"Oh sh*t, I'm late!"
Aiden jolted upright from his bed, his heart pounding. He shut his eyes for a brief moment, took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly before dashing to the bathroom. Within five minutes, he was out, dripping water as he hurried to get dressed.
"Hurry up, kid! Time is running out," an old voice called from the other room—it was his grandfather.
Aiden quickly slipped into a perfectly tailored tuxedo that accentuated his tall, handsome frame. As he stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his tie, a flicker of sadness passed through his eyes. "Mom, Dad… I'll find you. I promise," he muttered under his breath.
Navigating through the bustling train station, Aiden finally arrived at his destination. He looked up at the towering building before him, where large, bold letters spelled out "TECH LAB."
At the entrance, two guards stepped in his way.
"I'm here for an interview," Aiden said impatiently, flashing his entrance card.
After a brief inspection, they let him through.
Stepping inside, Aiden was momentarily stunned. The sleek, futuristic interior looked like something straight out of a sci-fi movie. However, there was no time to admire the view—he was already late.
"Excuse me, I'm looking for Dr. Rosslyn," he asked a passing woman.
She turned to him and, for a moment, seemed taken aback. Her eyes quickly scanned his flawless appearance—tall, well-dressed, undeniably handsome.
"Follow me," she replied.
She led him to the interview room. Time dragged on, and after an agonizing hour of waiting—highly unusual for an interview—Aiden grew anxious.
Finally, the door swung open, and a woman in a lab coat stepped out. Dr. Rosslyn had a complicated expression on her face.
"Apologies, everyone," she announced. "Due to unforeseen circumstances the company is currently facing, today's interviews have been postponed until further notice. We sincerely regret the inconvenience. Have a nice day."
Murmurs of disappointment spread through the room. Aiden felt his heart sink.
"What?! No, this can't be!" he muttered, nearly choking on his own frustration.
Determined, he rushed forward and stopped Dr. Rosslyn before she could leave.
"Excuse me, ma'am," he pleaded desperately.
She turned to him with a tired look. "How may I help you?"
"Please, I need this job," Aiden implored. "I have to take care of myself and my grandfather. I need to pay rent, put food on the table—there has to be another way. Please, ma'am, isn't there anything I can do?"
Dr. Rosslyn studied him for a moment. Her expression softened, but she sighed heavily. "I'm sorry. Right now, the company is facing serious challenges. There's nothing I can do."
She hesitated, as if moved by his words and the desperation in his eyes, but ultimately turned away.
Aiden walked out of the building, shoulders slumped, feeling the crushing weight of failure.
"I'm a failure!" he shouted into the sky. His voice echoed, scaring a flock of birds into flight.
As he watched them disappear into the horizon, he clenched his fists. "No. I can't give up. Not yet"