TWO

DAMON

"And she said it." I threw my hands in the air.

"Damon. You are twenty-five years old. A freaking twenty-five-year-old photography genius. A freaking handsome dude. I mean, you should have seen the look on my face the first time you stepped into this building. I was almost drooling. You looked like an angel in human clothing, so sweet, cute, and good-looking. And then I heard your voice. It..."

I cleared my throat. She was going off track.

"Okay fine. What I am trying to ask is, how are you a virgin with this..." She took her eyes off the road briefly and quickly scanned my body before her attention went back to where it was needed. "... this amount of handsomeness? Have you ever seen yourself in the mirror?"

"Linda..."

"Don't girls swoon over you? Wait, are you for the other..."

"Linda!" I shut her up loudly. "I don't see anything wrong with me being a virgin. And, I don't play for the other team."

"It is just strange." I heard the desperation to talk more in her voice.

But, she sighed lightly and silence finally ruled the car.

"But why?" she persisted after an eternity of tranquility.

"I want to give myself to someone special." I saw her brow rise. "There is nothing weird with that, okay?"

She nodded with a grim look. I sighed silently.

We had finally reached my house and I jumped out of the car. I lived in a small abode with a bedroom, barely spacious bathroom, and living room with most of my cooking done in the backyard which was quite spacious compared to the entire house.

I hurriedly took out my keys and entered. I went straight to my room and took the blue file from the tiny table on which I worked on my photography projects while brooding about the sorry state of my life. I hurried back out after I made sure to take my wallet which was resting freely on my couch after I had forgotten it there in the morning.

The wooden door locked once again, I approached a very patient-looking Linda. I noticed her bright smile as I entered. I just had to ask, "What's with the smile?"

"I think I found my man for the night." Her head gestured towards some dude across the street. I didn't know the man at all, in fact, I have never seen him in the neighbourhood.

But then I couldn't act fatherly or brotherly and say, 'Hey he is bad news don't mix with him,'because I hardly know anyone in the neighbourhood apart from Grandma Nooni who died the previous week.

Bless her soul.

"Just be careful Lin," I finally said.

She gave a quick nod as she started the car's engine.

As soon as we hit the road, my imagination started to run wild. I began to picture how the interview would go.

I even played a scene where I would be grossly embarrassed for coming late.

Yes, sometimes, I deliberately hurt myself by thinking about terrible things.

I checked the time. 6:45 pm.

I could still make it provided...

"Aw shit! There's a freaking hold up!" Linda exclaimed as her car's bumper nearly kissed the vehicle in front of her.  My hopes were almost crashing as I looked around and saw the long line of cars waiting to leave the hold up which was likely to have no exact cause.

"I am so sorry Damon, this will delay you greatly. But I promise you'll get to that place today and get that job," she said assuredly.

I nodded appreciatively and sighed as the cars moved slowly.

Why does this have to happen to me today? God, why?

An hour later, we were in front of TIANOR, the huge signboard adjacent to the building insulting Linda's Micra.

"Go, go, go. Go win this, baby." Linda pushed me out with her words of encouragement. I thanked her loudly, pulled the file to myself, took a deep breath, and raced into the building.

Immediately, I bumped into a lady dressed in a suit, who let out a peculiar shriek. It was really weird. It was like hearing baby dragons cry.

No, I don't know what they sound like, but let's just imagine they cry like a person in distress.

"Watch it." She gave me a glare with her very tiny eyes. I gulped hard and apologized.

She kept her hand on her very slim waist, she was probably one of the models because of her very kept figure.

"I am here for the interview."

She stared me down and turned.

"Well, aren't you the earliest?"  she said sarcastically as she started walking. And,  I wasted no time in following her. "Hand me your university certificate." She extended her hand over her shoulder.

My hands trembling, I took the documents out. But the documents in my hands didn't have purple or pale green colours with gold or silver stripes decorating their tips. I didn't see any form of calligraphic writing on them either.

Oh no.

I stopped my tracks, stood upright and stared at the lady's back.

"No, no, no, no," I murmured frantically.

"Mister, I am waiting." She glared at me as she turned and watched me drown in confusion and distress.

How would I even explain this?

How would I explain that I had the scribbled drawings of my niece instead of the documents that make up my CV?

"Mister..." She sounded like I was testing her patience. Like she had any before.

"I..." I cleared my throat to force out the words. "I... Um... I happen not to have my documents at the moment."

I scratched the back of my head as I prayed the floor would just swallow me because the look she was giving me was deadly enough.

"Look at me, Mister." I raised my head slowly to meet her eyes. "Do I look like I am trying to be funny at the moment?"

I gritted my teeth, wondering what next step to take. My hands which were doing nothing were suddenly clasped in front of my chest as though I was about to pray. Then, I did something I swore to never do.

"Please, don't chase me out. At least give me a chance to get the interview. I swear I didn't mean to get the wrong file. I was rushing at that moment. Please give me a chance." I begged profusely as though my existenced depended on it.

Well, it does. If I land this job, things will be set for me. I will finally have a good life.

She stared at me for a while like I was speaking gibberish before she finally talked.

"Mister, get out." She pointed towards the exit.

I fell to my knees and as I did that, my hands formed tight fists as they rested on my laps. I felt a small shiver in my system as that moment annoyed me even more.

'God, I really hate this.'

"Please, I really need this job. Just give me a chance. Just one chance."

If only she could understand the pain and desperation in my voice.

But it was clear that she didn't as she told me to leave once again.

"Mister, you can come back tomorrow. I will reserve a seat for you."

‘That is a lie. A big fat lie. There are no interviews set for the next day.’

I was tempted to say that, but I was trying to get her to help me.

"No, let me stay here. I will kneel here till I get the interview."

"I said..." She was interrupted by another lady who whispered something into her right ear. It was then I noticed I had attracted an audience who were watching me beg for something I may never get.

I was waiting for the other lady to leave so I could plead some more. She didn’t leave. Instead, she faced me and said, "The boss wants you upstairs."