NOT SO SWEET

“Lissa! Lissa!” I turn around and give him a disappointed look, “You missed the class.” I continue walking ahead, and he catches up to me, takes my hand to make me stop, and speaks, “I had to make it up to Kiara.” I give him an amusing smile and shake my head. We both continue walking while holding hands and I ask, “What did you do again?”

“We were supposed to go on a date last night.” And he couldn’t because he accompanied me to the ice cream parlor. I stop and look at him, “Harry, you should’ve told me. I am big enough to deal with my problems.” Harry smiled and pulled my cheeks, “You’re not big enough to endure the absence of your best friend. Also, don’t lose the spirit. We have our interviews today.”

Whatever uplifting media marketing class did to my mood vanished on hearing about the interview. Harry and I were going to apply for an internship together at Cooper Furniture Enterprise last year, but last night my dad probably decided that this was the perfect time for me to act as a perfect daughter and do what he says.

My dad, Alexander Ozera, is the most successful businessman of our time and the CEO of Ozera Home Maker (OHM). My dad started a small furniture company and made it big around the time my brother, Jackson was born. Soon after, my dad also started supporting small companies or merging them with his, and that’s how now OHM is known for Furniture and all kinds of home appliances. It is a company where you’d go right after buying a house and would choose everything for it in a day to turn it into a home.

So, one of my dad’s closest friends, Mr. Charles, died two years ago and since then, his son started running the company, it was hard because the company was going under bankruptcy but my father felt the need to help his friend, saved them barely from undergoing bankruptcy and since then started supporting his company, Charles Versatile Furniture (CVF). The son of Mr. Charles probably must have been a mastermind to have the company become known in the top 30 furniture companies in the USA in just 2 years and that too after almost being bankrupt.

Now, my dad wanted me to do my internship at that company to keep an eye on the internal affairs of the company and let him know how the company is doing. He did this with every company he invested in, but this time, the responsibility has fallen on my shoulder. My dad has already informed them about my arrival. I don’t know what to expect from this internship of 2 months. I mean they could show me the pretty side of the company, fake it, or anything, but I don’t think they would because I don’t know what could be wrong with a successfully running company. Honestly, I didn’t think my dad would carry it out for this company as well seeing how fast they are progressing but apparently, he had a different way of thinking.

Well, here I am left to break my and Harry’s childhood promise of working in Cooper Furniture Enterprise together. Harry and I have been interested in this kind of thing since childhood. After hearing that news last night, I was highly enraged and upset, but Harry told me that it was okay and that it would be more fun working against each other seeing how our brains mostly function in sync. I and Harry always have the same solutions for things but our way of reaching those solutions has always crashed. He is more reasonable and rational than me.

Harry again reassured me, watching my grim mood, “Hey, we can’t change the situation but we can be happy along the journey.” I smile and smack his arm, “I hate it when you sound reasonable.” Harry laughs and makes his way toward his car. I also go around my car beside his and stand opening the door. For a minute we both stare into each other’s eyes and then he speaks, “Meet me at Ariana’s home?” I give him a sad smile and say, “Sure. Also, Best of Luck!” He gave me a thumbs-up before getting in his car.

I start driving toward CVF and after reaching the building I take a deep breath. Here we go. I get out of the car and start walking toward the building. It sure is a fancy big company made of glass. I should have done some research on the company last night but I was filled with rage, not my fault but still my fault.

I enter the building and go towards the receptionist. She smiles at me and asks, “How may I help you, ma’am?” I take off my sunglasses, “I am Lissa Ozera. The new intern for your company. I was told to get my scanning card from here.” Oh, the look on her face. Suddenly it got chaotic for her as she started searching for the card while speaking, “Right, the daughter of Mr. Ozera. Welcome to the company. I had your card here just now. God, why can’t I find it?”

I put my hand on her hand and say, “What’s your name?” She stands up straight and extends her hand toward me. “Right, sorry I forgot to introduce myself. I am Lorelai.” I shake her hand, “Nice to meet you Lorelai. You should look for the card again. I am sure it will be there.” She nods, looks under the desk again, and finally comes up with a smiling face and a card. After the thank you, I take my card and make my way inside the company. God, that was weird. If this is how I am going to be treated here, I’d rather not do the internship.

