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{B}

He motioned for her to go back to where she was standing before, without even voicing a word out, and Jalilah wished she could act as if she hadn’t seen him. Nonetheless, she did as he said and moved back to where she was standing. She felt that he was only finding an excuse to punish her, but there was no way he was still looking into her documents. Finally, he was done, and he handed her back the file.

“Go to the HR’s office and tell him to find you an office on the floor. He’ll tell you whatever you need to do, okay?” She nodded her head and wordlessly walked out of the office, she was so tired of standing that she felt she could fall.

She knocked before she turned the doorknob and entered, he was on the phone while she entered and he motioned for her to sit before he was done, Jalilah couldn’t have been more glad. She sat down and waited until he was done before she softly smiled, “He said I should ask you to give me an office and also the works I’m to be doing.”

Sulaiman smiled, collected her files and he looked at her, “My name is Sulaiman Kabir Bunza, feel free to call me Sulaiman please.”

She smiled and nodded her head, “My name is Khadija, but I prefer being called Jalilah.” She told him, he opened one of the cabinets and put her file in it before he looked up at her with a hint of a smile on his lips.

“I can tell from your expression that it wasn’t a good encounter, he’s a lovely person. Your office will be…” he was flipping through the design of the floor and checking all the offices that had been occupied and the ones that weren’t. Only one left unless he was going to match her up with a male employee, which he wouldn’t do that. The only one left was for an employee that went abroad for more studies.

“It’s in the Manager’s corridor, just two offices away.” He informed before he closed the design and look at her, she had this whiny look that if she would be given the chance to, there was nothing that could stop her from crying.

“Please, can I have a different office away from his?” She asked because she couldn’t imagine staying that close to him. She didn’t mind they had two offices apart because the offices were all made of glass, they were see-through, and she knew a lot of things might happen that way.

Sulaiman laughed and shook his head at her, “You can only have that office, it’s the only free one we have for now. You can go to the receptionist and ask her to give you the key.” She looked at him wanting to protest again but she later realized that there was nothing she could do, this wasn’t Mama sitting across from her. This was a company, a total stranger, she had to act mature.

She stood up, thanked him before she went back to the reception thinking of how she was going to manage. It was evident he didn’t hate her alone, he hated everyone. But she had told him to his face that she heard he was grumpy and she didn’t want to meet him, the HR would do that job for her. He could use that against her to make her life a living hell.

She stood on the counter and stared at the room, telling her the office she wanted the keys for. The woman handed her the key and Jalilah clutched more to her bag before she walked away. She had to make herself busy when she reached his office because eye contact with him would be the last thing she wanted. There was something about his eyes that she was yet to comprehend. She opened the office but no matter how she wanted to growl, she had to smile. The aesthetic of the office was what calmed her mind and she dropped her bag on the only sofa before she walked to the chair. She sat down and swiveled herself, a chortle escaping her lips.

“This place is so good!” She mused to herself and let herself flew. It was a beautiful morning, she must admit. Only if she was going to ignore all the things that had happened and would likely happen with the manager barely ten feet away from her, she would likely be happy in this place. She took a good look at the office and she had noticed there was enough space for her to practice ballet. If she needed more space, she would just have to push that sofa away, and the whole office would be hers. If this wasn’t a dream come true!

Her phone’s ringtone brought her out of her reverie and she quickly fetched for her bag, she took the phone out and picked the call. “Good morning, Mama,” She greeted with a wide smile on her lips.

“Good morning, Jalilah am, how are you doing?” Mama asked, and Jalilah smiled before she sat back. She had always loved it when Mama referred to her as Jalilah am, it always gave her this feeling. She knew she was her mother’s daughter, the only child she had ever had in her life. Jalilah knew she was her Mama’s happiness. Ever since her father died when she was in her final year in secondary school, she had always been her happiness. And Mama had loved anything she loved except for ballet, that was the only thing.

“I’m doing fine, Mama. I hope you’re okay too? How’s Fareed and Fareeda?” They were Mama’s niece and nephew who lived with them. They were only 17, but sometimes Jalilah felt they were older than that.

“They’ve left for school, and we’re all fine. I hope you’re fine there, Jalilah? Nothing bothers you, right?” Mama asked, and Jalilah smiled before she nodded her head as if she could see her.

“I’m fine, Mama. As fine could ever be. The house, the place of work, the city, everything is fine to me.”

“This reminds me, I’ll transfer some money to your account, you need to buy more foodstuffs and house items, right?” Mama asked, and Jalilah wished she could say no. But no matter how she tried to tell her mother she was sufficient, she wouldn’t agree. She always told her that if she didn’t spend her money who will? She better spend it happily while she was together with her.

“Yes, Mama, I would need some. Thank you.” They chatted for a while before Jalilah excused herself when she heard a faint knock on the door even though she could see the intruder through the glass. Sulaiman walked in and he smiled before he found a seat and sat down, placing down a pile of papers on her table.

“You should’ve called me to come really.” She spoke, and he shook his head.

“I realized I didn’t have your number and the work needs to be done, so I have to come by myself.” He showed her what she would do and how she was going to do everything, Jalilah thanked him and assured him that everything would be done.

He stood up before he spoke, “I forgot to tell you, we close by 5:30 pm.”

Even though that seemed a lot of time for her, she smiled. “Yeah, thank you for telling me.” When he left the office and she was sure even if she pulled out a dramatic behavior he wouldn’t see her, Jalilah put her hands up in her head and silently screamed. How would she live in this building for how many hours? It was supposed to be 9hrs 30minutes. But she knew she couldn’t leave, she had to wait.

Why? Because the current online classes she was taking for the ballet were by 5:30 pm too, and there was no way she could be home without being late for her class. But for today, she knew she had to do this work, she would organize everything by tomorrow. She sent an email to Mrs. Rosey that she wouldn’t be able to attend her class today and get to work!

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