Lena stood at the entrance of Millworth Technologies, the sleek, modern lobby stretching before her. The polished marble floors gleamed under the fluorescent lights, and the walls were adorned with large, impressive portraits of the company's milestones. She inhaled deeply, feeling the buzz of excitement stir within her again. This was it. She was here.
With good spirit and determination, she walked confidently toward the reception desk, where a young woman was busy typing on her computer. Lena cleared her throat and smiled. "Hi, I'm Lena Williams. I have an internship today, starting at the office listed in the letter. Could you direct me there?"
The receptionist barely looked up, her fingers continuing to tap away at the keyboard ingoring her.
Lena hesitated, unsure if she had been understood. "Excuse me," she said again, her voice a little firmer this time. "I need to go to the office that the letter mentioned. Could you tell me where it is?"
The receptionist finally glanced up at Lena, her expression changing to one of subtle disbelief. " Are sure that you are not in the wrong company" and said. Looking at her up and down.
" Our company doesn't accept those with your kind of look" She let out a small laugh.
Lena's chest tightened, but she held her ground. She wouldn't let this stranger's attitude define her day. Not today. She opened her mouth to respond, but before she could say anything, the receptionist cut her off with a loud, condescending laugh. "What? You really think they'll hire you Fatty, she mocked, eyeing Lena's attire. "How cute. Maybe you should just go back home and eat snacks on the couch."
The words stung, but Lena refused to let them crumble her. She wasn't going to shrink back now. Not in this place, not with this opportunity. She stood tall, met the receptionist's gaze, and, with a calmness she didn't know she had, said, "I can see that you are not qualified to be in this company too, Because you lack manners"
Without waiting for a response, Lena turned on her heel, determination flooding her veins. She was done with people thinking they could dictate her worth.
She walked toward the elevator, but as she passed by the lounge area, she caught a glimpse of a figure standing just a few feet away. Her heart skipped when she recognized him. It was the same guy from the supermarket. The same guy who had watched her at the gym with that same smirk on his face.
He was dressed in a sharp, well-tailored suit, his posture exuding the confidence that Lena had always wished for. When their eyes met, his smirk deepened, and his lips parted, as if about to speak. But then he just shrugged, offering no words, no acknowledgment of her presence, before he turned and walked away, leaving Lena standing there feeling smaller than ever.
But she didn't let the moment derail her. Instead, she stood still for a moment, taking a deep breath, refusing to let him or anyone else shake her resolve. She was not the same girl who had shrunk back at In school, or who had let Emma's words get to her.
She wasn't going to let anyone's judgment stop her, especially not him. She had a purpose here, and she was going to find that office, with or without help.
Lena took a few more steps, scanning the hallways for any sign of where to go. She checked the office numbers, her nerves bubbling up, but she didn't stop. She couldn't. There was no turning back now.
After a few minutes of walking, she finally spotted the door she was looking for. Millworth Technologies management department was clearly marked above the door. She gave herself a mental high-five, a wave of triumph washing over her.
She knocked once, and after a brief moment, the door swung open. The woman behind the desk looked up, eyes widening in surprise when she saw Lena standing there, all alone.
"Hi, I'm Lena Williams," Lena said, forcing a smile even though her heart was racing. "I have an internship here?"
The woman blinked a few times, seemingly taken aback. "Oh, of course, Miss Williams! Welcome," she said quickly, standing up. "We've been expecting you."
Lena didn't say anything more. She walked inside, feeling a surge of pride at having found the office on her own. The receptionist from earlier may have mocked her, and the guy at the gym may have smirked at her, but Lena had just proved one thing: she didn't need anyone's permission to succeed.
She belonged here. And nothing, not even the doubts of others, was going to stop her from showing it.