Noah
As soon as the alarm rang, I bolted out of bed and scurried into the bathroom. I had barely slept the previous night; my mind had been running in circles, replaying Mr. Carter's compliment.
Safe to say, I was the first employee in a while to receive such praise from him, and the last thing I wanted was to disappoint him.
I hummed a song that had been stuck in my head as the warm water from the shower cascaded over me, the mist drawing abstract shapes on the large mirror above the sink.
"It's a beautiful day," I sang along to the next tune that floated into my mind, scrubbing every inch of my body. Soon, I was done bathing and wrapped a towel around my waist as I headed back to my room.
I stared at the neatly hung clothes for today's work. Taking a deep breath, I whispered to myself, "I'll do everything to prove my loyalty to Mr. Carter and this company." Within minutes, I was dressed, but a sudden wave of anxiety hit me.
The sound of a car parking outside made my heart jump, I realized my Uber had finally arrived.
At the office, everyone cheered for me again, still buzzing about Mr. Carter's compliment from the previous day.
It might have seemed like they were overdoing it, but they weren't. Mr. Carter was a man who was hard to please, and when he gave you something as meaningful as a compliment, acknowledging your effort, you could say it was almost like receiving a promotion.
A gasp escaped my lips when the crowd suddenly yelled, "Surprise!" Confetti rained down, and a few balloons floated lazily across the room.
I received congratulatory messages from my coworkers and felt a warm gratitude, they were genuinely happy for me.
Dave, who always carried the "main character" energy, began playing music. I urged him to stop; we were in the office, after all. But he insisted that a few minutes of music wouldn't hurt anyone, and besides, Mr. Carter hadn't arrived yet.
His idea terrified me. And as if the universe loved to test me, Mr. Carter appeared, cutting the celebration abruptly short. Everyone scurried back to their posts, muttering greetings while avoiding his gaze.
He barely acknowledged me, muttering, "See me in my office," before disappearing down the hallway.
I froze in place until Dave reminded me that Mr. Carter had just called for me.
A whirlwind of thoughts clouded my mind. What was he going to do? Fire me? Punish me? Suspend me?
My legs shook as I stood outside his office, taking deep breaths. When I finally knocked, he said, "Come in."
Fear consumed me as I stepped inside. He didn't speak, and I took it as my cue to apologize.
"I'm sorry, Sir. Please don't be upset with everyone else, they only wanted to celebrate my magazine success. If anyone should be punished, it should be me," I rambled.
Finally, he lifted his gaze from his laptop and looked at me.
"Sit, Noah," he gestured to the chair opposite him. My shaky legs carried me there, a bead of sweat forming on my forehead. I avoided his eyes, dreading the disappointment I imagined reflected there.
"So," he began, breaking the silence, "I give you one compliment, and you turn my office into a circus."
I tried to speak, but the words lodged in my throat, trapped by some invisible force.
When I didn't respond, he continued, "I understand your need to celebrate small winsbut I expect more from my new secretary."
What?!
I would have turned pale if I had looked in a mirror. Shock rooted me to the spot, I could hardly believe it. "What—t what—" I stammered.
"Noah, I expect full sentences from you. I also expect you to ask about your duties. But somehow, you're stuck on my previous compliment."
I stared at him in disbelief. Was this man even real? And if he was… why me? There were other employees who could serve as his secretary perfectly. And why am I just knowing about my promotion?
"Excuse me, Sir. I don't mean to be forward, but did you say your secretary?" I asked, earning a frown from him.
He averted his gaze from his laptop and fixed it on me. I couldn't tell if he was looking to intimidate me or to study me. All I could feel were goosebumps, mixed with cold sweat, crawling over my skin.
"Noah, from today onwards, you're my secretary," he said, nonchalantly. "And I expect you to thank me for not punishing you for the little circus you organized in my company."
I bowed my head in embarrassment, feeling heat rise to my cheeks.
"That being all, you can leave my office if you have nothing to say. I do appreciate silence, but not while I'm staring at a mannequin."
I couldn't say anything, no matter how hard I tried, the words were just stuck in my throat. All I could manage was a muttered sorry, which seemed to fizzle out in my mind before it even left my lips.
I swallowed hard, trying to regain composure. My hands twitched nervously at my sides as I forced myself to step toward the door. Every step felt heavier than the last, weighed down by embarrassment and the undeniable authority radiating from Mr. Carter.
Just as I reached for the handle, Mr. Carter's voice stopped me.
"Noah," he said softly, almost casually, yet there was an edge to it that rattled me. "Make sure you do your job properly. I don't tolerate mistakes."
"Yes… sir," I whispered, the last word barely audible.
As the door clicked shut behind me, I let out a shaky breath, wondering how I was supposed to survive under the watchful eyes of a man who could make me feel both terrified and strangely electrified at the same time.
Finally, when I collected myself, I opened his door again and thanked him for my sudden promotion and raced to my office, ignoring the shocked look on his face.