ROSE POV
My heartbeat had doubled the moment we got to the company. I might as well bid my current employment status goodbye. Imagine what my haters would say:
"She was given the last warning on the first day of work, and sacked on the second day."
Just the thought of it gave me the chills. I wouldn't be able to face my father and his judgemental eyes. Any little thing would make him remind me of my job and how I flopped in less than two days, and guess what? It's all Daniel's fault. I don't even know the wizard that I was made to live with.
He has carried whatever has kept him in abject poverty to come live with me, and if I am not careful, that thing might make me a test subject as well. I turned to look at him, and saw him sweating profusely, reaching into his pocket for his transport fare.
I hate him!
I stepped out of the car, and reached into my purse to bring out my transport fare. I paid the driver and waited a bit for Daniel to settle the man. Yeah, I know I said I hate him just a few minutes ago, but I also know the kind of trouble that I am in with the boss and I know better than to go to his office alone.
"Why are you still standing here? Don't you know the way inside?" He said, walking over to where I stood.
"The fact that I am standing here is none of your business. I was just arranging my stuff." I said, pretending to arrange the things in my bag.
"You are such a pathetic liar." He said, finally walking into the company while I followed closely behind.
Call me whatever you want, but as long as I am not going in alone, well I am okay with it. We walked over to the receptionist and didn't get the usual warm reception that we were used to. She wasn't rude to us. She was just neutral. At that point, my blood ran cold.
"The manager has been waiting for both of you. He's in his office." She said, her face expressionless.
A huge sigh left Daniel's lips, and my hands started to fidget. I had to stabilize myself and not let Daniel see me in that state. We slowly made our way to the stairs and climbed it, not stopping till we got to the uppermost floor of the building. Here we were, standing before the manager's door, none of us willing to knock or go in.
Daniel looked at me, and back at the door. He finally knocked after probably saying a few prayers, and a cold "come in" came from within. We entered, and stood in front of the manager who seemed engaged in whatever he was doing on his laptop.
"You know, I have never seen people as incompetent as the both of you." He said, not lifting his eyes from the screen.
Was he typing out our sack letter?
"Just take a look at the time that you are coming to work." He continued. "Care to explain yourselves?"
"Emm…sir. It was Rose's fault." Daniel said, his voice cracking under the tense atmosphere.
My fault? Is he seriously going to place the blame on me?
"Sir, Daniel is the one at fault." I said, rolling my eyes at him.
"Can you see why I called the both of you incompetent?" He said, finally looking up. "No one wants to take responsibility for their actions. I think I know how to handle the likes of you."
"Sir I tried to…." Daniel tried to say.
"Just shut it!" The manager roared at him.
He deserves it. Look at how he is feeling as though he has sense.
"And Rose, did I not warn you yesterday that what happened yesterday was the final straw?" He said, turning his gaze to me.
I gulped hard. How do I defend myself now? I can't tell him I was drugged by Daniel. I don't have any proof, and also, I would be setting myself up too. Imagine reporting someone and end up being arrested yourself.
"I'm waiting for your response." He said, looking intensely at me.
I shifted uncomfortably under his gaze and nodded my head slowly. Now I fully understand the meaning of aura. Some people's aura will judge you before a word comes out of their mouth.
"So I guess you both know the consequences." He pressed the "enter key" on the laptop slowly so we could clearly see him. My heart jumped into my mouth.
We both fell on our knees simultaneously as though it was rehearsed, and started begging him from the depths of our hearts. We finally decided to keep our ego aside and plead for the job. The manager looked at us, probably wondering why we were acting like teenagers about to be punished for a serious crime.
"You know, I would have fired you both, and there would have been no need for the both of you to be here." He paused for a while, then continued. "But I just don't understand what kept pushing me not to send in your sack letters."
I finally let go of the breath I didn't know I held. I haven't been this tense since grade school, after I had failed about three subjects. My dad had locked the door and flogged the upcoming dummy out of me. He has always had this tough love towards me. He disciplines me a lot, and sometimes punishes me if my younger ones make a mistake. His excuse? I should have corrected them.
How does he expect me to do that when my siblings are basically rebellious? I'm just glad that I have finally left his house and away from his choking rules.
"But the both of you still need to be punished." He said, typing once again on the laptop.
"After work hours today, the both of you would be responsible for cleaning your office. I have told the janitor to sit this one out. If this "mistake" happens again, then don't bother coming to work." he said in an air of finality.
We both nodded, grateful that we still got to keep our jobs. We walked out of the manager's office and straight to ours, basically avoiding each other. Throughout the whole day at work, not a sound was made between us. We only talked when necessary, like passing an office equipment or seeking opinion on a certain issue. Anything that would aggravate the already complex situation was avoided at all cost.
Our working hours came to an end, and we immediately cleared our desks. After taking directions from the janitor, we got a broom and a dustpan, and went to get the office cleaned as fast as possible. Daniel handed the broom over to me, and went about arranging the chairs. What does he think he is doing?
"Daniel! Who are you leaving the sweeping for?" I yelled at him.
"Between the both of us, who is the woman? You, so you have to do it. It is within your jurisdiction after all." He said, not bothering to look up at me.
How I so much want to tear him into pieces right now. So he still has the guts to be forming rights in this situation we find ourselves in? Have you seen why I said that poverty has eaten deep into his brain? It has eaten so deep that there's nothing left for him to use in thinking.
"To think I would succumb to your stupid talks on women's responsibility is nothing but a mere dream." I said, dropping the broom on the floor and began arranging the chairs as well.
Actually, there's only two chairs in the office. So we were basically deceiving ourselves that we were doing something meaningful just to avoid sweeping the office. Eventually, after about ten minutes, Daniel finally had enough. He grabbed the broom, and pointed angrily at me.
"I'd sweep this half of the office, you sweep that half." He said, his temper rising.
Now that's a fair agreement to me. I nodded my head in affirmation, and after a few minutes, I heard him calling me a lazy girl under his breath.
"What did you say, Daniel?" I asked, so I could be sure I heard him right.
"Nothing." He replied immediately.
"It had better be nothing." I responded.
"What do you think you can do? I called you a lazy girl and that's what you are." He said, turning to face me.
"Says the guy whose poverty has caged and refused to let go. If I am lazy and still in a better position than you, that makes you incompetent." I fired back.
"Better position?" He snickered. "Keep dreaming. We are basically in the same office."
"Maybe, but my life is still better than yours." I replied.
"Not even close."
We continued our arguments until he finally handed me the broom. I quickly swept my part of the office, all while exchanging words with Daniel. I returned the broom and dustpan to where we had gotten it from, and returned to the office only to discover that Daniel had left already. I walked out of the company, and I found the driver assigned to us patiently waiting for me.
On getting close to him, he greeted me, and I responded. Daniel sat at the front seat, playing Candy Crush on his phone. I ignored him, and slid in at the passenger's seat. The car's engine roared back to life, and the driver skillfully swerved out of the company and into the highway.
Today has really been a long day.
But I still have some scores to settle with Daniel when we get home.
He will regret drugging me.
TBC