11. Chapter Eleven
Chapter Eleven
K endra
I woke up at 5:30 AM, feeling like a kid on Christmas morning. Today was my first day at ABS Broadcasting Station, and I couldn't wait to start this new chapter of my life.
As I rolled out of bed, I noticed something that made me smile—a penny on my nightstand, heads up. My grandmother used to tell me that finding a penny, especially heads up, was a sign of luck and prosperity. I felt a surge of excitement; today was going to be amazing!
I got out of bed and began getting ready for my first day. I had laid out my outfit the night before—a crisp white blouse, a tailored black pencil skirt, and a pair of low heels. I rushed in and out of the bathroom, and within minutes, I slipped on my outfit.
Next, I curled my hair to add some softness. With the curling iron, I transformed my straight locks into bouncy curls, leaving a few loose strands framing my face for a whimsical touch.
With my hair done, I moved on to my makeup. I kept it simple—a swipe of mascara, a light dusting of powder, and a subtle pink lip gloss. The image that stared back at me in the mirror brought a bright smile to my face. I was ready !
I booked a cab for 7:30 AM, and to my delight, it arrived right on time. I grabbed my bag and headed out the door, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. The station was about 20 minutes away from my apartment, giving me just enough time to collect my thoughts before arriving.
As we pulled up to the gate, I felt my heart skip a beat. The big, bold letters across the entrance read “ABS Broadcasting Station” in a sleek, modern font. I took a deep breath, pride and accomplishment washing over me. I was really doing this.
I texted Tina as I stepped out of the cab. “I'm here!”
Tina's response came immediately. “Yay! Come right in and ask security to show you to the admin block. I'll meet you there in five.”
I nodded to myself, feeling a sense of calm. I walked into the entrance and approached the security post, where a friendly guard greeted me.
"Hi, can I help you?" he asked.
"I'm looking for the admin block. I'm new here."
He smiled and pointed across the sprawling grounds. "Head toward that building over there, with the glass fa?ade, and then take a left. The admin block will be the first building you see. Its name is written boldly on the building. You can't miss it."
I thanked him and set off in the direction he'd indicated. As I approached the admin block, I spotted Tina waiting for me outside, a bright smile on her face and a headset draped around her neck.
She waved enthusiastically, and I could see a microphone peeking out from under her collar. She looked every inch the production expert.
I took a deep breath, feeling the cool morning air fill my lungs, and quickened my pace toward Tina.
"Hey, girl!" Tina exclaimed, enveloping me in a warm hug. "You look amazing! Welcome to ABS."
I hugged her back. "Thanks, Tina. You can't imagine how stoked I am to be here today."
“I think I can… the smile on your face gives you away,” she teased.
My response was an even bigger smile. I couldn’t contain my excitement.
“So, I’ll be taking you to HR first, so you can sign in, and then I’ll give you a little tour.”
“That sounds wonderful. Uhm… I am not complaining, but isn’t there something you’re busy with? As much as I would love the guidance, I wouldn’t want to keep you from work.”
“Girl! It’s barely 8 a.m. Everyone is still just setting up and catching up on how they spent their weekend.”
“Okay, let’s go then.”
We walked into the admin block, and Tina led me to the HR department. "I'll wait over here while you sort out the uh… formalities," she said, nodding toward a sleek, modern couch.
I nodded and entered the HR office, where I was greeted by a warm smile from the HR representative, who introduced herself as Mrs. Jenkins after I stated my name.
"Welcome, Kendra! We're thrilled to have you on board. Please, have a seat."
I sat down, trying to take everything in at once. The office was tastefully decorated, with ABS Broadcasting Station's logo prominently displayed on the wall.
Mrs. Jenkins handed me a thick folder. "This contains all the information you need to get started. Your contract, benefits package, and a map of the facility. Take some time to review it."
I nodded, flipping through the pages. "Thank you. What's the next step?"
"Within the next few days, please submit your documents for onboarding, including your ID and social security number. We'll also schedule a photo shoot for your ID badge and department picture. You'll meet with your unit head, Mr. Thompson, after this, to discuss your role and responsibilities."
I made a mental note. "Got it. Anything else?"
"You’ll be joining the investigative journalism team for now. I believe Mr. Thompson is already expecting you. He doesn’t like to be kept waiting, so that'll be all for now. Let’s get you settled in."
After signing a few documents and collecting my temporary ID badge, I left the HR office, feeling more… official.
Tina stood up from the couch, grinning. "All sorted?"
"Yep," I replied, holding up my ID badge.
"Awesome! Let's take a tour. I'll introduce you to some of the team members."
As we walked through the facility, I couldn't help but admire the sleek, modern architecture. We passed by the news studio, where anchors were preparing for the morning broadcast.
