Colliding Worlds

Sharon Andrews strode her long slim legs confidently down the carpeted central corridor. With her head held high, and her blonde shoulder length hair gently swaying, as she wore her power dressed formal weekday attire. Her firmly fitted black jacket, that hid the fact the white blouse hadn't yet been washed, having been dug out of her work bag half an hour ago, along with a below the knee black skirt. Her still rather crumpled black lace slip gently swished against her equally black stocking covered thighs as she purposefully moved forward. She had to keep focused on the mission that was in front of her, and not get distracted.

Sharon had just got out of the lift. She hated getting in on a Monday morning. Firstly it was scary looking at herself in the large mirror on the wall. Secondly she hated the jolts. It was, though, a hundred percent easier than taking the stairs. Now she had to get all the way across the office to her desk. It meant going between half a dozen waist high plain grey dividers with plastic screens that split the large bright and airy fourth floor office space out into several open plan pods. Her pod was the last one on the far right. With her stomach still churning from the lift it was still quite a distance away. Effort was required to get there. She had already walked a few blocks to get to the office building.

The advantage some could say was that her desk was in the most important corner, she had the ability that she could see out over everyone. It was also the closest to the kitchen for the all-important and the often necessary coffee run. By two pm she would predictably start yawning. The corner also gave her oversight, that she could hear all the gossip amongst the managers and subsequently laugh at them, when in the most sexist way possible called them all their 'clucking hens'. It was also in the corner, where she could slide down in her seat and technically hide from everyone. As more often than not she found that with her eternal throbbing headache she really needed too.

As it was eight fifty-eight and thirty seconds on Monday morning, her path was now clear. Sharon was almost always the last in, but no one seemed to care, as long as she was sitting at her desk bang on time. Sharon almost always got everything anyone needed done and as she was willing to stay on later than others, they respected her. It was even better if it coincided with a Friday night. It was easier to stay out if she worked later. She was the best at what she did, and management knew it.

Sharon took deep, regular breaths. She had been sucking on mints since getting in the lift the menthol was tickling her and clashing with the caffeine. Then focusing on her destination as she carried her takeaway cup of double espresso shot in her right hand, it was her third coffee of the morning. It was still not enough, she was contemplating having a fourth. Her black pleather handbag was on her left shoulder. She was polite and said morning to everyone by nodding or raising her mug. All whilst keeping one eye on the management offices and forcing a grin. Hoping to get to her seat as quickly as possible.

With a deep breath of preparation she sighed and quickly settled down in her black office chair as the clocks around the room clicked nine. Feeling safe and now hiding from everyone a wave of relief flowed across as she kicked her black 2" heeled shoes off under the desk. Instantly annoyed with herself as it was obvious that her chipped painted big toe was poking through the 40 Denier fabric. She was sure it was fine when she put them on. With her painted toe poking out she noticed that she really needed to find time to cut and paint them again. The carrier bag of last week's clothes was under the desk. She would carry them home later.

Sharon then stretched her neck hoping to remove the crick in her back from sleeping awkwardly again. Yet again falling asleep on the sofa was never a good idea. Then opened her drawer and amongst the stash of chocolate bars and emergency sweets, and two "if desperate" cigarettes she pulled out her pack of paracetamol popped two tablets through the silver foil into the palm of her hand. Then shoved them in her mouth and then swallowed them down with the remaining drips of her strong caffeine wincing in the process. She really hoped both the caffeine and the tablets would kick in sooner rather than later.