Passion's Pitfalls

Chapter 9

Dear Miss Aurelia Henderson,
We are pleased to offer you the position of Graphic design and Animation at Pixar Animation Studios,Emeryville in California. We believe your skills and knowledge will make you a perfect fit for this role, and we are excited to have you join our team. The position offers a competitive salary and benefits, as well as the opportunity to work in a dynamic and innovative environment. We look forward to hearing from you soon, and we hope you will accept this offer and join us in California.

Sincerely,
Pixar Animation Studios.

As she read the letter, her hands flew to her mouth. She felt like she couldn't breathe, like the air had been sucked out of the room. The offer was too good to be true.

She had studied graphic design and animation at a prestigious art college in Pullman. She had always been passionate about art and design, and she had dreamed of working in the animation industry because of how huge her affection was for Pixar movies ever since she was a little girl. She had applied for a position at Pixar right after she graduated from college. But she hadn't heard back, and she assumed she hadn't been selected. She had been disappointed, but she had moved on and started working with Mr. Martins at the cafeteria. although, She had been content with her job, but she had never stopped dreaming of one day working for Pixar. And now, three years later, her dream was coming true.

Her eyes darted back and forth as she re-read the letter. She couldn't believe that this was really happening to her. Her heart was pounding, and she could feel her pulse in her fingertips. She felt a mix of elation, nervousness and terror. What if she wasn't good enough?

The irony of the situation struck her like a punch to the gut. Just a few moments ago, she had been furious with Tristan, ready to never speak to him again. And now here she was, practically jumping for joy at this opportunity that had been given her. She couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. Sometimes, life really did have a way of throwing curveballs.

She leaped and twirled around her room, grinning from ear to ear. She felt like a little kid again, full of hope and possibility. Her future was looking brighter than ever, and she couldn't wait to see what it held in store for her. She kept dancing, until she was breathless and dizzy with happiness.

~•~

The sun streamed through the window, waking her from her fitful sleep. She opened her eyes, the events of the previous night flooding back into her mind. Her hands trembled as she unlocked her phone and opened the email app. The offer letter was still there, staring back at her. She read it over and over again, trying to convince herself that it was real....and not a dream. The excitement and nervousness couldn't get any better, could it?.

"Mrs. Preston," Aurelia began as she chops the broccoli on the wooden chopboard. "I have something to tell you....." she pauses a little before proceeding. "I've been offered a new job at Pixar" Mrs. Preston dropped the snack she was holding on the countertop as she looks at her, her expression unreadable. "Pixar!" Mrs. Preston exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise. "That's a prestigious company. And a life changing offer, Oh my goodness I'm so happy for you."

Mrs. Preston pulls her into a hug, which was quite surprising. She wraps her arms around her returning the warm embrace. "I'm so proud of you," she says, her voice full of emotion. "You've worked so hard, and you deserve this new opportunity. I know you'll do amazing things at Pixar." Aurelia smiled, touched by Mrs. Preston's words. "Thank you, It means so much to me that you're happy for me."

"oh c'mon!" Mrs.Preston waves as she starts teasing her about her new job, pretending to be sad that she was leaving. "Now you're going to be rubbing shoulders with celebrities and working on big-budget movies," she says, pretending to be envious. Aurelia couldn't help but laugh at Mrs. Preston's antics, the tension from earlier melting away. "I'll miss you, Mrs. Preston," she tells, her smile, genuine one.

Mrs. Preston couldn't stop to tease, and making jokes about her new job and how she would be too busy to keep in touch as she sets the table, Aurelia couldn't help but laugh, enjoying the banter. Even though she was leaving Seattle, she would always have fond memories of this abode and -Tristan?

Her heart dropped as her thoughts were now centered on him. A mixture of emotions washed over her, her mind was consumed with questions. Would he be happy for her, Would he miss her, or would he be relieved to see her go? She couldn't stop thinking about how their relationship would change, now that she would be so far away. The thought of never seeing him again made her heart ache. She wanted to talk to him, to clear the air between them. But she also knew that it might be too painful, after all that has happened.

Just as her thoughts snapped back to reality, Emilia walked into the kitchen, she was completely oblivious of greatness in the air. She picked up an apple from the fruit bowl in the center of the table, taking a big bite. She looked at Aurelia and Mrs. Preston noticing their body language. "What did I miss?" she asked, a hint of suspicion in her voice.

"Emilia, love" Mrs. Preston says, turning to her friend's daughter. "Aurelia has some exciting news.
She's been offered a job at Pixar." Emilia's eyes widened. "Pixar, as in the animation studio?" she asked, her voice full of awe. "That's amazing!" Aurelia managed a smile, feeling a bit of pride at Emilia's reaction. "Yes, Pixar the animation studio," she confirmed. "I'll be starting in the next three weeks." Emilia was practically bouncing with excitement. "That's incredible!" she exclaims. "I'm so happy for you."

The hug caught Aurelia off-guard, but she found herself hugging Emilia back. She had not expected such a warm reaction from Emilia, and it was a welcome surprise. "Thank you," she mutters, feeling touched by Emilia's enthusiasm. "I can't believe it either." Emilia pulled back, her eyes shining.

Despite Emilia's warmth and enthusiasm, Aurelia couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. Emilia was so effortlessly charming and endearing, and she had a natural talent for making people feel at ease. She felt she was too competitive and jealous to have noticed that. She couldn't help but compare herself to Emilia, and she felt like she fell short in comparison. She tried to push the thoughts away, but they lingered in the back of her mind.

As the thoughts faded away, she felt a sense of relief. She was glad to be moving on to a new chapter, one that would be free of the heartaches, comparisons, and jealousy that had plagued. She was looking forward to a fresh start, and she knew that Pixar would be a great place to make that happen. She took a deep breath, feeling lighter than she had in a long time. "It's finally over Tristan." She whispered.