C3 Funny Seeing You Here

Six Am

Sofia had already gotten up from bed Karen had helped her select her dress. The news had gone viral all over the city about Sofia inheriting the company. Sofia went downstairs to see Diamond already up and was talking with her dad. Sofia felt nervous but her father's words encouraged her to take up this decision.

"Good morning dad, good morning Diamond," Sofia said trying to be nice. Her dad hugged her and mouthed something that sounded like a good morning. Sofia snubbed Diamond she didn't seem to notice as she got a call and left in her car. Sofia left in her father's old car the first car he used on his first day. It was a tradition now Diamond rode in it on her first day and so would Sofia.

It was an emotional moment for Sofia she was fulfilling her father's dream but at the expense of her dreams. She got in feeling anxious about how she would be welcomed at the office.

THE OFFICE

Sofia got out of the car and was met by a lot of reporters she became nervous again. She had a weak feeling in her knees and her breathing was shaky. She knew that she would not be able to pull this off.

The reporters practically ran up to meet her.

She knew she had to answer all their questions.

A reporter practically almost shoved a microphone in her mouth.

"Miss Sofia care to tell us anything? It's for the public"

Their bright camera flashes almost blinded her.

"Yes...I do...Yes...I want to say that it is an honor to finally join the family business. And I will strive harder to push the business..walk in my father's footsteps and of course shake the business world" Sofia said. More questions flew at her but two security guards intervened and got her into the building. Inside the welcome committee had done a little celebrating, employee's all came to congratulate and welcome her.

Sofia did feel welcomed, she took the elevator, and located her office.

She looked at it, it seemed so plain and boring, not really how she dreamed her first office would look like. But it would do.

"Here goes nothing..." she muttered to herself.

The office was huge, but she had been in Diamond's office, hers was bigger, but she was just starting, things would change in time.

A lady, a black lady, whose hair was let down, with excellent physique came in. She had on a pink shirt and an ash pencil skirt, she had on glasses, and her pink lips brightened her gorgeous face.

"Good morning Madam Sofia, am Gabby your Personal assistant" she formally said.

Sofia knew she would get one of those..but did not think it would happen.

"Sit...why are you standing?"Sofia said gesturing for her to sit.

"Madam I've worked here for three years and no one has ever offered me a seat," Gabby said while seating.

Sofia suspected that Gabby was the chatty type and was glad she had good company.

"Is there anything on the schedule?"Sofia asked while sinking into her office chair.

"Sorry madam nothing yet," Gabby said.

"Oh did not know there was less work during this time of the year?" Sofia spat out.

"Oh, there is! Have you seen the lunch rush hour? We are making lots of progress and there is a lotta work here" Gabby said.

"Why isn't there anything for me?" Sofia asked.

"Maybe because it's all been delegated already," Gabby said, Sofia nodded.

"There might be work let's say next week Monday," Gabby said, she knew her way around the company, she understood the ropes.

"Well then tell me about room A"Sofia said, playing with her pen.

"Its a beauty, quality chairs for maximum comfort, quality marble floors, exquisite glass table, high-quality sound, and display system, and of course the famous view..."Gabby said lost in her dream world.

"Well you must visit it a lot right," Sofia said in between a laugh.

"Madam you gotta be kidding me, how could have access to room A, only Mr sparks and his assistant and Diamond and her assistant have that privilege, "Gabby said with regret.

Sofia sat up straight interested.

"Really how come?"Sofia asked.

"That's because they are at Supreme Turbo Maximum Prime Power level" Gabby spat out unaware she said it.

"Is it weird I do not know what that means?"Sofia eagerly wanted to know everything.

Gabby chuckled then grinned.

"It's not exactly popular, it's just a ranking I do personally... it's just for fun" Gabby said.

"Oh..well what am I in the ranks?" Sofia inquired.

Gabby put her hand on her neck and her eyes trailed around the room.

"Madam..um...you're not on the ranks"Gabby muttered inaudibly.

"What? how come?"Sofia asked a bit heartbroken. "Miss... it's just that you don't qualify to be ranked"Gabby muttered loud enough for Sofia to hear.

"What? ok, how does the whole thing work?"Sofia asked while standing up to stretch her legs.

"You earn points," Gabby said,

"How do you get that?"

"Easy you gain the attention of the press for bonus points..but for regular points, you build them by the day to day business meetings and so on. Like writing and getting a proposal approved is 5 points. Then if you have a meeting and your presentation is flawless that's 10 points. The higher the points the higher the ranking"

"Hmm..that's one way to see it"Sofia stated staring out her window.

"Yeah, but it is just for fun...not that it matters," Gabby said.

"Do you think I can top the rankings?"Sofia asked, Gabby looked, rather stared at her in awe.

"Why? sure! A girl can dream madam, go for it" Gabby said with fake encouragement.

