CHAPTER ONE

Nala Stephen stepped out of her father's house in a modest home in Brooklyn, New York. The warm morning air enveloped her, filled with the vibrant sounds of cars horning, chatter,and wailing siren. She breathed in deeply, taking in the aroma of freshly baked bagels from the nearby bakery. The smell of exhaust fumes and garbage lingered in the air, a reminder of the city's grittier side. As She walked to the bus stop,Nala's eye scanned the elcetice mix of brownstones, trendy boutiques,and hipster cafes that lined the street. She felt the rough, graffiti-covered walls of buildings beneath her fingertips as she waited for the bus. The rumble of the subway trains beneath the street vibrated through her feet.

She felt trapped,desperate to escape this life and the city that seems to suffocate her.

She thought about her family's history in Brooklyn, how her parents had worked hard to provide for her and her siblings. She thought about the struggle they faced as Black Americans, the systemic racism and inequality that still persisted.

 February 15th would mark her 25th birthday, a milestone that weighed heavily on her mind. As the first child of Mr.John stephen, a hardworking entrepreneur, and Mrs.Grace stephen, a care giver Nala felt the burden of responsibility. Her parents had sacrificed so much for their family and Nala was determined to help them, even if it meant putting her own dreams on hold.

 Despite her strong sense of duty,Nala couldn't help but feel restless. She had always dream of making difference in the world, of leaving a lasting impact that would outlast her. As she waited for the bus, Nala felt the weight of her dreams,the desire to break free from expectations of others and forge her own path.

She thinks about this new job interview she is going and pray in her mind for the interview to go well and she should get the job. At least she have something doing and able to contribute to the welfare of the family.

Nala walked into the office building, her heart racing with anticipation. She had been searching for a job for months, and this opportunity seemed like the perfect fit. The receptionist greeted her with a warm smile and led her to the conference room.

The interviewer, a middle-aged man with a stern expression, looked up from her resume. "Good morning, Nala," he said, his voice firm but polite. "Thank you for coming in today. Can you start by telling me a little about yourself?"

Nala launched into her well-rehearsed speech, highlighting her skills and experiences. But as the interview progressed, she began to feel a sense of unease. The interviewer seemed dismissive of her answers, and his questions became increasingly aggressive. She understands that look very well.

"So, you think you're qualified for this role?" he sneered, his voice dripping with condescension. "I'm not convinced. Can you give me an example of a time when you overcame a difficult challenge?"

Nala felt her temper rising, but she tried to remain calm. "Actually, I can give you several examples," she said, her voice firm. "But I'd like to ask, what specific challenges do you think I'll face in this role?". Life is a challenge already and this dwarf asking her how she overcome a difficult challenge?, she is ready for this man.

The interviewer raised an eyebrow, his expression incredulous. "Oh, so you think you're entitled to know the challenges of the job?" he spat, his voice rising. "Well, let me tell you, it's not all sunshine and rainbows. This is a high-pressure role, and if you can't handle the heat, then maybe you're not the right person for the job."

Nala's anger boiled over, her face hot with indignation, cause she is sure this man is not sure of what he is saying. "I'm not entitled to know the challenges of the job?" she repeated, her voice loud and clear. "I'm here to discuss my qualifications and experience, not to be belittled and talked down to. If this is how you treat your employees, then I'm not interested in working here."

The interviewer's face turned red with rage, his eyes bulging. "How dare you!" he thundered, slamming his fist on the table. "You come in here, thinking you're some kind of hotshot, and you have the nerve to question my methods?"

Nala stood up, her heart pounding with anger. "I'm not questioning your methods," she said, her voice cold and steady. "I'm questioning your attitude. And I'm not interested in working for a company that treats its employees with disrespect."

The interviewer sneered, his lip curling. "Well, I think we've seen enough," he spat. "You're clearly not the right fit for this company. Don't bother coming back."

Nala smiled, a cold, hard smile. "I wouldn't dream of it," she said, turning on her heel and walking out of the office.

