A loud sound from the alarm clock woke Naya from her sound sleep. Even though her senses were a little numb from the shock, she groped for the disturbing alarm clock that was on top of her bedside table. She turned it off and put it back there in annoyance.
“Ugh!” Disgusted, she covered herself with her blanket when the sunlight that entered the open window of her room hit her face. She went back to sleep again and even hugged her pillow. But just a few minutes later, the alarm clock rang again. “Ugh, seriously? What time is it?” She angrily removed the thick blanket from her face again and was forced to sit and lean on the headboard of her bed, even though she was still dizzy from sleep. She took her cellphone, which was also on the bedside table. “Damn it!” she said when she saw it was half past seven in the morning. That’s why her alarm clock is bothering her, because she’s going to be late for work. “I want to sleep more.” She has a sleepy demeanor. Even though she was too lazy to get up, she was forced to and immediately left her room and went to the bathroom to take a shower. She only has thirty minutes to go to work. Luckily, her apartment is only walking distance from where she works, so she’s sure she won’t be late. “Ahhh!” she shouted loudly when she turned on the shower, but she forgot to turn on the hot water. And because of that, her complete system suddenly woke up. Thanks to the cold water, she suddenly lost her sleepiness.
She didn’t get dressed right away after showering. Instead, she just covered herself with a towel while making her cereal and ate it too.
She’s in Barcelona, Spain right now. And she works as the secretary to the company’s head manager in a construction firm. Naya is originally from New York. She actually only worked there five years ago because she was chosen by their company in New York to be sent there to be HM’s secretary in the fifth branch of their company. At first, her parents didn’t want to allow her to go because she didn’t have to work abroad; according to her parents, they could support her needs. But because she’s an independent woman, and she doesn’t want to depend on her parents forever, she doesn’t let them stop her. Over time, their parents accepted her decision.
“Hello, Naya!” Her office mate, Carol, greeted her with a smile. Carol was her first friend when she arrived in Barcelona.
“Hello!” she also greeted her and immediately took her seat at her table.
“Here’s your coffee.” She put the coffee on her table.
“Thanks, amiga,” she said. The reason she didn’t drink coffee before she left her apartment is that Carol always gives her coffee every time they meet at work.
“Por cierto, el señor Cowell llegó temprano. He said you need to go to his office.”
She suddenly looked at the wristwatch she was wearing. It’s seven fifty-nine, one minute before eight o’clock. Why did their boss come so early? It’s surprising, since he usually arrives at the office around half-past eight.
“Alright,” she said, and stood up from her seat. She walked closer to their boss’s office and knocked on it before turning the doorknob. “Morning, James.”
“Come in.” The man in his late 40s raised his face. “Have a seat, Naya.”
She entered and sat in the visitor’s chair opposite his table. “Do you need anything?” she asked. She did not know what he was going to tell her, so she was summoned immediately.
Her boss briefly arranged the papers in front of him. He also removed the glasses he was wearing while staring at her. Her boss is also from New York. In the company they are working for now, they are the only two workers from New York.
“Is there a problem, James?” she asked again. Because of the way he was looking at her, she couldn’t help but feel nervous.
“No.” He answered. “There’s no problem, Naya! I came in early today because I had something important to do. And... I have something to tell you.”
She didn’t speak. She just waited for her boss to speak again.
“I talked to Mr. Gamble last night. And I’m sure you know who he is, right?”
She nodded. “He is the new acting CEO of the DLF Construction Firm in New York,” she said.
“Correct. And like I have said, we talked last night. He told me he chose you to go back to New York to handle the new project of the DLF Construction Firm.”
She was stunned for a moment. “But James, I’m just a secretary. Why would Mr. Gamble let me hold on to DLF’s new project?”
“We both know you’re not just a secretary, Naya,” he said, then let out a deep sigh and leaned back in his swivel chair.
She stared at him more intently.
“You’re an architect, Naya. And I’m one of those who believe you’re fantastic. I am a witness to some of our successful projects here in Barcelona, where you came up with fantastic ideas. So, I’m sure you can also handle the new DLF project.”
She used to work as an architect for a firm in New York before she worked at the DLF Construction Firm. But when she was once accused of stealing ideas so that she could make a good plan for the project she was holding then, she resigned from her job. When she applied to DLF, it was not as an architect but as a secretary. And until now, that was indeed her job.
Her boss is now saying that their project in Barcelona is successful because of her. Well, she just gave some ideas that she thought would help their project. That was only it and she had no intention of handling again on such a massive project like he was telling her now.
“But James,”
“No more buts, Naya! Mr. Gamble himself said that you will go home to New York for this project.”
She couldn’t help but take a deep breath and leaned back in her seat.
“There is no specific date yet when you will return to New York. I just told you in advance so you can prepare. Maybe... it’s still a few months before the final decision on this project.” Said, James. He gaze at her for a moment. “I know you don’t want to go back there. But... we have no choice. This project is extensive, Naya. And you are our boss’s choice.”
She didn’t speak.
“Go on, you can go back to your table.” After a few moments of silence between the two of them,
She immediately got up from her seat and left his office.
Maybe it’s time for her to go back to New York to take a vacation. It is not totally a vacation because work is also the reason she will come home. But at least she has a genuine reason to go home. And just recently, her mother kept asking her when will she would be home? And if she goes home, her mother wants her to take her boyfriend with her so that her family can get to know him.
“Are you okay, Naya?” Carol asked her when she returned to her table.
She looked at her; she smiled and nodded. “Yeah.” She answered sparingly.
“I thought you weren’t okay, so you were just dumbfounded.”
“I’m just thinking of something.”
“Why? What did Mr. Cowell tell you?” Carol asked a curious question.
She sighed again and opened her desktop. “I have to go back to New York.”
Carol’s eyebrows met quickly and gazed at her. “What? You are leaving?”
“Not now,” she said.
“But you will leave... soon?”
She looked at her again when she heard the sadness in her voice. Naya could clearly see the sadness on Carol’s face.
“I mean, I just have a project to handle there. After that, I will come back too.” She said even though they hadn’t discussed it with their boss.
Naya saw the relief on her friend’s face. She smiled at her.
“I thought you were going to stay in New York again. For good.”
“Of course not. Barcelona is my second home, Carol. So I will still come back here.” She said while smiling and focusing her attention on the desktop.
“Good. Because I’m going to miss you, amiga.”
She just smiled again, didn’t speak anymore, and focused on her work.
