6 Jealous
"What's the time? Seems it's already morning
I see the sky, it's so beautiful and blue
The TV's on, but the only thing showing is a picture of you
Oh, I get up and make myself some coffee
I try to read a bit but the story's too thin
I thank the Lord above
You're not here to see me in this shape I'm in
Spending my time
Watching the days go by
Feeling so small
I stare at the wall
Hoping that you
Think of me too
I'm spending my time"
The break up song was playing inside the bus, making the ambiance gloomy. It's 3:00 AM, Lynn is on her way to work. Just like everyone else she was yawning.
"Spending my time
Watching the days go by
Feeling so small
I stare at the wall
Hoping that you
Think of me too
I'm spending my time"
Why is that song so sad, she thought. Is breaking up that painful?
Oh well, it doesn't matter, it doesn't concern her since she has no one to break up with in the first place.
She got off the bus, went to the cafeteria and ordered coffee mocha.
"Hey beautiful, if you keep yawning that way, the whole world will see your esophagus."
Lynn looked up and was surprised to see who it was.
"Bert! When did you get back?" Lynn exclaimed happily.
Bert smiled and gave Lynn a hug.
"Let me see, how's my favorite student, did you grow up even a bit?", Bert playfully examined Lynn's height.
"Nope, you're still small. You are hopeless.", he said jokingly.
"Common, stop complaining about my height, I'm a grown small woman. It's called cute.", Lynn said while making a sad face.
Bert laugh, "Cute, fine, fine, Ms. Cutie!"
"When did you get back?", Lynn asked.
"Just yesterday. Let's celebrate, you should treat me, let's eat!", Bert said sweetly.
"Hey, your salary is way higher than me!", Lynn protested.
"Fine, I'll treat you!", Bert said.
"Lynn!"
Bert and Lynn both looked at the origin of the voice. They were met by a pair of angry eyes.
"We'll have a meeting in five minutes. Let's go!", Carlo said angrily.
Lynn was surprised, she knows they'll have a team huddle before shift but it's still early.
"Now!", Lynn asked.
"Yes, now!", Carlo said impatiently.
Here goes her father again, Lynn thought.
Bert's eyes widened. He knew this guy ofcourse, but what was surprising was the way he was jealously commanding Lynn.
"Hi, I'm Bert", Bert put out his hand for a handshake.
Carlo ignored him, and pulled Lynn to his side, "Carlo", he said without looking at Bert.
Carlo was holding Lynn's hand, he was holding it tightly unconsciously.
"Excuse me, but my girl hand is not a stress ball, don't squeeze it!", Bert said sounding serious, he stressed on the word my girl intentionally.
Carlo looked Bert in the eyes as if challenging him. Bert could feel an electric wave coming from him. He wants to laugh out loud but decided otherwise.
"Oh well, darling I'll see you later.", then wink at Lynn, then turn his back at them.
He was smiling from ear to ear. Finally someone has seen the value of his little girl. But then, his smile faded when he remembered who he was. This is a cruel world, status is valued by some, will her little girl suffer.
Lynn followed Carlo in the elevator. She felt like a little girl caught by his father eating her sweets when he told her not to do so. But what she couldn't understand was why she was feeling that way. Or rather yet, why was Carlo making her feel that way? What did she do?
Carlo's face were all red, he did not say anything all the way to their floor. Lynn won't ofcourse say anything, since they were not close in the first place, that's what she thought at least.
As soon as they reached the floor, Lynn headed to her station. There were few of her team mates in their respective stations, setting up their tools before the shift. Some of them would prepare their station, then would head out for a few minutes for coffee or smoke.
Carlo on the other hand, went to his station, and starts sending emails. He started complaining how low their statistics, he send them in red and capital letters.
No team meeting was held before the shift. Instead, the team was bombarded with emails as soon as they log-in. They were surprised to see their manager being in a bad mood considering that they just went out last Friday.
Then Carlo started pulling out the team one by one. He started with the bottom performer.
Carlo opened the team ranking and showed it to Liz. Her name was in red and higlighted. What is she going to do, she is not good with her work, but she is pretty close with Linda. She would buy her coffee every starts of shift, and she would always tell her how slim she is, though she was pregnant. It's how she survive this industry all these years. Now, she is not sure with this man infront of him.
"Tell me, what are you going to do with your numbers?", Carlo inquired will al seriousness.
Liz smiled nervously and said, "Well, you see Carlo, I know my numbers doesn't look good this month. But the month is almost over, and I promise to do better next month."
Carlo laid a piece of document in-front of her and said, "Let's document what you said, make a commitment and sign it. If you are not able to perform as promise, I will terminate you."
Liz eyes widened. "But Carlo, you can't do that, I'm a regular employee. I've been with the company for two years.", she said while stuttering.
"You think I would keep an employee who is dragging the company down. If I were in your shoes, would you keep someone who has not been performing at all?", Carlo said with no trace of emotion.
Liz became pale. She wrote a commitment and sign the document. What is she going to do now?
"Leave!", Carlo said after Liz signed the document.
Liz stood up and went to her station, a little teary and a lot scared. She can't believe that she might seriously loose her job. Where is Linda when she needed her most.
Carlo called the next person. And similar with Liz, he also returned to her station looking insecure about her job.
Lynn was wondering what is up with her boss. She is not that afraid, she knows that she is the top performer, except her handling time was high. But somehow, with the look of her team mates who were pulled out, she can't help but be nervous. Also, she was wondering all along, where was Ella, she never texted her that she will not come to work, it's very unlikely of her.
It was lunch time, and everyone was pulled out for coaching except Lynn. She took a deep breath, at least she will have the energy to face her boss before coaching, she can eat plenty during lunch and face her boss afterwards.
"Lynn come with me!", Carlo commanded her.
"It's lunch time boss!", Lynn protested.
But changes her mind when she saw the way Carlo was looking at her.
"Okay.", she said meekly.
Lynn followed Carlo to the elevator. He was walking speedily. It was hard for Lynn to catch up with him, he has long legs, and she has short ones. She was half running, half walking. When Carlo abruptly stop, she bump at his hard back. She hurt her forehead in the process.
"Ouch!", she exclaimed in a small voice.
Carlo turned his back and said, "Could you be more careful, why are you so clumsy?"
Carlo proceeded to enter the elevator and Lynn followed.
Lynn was talking to herself without making any sound, she was thinking, "I'm clumsy, I'm clumsy, I'm the clumsy one!", she was making faces while thinking about it, without noticing it.
Carlo saw her thru the elevator door and said, "If you will not stop making those faces, I will kiss you!"
Lynn eyes widened. Her hearing sometimes fails her. Well, that is normal since she has headset on almost everyday. But seriously, she thought, did he said he will kiss her or he will kick her. It's definitely the later, she decided. Wow, he is violent.
She stopped moving, she was even afraid to breath. She wouldn't want to be kicked. But seriously, would he really do it. Lynn is a gullible person, she usually believe what people say, especially if they look serious. Unfortunately she misheard what Carlo said.
