Chapter 3 A Whirlwind of Unexpected Attention
A Whirlwind of Unexpected Attention.
These last few days have been like a whirlwind, and it all started after my encounter with the masked woman with the gorgeous eyes on Saturday. It’s like that one semi-interaction unknowingly catapulted me down a path that I was so underprepared for.
Not long after I wrapped up the dance class I had been teaching, my phone started blowing up with notifications from my IG account that I had posted dance videos on.
My jaw literally hit the floor when I finally opened the app and found that my account had grown by thousands in such a short amount of time.
I was being flooded with comments on different posts, and people were adding my videos to their stories and reposting them left and right. It didn’t make any sense until I noticed that one of the new followers was none other than the woman whose song I’d been dancing to in that viral video.
Dawn Anderson.
I couldn’t believe she’d not only followed me, but had also shared the video on her story as well.
Then, to make things even more unbelievable, she’d followed me on my personal account as well.
I felt like I was living in some alternate reality, so I quickly called Ginger to see if she could help me make sense of everything.
“Ginger, please tell me that this isn’t some kind of sick joke?” I exclaimed as soon as her face appeared on my screen. She was all giddy, no doubt awaiting my call so she could talk about it. “How in the world did Dawn find my video?”
“What do you mean how?” She replied, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
“Your video was going viral to her song, so of course she would’ve seen it sooner or later.
This is so cool! I can’t believe that my best friend got a stamp of approval from my favorite artist. When you become famous, please don’t forget me. ”
“You’re such a trip,” I managed a laugh as I tried to calm my nerves. “I don’t think that-”
“Aht! Aht!” She cut me off with a scowl.
“Don’t even start that doubting shit. Your sister does enough of that for you.
” I sigh, nodding in agreement. “You are talented as hell, Rainey. You have every right to be excited about this because who knows? Maybe this will eventually open up more doors for you to finally live out your dream. You’re time is coming, and I’m so excited to see how bright you shine, baby girl. ”
I smiled to myself as I thought back on how she’d always been one of the most supportive people in my life.
For every time that Myra tried to tear me down and shit on my dreams, she was there to remind me that I was good enough and more.
She kept me grounded and stopped me from spiraling on several occasions.
She was the best friend I could ever ask for.
I sigh as I glance at the clock on my computer - 3:55 pm.
I smiled to myself as I began to shut everything down.
Many people in this office didn’t mind staying after their work hours were done, but I’d never been one of them.
I wasn’t trying to be an essential employee or someone who sucked up to the bosses for bonuses or to get in their good graces.
I came in, did what I got paid to do, and then went home.
I wasn’t here to do any more than what my job description stated, and when that clock struck four, I was outta there.
Besides, even if I wanted to, I knew it’d be another struggle for me, seeing as I was barely making it through the eight hours I had to be here.
Ever since I was younger, I’ve always been hyperactive.
Me and being still did not mix, and after officially being diagnosed with combined-type ADHD at six, my mom finally put me in dance classes to help channel my energy and strengthen my focus.
Even as an adult in my late 20s, if I was stationary for too long, I’d start to feel trapped, so I made sure to take every break I was allotted. And when I didn’t have any assignments, I was walking around the building. I was only at this job because I needed it, but I damn sure didn’t like it.
As I packed the last of my stuff into my bag and grabbed my lunch bag, I heard someone clear their throat beside me.
I looked up to see the section manager standing there, arms folded across her chest. I wanted to roll my eyes so bad, but instead, I plastered on a smile that I knew didn’t reach my eyes before giving her my full attention.
“Hey, Gwen. What’s up?” I asked, even though I already knew where this was going.
“Why is it that you’re always the first one to go at the end of the day?” she asks, like she doesn’t already know the answer. “Everyone else around you is serious about their jobs and knows that sometimes you have to stay a little late to meet deadlines, but you’re never tuned in to that mindset.”
