WWW: The Formula for Stress...
FOUR
His hair was washed, his clothes were clean and his resume was the only thing in his briefcase. Konnex cleared his throat and loosened his tie only slightly, finding it harder to breathe.
You got this, he assured himself.
He had this. He had to have this. There was a date he was going to have this evening, and he found that money was going to be needed if they wanted to go on more dates together. There was also food and stuff to worry about too, though, and his student loans… Let’s not talk about those.
“Um, yeah, hey. I mean– Hello,” he corrected himself politely upon entering the intimidating building and towards the front desk. “I mean, good morning to you…?” he greeted instead, deciding which one sounded more professional. He then shook his head at himself. “Yeah, I’m wondering if you have any openings for Experimental Physicist, as you can see here in this documentation, I’ve studied a few years in…”
Meanwhile, another individual walked passed the ex-ganger trying to get a job. His name was Cecil. And he was about as calm as the gas particle acceleration of a steamed vegetable. Or about the same as the guy next to him, all tongue tied and flustered. Cecil only straightened his tie, securing it around his neck and checked his watch as the two men waited outside the doors to the brooding office to which they would be designated their fate.
Cecil only signed in with the secretary and took a seat, immediately followed by a man with a nervous but solid expression and jet black hair.
He couldn’t help but stare at the competition out of the corner of his eye. He looked young. Younger than Cecil. Boyish. Attractive.
Damnit, he already lost the job.
No, but what Cecil had, beside an underlying ego and taste for all areas of science, was his dedication. He studied for years in order to work in this field. Ever since he knew the meaning of “speed” from a first grade textbook, he could hardly control the thirst to want to know more. But, then again, the love he felt for knowledge could also be due to the fact that good grades were essential in his family. Otherwise, there was a variety of tools to be used as punishment, ranging from sandal to frying pan. Cecil liked to think his attributions were his own and not the threats of a perfectionist mother or the lack of a guiding father. He even remembered-
“Hey there, ah, name’s Konnex. So you, uh, here for the job too?”
Cecil shook from his inner thoughts to look at the man beside him, at first searching around himself to see if he meant to speak to someone else. No, they were looking at him, alright.
Cecil scrunched his brows.
“Sorry, what was that?”
Konnex cleared his throat and licked his chapped lips, wiping at them and making a friendly neighbor sort of grin. Although, Konnex was terrified of his competition. That older man practically dressed for his funeral, he looked so professional!
“You. Interview? Think you’ll make it?” Crap, should he have said that? He’s probably dripping with scared intimidation.
Cecil only frowned and raised a brow, gazing toward the closed office shades in front of them as the two waited for the imminent opening of the door. He took an unnecessary amount of breath.
“Only time can tell, really. Could be you, could be me,” Cecil shrugged, “Then again, could be us both, if their demand is high and the number of potential candidates fails to meet their standards, thus settling with their only options available.”
He paused for a moment, eyeing Konnex as if he were some other species to be examined and finally spoke up again.
“Cecil,” was all he said and moved his eyes to examine the polished floor in front of him, then preferably toward a large clock at the center of a white washed wall, near a plant.
Konnex’s own eyebrows then began to scrunch. Smart but pessimistic… he had to say. Kind of a dick, also, but Konnex wouldn’t resort to such accusations yet until at least getting to know the guy. The guy named Cecil apparently. Huh, weird name.
A few moments passed between the two as they sat in an awkward silence until the door opened with a signaling click, pushing Cecil into action and Konnex into a dreadful, anticipated sweat.
“Well, hope you make the cut.” He mumbled under his breath, not really sure what someone said to their competition in any situation, but was pretty sure he wouldn’t make it anyhow as his hands gripped at the arms of his chair.
Cecil’s ears perked up at the small sounding words and he scratched at his nose, tilting his head to gaze swiftly behind him.
“When you go into these things, think of yourself as a potential candidate. Don’t doubt that.” Cecil gave an awkward sort of smile until quickly turning round, continuing his trek through the wide black door leading into a new chasm. Konnex looked ahead as the man entered the office with one resounding click of a door. He guessed the guy wasn’t a complete dick. He gave a half smile and kicked his feet beneath him, selling himself in his head with a boost of confidence.
*** “Yeah, I just got out- why? What’s wrong?” Cecil balanced his cellphone between the crook of his neck as he hurriedly put away his items into his briefcase, giving a gesture of salute to the man who went into the interview after him. He’d really just forgotten the guy’s name, but it would only matter if they ever worked together so why bother.
