Zephyr | Lee Felix

Chapter 12

MONDAY, WEEK 5

"..." The young man stands outside the entrance of the cafe, his heart thumping anxiously in his chest. The soft chatter of customers, the whir of the coffee machines, and the warm, inviting aromas of pastries fill the air around him.

Felix can't help but worry about whether his conversation with the manager last week will make any difference. The thought of facing the same challenging work environment fills him with anxiety.

He tries to shake off his nerves but his heart continues to race as he walks through the cafe, taking in the familiar sights and sounds. The laughter and chatter of the customers usually soothe him but today, they only serve to heighten his anxious state.

Felix, determined to try and push past his anxiety, heads straight for the staff room, intending to drop off his bag and take a moment to compose himself. His throat feels dry and tight with nerves, so he stops to take a sip of water from his bottle, hoping that the cool drink might calm his racing thoughts.

As he enters the kitchen, the hustle and bustle of his coworkers rushing about greets his ears, everyone exchanging casual hellos as they go about their tasks. He nods in reply but his thoughts are quickly interrupted as he notices his mentor.

The familiar feeling of suffocation grips him as his mentor comes closer, the anxiety he had been trying to suppress rising up once again.

"Good morning, Felix." He starts off with his usual monotone.

"Good morning, Sir." Felix replies with a slight waver to his voice. He stands there, trying to hide his unease as his mentor speaks, the man's usual monotone only adding to the feeling of dread.

"I heard from our manager regarding the workload we have given to you." He starts off.

Felix's heart skips a beat as his mentor mentions the topic of his concern, his palms beginning to sweat. "Yes, Sir." He replies, trying to maintain his composure despite his growing anxiety.

"The manager instructed us to be more mindful of your workload." The mentor continues, his tone not giving anything away. "You're an intern, after all."

"I-I see." Felix manages to reply, hoping that his mentor's words mean a change for the better. He can't help but feel a small flicker of hope, but he knows better than to let his guard down completely.

The mentor continues, "While your performance has been good, we don't want to burden you too much. We'll start to split your workload and assign you tasks that suit your level of experience from now on. It is on us since you are our very first intern."

Felix can't help but feel a wave of relief wash over him as he listens to his mentor's words. The prospect of a lighter workload and tasks more suited to his skills seems like a dream come true. Despite this, he keeps his emotions in check, nodding calmly in response.

"Thank you, Sir." He thanks his mentor again, gratitude and relief evident in his voice. Yet the mentor doesn't say much in reply, simply nodding before walking off to tend to his own duties.

Felix stands there for a moment, watching the mentor retreating back, his mind now less clouded by anxiety and frustration.

Despite the reassurance, Felix knows better than to let his guard down immediately. One conversation doesn't guarantee that everything will be smooth sailing from now on.

Let's see how it goes today. He gives himself one last encouragement in his mind, ready to push through the day and give his best as how he usually does.

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After work, Felix leaves the café, feeling a mixture of exhaustion and relief. His coworkers had actually been considerate and refrained from giving him additional workload, and his mentor had been relatively more relaxed today.