Twice the Love

1

Nine; work starts in thirty minutes. The bus has left, and it's raining. I could probably make it if I run.

I mentally ran through all my current options. Why'd i have to run late today of all days? Mr. Fane, the CEO of Deluge (A billion dollar gaming company) is coming today. He had favored my team's project, and was considering to buy some software we made.

It was still a shock, though, that anyone was willing to pay a million dollars for a anti virus software.

I work for Daylight, a IT company that could be a thousand times better, but for some reason isn't. They say that after a month or two you'll start hating work there. I only started four weeks ago, but I want the company to succeed. While originally working on something else my team had managed to pull together a powerful anti virus software. So great, that Deluge was willing to buy.

It was just my luck to be late to probably the most important meeting of my life. Curse my alarm clock for being so fragile.

Taking off my heels I started to sprint. If the head of the team is late, that'll leave a bad impression. I doubt Mr. Fane is a patient man.

I run into Daylight's lobby. The meeting starts in five minutes. The woman at the front desk, Mia, smiles handing me a mirror and taking my umbrella.

"Thanks, Mia," I say, fixing my hair. Thankfully my makeup didn't smudge. I slip my heels back on to my wet feet.

"No sweat," Mia says, "The meeting's in the fifth floor, room 223." I mutter a thanks before racing up the staircase. Inside the meeting room was my team hustling to prepare. I login to my laptop pulling up the PowerPoint presentation I had made last night. Plugging it into the dongle I sink into the chair with my name on it, with a sigh.

Ajay, a team member, places a hand on my shoulder.

"Long night?" he asked.

"Nah," I said, "Just nervous." I was a liar. In truth I went to bed at 5 am, but the last thing I needed was other people's sympathy. They had their own problems, and I doubt they actually cared at all about mine.

That's the way people were. They seem considerate, but it's just for show. They'll secretly be cursing you for saying anything other than "I'm fine". Talking is such a chore.

I joined this company thinking I'd spend eight hours in a cubicle with just me and my computer, and then go home. Somewhere in my mind I believed group projects ended once you got out of school. I couldn't have been more wrong. Talking to people was half the job.

"Good Morning"

"Good Morning" It's actually a pretty bad morning, but I can't tell you that.

"How are you doing?"

"Oh, I'm fine" I am not fine. I am anything, but fine. But you don't really care.

"How are you?" I already know your going to say your fine, and even if you weren't there's nothing I can do about it. I have to smile all day or else you'll think I'm rude or moody. I have to weave a series of harmless lies to keep you from judging me, but you probably judge me anyway.

The door opened with a thud, and in walked three men. Immediately everyone stood in front of their chairs. I walked forward to greet them.

"Hello, I'm Katherine Bell. Welcome to Daylight." I shook hands with each of the three men, all dressed in expensive looking suits.

"I'm Kirt Fane," said the man at the very left. I'd thought the CEO of Deluge would be some old man, but Mr. Fane was pretty good looking. I guess that was bad on my part, I mean Bill Gates isn't a ugly old man. Well, he's kinda old now.

"This is Rick, my financial advisor, and Rohit, Deluge's vice president." I led them to three empty seats at the end of the conference table. I walked up to the projector screen.

"Good Morning to all of you, I would like to welcome Mr. Fane and company from Deluge to Daylight. It is a great honor to have you here." I looked at each of them.

"On behalf of my team I'd like to present to you Clearglass, our latest anti virus software. I hope you're impressed." I sat back down and watched the presentation.

Kono, our newest member stood up. He read off the screen lines which I knew by heart from editing them so many times. The thirty minute slideshow blurred together, and what seemed like two seconds later I was instinctively clapping at the end.

Everyone's attention immediately turned to Mr. Fane. Our eyes locked.

"I like it," he said. Relief flooded into me. We shook and he left. So I started on my way home. Today was a good day, the weather had cleared up, and I was in no rush. I think I'll walk.