As she emerged into the bright sunlight, Nala felt a sense of pride and empowerment. She may not have gotten the job, but she had stood up for herself and refused to be treated poorly.

She decided to branch at her best friend place before going home to calm her nerves and have some time for her bestie too, since it has been a awhile she saw her. She stop at the bus station to waiting for the bus.

Nala trudged into Fifi's small comfy living room, collapsing onto the couch with a dramatic sigh. Fifi, who was busy scrolling through her phone, looked up with a surprise expression.

"Wow, who am l seeing?". Fifi look's surprised as she looks at the person in front of her.

"Please, which is who am l seeing?, Doing as if you haven't seen me before?" Nana asked changing her mood to a serious worried look.

"Hey, girl, what's wrong?" Fifi asked, setting her phone aside.

Nala launched into a detailed account of her disastrous job interview, complete with impressions of the condescending interviewer. Fifi listened attentively, her face growing more and more amused.

"...and then he had the nerve to tell me I'm not the right fit for the company!" Nala concluded, throwing up her hands in frustration.

Fifi burst out laughing. "Girl, you're killing me!" she exclaimed, wiping tears from her eyes. "You should've told him, 'I'm not the right fit? Well, neither is your height !'"

Nala couldn't help but giggle at Fifi's ridiculous comment. "Fifi, that's not helpful!" she protested, laughing.

Fifi grinned mischievously. "Hey, someone's got to keep things light around here. Besides, you're not going to let one bad interview bring you down, are you?"

Nala shook her head, smiling. "No way. I'm just going to... um... add it to my collection of horrible job interviews."

Fifi snorted. "Girl, you're like a job interview survivor! You should start a support group and make yourself admin."

Nala chuckled, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. "You know what? I think I will. And I'll invite all the other survivors to share their horror stories."

Fifi high-fived Nala. "Now that's what I call a party!"

As they laughed and joked, Nala's stomach growled loudly, the smell of fried chicken and greens wafted from the kitchen. " girl I'm starving, would you mind give me some of that delicious meal aroma coming from your kitchen." Nala pouted her mouth with a pleading eyes,

Fifi shrugged sheepishly. "Ahn ahn, Nala, Do you come to my place to eat!" 

Nala raised an eyebrow, grinning mischievously. " no! Not at all but will you mind feeding a friend who got rejected at her interview?."

Fifi went to the kitchen to serve her friend and Nala admiring her friend shape and chocolate skin glowing with a warm smile and cuvery body damm!! This girl got the shape. Fifi return with the food and hand it to Nala." Here you go".

Nala chuckled and took a bite, savoring the flavors of the food.. "Thank you, this taste so Good, Don't worry once I get a job you will have rich ingredients to prepare your meals, this is good but have the taste of a broke girl." Nala laughed as she chew her food 

Fifi rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "You're one to talk, miss 'I'm-still-looking-for-a-job'. Maybe I'll just have to suffer with my broke-ness until you become a rich and famous career woman."

Nala playfully tossed a pillow at Fifi. "Hey, watch it! I'll have you know, I'm a highly qualified and soon-to-be-highly-employed individual."

Fifi grinned, snuggling into the couch. "I'm rooting for you, girl.."

As she eat, Nala couldn't help but think about her job search. She had been applying to every opening she could find, but nothing seemed to be panning out.

Fifi noticed her friend's frustration and decided to change the subject. "Hey, Nala, how's life at home with your parents?" she asked.

Nala rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "It's... interesting. My mom is still trying to feed me like I'm 10 years old. 'Eat more more food,Nala, you're too skinny!'"

Fifi burst out laughing. "That sounds about right. Your mom always did love to feed you."

Nala chuckled. "I know, right? But it's nice to have them supporting me, even if they can be a bit much sometimes.". 

Fifi looks at her friend with and hold her hands." You know they want the best for you."

Nala nodded and felt a sense of gratitude for her friend. Fifi might be a bit quirky, but she was always there for Nala when she needed.