different coworker
I don’t know when it started, but I can’t recall a time when I didn’t like sunflowers. The petals felt like velvet, but not fuzzy just smooth and soft. They felt rich and smelt amazing. I chose them for so many art projects, the homely yellow petals piling on top of one another. “Y/n?” And Daniel indulged me, making a pile of stickers pile up in my locker. “Yeah?” “Are you free this weekend?” I blinked, looking at the ravenette. Synthy’s hair was shiny, her bangs hanging as low as possible while the rest of her hair was in a tiny ponytail at the back of her head. Her cheeks were lightly dusted in pink as she asked me. “Oh… Why?” She winced. “I found a manga store that is selling a new work by Junji Ito… Would you be okay with tagging along?” I knew the store she was talking about. Yesterday I stopped by with some money I had saved up.
It was a treat because, for the first time in a week, my arms weren’t as sore. My mom wasn’t as home much either. I had gotten the volume and after completing my math homework, I read it all in one night. It explains the bags under my eyes. “Sure. I think I have a coupon for the store too.” She paused for a second and smiled, braces shining in the light from the window. “Sweet! I’m free Friday, you?” I nod, shutting my book. “Yeah. I don’t have anything planned.” “Thanks, N/n.” I waited for her smile to fade, the dimples in her cheeks to disintegrate. They never did, and weird feelings spread in me.
“Jesus, N/n.” Bethany stole the sandwich from me, her face scrunched in disgust as I swallowed the multitude of bites I just took. “I knew you were a nervous eater but… Ew.” I couldn’t make a face, swallowing the food in my mouth. Then I made a face, crossing my arms. “Don’t say that. It gives me the wrong idea.” She holds her hands up in defense. “Okay, okay.” She returns my sandwich after I’ve eaten, smiling as I slowly eat. “But the interview shouldn’t go bad. Don’t panic, okay?” I pause, and this time, I don’t wait for a smile to fade, some false sense of love filling me. “Okay.” This time. This time, I accept it. I watched as her cheeks bubbled over and say something sincere. I accept it no matter what because I know it’s real this time. “Alright, let me go throw away our trash. Prepare to meet a volleyball player~” I snicker. “Whatever.”
She was gone for a while, I think. I don’t really know as I watch the stupid flowers. They weren’t sunflowers, but they were just as pretty. “Hey.” Just as pretty as sunflowers, someone greeted me with a knowing look. “Hi…” My brows furrow. “Suna?” I think he smiles, or there’s a quirk to his lip. His brown hair is short, complimenting his face as he replies, “Yeah… You are?” It’s almost like I’m back in school, bumping into a tall man again at the bookstore. “My name is-”
“N/n, hurry!” I turn to her voice, handing the boy the book he dropped when I bumped into him. “Sorry, Miya. I’ll watch where I’m going next time.” He blinks and I think he says something. It’s all fuzzy looking back at it. Synthy drags me out of the store, and we bump into a blonde that looked oddly similar to the grey-haired boy. “I told Daniel about this volume.” She’s talking and I’m listening. I’ve always been listening, I can’t really remember a time when my voice was valued as a kid. “He said he wanted to hang out with us later, actually.” I hum. “That’s nice.” She nods, and I can tell she wants to be more with the older boy.
“I’m Bethany,” she introduces, quickly sweeping me away. I don’t think I said my name, the first letter, or start, but the tall brunette didn’t seem to want any more. Or maybe he did, the gleam in his greenish eyes, flashing to Beth. “Oh… Suna,” He introduces, sipping from his cup of coffee. She smiles. “Well, I hate to cut things short, Suna. But my coworker has her first interview today!” His eyes find mine, and I think his cheeks have dimples as he pulls the cup away from his lips, a neutral expression still on his face. “I see. Goodluck…” I smile and nod, Bethany already dragging me away. I quickly whisper shout to her, “I didn’t even tell him my name.” She snickers, letting go of my hand and tapping her card against the entrance. “Yeah, yeah, N/n.” I do the same, trying to catch up to her. “You have to interview Hinata though.” My brows furrow.
“Hinata?” She hums. “Yeah. The middle blocker you’re interviewing is Hinata. He had a match in Brazil, and it was caught on camera. He’s good with newcomers so, everything will be fine.” I don’t think so. I think every part of me is embarrassing. Every little breath I breathe, every step I take is too loud, the way I can’t find a good spot for my hands- Or the fact that underneath this black quit, I have stupid scars on my body. And I’ve only been stopped for so long. “Y/n,” Bethany starts, turning her body towards me. “It’s okay to be nervous, but you need to know you’re capable.” She’s smiling at me, and it’s too bright. It’s too much and I wanted it- needed it earlier in life. Or maybe it was there, just from a different person.
Bethany left, and I’m trying to think of things to say, trying to focus on things I know. He’s around 5’8 and has bright orange hair that makes you question if he’d be known as a redhead. He’s smiley and definitely an extrovert, always searching for people to talk to. And’s jumpy, not skittish, but truly jumpy. I’ve seen interviews where he started jumping to prove how high he could jump, and as much as it is entertaining, watching him reach high, it’s nerve-racking to think he’d do that with a first-timer. I sigh, my palms drenched in sweat, and I think my forehead is, my body. I can only focus on the feeling, and it’s breaking me. I feel the urge to leave. I want to stay in the pattern I had, but I can’t. Change is inevitable and good for you. Right?
“N/n!” Bethany is next to me again or closing in on the distance next to me. She’s grabbing my hand and saying so many things quickly. “ I have a list of things you can ask him. Any trouble, and pull on your ear. I’ll be carrying you bridal style until you’re tucked in your safe bed.” Her smile is better than ever, her panting slightly distressing as she finally makes her way to the camera- We make our way. Because there’s a we. We’re friends and we’re here together, and I have an option to bail, but I just have to try before using it. And I do. I do try so hard, and it finally goes in my favor. Everything that I thought before, blew past my mind, and all I focus on is his golden orange eyes, and the way the red dot blinks as it records me- him. It’s only recording him, and that’s what I cling onto.
Soon, it’s done. We went over his match with Oikawa, and he said stuff that I didn’t understand even if I had been in this field for a couple of years. I feel so much better, when I go to Bethany, watching as her smile speaks volumes. “Thank you, Bethany. I couldn’t have done this without you,” I say, handing her the notepad. She just smiles, her beautiful brown curls resting near her shoulders, tickling against the red fabric of her white formal shirt. “Of course. I always need to help my newer coworkers.” I think I laugh or giggle. I feel a lightness on my shoulders, watching her hand the notepad to someone and loop her arm with mine. “Okay, let’s get ready for work-work.”
The work-work she was talking about was filing and desk work. That was our main job, and because we were out here today, we had gotten a lot of information meaning we would be sitting for the rest of the day. “Bathroom,” she says, motioning to it, I shake my head and she nods. “Wait for me.” I hum, and do as she says. I feel the slight pain in her words. I don’t know what it was like for her as a child, but I do know that it was never enough. Anything she did was criticized and because she only had her mother at home, father always on business trips, she didn’t have too many people to talk to. To help her. And it became so different in college. I feel my breath catch in my through, my head winding back as my elbow covers my nose. I sneeze and groan from the tingling sensation. “Jesus-” “Tissue?” I look up to see who it is, my body slouching on the wall. “Suna.” “Bethany’s coworker.” I smile.