"I challenge myself, I am going to top the ranks...how much does daddy have?"Sofia asked.

"I can't remember, vividly, but I'd say about eight hundred points...that's since I was hired three years ago," Gabby said, clutching tight unto her folder.

"Okay..."Sofia said, knowing she had no shot.

"What about Diamond?"Sofia wanted a competition. "Three fifty, "Gabby said, Sofia's jaw dropped, she was speechless.

"How come?"

"She has been working hard, and she has worked at Sparks Inc longer than you have, "Gabby said.

Sofia let out a sigh and sat down. Why did she even agree to this? She could be at her favorite studio drawing while dancing her heart out. But here she was sitting behind a desk, dreams do fade away.

"Well..that will be all," Sofia said, "of course," Gabby said realizing she had overstayed.

Sofia spun her chair, she pretended to write a memo, repeatedly, then imagined she was the best at the company and she just got an award, but she felt like a fish out of water.

*Three Days Later*

"Day three, of my boring documented office life..status: critically bored, chances of survival: desperately narrow." I need a savior, so she thought.

Her phone rang almost immediately after that thought. It was Lin.

"Hey, Sofia I just wanted to call in and check on you, we haven't seen you at the studio, we wanted to know if you were fine," Lin said over the phone.

"Of course..."Sofia wanted to tell her that she might never come back, she wanted to tell her that she needed to kill her dreams for her father's happiness.

"I've been caught up in stuff, sorry"Sofia apologized she wasn't gonna tell them, maybe she had not accepted it yet.

"Well you promised to our mentorship program.. it kicking off today," Lin said.

"Shit.....I mean yeah..yeah...I know" Sofia said.

"Good we are expecting you," Lin said with glee, "sure.. I'll be there," Sofia said.

Then Lin disconnected the call.

"Why! life why!" Sofia stopped carping after a minute then got her things ready to leave.

"Gabby cancel all my meet..." then she remembered she had none.

"If anyone asked, I went home early," Sofia said as she left for her car.

She dropped the bag, then looked at herself, she was too formal.

She let her hair down, lost the suit, but her shoes were black pumps, she searched her car, even for slippers!

Then her eye caught it...the pair of sneakers the man left in her possession. She wondered how it even got there?

She put them on and her next stop was the art studio.

*Studio*

She pulled over and went in, not minding how much her fashion statement stated, at least she was comfy and free.

The studio was large, no denying that, but Sofia was already so well acquainted with the place that she could walk around with her eyes closed.

She went into room sapphire and saw Lin and Redgy.

"Hello stranger," Redgy said as Sofia walked up to them.

"Hi, so glad you could make it," Lin said,

"Glad I could, so what class do I take?"Sofia asked, Lin and Redgy shot glances at each other.

"What?"Sofia asked, "darling it is a one on one class, "Redgy said, Sofia, did not agree to that.

"But I thought that..."

"Sofia it means so much to the studio"Lin quickly chipped in.

Sofia pursued her lips, then rolled her eyes

"Alright, so where is my student?"Sofia asked, Redgy got a mic which Sofia put on her ear confused.

"Listen to it," Lin said, and Sofia heard a voice.

"Am ready" the voice said, it was a girl.

"Soph, the thing is, you listen to your student and try to find him. It's for fun and our site. He will be doing the same...then you two follow this rope, till

you guys meet" Redgy said.

"It sounded fun...but my new life did not provide me that luxury." Sofia thought.

After a min or two everything was set up, and thankfully it would only be shown on the site for a short period. So Sofia was relaxed.

The chase began!

"Hi am your student..." he said,

"I know, so..why do you like art?"Sofia asked while following the thread.

"It is beyond a medium of expressing myself...it is my heart and soul"

Those words made Sofia's heart skip a beat. Who was this poetic guy?

"Where are you now?" he asked.

"Arts and crafts room..by the potters' wheel, "Sofia said.

"Okay..we are close..." he said, making her stomach churn.

"Your turn why art?mentor?" He asked,

"It helped me get away from my imperfect life," Sofia said, feeling a tug at the other end of the rope, she could not see anyone yet but she knew they WERE close.

While people cheered on, Sofia did not pay attention, she knocked over a bowl of water, and before she could gain control, she slipped!

But luckily for her, her waist was wrapped around someone's hand, she whimpered in fear, but his hands felt familiar..it brought the heat to her. She slowly realized she was safe, then slowly opened her eyes to lock them with his.

He held her firmly and both took a moment to recollect memories, till they were both snapped out of their fantasy by Lin and Redgy and a guy.

"It's you...."Shaun said under his breath...his hot breath making her senses tingle, she did not know why they meet in awkward situations.

Sofia lost her voice, she almost let out a hiccup, her cheeks were flushed.

How the hell am I gonna come outta this one? Where her thoughts exactly.