Bookstore & Chill

Zora

The dream I had last night was so inappropriate. So inappropriate to the point that I didn't want it to end. I dragged myself out of bed, questioning if I really needed this job today, as I did every day. I worked my way to the bathroom to relieve my full bladder, brush my teeth, and do my morning skin regime. I had an hour to get dressed, fix this nest on top of my head and get to work on time. Clearly, breakfast was out of the question this morning. I rushed through my closet, grabbing whatever articles of clothing that properly went together. If it was up to me, I would definitely wear sweatpants to work. I decided on a black satin skirt and a printed chiffon button top. I stood in front of my vintage full-length mirror, piecing together the rest of this outfit in my head. Sometimes I stress myself out trying to be so damn cute for work. I sit behind my desk most of the day and whenever I leave my office, I'm sitting at the head of a table conducting a meeting. I stood there for a moment just staring at myself. "I'm fucking cute," I mumbled before looking at my collection of belts hanging on the door.

I settled for a thick leather belt that I wrapped around my waist to hide the messy tucked-in shirt to my skirt ratio. I slipped on a pair of nude open-toed heels. My alarm went off on my phone, reminding me that I had twenty minutes to get to work on time. I pulled my locs into a low bun, slicking my edges down with my favorite edge control and putting on a little lip gloss. I didn't have time to put on a little makeup, good thing my face regime was working for me. I grabbed my phone and purse before running into the kitchen to grab an apple from my fruit bowl. At this point, I'm pushing it trying to be nutritious. I grabbed my keys and hurried out to the garage on the ground floor. Today was definitely a driving into work kind of day.

It looked like a scene from Wolf of Wall Street when I stepped off the elevator into Palmetto Pages. Everyone was bustling around with papers in their hands and talking over each other. I looked at my assistant and homegirl Kenzie,  who sat at her desk outside my office. "Hey, what's going on?" I asked, almost whispering. She rolled her eyes. "Let's get in your office before I tell you." That made my heart drop. She held my door open, closing it when we were both inside. "So your 'Sis' Cassandra has decided to scrap the magazine theme for next month's issue." My eyes could have fallen out of my head if I bucked them harder. "So basically everything my team has done is gone?" I asked, she nodded. "I'm pretty sure of it." I frowned. "So why didn't I get an email, I just spent the entire day revamping the original plan we had with my staff." She sat in my chair and twisted her lips. "Now Zo, you know Cassandra does not give a damn about how much time you spent on this issue." I rolled my eyes and sat back in my chair for a moment, trying my best to not work up my anxiety. "Okay, can you do me a favor and send an email to the staff, tell them to prepare new visuals focused around the town's art scene or something, we'll have a meeting after lunch." She nodded. She stood and walked to my door before turning around, "Make sure you take a moment to collect your thoughts, I'll hold off Cassandra for as long as I can." I forced a smile and nodded.

I sat in silence for a moment. Trying to piece everything together in my head. This woman is out for me. I had nothing else going for me in this town but my job. So when things aren't going my way at work, that means they're not going my way in my life. I clearly need more shit going for me right now. I only gave myself a two minute grace period to beat myself up when shit like this happens. This isn't the third time Cassandra has rejected a layout I worked my ass off for. So I sat up in my chair, held my head high, and typed away on my computer, sending email after email to local artists and businesses that are historically known in town.

Two hours of diligent work passed by me when I finally came up for air. There was a knock at my door, I braced myself because I just knew it was going to be Cassandra's ass. "Yes?" I said. Kenzie's chocolate face peeked in from behind the door. "Hey, Ummm, you have a delivery." She said with this weird grin on her face. I frowned. "Okay, what are you doing, bring it in," I said as I started to occupy myself with my file drawer. "Put on some lip gloss or something." She whispered. "Girl what?" I said confused, looking at her. She smiled and spoke through her teeth. "Put on some fucking lip gloss!" I don't know why this girl is telling me to do that but Kenzie hasn't steered me wrong yet so I opened my desk drawer and pulled out my emergency lip gloss, gliding it across my lips quickly. "Are you going to bring in my package or Nah?" I asked. She smiled. Backing away from the door and closing it.