Karma is a bitch! Armani thought as she hastily washed the vital parts of her body and quickly came out of the bathroom. She would have showered hours ago if not for the revenge she was getting on Becca. If she had showered she would have been on her way by now since Percy gave her just fifteen minutes for a distance he knew would take her at least twenty, without traffic.
Becca, who promised to be back with a fast mode of transportation for her had already helped lay a knee-length olive green dress on the bed for her.
'Good choice!' She thought because green looks good on her. Amani knows and people are always telling her whenever she wears green. She hastily dressed, put her long hair in a tight bun that showed her graceful neck and high cheekbones to perfection, carefully applied a nude lipstick for her pink pouty lips and she was ready to go.
She checked inside her black sling bag to see if she already had her notebook and pen, before putting on her open toes, moderately high sandals. She came outside the Pinnacle news boarding house to find Becca was already waiting for her on a red monstrous power bike.
"Common Bec, a power bike!?" Amani asked with disbelief and fear
"Yeah, I told you I was gonna find you the fastest mode of transportation, didn't I?"
"Can you even drive this thing?... Maybe I should go get a cab instead? She asked feeling skeptical. She had no intention of dying because she wanted a story that might not even be what she hoped it would be
"Hop in and find out!... You're already late as it is Ama, common!"
"Hop in and find out if you could drive it?" Amani asked and swallowed nervously. She slung her bag around her neck, put on the helmet Becca handed to her, before she gingerly sat behind her friend, holding on tightly for dear life. She almost jumped off when the powerful machine roared around her before it suddenly surged forward
Amani uttered a yelp and Becca laughed as she smoothly pulled out into the traffic. "You're such a pussy..." She said and laughed again
"Just shut the fuck up and concentrate on the road," Amani shouted loud enough for Becca to hear through the roaring machine.
They soon arrived at Pinnacle News where they both worked as journalists. Percy who was pacing in the lobby almost jumped on Amani like a rabid dog as soon as she entered the lobby.
"You're a whole fucking fifteen minutes late! If not for the fact that I want you to have this important job, I would have kicked your ass out right this moment!"
Amani smiled apologetically towards Percy "Percy I'm sorry! The traffic was..."
"Shshshsh... Just zip it and follow me... If I was giving a dime for all the stupid excuses you give, I would have been a rich man by now!" He said and humphed
'Did he just shush me!?... How dare he talk to me like that and who the fuck does he think he is!?... ' Amani thought in annoyance. She was about to reach out, remove his fake hair from the back and whack him good on his bald dome with her sling bag when she heard Becca harrumphed loudly behind her.
Amani looked back and saw her friend mouthed "NO!" to her. She rolled her eyes, sighed dejectedly, and reluctantly followed behind her editor and number one enemy.
Percy was a short, vain, gay man with hair that had receded almost to the center of his head, which now made him always cover his shame with a brown wig that would make it seem as if he has a full head of thick, lustrous, wavy brown hair.
He started hating on Amani when his boyfriend whom he had no idea was a bisexual admitted to him that he would love to have Amani in bed with them.
Amani had no idea why Percy hated her but she was also glad to return the feeling. She followed behind the man who sauntered ahead of her like he was in a beauty pageant.
She couldn't help but wonder why the man would want to give her the job he said was important when he's only ever given her shitty news to report on. There's certainly more to this than meets the eye and she would find out soon. Amani thought as they entered into a large spacious office that was nothing like Percy's claustrophobic cornered one.
Amani was nervous. She has not had the chance to meet the Pinnacle big boss personally, only saw him in passing.
"Percy, it's been more than an hour! Where the hell did you disappear to when I told you I have to be at my appointment in two hours!?" The Pinnacle boss said stiffly
'It's been more than an hour yet the short bastard called me just thirty minutes ago!' Amani said to herself in annoyance suddenly having the urge to jump on Percy's back and gouged his eyes out with her fingernails. Now she understood that Percy was trying to sabotage her in front of their boss so he could finally get her fired and homeless.
"I'm so sorry boss! I was not able to get my hands on her on time. I've always told them to keep their phone handy in case of emergency but... Here she is sir" Percy said with a malicious smile on his face that only Amani could read
Amani's mouth hung open with shock. She couldn't find words to defend herself with because Percy practically diced her reputation into pieces, put it through a blender before pouring what's left of it down the drain, now she's completely done for.
'Could it be that he wanted her to smell the job and not get her hands on it? Just how evil is Percy and how far would he go to see her completely destroyed.' Amani thought to herself and swore she would kill him if she loses her job because of him
The boss seriously looked at Amani as if he was considering something
"Where were you?" He suddenly asked her breaking the silence in the room
"I was out chasing a story sir and I didn't get to receive his call until thirty minutes ago"
"Lies!... You..." Percy was shouting but was immediately interrupted by their boss
"Thank you, Percy, you may leave, I'll take it from here!"
Percy who now looked crushed and deflated like a tired balloon that has been filled with air for a very long time before it was finally punctured. Walked out of the office with a hateful look towards Amani
"Please sit!" The boss said curtly, indicating towards one of the chairs opposite his desk.
"And relax, take a deep breath in and out. I don't bite!" He said when he saw Amani appeared to be seated on pins and needles.
Amani breathed in deeply and tried to relax as he advised.
"How old are you?..." The boss asked. Of course, he's seen her file and knows her age, he just wants to get her talking so she would relax
"I'm twenty-two, sir... Amani replied with a clear voice after the assurance and courage she just received from the boss himself
"You're twenty-two, that's surprising cos you looked eighteen to me. Anyways twenty-two means you're an adult that can tell your right from your left, right?"
"Yes sir" Amani answered and also nodded her head in agreement.
"Great! So listen... This job I'm about to give you is the break that I've been waiting for all my life. It's the break that would make my establishment to be on par with news houses like The New York Post and Tribune... " He paused like he wanted the information he just gave her to sink into her head before he continued.
"Do you now understand how important this is to me, Amani!?"
"Yes. Yes, I do understand how important it is to you, sir." Amani emphasized her words to make sure the boss also understand how bad she needed the job
"Great Amani!... It is good that you now understood me perfectly because this job can also be that big break you've been waiting to get since college. Just imagine your name signed at the top of a story that millions of Americans would get to read, great right?"
"It is very great sir" Amani replied with a huge smile on her face"
"Yes! Very great indeed… I will give you the means. I can tell from looking at you that you have the courage and the look to do the job successfully... But if you fuck this up Amani, then you would be sorry! I would make sure that you never get a job in California ever again. It's back to Cape May for you then. Do I make myself clear?"
Amani cleared the imaginary lump that had suddenly clogged up her throat with the sudden change of her boss's tone of voice and countenance before she managed to reply
"Crystal clear sir!..."