When Confidence Collides

Chapter 3: Slow walkers

I hate slow walkers so when I found myself stuck behind two of them on a narrow path, I was not impressed.

It was Monday morning and I was five minutes away from being late to work, again. However, this time, it was for real. I was actually going to be late. My patience was wearing thinner with every half-step I took. "This is going to drive me insane!" I muttered under my breath. Why can't people just walk faster?

Everyone was doing as the same as me: rushing to work, so the streets were packed full of people eagerly trying to get to wherever they were going. 

As I decided to weave in and out of the people on my right, I bumped into something hard.

I staggered backwards as the 7th person I had bumped into came to a halt. I felt someone's hands reach for my waist, stopping me from falling any further. I quickly took their hands off me.

I mentally curse at my past self for staying up too late looking for new a roommate last night with Syd, therefore forgetting to set an alarm. Usually, I am quite good with waking up on time, my body just somehow knows what time it is and wakes up, add sleep deprivation to that however, and it throws everything off.

I kept my eyes trained on the black high heels I fully regretted wearing. They were the most uncomfortable pair of shoes ever known to man, but I was in a rush so just grabbed whatever was closest.

Feeling a killer headache crawl up the back of my head, I tried to avoid any confrontation. Not wanting an argument, I muttered a quick "Sorry!" to whoever I had just walked straight into and carried on speed walking.

I quickly ran into the nearest coffee shop and ordered my boss her morning coffee and myself a bottle of water. I know her order like the back of my hand: coffee, two sugars, milk and one pump of caramel syrup. She says the syrup adds a level of sweetness to it, I disagree. No matter how much sugar or sweetener you add, coffee will always have that disgusting bitterness to it.

I paid on the card my boss Sarah gave me and go up to the closest available booth. I placed our drinks and my bag on the table and began rummaging around my bag, desperately trying to find some pain killers. I find a pack in the bottom of my bag. There were two left. Hallelujah!

Unscrewing the lid of my water I put the two pills into my mouth, knocking them to the back before taking a swig of water and swallowing them. I never used to be able to swallow pills so I would chew them. The taste was awful but desperate times call for desperate measures. It took me years to finally be able to take them, but I soon learnt after having extreme hangovers. A really bad headache is a hangover's best friend.

I picked up the drinks and my bag and carried on walking. Luckily for me, Sarah's office was just around the corner and if by office you mean 'a really expensive skyline penthouse that my boss lives in' then yeah, that was where I was going.

I entered the building and showed the security guard my ID card, something I have been doing for over a year and a half now so you'd think he would know who I am, but apparently not. I entered the elevator and pressed the button that took me all the way to the top. 

With no one else present on the floor, I entered my key and walked through the door.

I closed the door behind me and instantly felt something bound into my legs. It was Sarah's adorable Labrador Retriever. She was black with a white stripe that started at her chin and ended at her right back foot. She's a puppy with a substantial amount of energy and a loving nature.

Seeing Luna laying on her back I quickly stroked her belly before walking up the stairs, briefly knocking and entering Sarah's office.

I gave Sarah her coffee to which she sent me a polite smile.