I succeed in not having to introduce myself to other staff and directly opting for the CEO’s office. I knock on the door and open it when I hear the ‘come in’. I enter the room, nervously stand before the table, and speak, “Good Morning Sir!” The young man with perfect dimples and a beautiful cut above his eyebrows looks up at me from his laptop and nod his head, “Good Morning Miss, Lissa. Please sit down.”

I sit on the chair and cross my legs. He closes his laptop and opens the file beside it. “Hmm. I read your CV and it’s perfectly suitable for an intern position at our company. Would you like to add anything?” Okay. Wow! He is treating me like an ordinary intern. I mean that’s what I wanted, right? But why does it feel weird, I mean it shouldn’t.

I shake my head, “No, I think it’s all in there. Just one thing that I’ll carry out my mission but can we keep that a secret? I’ll ask you directly about whatever I need to know. I mean only if it’s ok with you?” I see him smile for the first time when he speaks, “That’s exactly what Mr. Ozera and I discussed. Seems like you didn’t know but glad to know we’re on the same page. I’d not like to create chaos because of you and disturb the usual working routine.” Okay. He is damn straightforward. I think I’m gonna keep the most distance from him. I stand up and tightly smile, “Perfect! Exactly my thoughts. I’ll take a leave if there’s nothing else.”

He stands up too and says, “I’ll just introduce you to the marketing team and then you’ll have nothing to do with me except for the side agent work.” He speaks like I am dying to have something to do with him. I murmur, “Just my thoughts!” Seems like he heard it since he raised his eyebrows while passing me and going to the door. I glare at the nameplate on his table CEO MR ADRIAN CHARLES. Seems like his dad chose the perfect name for him.

I follow him around the floor until he stops in front of an elevator and clicks on the button. The silence was comfortable yet weird. We both step inside the elevator and he presses the 30th floor. “Look, the working environment of my office is a little bit different. We always work on a tight schedule but in a very friendly and comfortable environment. It might seem weird to you at first but I’d have you think from their perspectives before jumping to any conclusions.”

I look at him watching him describe his office environment with fondness and pride. I understand that every office’s working environment is different, but how different could it be to explain to me before I even see the department? I nod my head, “Sure, I’ll keep an open mind.” The elevator makes a ‘ding’ sound and the doors open. We both step out and after a turn, there’s one more door, my eyes take a minute to adjust to the sight of what’s inside that door.

There are sofa-type chairs to which the tables are attached and, on every table, a computer is fixed. There are also folding sofas and on two sofas two people are napping and in front of their sofas, there are tables on which their laptop is probably napping too. Everyone salutes Mr. Adrian with their two fingers and carries on with their work while he smiles at them or pats their back. As we start moving deeper into the room, there is one more glass door. He opens the door and here it looks like a meeting room.

On the last seat of the table, a man with a half beard and brown hair is engrossed in his laptop. The man looks like in his 30s probably. He is so engrossed in work that he doesn’t even notice us. Mr. Adrian breaks the silence, “Mr. Alec!” Well, the man, or Mr. Alec looks up at him, then stands up from his chair and answers, “Oh Adrian! Trust me half an hour and we’re good to go.” Mr. Adrian looks at him with a stern face, “Half an hour means half an hour. Also, this is the new intern, Miss Lissa. Make good use of her, seems a little talented by her CV, don’t know how she works practically.” And with that statement, leaves Mr. Arrogant.

“Hello, Miss Lissa! Do you know how to take out a printout?” I tightly smile at him, “Yes Sir.” Does he think I wouldn’t know something this basic? Mr. Alec hands me a USB and sits on his chair but before resuming his work he looks at me, “I want these printed out before our meeting which is exactly gonna take place after 26 minutes. So well, chop chop chop!” Oh, so they do speak chop chop-chop. Nice to know. Wait, I don’t know where the printer is. I look at Mr. Alec who has once again zoned out from this World. I’ll just ask someone on my way.

On my way outside, I see a girl almost my age, sitting on the sofa and working on her laptop. I walk up to her and paste a smile on my face, “Hey, I am Lissa. Can you please tell me where I can print these out?” She looks up at me with a frown, holds up two fingers, and goes back to work again. When I think she won’t answer me, she looks up at me with a smile and speaks, “Sorry, I just had to submit it. Right, I am Maryssa. What were you asking again?” I hold up my hand, “Oh, it’s all right. Just wanted to know where I could print these out?” She pulls the USB from her laptop and says, “I am heading there too. Come with me.” “Sure.”

There are sweet people in this office after all. Don’t know how long this day will be, though.