“Gwen, I get paid to be here from 7 am to 4 pm. I don’t get paid to stay any later than that, and I don’t plan on starting that habit,” I reply, getting more annoyed by the second.
“Just because everyone else in this section wants to go above and beyond, even though they don’t get paid to, doesn’t mean that I want to do the same.
I have a life outside of this job, you know? ”
“And you’re saying your coworkers don’t?
” she asks, her voice dripping with attitude.
I could feel the eyes of my coworkers around me, and I hated every second of it.
“You think that you’re better than them or something just because your little dance video is trending? You think you’re hot shit now?”
I’m taken aback because that’s the last thing I’d expect her to bring up.
We stand there staring at one another. She seemed to be waiting for me to answer her, but I was waiting for her to spew more bullshit that I knew would be coming soon.
I was so sick of people in my life thinking they could walk all over me just because I held my tongue.
“What? You’re not going to say anything?”
“Gwen, what the fuck do you want?” I snap.
“Every other day, you find a reason to come stand up in my face and work on my damn nerves!” The room goes silent, and even the people in the nearby sections were peering over their cubicles to see what was going on.
“No, I don’t think I’m better than anyone, but I know my worth, and I refuse to continue to let you think you can talk to me any kind of way.
It’s played out! You’re almost forty. Grow up! ”
I could hear whispering all around me, and I’m sure that she was about five seconds away from popping a blood vessel by the way her vein was showing in her forehead, but I didn’t care.
I don’t know why she disliked me so much, but I was over it.
I was tired of giving a shit about what others thought about me.
I was tired of playing nice so that I wouldn’t upset people.
I was done being the same ole Raine that smiled through the hurt.
“You’re fired for being insubordinate, how about that?” She finally says, and all I can do is shrug. “Oh, so you don’t care?”
“You know what? No, as a matter of fact, I do not,” I reply. I step closer to her. “Fuck you and fuck this stupid ass job.”
I packed up all the things on my desk in the large printer paper box I had yet to dispose of, and pulled off my badge, tossing it towards her.
After grabbing the box, I walked out the door and headed straight to the elevator.
My head was spinning as the doors closed behind me, and I could feel myself starting to hyperventilate.
I’d never flashed on anyone like that before.
Even back in college, when my classmates and so-called friends took advantage of my kindness time and time again, I didn’t say anything.
I just distanced myself and pretended like I didn’t care.
But I was tired of living like that. Ever since I started working here a couple of months ago, Gwen has been on my case.
She reminded me so much of Myra, and I think that’s also why I reacted the way I did.
In a way, she was a surrogate for my sister, and I told her stuff that I was too scared to say to Myra, but she deserved it just as much.
Now, if I could only use that same energy to let Myra know how I really felt…
Yeah…one day.
“Damn, girl, what took you so long?” Ginger asked as soon as I stepped off the elevator and into the main lobby. Although we worked in the same building, she worked on a different floor in a different department. “I thought I was going to have to leave you.”
“Sorry, I was busy getting fired,” I sighed as we exited the building.
She stopped in her tracks and looked at me in shock. “Fired?! Why?!” She exclaimed. “Was it that bitch, Gwen?”
“Yeah, she got mad that I refused to stay overtime like the others and started talking out the side of her neck as usual. So, I told her ass off.”
“Whoa, okay, baby girl!” She cheered before jumping up and down. “I’m so proud of you! I mean, it sucks that you lost your job, but you stood up for yourself like I always knew you could. We should go celebrate!”
“Ginger, I literally just got fired,” I point out, but she waves me off.
“Yeah, you were too good for that job anyway,” she says as we continue to walk to the car.
“You getting fired was just a sign that a greater opportunity is coming your way very soon. For now, you relax and enjoy not having to work.” She pats my hand lightly.
“Oooh, want me to quit my job too so we can spend time building up your dance portfolio?”
“What?! Ginger, no! You can’t quit your job for me,” I reply frantically. “Don’t you like it?”