"This is absurd, Mom!"

I complain and she stands there with her own defiance and I know the reason behind it already. She cannot influence them any further. It is pretty tight situation and her quiet state tells me she must be going through her own shit storm inside her mind.

And my complaints will only multiply it which wouldn't bring either of us to any sane conclusion.

"What do you want me to do?"

I ask her one last time before I run upstairs and curse my urges to play pranks on people.

Her eyes finally look up at me about to say something. And the way her pupils narrow down instead of widening, I know she is about to say something I wouldn't like.

"Accept the favor."

"Excuse me?"

My ears cannot believe what my own mother suggested just now. Is she out of her own mind? I cannot randomly just apply for some firm hoping they'd happily take me in. I haven't even finished my sophomore year yet. The idea is completely absurd and beyond the blinds of feasibility. It's impossible in big bold letters.

"You heard me right, Micki,"

My mother strolls toward the couch after pouring the pasta in plates for herself and I. She pats the seat next to her and I crash on it instantly.

"Eat the pasta first."

"I am not hungry mom, I ate enough at Cushions."

Her mouth forms a long O and then she starts eating her own bite. I wait patiently to hear her side of opinion.

Finally when she's done with the snack, she sits cross legged matching my own position and her hands caress mine on my lap.

"Do you understand the seriousness of the situation, micki?"

I nod simply. Words fail me at the moment and I don't care about them either.

"Cheby Institute of Management is a highly reputed College under the NYU affiliation. And they have tolerated enough of your pranks up until now, and do you know why?"

This time, I shake my head.

"Because the matter was always kept in the walls of the institute and this time an outsider has seen the mockery of a teacher's day which is an auspicious day for the senior faculties and the students who respect their mentors and teachers."

A heavy breath escapes my mouth and my mind is trying hard in retaining the piece of guidance my mother is throwing at me.

"You have stained your own institute's image in front of a political figure. This will possibly decline the future funding of the college as well and your principal was going to be the member of the assembly. Now do you think he will be taken into consideration after such delinquent act on an important day?"

I bite my lip and the tremors begin unknowingly. When my mother swabs her finger on my cheeks, i feel the salted presence of tears.

She hugs me tight and pats my back.

"Kido, you don't have to cry, do you trust me?"

I whimper a last cry first and then a hiccup checks out my mouth and I finally murmur, "Yes, mom. I do."

"Then there's only one alternative to save your career and your life ahead. And that's to grab an internship. And before you question me further, your principal was generous enough to give me a pamphlet of a job fair that's going on in our state these days. It is going to be held for another week. He has promised me that he will mail me a letter of your character certificate and experience certificate too for you to grab yourself a handy job."

I sit upright, the news shocking the daylights out of me. Unbeknownst to my mother, I instantly know that my principal is smarter than she regards him of. He approached my mother directly for this sole purpose. Certain things are getting clearer in my head but I refuse to shoot them out blatantly before my mother.

The last thing I want is for her to be more upset. I nod like a good kid for walking down the path she is making me go, yet my brain is warning me against. I have to be careful about the ulterior motives of my principal.

For now, I once again apologize to my mother and she sincerely says, "Apology accepted."

********************

Jared's POV

I am f***ing frustrated at everything right now. Nothing is going as planned. I shouldn't have said yes to Dorothy, my PR for arranging this god damn job fair.

Not one single candidate is going to give justice to the creative editorial head department in my office. How is this possible? I have interviewed around 200 colleges throughout the whole country in 5 god damn days!

It's getting out of my hand as the day passes. And i need to have at least two members on board by the week end but it doesn't mean I will accept whatever crap I will be rendered with. Everyone in the industry knows I deal with quality not quantity. And it seems like this particular trait is going to bite my business on my ass.

I pour a glass of bourbon and pour two ice cubes on it. Stirring the tumbler, I drink it in one gulp. The taste burns my throat and it helps me in soothing the perennial pain in me which no other person holds knowledge of.

Removing the rimmed glasses, I massage my temples and give a tug to the end tip of my barely long hair. I am in dire need to have a haircut but lately I am not bothered about anything. F*ck. What's happening to me?

*knock knock*

"Come in"

"Boss, I have a few candidate recommendations lined up. One of them is from Cheby Institute of Management."

"Dorothy, please get out, I am not in a mood to deal with them at all. I have had enough of my time wasted."

"but boss, at least have a look at those 5 candidates. Rest decision is yours."

She doesn't bulge from her spot and I know she is as stubborn as a rock. She won't leave until and unless she knows that her boss does the job on his end and that's what she is getting paid for handsomely even if she feels like a serious cause of pain in my brain many times.

Once I am done pouring another glass, ignoring her request, I hear her heels tapping against the tiled floor near me, a manila folder lands up on my desk.

"Boss, you need to look at them, Asap. "

I move my head in her direction at her bravery to order me around. At first she doesn't dare to accept defeat and when I get up from my leather chair, she steps back and her head hangs low.

Finally obedience strikes in.

"Fine, I'll check them. Get out now and put a DND sign outside. Ignore the calls or disconnect them. Tell everyone I am outta town for 24 hours. "

She is about to respond something but refrains herself as she got her answer now. With a simple nod and barely audible, "Ok boss," she leaves me alone to dwell in my own purgatory.

When I am done drinking another two tumblers, I am still not dazed or drunk but my mind is now more malliable. I feel numb and approachable. My tension is seething out of my body and soon I might fall asleep as my gaze lands aimlessly on the manila folder.

Oh, the recommended candidates. Piece of shits. My hands catch the hold of the item and hurridly tear off the tape.

I carefully read each name out,

Vivian Gavin, 25, F, MBA.

Tony Anderson, 19, M, Bachelors in Clinical Psychology.

Teresa Merchant, 26, F, B. A. in English.

Micki Waters, 20, F, Business Management.

Nash Benett, 18, M, Bacelors of Arts.

Wait a second.

My eyes roam around a particular name once again.

Micki Waters, 20, F, Business Management.

At least 12 times I read that one resume. And 13th time, I fire up from my seat, and rush inside the washroom. The contents of my early dinner and the alcohol is emptied at once from my stomach and is fruitfully flushed in the commode of the toilet.

I cannot believe it can be real. She can be real. This isn't happening. My mind chants and I take out the medicines from the cabinet I have had long thrown away in the corner.

When the pain subsides, I am not in a condition to think further. My fingers automatically dial the familiar number that I dial multiple times a day.

"Dorothy,"

"Yes boss?"

"I am going to that Job Fair tomorrow. Clear my schedule for the whole week."

"erm, for whole week?"

"yes"

"are you sure boss? This could--"

"If you want and love your job equally, you'd do this immediately. I don't want to hear anything from you now except a curt yes. Understood?"

"Yes, boss."

I disconnect the line and terror fills me in as I dare to look at her profile once again. Sleep gets stolen away for the entire night ahead and my breathing becomes difficult to handle. I open another bottle, this time pouring myself gin and whiskey together. It is going to be tough night before I will see her in person, hopefully.