Mikrokosmos

Chapter 1: The Office

I squinted my eyes for what felt like the billionth time. Stars appearing from behind my abused lids. The only sound in the entire office: my incessant clicking as I typed away on my keyboard in sync with the old work clock ticking away. I rubbed my eyes again from behind my work glasses. My eyes divert on their own to the work clock. Okay, only 10:00 pm I think to myself. I never thought I'd be able to accomplish so much at such a young age. I have never been one to relax. My mind always three steps ahead thinking of my next moves. If my family were to sum me up in one word it would be a mix between ambitious and determined. I'm not sure what made me like this, I like to believe I've always had an internal drive within me pushing me to do more and more. So that is how I ended up working at one of the biggest journalist agencies in California while also teaching writing classes to students in Singapore. I know that if I stay on top of my work I'll be fine and everyone in the office always acknowledge my hard work and dedication though I would never tell them about my extra hour activities. The semester is almost up and work in office tends to pile around this time so in order to balance both I need to stay these extra hours in my office. I stretch my neck typing in the new homework assignment for the week When I feel a presence outside my office door. Just the janitor I think  as I focus my attention back to the screen I scoot in my chair a little bit closer hoping to get home by midnight. A quick tap on the door causes me to lose my focus. I forgot to put my dustbin outside again. Reaching down and typing with one hand I reach for the dust basket and open the door just a crack to fit it through mumbling a hurried " thank you". I'm almost to end of my sentence typing with one hand.  why aren't they taking the basket? I stretch my hand out further not daring to avert my eyes away from the screen. "Maham?" I look up, meeting the gaze of my boss. I hear the dangerous creaking of my office chair from all the leaning when the next thing I know, my chair flips sideways causing me to shower my boss with the discarded material of the dustbin. I sit there for a minute taking the moment in. V stares back at me just as surprised and a little confused. "I'm so sorry, I thought you were the janitor" I explain cringing as the words flow out of my mouth. Did I just call my boss a Janitor?! "Well, sorry to disappoint" he mumbles picking up a crumpled piece of paper to put back in the basket. "Now can you tell me what you are still doing here?" He says straightening up. I stand slowly and fix my chair back to face my desk. A million possibilities racing in my head. My work screen is open to the school agenda in English and my name is written at the top as Professor Khan. He peers into my screen. I move on instinct suddenly jumping in front of him before he can get too close. "You see I was just catching up on some filing and article readings." It wasn't a complete lie. Staying back allowed me to catch up on both the readings and planning the class agenda for the week. He glares at me suspiciously, his blonde fringe falling into his face making his gaze that more serious and solemn. "Is that really what you were doing here?" He says tilting his head to the side. He totally bought it.  I felt my gaze fall into a corner refusing to look at him. I mean I had meant to use the rest of tonight to prep for class but I wasn't gonna tell him that. Gulping visibly I went to sit back down in my chair turning away from him to face the computer. "Yes, exactly, just catching up on some filing is all " I turn back quickly to open a couple files on my computer. I hoped turning away would signal the end of the conversation but it didn't seem to work as he stepped behind my chair. I could feel my chair creak from the pressure of his hands on the back of my chair. "Really?", he said playfully, "show me". My hands still over the keyboard for a second. I'm about to say something else when I feel my chair swivel to face V. "Maham, you aren't telling me the truth" the truth I think to myself what even is the truth?! "What is even truth when one does not know lies" I say slowly ending in confidence. V just stares back unamused. Then he chuckles lightly his eyes turning into liquid honey. I'm good for now I think hoping that he'll leave after this sadly again, I'm wrong. "Why don't you show me what your working on?" He questions flippantly. Right, what I was working on, yes let me just grab the couple articles I was making copies of and I'll be right back. I say standing again from my seat. He steps back leaving more room for me to escape. Be right back I whisper as I make my escape. I'm almost out the door when I feel his warm hand on my wrist. Oh god! The warmth is gone just as quickly after he sees me stall. "That's alright it isn't regular working hours. anyway, I'll be heading out now just wanted to check in" he says. "Here's your seat back" he says pushing the chair in my direction. He makes his way to the door sidestepping me to get past. I'll see you in the morning, Good night Professor Khan he says with a smirk heading out. I'm done for.