The dark room was quiet. Save for the clicking of the heels of the woman pacing back and forth. She was clearly agitated, her long red dress swishing back and forth with each step.
The sound echoed off the walls, filling the silence with an eerie, metallic rhythm. Each step was deliberate, purposeful, as if she was trying to wear a path into the floor. She seemed lost in thought, her face creased with worry, deep in contemplation.
Her mind raced with questions, searching for answers that seemed just out of reach. And yet, despite her anxiety, she exuded a calm confidence, as if she knew that whatever was coming, she was ready for it. Finally, with a deep breath, she stopped pacing and turned to face the door. It was time to face whatever was out there.
"She's hiding more than he's letting on," she said, tapping her feet lightly in the floor. She took her seat and crossed her legs. "She has a backer. A powerful one at that, else there is no way she could be able to hide that well on her own." she sighed. "This won't do. Not at all. Come in," her cold voice rang out.
The door opened and a guy walked in. He was nervous, and it showed in his unsteady gait and the sheen of sweat on his forehead. He had never met her before, but he knew her reputation. She was the boss, and she didn't take kindly to failure.
"Your mission is to follow her and report to me everything and every day," she continued, her eyes fixed on him. "She pisses a great threat to my ambition and plans and I can't have that. I need to know what she's up to."
The guy nodded, trying to hide his fear. He knew what was at stake. If he screwed this up, he would be out of a job, or worse. He took the envelope she handed him, containing all the information he needed to start his surveillance.
"I'll be watching you closely," she said, her voice menacing. "Don't disappoint me."
The guy knew he had no choice but to succeed, and he left her office, determined to do whatever it takes to complete his mission.
* * * *
Kim collapsed into the soft, welcoming embrace of the armchair. She felt utterly spent, both physically and emotionally, from weeks of job hunting. Her eyes were heavy with fatigue and her shoulders drooped with exhaustion.
Suddenly, her best friend Susan appeared, a sympathetic look on her face. "Oh dear! See how exhausted you look," Susan said, taking a seat on the floor next to Kim's feet. "Let me rub your feet and help you relax a little."
Kim smiled weakly and lifted her feet up onto Susan's lap. As Susan started to massage her tired muscles, Kim felt herself start to unwind. The tension in her shoulders melted away and she felt her mind start to clear. With a friend like Susan to support her, maybe the job hunt wouldn't seem so daunting after all.
"this is what I've been trying to tell you. No matter how smart you are, you don't have a degree or experience." Susan said.
"I don't need a degree to prove my intelligence," retorted Kim. "But you keep bringing it up as if it's the only way to be successful in life. I have worked hard and learned a lot through my experiences. I am confident that I can take on any challenge and succeed."
Susan shook her head in frustration. "It's not about intelligence, Kim. It's about having the proper qualifications to back up your knowledge. Employers won't take you seriously if you don't have a degree or experience to show for it. Why not take the exam and earn the certification you need to take your career to the next level?"
Kim sighed, realizing that Susan had a point. "Okay, I'll take the exam. But I want you to know that I'll prove you wrong. My intelligence and hard work will shine through regardless of whether I have a degree or not."
"Yeah! Yeah! Whatever. Just take the exams and stop all this stressful movement. See how swollen your feet are. TSK!"
* * * *
With just a month to go before the entrance exam, Kim knew she had to put in the work if she wanted to succeed.
She spent every spare moment studying, poring over textbooks, taking practice tests, and seeking help from teachers and the internet.
It wasn't easy, and there were times when she felt overwhelmed and exhausted. But she knew that the reward would be worth it. So she pressed on, determined to do her best.
And when the results came out, she was overjoyed to find that she had done excellently. All her hard work had paid off, and she knew that she had a bright future ahead of her.
"With your score Kim, you can get into any college of your choice," Susan said. "Which have you decided to go to?"
Kim looked up from her computer screen, pondering the question. She had always dreamed of going to a top-ranked university, but now that the time had come to make a decision, she wasn't so sure. There were so many factors to consider: location, cost, academic programs, social life. It was overwhelming.
"I don't know," Kim admitted. "There are so many great schools out there. I need to do more research and figure out what's important to me."
Susan nodded in understanding. "Take your time. This is a big decision, and you want to make sure you choose the right school for you."
Kim smiled, feeling grateful to have such a supportive friend. She knew that with Susan's help, she would find the perfect college to help her achieve her dreams.
"Congratulations on passing the exam!" Susan exclaimed. "While you're taking your time to decide which of the colleges you'd like to go to, why don't we go out and celebrate?" Susan suggested with a smile.
They decided to go out to their favorite restaurant and indulge in their favorite dishes