Kat's way out of the office was perceived contrarily by others as if she was a cheater. Jen didn't seem concerned, and neither did the group waiting for her at the end of her aisle.
On her way in, she was pursued by numerous - curious - eyes which she did not mind, as she was a newbie. It would have been awkward if they didn't show concern for the new girl. She knew how curiosity works, she was curious about everything.
Her way back was unusual. They were all following each step she took bringing about her fast strides. She couldn't figure out why they were still gazing at her until later in her shared office. What was so different about her?
She went straight to her supposed-to-be office, where her team was waiting. Not that it was private. The sections were made of standard glass, only Gunn enjoyed the privacy.
He had one-way glass keeping his affairs roughly private. It made them feel watched and take precautions in whatever they did out there. Nobody likes peeping boss.
Kat saw three faces glowing for her - a girl and two boys. They were young - as did the whole crew that worked at GPLAy. It was comprised of millennials and headed by one. She couldn't wait to know about it all.
"Hey, I'm Lee, the girl is Priya, and this one's Bruno ", the latter guy introduced himself and the rest as he extended his hand. She shook it and did the same with others- all more curious than she did.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Kat"
"Nice to meet you Kat- weird name though. I know your name", the girl confessed.
"You sure made an entrance out there, you'll be remembered", commented Bruno as the others giggled. Kat was lost, she didn't see the elephant in that.
So she asked, "Excuse me, am I missing out on something?"
"No. We just don't see a lot of newbies walking in there for at least one month ", Priya clarified. She gestured for Kat to sit as Lee moved his desk further to the corner to create enough space.
"Why?"
"Boss is kinda out of our league, not a biggie. His girlfriends are used to coming to the office until a month or so, maybe they broke up. They thought that you were his next", said Priya.
"Plural! That's kindness though. I wasn't in there for him, I was presenting a very important idea from what I gathered yesterday", she said without a doubt. She might have liked the idea of being his girlfriend, just that wasn't the case.
" I saw you in the conference room with Raj, poor guy has eye problems. You started your first day with a bang, they will not be forgetting you sooner", said Priya. She was the charismatic one, Bruno nosy and Lee the quiet one. Kat was yet to be one of them and bring her stubbornness into the mix.
"Raj gave me the business model and I wasn't sure what to make of it, I decided to scoop my idea to the Boss. I might have wanted to know who will be in charge of my salary", she added.
"Now you know", said Priya.
" Reasonable, you didn't think that we would seize credit for that, did you?", Bruno asked jokingly.
"Of course she did, she didn't know what kind of species we are or how we work here. It was a clever move.
I literally can't trust you with mine. Right Lee?", made Kat feel better. Lee agreed.
They all approved, she had to scoop on that before it was in everyone's mouth. She wasn't there to get her achievements stolen for other people's promotion. She had seen that scene before, in the series she binged when out of job.
"My bad"
"Don't apologize, I hope it was taken seriously"
"I hope so"
"After I show her around, you will have all the time in the world to hit on her- if she is not claimed of course.
(Priya turned to Kat)
In all seriousness, I was assigned to orient you by Jen. We better get started. Don't worry about those two, they hardly mean it ", Priya convinced her. The girls went out as the eyeing crowd went on to check her out.
"They're hardly dangerous", Priya started.
"Who?"
"Guys who work here, they tend to have tamed manners ", that was the first one. She rooted for it to be true. But time only tells good from evil. Genuine from pretentious.
"Sure?", she questioned.
"Of course, we have a very disciplined team of professionals, you just amaze them. They'll be over it by tomorrow"
"Over what? I'm not different from you guys "
"For walking in his office your first day, not all of us get that autonomy. To them, you may be mysteries and you do know computer nerds with little things.
If I knew just how much it meant I would have done it myself on the first days. I hear those who do show your type of enthusiasm gets promotions easily.
Do you two know each other, like casually?"
"Me?Boss? Oh, no! Don't be ridiculous, that is overlay ambitious ", Kat disputed. She might have liked that.
