Stronger

Chapter 2

The place smelled of burnt coffee and forgotten dreams, literally.

You can smell the disappointment in the air surrounding the lounge.

Not that this wasn't a professional establishment with wealthy and prominent financial figures running the place, but the atmosphere was one of a prudish desire.

One where dreams were crushed and pulverized beneath a never ending wave of self pity.

But then again it was my first day.

It took me all of 10 minutes to find the lounge on my own without any help from the wondering eyes that were glued to me.

These people were rude.

And not only that but they were messy.

The lounge looked like, for lack of a better word, a barnyard. 

Paper balls and misplaced coffee mugs were scattered throughout the obscure environment while annoyingly busy people waltzed around the room looking for food and other seemingly unnecessary condiments to decorate their table with.

I looked around cautiously, not knowing where to go before a light hand grabbed my shoulder and shifted me towards the aggressor.

I was met with a pair of vibrant blue eyes that danced around excitedly as if ready to pop out of their confines.

"Hey I'm Seren!" she exclaimed rather loudly.

"Oh, um I'm Harry." I managed to say without faltering from her high spirits.

"I know all about you," her tone dropping to an almost inaudible whisper.

The air became tense and I didn't know how to respond.

Was she a stalker?

She must have noticed my wondering expressions because she immediately fell into a laughing fit that one could only describe as annoying.

"I didn't mean it like that silly, well, actually I was trying to scare you, which I did, but I'm in charge of getting to know everyone around here," she began with a wide smile.

"and I just got your file this morning and took the liberty to officially welcome you into the building."

Her voice was one of fluid courage.

All of her words were annunciated smoothly and ethically which blatantly showed how many times she's said this before.

"Oh, well thanks Seren." I replied rather bluntly.

She flashed me a pleased smile and skipped her way out of the lounge and down the hall way towards to elevators, with her long brown hair following loosely behind her.

And the weirdness continues.

I pressed on deeper into the lounge, discovering multiple new dining areas that I hadn't noticed before.

I was about to finally take my rest when I noticed the table with the red chairs adjacent to the vending machines beside me.

My mind flashed back to the note and question upon question began to flood my memory.

I figured I would take a seat anyway since there was no harm in actually sitting here, but if things got weird, I would simply move.

I pulled out my phone and began to play flappy bird to pass the time when I heard my stomach growl.

I had rushed out of my flat so quickly that I forgot to eat.

And now I was starving.

I was about to beat my high score of 66 when a familiar voice broke my trance.