Chapter 5: What a Surprise

Sabrina’s POV

Getting a phone call from EarthX Enterprises to say I got an interview was shocking at first, until I realized it had only been an hour since I had applied for the secretary position. The woman on the phone was enthusiastic about me coming in first thing tomorrow morning to interview for the job.

I was skeptical on whether I would be lucky enough to receive a response from them due to my lack of employable skills. I’ve only ever worked in hospitality, which requires a completely different set of skills compared to working in an office.

Dylan was so happy for me. He rushed me into my room to raid my closest for a cute outfit. He’s convinced I’m going to end up sleeping with the CEO; I just roll my eyes in response. Stuff like that only happens in movies, not real life.

Lying in bed, my phone buzzes as I’m about to go to sleep. I groan as I roll to the other side of the mattress to retrieve the device. The screen is so bright that I have to squint just to read the words on the screen.

It’s a text from my Mother: ‘Your Father and I want to see you. Join us for lunch tomorrow.’

I toss my phone across the mattress, sighing into the still darkness. My parents can be overbearing at times, particularly my Mother. I know she wants the best for me, and is proud of my achievements, but she never knows when to take a step back and let me breathe on my own.

Ever since I was a little girl, my Mother was always trying to plan my future. She picked what college I should attend, where I’d live and even what job I should have when I graduated high school.

Unfortunately for her, I pushed back when she would try to guide me in the direction of my perfect future. Her planning and attention to detail made me anxious because I’m the type of girl who will go with the flow for just about anything.

My Mother didn’t like that, though. She hated the idea of me going to college for creative writing because she thinks it’s a useless arts degree. Her idea of being successful didn’t involve imagination and creativity, but instead drive and willingness to back stab people to get to the top.

That lifestyle isn’t me, or who I stand for, and that f*cking kills her every day.

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My body wakes me up before the sun, anxious for the interview at nine this morning. After receiving the text from my Mother last night, and trying not to overthink my prepared interview answers, I barely got any sleep.

Dylan leaves around now to go to the gym before he starts work. He asked if I wanted to join him, but I declined.

When I googled the location of EarthX Enterprises, I was happy to know it was in Manhattan and not as far away as Barnard College. I haven’t told my parents about me getting fired, so the dinner topics tonight will be fun. I’m almost positive my Mother will have no emotions because she’ll be inside her head trying to figure out how she can control me now that I’m jobless.

It doesn’t take me long to get dressed because Dylan and I already picked my outfit – a knee length pencil skirt with a light blue blouse, paired with black slip-on heels and silver jewelry.

As I’m straightening my hair, my mind wonders to what my life will look like if I were to get the job. Creating false scenarios in my head is something I thought every writer does, but now I’m starting to wonder if I obsess over things too easily.

Once I’m on the train, I drown out the muffled voices and the screeching of the train tracks with music. The sound of beautiful men singing in Korean instantly relaxes my body, and I begin to feel like myself again. Listening to music has always been able to keep me relaxed when I’m feeling anxious, something I’m immensely grateful for.

The smooth voices pull me into a trance, long enough for me to not realize that thirty minutes have passed, and the train is pulling into my stop.

My phone guides me to the building’s address. I stop in the middle of the pathway - angry bodies pushing past me - so I can look up and admire the tall buildings surrounding me. Sometimes I forget just how beautiful New York City is because of how chaotic it can be. When you erase all the bad things you associate with this city, you’re left with all its beauties.

I smile, because I like to remind myself to be happy instead of getting hung up on negativity.

My phones GPS stops me in front of a tall, glass building. Most of the floors are completely glass, which would be looking out over all the beautiful sights the city has to offer. When I enter the lobby, I find the floor the woman on the phone told me to meet her at. Floor 45.

I feel jittery in the elevator, trying my hardest to conceal my nerves from the businesspeople standing beside me. The floors tick up painfully slow, but no one around me seems to care.

When the elevator dings at floor 45, I’m eager to get out of the confined space. The doors open to a spacious room that appears to go for miles, even though I know it’s not that long. There are multiple cubicles set up with people sitting quietly or talking on headsets.

I walk around until I find the woman’s office, Jessica Jones. My knuckles tap on the door, and within seconds a short woman with blonde hair swings the door open, her eyes sparkling in the light.

“You must be Sabrina Sky,” Jessica’s voice is loud and sounds like its filled with sunshine.

I smile at how kind she is, “Yes, that’s me. I’m here for the interview.”

Jessica moves aside, gesturing for me to enter her glamourous office, “Come on in and let’s get this interview started.”

I take a seat in the singular chair in front of her desk. I clench my hands tight in my lap, trying to stop my legs from bouncing.

“Now, Sabrina,” Jessica begins, “Where is your hometown?”

I haven’t been to many interviews before, but this seems like a weird question to ask. Do they need to know the answer to the question for a specific reason?

“I grew up in a small town called Canton outside of Boston. It’s next to the Blue Hills Reservation, so I spent a lot of time hiking.”

The interview lasts only ten minutes, but Jessica spent the whole time asking me questions that didn’t relate to the job in any way or ask about any of my previous experiences. Most of the questions were about my childhood and where I went to school. Halfway through the interview, I realized that I’m the only applicant because there is not a single person waiting outside her office.

I did my best to answer all the questions honestly and with a smile on my face.

“Well, Sabrina,” Jessica smiles, standing from her desk, “You’ve got the job.”

I stand to my feet, excitement washing over my body, “Really? Thank you so much. I won’t let you down.”

Jessica moves around the large wooden desk to stand beside me, “Let’s go upstairs and meet your new boss.”