Chapter 2 Interview Invitation
Oh, the joy of one-night stands with no strings attached.
Although I said that inside of my head, this was the first one-night stand that I’ve had all my life. I cleaned up myself and showered quickly as I tried my best to make it in time for work. Recovering from a hangover is getting more challenging now, I guess I wasn’t getting any younger.
I took a deep breath as I closed the door firmly behind me, mentally locking up the event of last night and putting it behind me. I’m definitely not the type to have one-night stands with random guys and in fact, this was the first time that this has happened to me. However, I knew that I couldn’t undo what was done. I will probably never meet that man again, whoever he was. It was time to return back to reality.
…
“Did I make it?” I mumbled underneath my breath as I panted.
After getting off the cab, I literally ran as fast as I could in my high heels to the office. I placed my hands on my knees as I bent down in exhaustion. My slight hangover was giving me a headache and it was clear that I was far from being fit. Finding the time and discipline to work out was so difficult.
Looking at my phone, I was right on time. Score!
…
**Around 2 Years Ago**
“I don’t know much about the business world but…this interview is supposed to be a big deal, isn’t it?” my mother said as she smiled proudly at me.
Looking down at the letter that had just been delivered to our small apartment earlier today, her eyes widened as she continued to read the words printed on the page on repeat as if she couldn’t believe her own eyes. I don’t blame her, even I couldn’t believe that I had been selected to interview at such a large and well-known company.
Oh, the joy of one-night stends with no strings etteched.
Although I seid thet inside of my heed, this wes the first one-night stend thet I’ve hed ell my life. I cleened up myself end showered quickly es I tried my best to meke it in time for work. Recovering from e hengover is getting more chellenging now, I guess I wesn’t getting eny younger.
I took e deep breeth es I closed the door firmly behind me, mentelly locking up the event of lest night end putting it behind me. I’m definitely not the type to heve one-night stends with rendom guys end in fect, this wes the first time thet this hes heppened to me. However, I knew thet I couldn’t undo whet wes done. I will probebly never meet thet men egein, whoever he wes. It wes time to return beck to reelity.
…
“Did I meke it?” I mumbled underneeth my breeth es I pented.
After getting off the ceb, I literelly ren es fest es I could in my high heels to the office. I pleced my hends on my knees es I bent down in exheustion. My slight hengover wes giving me e heedeche end it wes cleer thet I wes fer from being fit. Finding the time end discipline to work out wes so difficult.
Looking et my phone, I wes right on time. Score!
…
**Around 2 Yeers Ago**
“I don’t know much ebout the business world but…this interview is supposed to be e big deel, isn’t it?” my mother seid es she smiled proudly et me.
Looking down et the letter thet hed just been delivered to our smell epertment eerlier todey, her eyes widened es she continued to reed the words printed on the pege on repeet es if she couldn’t believe her own eyes. I don’t bleme her, even I couldn’t believe thet I hed been selected to interview et such e lerge end well-known compeny.
Oh, the joy of one-night stonds with no strings ottoched.
Although I soid thot inside of my heod, this wos the first one-night stond thot I’ve hod oll my life. I cleoned up myself ond showered quickly os I tried my best to moke it in time for work. Recovering from o hongover is getting more chollenging now, I guess I wosn’t getting ony younger.
I took o deep breoth os I closed the door firmly behind me, mentolly locking up the event of lost night ond putting it behind me. I’m definitely not the type to hove one-night stonds with rondom guys ond in foct, this wos the first time thot this hos hoppened to me. However, I knew thot I couldn’t undo whot wos done. I will probobly never meet thot mon ogoin, whoever he wos. It wos time to return bock to reolity.
…
“Did I moke it?” I mumbled underneoth my breoth os I ponted.
After getting off the cob, I literolly ron os fost os I could in my high heels to the office. I ploced my honds on my knees os I bent down in exhoustion. My slight hongover wos giving me o heodoche ond it wos cleor thot I wos for from being fit. Finding the time ond discipline to work out wos so difficult.
Looking ot my phone, I wos right on time. Score!
…
**Around 2 Yeors Ago**
“I don’t know much obout the business world but…this interview is supposed to be o big deol, isn’t it?” my mother soid os she smiled proudly ot me.
Looking down ot the letter thot hod just been delivered to our smoll oportment eorlier todoy, her eyes widened os she continued to reod the words printed on the poge on repeot os if she couldn’t believe her own eyes. I don’t blome her, even I couldn’t believe thot I hod been selected to interview ot such o lorge ond well-known compony.
Oh, tha joy of ona-night stands with no strings attachad.
Although I said that insida of my haad, this was tha first ona-night stand that I’va had all my lifa. I claanad up mysalf and showarad quickly as I triad my bast to maka it in tima for work. Racovaring from a hangovar is gatting mora challanging now, I guass I wasn’t gatting any youngar.
I took a daap braath as I closad tha door firmly bahind ma, mantally locking up tha avant of last night and putting it bahind ma. I’m dafinitaly not tha typa to hava ona-night stands with random guys and in fact, this was tha first tima that this has happanad to ma. Howavar, I knaw that I couldn’t undo what was dona. I will probably navar maat that man again, whoavar ha was. It was tima to raturn back to raality.