"But you wish you did, right? I mean, you saw what a hottie he is ", Priya stated the obvious. He was a piece of work, everybody would have wanted to be his anything. But, Kat had to divert that and act all compact.
"This is awry, I don't want them to eavesdrop on that and reach their conclusions, I can't afford to have disgrace on my first day here", she lied. If had a way she would have spread that rumor herself and ripped off the benefits.
"You're reddened, fine, I'll introduce you to each team here. I know you need to.
Later, we will be open to discussing our Boss, you know his name?", she said. The two were bonding already.
"No, actually"
"Gunn, isn't it sexiest of them all?", Priya stunned her. That was quite a name. One she had never heard of before but just like the devil on the gun calling for her. She had to ask.
"Gun?"
"As in GUNN, double N", Priya explained. That made her less worried. But, from what she saw the name was well deserved. If her equal she would have fallen for him. But, a realist as she was she didn't need to live in a beautiful dream- that would be a lie. She knew it wasn't meant to be. But who knows what the future holds?
Kat rather joked, "You stuttered me, like a gun"
"He sure is one. I can let him shoot me, right through my chest.
(She changed her tone after taking a turn to an office, one of the many)
Hey gentlemen, here is my friend Kat, I saw you pervs glaring at her", Priya was acquainting her to the first team. Kat was stunned that Priya was calling them pervs so casually and they didn't seem disturbed.
"They are nerds and brains of the firm, as you can see, ever busy. We should not be squandering their precious time like that, they scarcely have time for a girlfriend "
"I do have a girl", a guy upheld himself. Priya dismissed his comment.
"That's my sweetheart right there. Act cool about it. He's Young", Priya whispered into her ear edging at one of the geniuses. They were all too busy to take a glance at the girls.
"Nice to meet you guys, I hope I'll get an opportunity to work with you on the cool projects", Kat warmed up to the cold bastards. She found friendships in the strangest of people, she knew how to get to anyone. Her statement was true.
"Is it true? Young is your boyfriend?", Kat asked when they were out. Priya made a dissatisfied face meaning the bad of her next.
"In my fantasies. He is just cruel, cold-hearted with a closed soul. I hope he will see me one day. , She remarked honestly. Kat wasn't relating - at least not yet.
"Enough with my secrets, I don't tell anybody else that kind of fabric, I hope you are going to keep it to yourself. If you breathe a word I will strangle you like fish then fry you. Kidding, but serious", she said changing moods. One night have thought that she was not kidding- Kat questioned if she should be worried but let it go.
"I think it's adorable, there is still time for you guys to write your love story, again, your secret is safe with me.", she assured.
"Isn't it weird that we just met and it's like we have been friends for life? You are my best friend here so far, do they all like you?"
"I know, they all like me, haha.
(Priya pointed at an office)
We will be in and out of the remaining areas. Some of them have diverse feelings about me. Guess it's hard to be everyone's sweetheart.
I might have been a b! tch on my initial days"
They went on elsewhere with Priya introducing her to the teams. They were all different, tall, short, heavier, and slim but very few girls. Maybe it wasn't the ultimate job opportunity for her gender.
The company had four open sections and a few closed. Just accurate use of space. They were all large, spacious, and well-planned. Kat liked the orientation.
To the door is Sales and Marketing, which also acts as a customer services center/ reception adjacent to Testing Room.
Bordering Testing Room is Game Development Room adjacent to Finance. The Game Development section has most of the employees than any other section because of coders and programmers.
Next is Gunn's Office and Jen's prosperous front desk, as his assistant which is opposite the Conference Room- a closed room.
The furthest is free space for working out, cafeteria, and everything else that arrives their way. Gunn's Office- the largest by outlook- and Conference Room are soundproofed as do their segmented regions.
Kat got to see all that before her day started. Her very journey had kicked off without her knowing where it would take her. She hoped it to be paradise - less than that would be a mistake. But fate never sleeps, and hers was written on her blue-colored stray star.