Who Are We?

1. The New Era

I gazed at the towering office building. It's been about three weeks since graduation, and job searching with a master's degree in communications has been quite the task. Many would think it is simple considering how I live in the city and how many jobs branch under communications but most places are picky with their staff. I haven't received any callbacks after interviews but this place seems pretty broad. So I will take my chances. Releasing a breath of stress, I grasped the door handle and walked into the huge lobby.

The ground was brown marble, There were white Grecian tiled walls and a receptionist desk in the center of the lobby. The hall expanded into a small shopping plaza. Which included a cafe, a thrift shop, a bath and body works, and a few more stores that led to the end of the hallway. I'm starting to already feel out of place. Still observing the hall, I glanced at my phone and noticed the time, it was 11:46 am, The interview was in a few minutes. It would be best to get directions now instead of staring in awe. I rushed across the lobby with the clatters of my black stilettos along with the marble floors. The receptionist greeted me with a smile.

"Let me guess, you're here for the interview...Ms.Jones?" He guessed and he guessed correctly.

I tried to find his name tag but before I could even get my words out he chuckled softly.

"They say I have good intuition, but if you are looking for directions to where you are heading there is an elevator down hall and to your left. You will be going to the eighth floor, where I am sure the examiner will be waiting for you." As he grinned his wrinkles creased in his forehead. The man had to be at least in his mid-forties.

"Thank you." I shyly smiled back before rushing towards the elevator down the hall. Surrounded me as I speed walked to the elevator were many people in business suits, and if not business suits a unique style. It did not look like a person like me would fit in. 

"What if they viewed my natural look is unfit?" Not many people in the main lobby in observation looked like me. With long and big ash brown voluminous curls, my skin tone was more like a warm mid-umber brown. Along with height, I just felt out of place. Not sure what to expect from the 8th floor, or more like who to expect. I clenched my glossy pink binder to my chest as my finger pressed floor number eight on the elevator. Within seconds the doors quickly closed in front of me.

Pausing on the trip from the fifth floor, two women entered. One tall, and the other short. The short one mirrored me in height, while the tall woman not so much. They were in the middle of a casual conversation.

"No, and it's just outrageous that James thinks he can get away with possibly publishing that article in our magazine! And the publishers are even more off the walls if they actually go through with the publishing!" The short woman fumed, her hoop earrings flown back and forth with her head movements. I tried my best not to stare, but I noticed we did look similar. Her hair was styled in dark brown Bantu knots.

The taller woman snickered at the petite woman's rage.

"Personally, I did not see anything wrong with James' art piece. It was very..." She paused trying to find words.

"Impolite, absurd, dense-"

"Jeez, this article must've been something huh?" I thought to myself while tapping my foot on the marble floor.

"It was captivating in the sense of a topic everyone avoids writing about, but the way he wrote about it was very...Listen I don't know how to describe it. I feel like you only have an issue with it Livie because his work is getting reviewed before yours. I'm only keeping it a stack girl."

Livie was flustered, It's clear she hit a nerve within her.

"Sounds like-" Getting cut off by the elevator door rushing open to the eighth floor revealing a bunch of colorful murals and line art hanging from a plant-green-based wall.  And on the other side of the elevator door stood a man in a salmon long-sleeve button-up and khaki pants. His hair was in a fade with a curly top and he had brown skin. He had square-framed glasses and had a smirk on his face. His aura was very sophisticated yet charming. He towered over all three of us in the elevator. He had to be at least 6'5".