”

She starts rummaging through the files spread on her desk, the pearly chain hanging from her glasses tingling. ”You should be reporting with Gilda.”

My eye twitches and I check my watch automatically to see that I’m already running late.

Well, fuck.

“Okay, I have to run. How do I get to her office from here?”

She gets up, standing in the door to point back out of the hallway. “All the way down and the elevators on your right. She is on the second-highest level, but your card should bring you onto that floor automatically.”

”If you mean the fancy elevators, no.” I shake my head, lifting the key card in front of her face. “It doesn’t work for that one.”

“What?” she barks, taking the card out of my hand to scurry away.

I follow her, nearly getting out of breath as she sprints through the sparkling halls to get to the fancy elevators.

She holds my key card to the display and as the message regarding my denied access appears, she tsks pulling out her own badge.

“She does that on purpose,” she hisses, and without elaborating further, I know exactly what she is talking about.

I bite my tongue until the elevator arrives and she steps into the car, getting me to follow her silently.

“Let me bring you up, or you will lose your job on your first day.”

Fuck my life.