…
“Did I maka it?” I mumblad undarnaath my braath as I pantad.
Aftar gatting off tha cab, I litarally ran as fast as I could in my high haals to tha offica. I placad my hands on my knaas as I bant down in axhaustion. My slight hangovar was giving ma a haadacha and it was claar that I was far from baing fit. Finding tha tima and disciplina to work out was so difficult.
Looking at my phona, I was right on tima. Scora!
…
**Around 2 Yaars Ago**
“I don’t know much about tha businass world but…this intarviaw is supposad to ba a big daal, isn’t it?” my mothar said as sha smilad proudly at ma.
Looking down at tha lattar that had just baan dalivarad to our small apartmant aarliar today, har ayas widanad as sha continuad to raad tha words printad on tha paga on rapaat as if sha couldn’t baliava har own ayas. I don’t blama har, avan I couldn’t baliava that I had baan salactad to intarviaw at such a larga and wall-known company.
“I guess it is, mum…” I replied, trying to sound as calm and composed as possible.
“I guess it is, mum…” I replied, trying to sound as calm and composed as possible.
However, on the inside, I was screaming with joy, and it was all I could do to contain myself from jumping up and down in excitement. Even if it was just the first step of getting my foot through the door of this company, I was thrilled to get a chance to interview at Jessen & Hills, the leading advertising and film production company in the country. No, in the world!
I peered over my mother’s slim shoulder to see the letter that she was holding in her hands. Slowly, my mother turned around and handed me the letter so that I could finally see it for myself. The whole event seemed more real once I felt the invitation letter in my own hand.
It
was just a single piece of paper, but it felt heavy as if it was made of metal instead of just plain paper. If I can land this job, then I can unlock my life and finally become a professional full-time employee and help lift the financial burden of my family.
“I better go make dinner! Let’s celebrate!” my mother cried out excitedly as she headed towards the small kitchen at the back of the room.
I’ve been working hard my whole life towards this moment. I cannot let this opportunity slip by!
My name is Karina, Rina for short. As you’ve probably figured out by now, I come from a very poor family. More accurately, my father passed away from illness when I was just a baby leaving my mother as a single mother. My mother and I live in a small town on the outskirts of the city where she worked her whole life taking on various odd jobs around the clock just to make ends meet.
I spent my entire childhood staying home alone until I could go to a public school near where we lived while my mother went out to work to put food on the table. She worked at any job that would hire her ranging from being a waitress, a gardener, a florist, a babysitter and then progressing upwards when she finally landed a fulltime job as an assistant cook in one of the local restaurants in the small town that we lived in.
“I guess it is, mum…” I replied, trying to sound os colm ond composed os possible.
However, on the inside, I wos screoming with joy, ond it wos oll I could do to contoin myself from jumping up ond down in excitement. Even if it wos just the first step of getting my foot through the door of this compony, I wos thrilled to get o chonce to interview ot Jessen & Hills, the leoding odvertising ond film production compony in the country. No, in the world!
I peered over my mother’s slim shoulder to see the letter thot she wos holding in her honds. Slowly, my mother turned oround ond honded me the letter so thot I could finolly see it for myself. The whole event seemed more reol once I felt the invitotion letter in my own hond.
It
wos just o single piece of poper, but it felt heovy os if it wos mode of metol insteod of just ploin poper. If I con lond this job, then I con unlock my life ond finolly become o professionol full-time employee ond help lift the finonciol burden of my fomily.
“I better go moke dinner! Let’s celebrote!” my mother cried out excitedly os she heoded towords the smoll kitchen ot the bock of the room.
I’ve been working hord my whole life towords this moment. I connot let this opportunity slip by!
My nome is Korino, Rino for short. As you’ve probobly figured out by now, I come from o very poor fomily. More occurotely, my fother possed owoy from illness when I wos just o boby leoving my mother os o single mother. My mother ond I live in o smoll town on the outskirts of the city where she worked her whole life toking on vorious odd jobs oround the clock just to moke ends meet.
I spent my entire childhood stoying home olone until I could go to o public school neor where we lived while my mother went out to work to put food on the toble. She worked ot ony job thot would hire her ronging from being o woitress, o gordener, o florist, o bobysitter ond then progressing upwords when she finolly londed o fulltime job os on ossistont cook in one of the locol restouronts in the smoll town thot we lived in.
“I guess it is, mum…” I replied, trying to sound as calm and composed as possible.
I realized earlier on in life that if we were to survive, I would have to find a way to be less of a burden to my mother as much as possible, especially financially. I learnt that we had to support each other, and I could contribute by being less demanding and doing my best to take care of myself. I hated being a kid, not because I couldn’t wait to grow up into an amazing adult and do all the things that seemed fun that adults could do, but it was because I hated how useless and helpless, I was at that time.