"That's where the magic happens. They take your stories and give life to them," Tina said, winking.
We walked into the production room, where Tina introduced me to her colleagues. "Guys, this is Kendra, our new investigative journalist."
They welcomed me warmly, asking about my background and experience.
Next, Tina took me to the investigative journalism department, where I met my unit head, Mr. Thompson, just as he was about to head out.
"One minute, please," he said to someone on the phone before turning to me. "Welcome, Kendra. That’s your desk," he said, pointing to an empty cubicle next to the window. It had a laptop and some light decorating around it.
“The person I’m replacing must have really loved flowers,” I commented, smiling at the little flower pots around the window.
“Yeah… do with them as you please. Set up the space to your comfort. I’ll see you later. Peter will give you a rundown of the week’s tasks.” He gestured toward a young African-American man with a sweet smile before returning to his call and walking away.
“Hi, I’m Peter.”
“Kendra,” I replied, taking the hand he offered.
Just then, Tina's headset crackled to life. "Tina, we need you in the control room. We're going live in 15."
"Duty calls," Tina said, smiling. "I'll leave you to get settled. Peter is good folk," she grinned. "I'll catch up with you later."
I nodded, watching as Tina rushed off.
“Ehm.” Peter cleared his throat, drawing my attention. “So, I’ll let you have a feel of your desk, and then I’ll bring over the list of tasks for the week.”
“Okay, thank you.”
He turned to leave when I stopped him with a question. “Are we the only ones working with Mr. Thompson?” I asked, looking around the empty space. There were three other empty cubicles, and an adjoining office which I assumed was Thompson’s.
“Nah… there’s Stacey, Leo, and Anne. Leo and Stacey are out already on a joint project. They should be coming in much later in the day. As for Anne, let’s just say she’s not big on punctuality,” he explained.
“Oh, okay. Thank you.” I memorized the names as I walked over to my desk.
***
A Month Later….
It’s been a little over a month working at ABS, and saying it was stressful was an understatement. I loved my job, but sometimes, I just wanted to run and hide in the toilet from my unit head. He was skilled at many things, and one of his finest skills was breathing down a person’s neck.
I had thought of quitting my part-time job at the diner but decided against it. It was my happy place—the one spot where I could temporarily forget about the stresses of my job at ABS Broadcasting Station.
As I clocked in at Molly's Diner, the familiar bustle of the evening rush enveloped me. I exchanged warm smiles with Lily, my boss, and Mike, the bartender, as I tied on my apron. The diner was filled with the savory aromas of burgers and fries and the hum of conversation.
I took a deep breath, feeling a sense of comfort wash over me. As I began taking orders and delivering plates, the door swung open, and Antonio walked in, followed by Jake.
My heart skipped a beat as our eyes met, and I felt a flutter in my chest. I pushed the sensation aside, reminding myself that I had made it clear I only wanted to be neighbors… a neighbor I had not seen in almost two weeks.
I wanted to ask him what was going on, why he abandoned his apartment, but I didn’t… he would read too much into it… my heart would read too much into it.
"Hi, just neighbor," Antonio said with a teasing smile, breaking me out of my thoughts.
I returned the smile, feeling the pull of his presence. "Hey there. What brings you in today?"
Jake chuckled. "Hey, Kendra, how's it going?"
"It's going," I said, scribbling down their orders. "So, what's the occasion? Haven’t seen you around here in a while."
"Just had a lot to sort out. You missed me?" He asked with a smirk that made me want to smack him.
“You wish.”
Jake leaned in, a mischievous glint in his eye. "So, is there something going on between you two that I should know about?"
I rolled my eyes. "No."
Antonio said, "Yes," at the same time, his eyes locked on mine.
I shot him a warning look. "No, there's not."
Lily appeared at my side, a warm smile on her face. "Hey, Kendra, how's it going? I see we've got some familiar faces today."
I smiled back at her. "Yeah, just taking their orders."
Lily nodded. "Great. Well, I hope you play nice with Antonio today... he’s the reason you got your job back." She announced, before heading off to attend to a customer who was calling for attention.
I felt my eyes widen in surprise, as I turned from Lily’s retreating figure to Antonio, who was watching me with an unreadable expression.
"Why?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Antonio shrugged. "I just felt bad about what happened. You didn't deserve to lose your job over it."
“Thank you.” I replied, turning away before he could see my face flush.
As I delivered their drinks and continued taking orders, I couldn't help but steal glances at Antonio… and I couldn’t do anything to control the pace of my heartbeat.
Was I ready to let my guard down and give him a chance, to see if the connection between us was more than just a lingering college crush? Or was I just setting myself up for heartache?