Anyways, he had many other things riddling his mind at the moment.
“Sophia, Isa’s going to be there soon, just hold it until she does … Well, I’m busy and too far to drive you down to the center right now … Alright? … Ya, ya, just call me when you get there … Yeah, alright … Kay, hasta mañana.” Cecil hung up with exasperation, pushing his way through the windowed doors which led out of the building and fast walked to his vehicle.
His younger sisters were only at the age of twenty and eighteen. He’d been looking after them ever since he was of age and after … Their family broke apart. Cecil never liked to think about it, but it still caused him nightmares. He was just glad to get Isa and Sophia out of it all. He shook his head and buried the memories. Now was not a time to have them.
Especially when seeing his car being towed.
“HEY!” He yelled as he crossed the street, narrowly missing a car colliding with his path. He inhaled and shouted apologies as he caused a scene, moving past the vehicle to his own, which was sitting in a held position secured to a tow truck.
“What are you doing? I’ve been here the entire time! I was just coming back!” However, the man with the scruffy beard and hard hat could barely seem to hear him as he only gave the address they were stationed to pick up the vehicle with the right amount of cash.
“But I don’t have that kind of money right now! Do you hear me? ¿O tengo que hablar español, pendejo? Huh!?” Cecil banged his fist on the window as the driver flipped him off and sped away.
Cecil only stared at the back of his car, carried off to some godforsaken overpriced towing company. He pushed a hand through his hair, felt a scream being suppressed on the inside of his throat, and started to walk.
*** He called Isa. Told her to go look for Sophia at home and take her to her volleyball match. He also explained about his job interview. She told him he’d make it. He lied about having his car towed and not needing money. Then, he hung up and laid his head in his hands on a park bench.
He pushed off his glasses and cleaned them as he rubbed his eyelids. He could only think of the bills collecting at home. The soon to be arriving eviction notice. The look of sympathy, but signs of pity etched into his sisters’ faces.
He had to figure something out. He needed that job.
It was then that he felt something hit against his leg. His eyes widened as he took in a breath and was met with two clear orbs. They were eyes.
“Oh? Sorry, ah, mister? Miss? Didn’t mean to scare you, but have you seen my Dad? Big guy, mean looking face from what people say. Well, that’s about as much as I can describe him for you, heh.” The girl laughed lightheartedly as she found a seat beside Cecil who sat in a small silence, not sure of what to say in response. “Mind if I sit here until he finds me then?”
Cecil only nodded, but realized that was stupid and cleared his throat, “Sure. Go ahead.” Was all he managed.
The girl nodded with a chirp of “Thanks” and sat against the bench, her face toward the pond. “It feels really cool out today, huh?”
“Didn’t your… er, Father, tell you not to talk to strangers?”
“Well, yeah, I guess so, but you don’t seem so strange. Unless you are. Then I have no problem pressing a 911 button on the inside of my pocket. And using pepper spray. Daddy gave me that too!”
Cecil raised his brows, wondering what kind of father she actually had. “No, I don’t think that’s necessary. But, it’s good you’re equipped.”
The girl only nodded and kicked her feet beneath her, swaying them back and forth. “Yeah, Dad says to never be naive and always be prepared- Oh, I think I hear him calling!”
The girl at once stood with the support of the bench arm and Cecil scrunched his brows in confusion, looking in the direction where the girl inclined her head to listen. At first, he saw no one, only the jumble of people scattered like chickens across a lawn of green.
But that was until he saw him.
It was true what the girl had said. Everything. A tall man with the body only fit for a soldier jogged over with a hard set expression along with a seeing eye dog at his side. Cecil couldn’t help but inch back. And it wasn’t due to the fact that the man looked twice as large as he did. Or that his expression was nothing short of worried and furious.
What Cecil was shocked at the most was the lack of the man’s right arm.
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“Well, it’s been a while, to those three people who actually read this. xD Hey everyone! The power couple (Yes, power couple) are making their return to WWW with Chapter 4 of our project! We’re not gonna let this idea slip away so easily quite yet, we have dedicated too much time and planning to this. High school is over for us, and we got creativity to release. So, anyway, thanks for reading! Leave a like, reblog, etc etc. We’ll be back real soon!” -Queen
“Even if we’re only small right now, I’m so glad for the awesome reblogs and likes we’re getting from you guys. (And when Queen says power couple, she means duo, kay) But anyways, I really hope you enjoy this new chappy. We’re going to be posting more soon. Stay tuned~” –Birdie