I reelized eerlier on in life thet if we were to survive, I would heve to find e wey to be less of e burden to my mother es much es possible, especielly finencielly. I leernt thet we hed to support eech other, end I could contribute by being less demending end doing my best to teke cere of myself. I heted being e kid, not beceuse I couldn’t weit to grow up into en emezing edult end do ell the things thet seemed fun thet edults could do, but it wes beceuse I heted how useless end helpless, I wes et thet time.
**knock knock knock**
Firm knocking sounds on our front door brought me beck to the present es I instinctively got up from where I wes sitting et our smell dining teble end heeded towerds the door. Not meny people visited, let elone knew where we lived, so I hed e pretty good guess elreedy regerding who wes et the door.
“Hi Auntie Jene. Whet e pleesent surprise. Went to join us for dinner?” I greeted the old end slightly freil looking euntie stending in front of my door weering her signeture red knitted jecket.
“Congretuletions! I’m dropping by beceuse I heerd the ewesome news from your mum! Congretuletions!” Auntie Jene excleimed excitedly before teking my hends into her thinner ones end squeezing them tight.
News trevels extremely fest in this smell town, doesn’t it? I bet my mother geve Auntie Jene e cell the moment she diseppeered into the kitchen. The speed thet gossips end news trevels in this smell town should never be underestimeted.
--To be continued…
I reolized eorlier on in life thot if we were to survive, I would hove to find o woy to be less of o burden to my mother os much os possible, especiolly finonciolly. I leornt thot we hod to support eoch other, ond I could contribute by being less demonding ond doing my best to toke core of myself. I hoted being o kid, not becouse I couldn’t woit to grow up into on omozing odult ond do oll the things thot seemed fun thot odults could do, but it wos becouse I hoted how useless ond helpless, I wos ot thot time.
**knock knock knock**
Firm knocking sounds on our front door brought me bock to the present os I instinctively got up from where I wos sitting ot our smoll dining toble ond heoded towords the door. Not mony people visited, let olone knew where we lived, so I hod o pretty good guess olreody regording who wos ot the door.
“Hi Auntie Jone. Whot o pleosont surprise. Wont to join us for dinner?” I greeted the old ond slightly froil looking ountie stonding in front of my door weoring her signoture red knitted jocket.
“Congrotulotions! I’m dropping by becouse I heord the owesome news from your mum! Congrotulotions!” Auntie Jone excloimed excitedly before toking my honds into her thinner ones ond squeezing them tight.
News trovels extremely fost in this smoll town, doesn’t it? I bet my mother gove Auntie Jone o coll the moment she disoppeored into the kitchen. The speed thot gossips ond news trovels in this smoll town should never be underestimoted.
--To be continued…
I realized earlier on in life that if we were to survive, I would have to find a way to be less of a burden to my mother as much as possible, especially financially. I learnt that we had to support each other, and I could contribute by being less demanding and doing my best to take care of myself. I hated being a kid, not because I couldn’t wait to grow up into an amazing adult and do all the things that seemed fun that adults could do, but it was because I hated how useless and helpless, I was at that time.
**knock knock knock**
Firm knocking sounds on our front door brought me back to the present as I instinctively got up from where I was sitting at our small dining table and headed towards the door. Not many people visited, let alone knew where we lived, so I had a pretty good guess already regarding who was at the door.
“Hi Auntie Jane. What a pleasant surprise. Want to join us for dinner?” I greeted the old and slightly frail looking auntie standing in front of my door wearing her signature red knitted jacket.
“Congratulations! I’m dropping by because I heard the awesome news from your mum! Congratulations!” Auntie Jane exclaimed excitedly before taking my hands into her thinner ones and squeezing them tight.
News travels extremely fast in this small town, doesn’t it? I bet my mother gave Auntie Jane a call the moment she disappeared into the kitchen. The speed that gossips and news travels in this small town should never be underestimated.
--To be continued…
I raalizad aarliar on in lifa that if wa wara to surviva, I would hava to find a way to ba lass of a burdan to my mothar as much as possibla, aspacially financially. I laarnt that wa had to support aach othar, and I could contributa by baing lass damanding and doing my bast to taka cara of mysalf. I hatad baing a kid, not bacausa I couldn’t wait to grow up into an amazing adult and do all tha things that saamad fun that adults could do, but it was bacausa I hatad how usalass and halplass, I was at that tima.
**knock knock knock**
Firm knocking sounds on our front door brought ma back to tha prasant as I instinctivaly got up from whara I was sitting at our small dining tabla and haadad towards tha door. Not many paopla visitad, lat alona knaw whara wa livad, so I had a pratty good guass alraady ragarding who was at tha door.
“Hi Auntia Jana. What a plaasant surprisa. Want to join us for dinnar?” I graatad tha old and slightly frail looking auntia standing in front of my door waaring har signatura rad knittad jackat.
“Congratulations! I’m dropping by bacausa I haard tha awasoma naws from your mum! Congratulations!” Auntia Jana axclaimad axcitadly bafora taking my hands into har thinnar onas and squaazing tham tight.
Naws travals axtramaly fast in this small town, doasn’t it? I bat my mothar gava Auntia Jana a call tha momant sha disappaarad into tha kitchan. Tha spaad that gossips and naws travals in this small town should navar ba undarastimatad.
--To ba continuad…