Jason had had a lot of first days in his life what was one more. He parked his vehicle in the underground parking of his new working destination. As he stepped out and walked towards the lift he was approached by a short bald and round yet not fat man.
" I am Mr Darson and you are late first day transfer intern."
Jason wanted to put the man in his place, he obviously didnt know who he was talking to, but then he remebered his new role play and acted accordingly.
" My apologies sir I'm not used to the city's dense traffic."
" Humph. Follow me"
The man turned and led the way. The first hour was spent touring the building. Jason was shown all the department's that he would eventually be familliar with as they worked hand in hand on a daily basis.
He had to admit that the whole time he was being showed around he kept wishing that when he turned a corner that he would catch sight of Amanda. He kept telling himself that he would get over her soon enough after getting to know her more. In the back of his head however there was a small voice that kept telling him that he was lying to himself.
Eventually they walked into an open office where all were busy at work at their computers. Mr Darson clapped twice to call for their attention and they all paid it respectively.
Through all the introductions being made Jason's eyes swept through the faces and unfortunately saw no sign of the woman he came here for to begin with.
' Could my Intel have been wrong, that she isn't in this department?'
His doubts subsided when everyone personally introduced themselves and Mr Darson told him that Amanda Walsh was not present at the moment.
That seemed to calm him more than he was comfortable with admitting.
He put on his best smile and introduced himself to everyone telling them all how he looked forward to working with them. They all seemed friendly enough and he was imediately handed a shared project with I one named Micheal Golden.
'Huh of the Golden enterprise that wrote his father an application for building contract a couple of times. Why would his son be working here?'
"Hi there! You can call me Mike, everyone does. It's good to know that my buddy's replacement is as handsome and even more. That means good reputation with the ladies who from the looks you've already gotten hooked up."
Mike raised his chin in the direction of a group of female co-workers who had bundled around and were sending admiring stares his way. Jason smiled politely and stoped himself from asking about Amanda.
Instead the two talked a while about the work they were paired up to do and Mike was helpful enough to walk him through all the details. He even handed Jason files left behind by his previous partner. Jason always preffered to work from scratch than pick up where someone else started but for the show of it he accepted the gesture.
.....
Amanda had walked into the board room full of intimidating middle aged men and women dressed in dark business suits and grim expressions on thier faces. This was the assessment board, responsible for recruiting and keeping track of working progress of workers in all the country's branches of JK Corporation. They were like a council of elders of something.
She forced herself to put in a strong face and not show any signs of weakness even though all she wanted to do was run out screaming. The meeting started with her passing a joke she thought would lighten the room but found herself receiving ice cold glares from them all.
' Okay Amanda get over it!' she told herself.
Choosing to set aside everything she had lined up for the next longest Forty-five minutes of her life Amanda raised her chin and spoke like the woman her mother told her to be. Strong as iron, soft as a rose petal, and brave as a warrior.
The words flowed maturely out of her and the stares began to soften a bit. When it all ended there was silence and then the head of this 'council' sat forward and spoke. Her voice elegant and dignified. She was the only one who was many years younger than the rest and it always surprised everyone who walked into this place.
" Your results will be sent to you before the end of the day, thank-you. "
Amanda shocked but still not letting it show was more than disappointed. She put in her best and a sentence is all she got not even a clap. Non the less she gave her thanks and walked out.
It was lunch by the time she left the board room and Suzy was waiting just close by to comfort her friend knowing all too well just how cold these people could be. She having taken her test presentation during the days that Amanda a was in hospital.
" How was it? Did they hurt you? Which one bullied you? I'll go give em all a beating if they lay a hand on you."
As she was speaking the door to the board room opened and all the members walked out in the most orderly at the same time intimidating fashion. Suzy imediately held her mouth shut and stepped to the side to let them pass without standing in their way.
When they were out of sight she breathed a sigh of relief.
" Do you think they heard me?" She asked Amanda worriedly.
" Here I was about to give you a list of them that bullied me and you're asking me if they heard you?"
Amanda had been friends with Suzy for over six months now and this was the one girl that always cheered her up.
Smiling in an apologetic way and quickly changed the topic,
" Come on let's go get something to eat, im starving." She patted her flat stomach before hooking her arm through Amanda's and pulling her towards their cubicles to grab their handbags before heading towards their favorite eating place that was just across the street.