Chapter 3 --- International Assistant

---Monday---

      The morning of her interview, she woke up a little late. Kat rushed out of bed and washed up. She had to look decent, like she was 21 years old. People would mistake her for 16 or 17 years old when she went to school or just by the way she looked. She usually wore baggy jeans and a sweater, and at times she liked to wear hooded sweatshirts. But for today, she decided to dress up, and with only a little touch of make up, she looked very professional. Kat took the BART to go to San Francisco to beat the morning traffic. Once she got to the city and to her aunt�s work building, she was running so fast it sounded like she was hyperventilating while she was waiting for the elevator. Kat didn�t realize that someone was standing next to her staring at her and how hard she was breathing. She turned to her side and gave the person next to her a friendly smile. She quickly observed him; he was young and handsome, dressed up like a professional businessman. He was not dark but not too light skin, just perfect with a clean haircut. He gave her a friendly smile back. As she was waiting for the elevator, her cell phone went off.

"Hello? Auntie, I am sooooorrrryyyyyy, I woke up late. I�m here right now waiting for the elevator. I hope I am not late for the interview, please say no�please�."

Her aunt replied, �No, you�re not, Mr. SaPone isn�t here yet, so hurry ok, remember the 15th floor.�

With a sign of relief Kat continued, "Yes, so I�m not late if Mr. SaPone is not there yet. Oh yeah Auntie who is Mr. SaPone? And why is he important? Hey Auntie that sounds like a Thai name, is he Thai?� before her aunt could answer, Kat hurriedly cut her off �Oh Auntie the elevator is here, I�ll see you in a few minutes I know I�ll get cut off, so I�ll talk to you later, bye."

Kat hung up her cell phone and walked in the elevator and realized that the man she met earlier was also in there. As she attempted to push the button for the 15th floor, he reached for the same button and their hands touched.

"Oh, excuse me, I�m sorry,� Kat apologized.

"It�s ok, I�m also sorry,� the handsome man replied.

Both of them looked at each other and wondered �Why am I sorry?�

He was trying to start up a friendly conversation �So are you here for an interview? Are you nervous?�

She smile cheerfully �Yes, I am here for an interview, and yes I am a little nervous, but more excited instead.�

With a surprised face he continued, �Wow, you are a happy one. Very energetic I see. What if you don�t get the job, will you be sad?�

She looked at him and was thinking to herself if she would be sad or not. She then replied, �Nope, not at all.� Smiling and finishing what she had to say, �If I don�t get this job, I am not going to die over it. I will keep on looking for another job that will accept me for my abilities and talents. But I won�t stop trying until I get what I want.�

Thinking in her head, damn this elevator is so slow. He studied her smiling face and continued with the conversation by asking her, �You look like you are still in college or just finishing? Are you working already?�

She took a deep breath, and with a smile she managed to tell him the reason she had to work, �I have to work to support my family and myself�� she didn�t want to continue, telling this stranger about her family income, so she just continued shortly and simply �I work because of personal reasons and once I earn enough money, I will go to Thailand and continue school for my masters degree.�

He looked at Kat with a look of surprise. He had never met anybody as independent, positive and cheerful before.

"Ah�finally we�re here,� she said when the elevator hit the 15th floor. Once the door open, her aunt was already waiting there for her with a smile. As Kat walked out of the elevator, she noticed her aunt�s smile fade as quickly as it appeared when she noticed the man that walked behind Kat.

Her aunt had a shocking look on her faced and said �Oh hi�Mr. SaPone, how are you this morning?�

Kat turned around slowly and studied the man behind her; he was the one who would be interviewing her. No wonder he had questioning her so much after she hung up the phone with her aunt.

Mr. SaPone addressed Kat�s aunt, �Vickie, is this your niece? She is very energetic.� He smiled and walked past them towards his office. Tik stopped abruptly and turned around to say, �Oh�10 minutes I will start the interview, so don�t be late,� he spoke with a sharp look on his face.

---After the Interview---

"Ok, Kat we will give you a call, thank you,� said Mr. Ly.

Kat took Mr. Ly�s hand and smiled, �Thank you sir, and have a good day.�

After shaking Mr. Ly�s hand, Kat turned Mr. SaPone and shook his hand while saying, �Thank you for your time sir.�

Tik put his other hand over hers and he replied �Hope to see you working for us soon.�

Kat quickly pulled her hand out from his but kept her smiling face while trying to walk out of the office as fast as her feet could carry her. Kat walked over to her aunt�s office to ask if she wanted to take a lunch break. Her aunt agreed and they both went out for lunch.

      Auntie Vickie just got married 2 years ago and recently had a beautiful baby girl named Nancy. She was 29 going on 30 in a couple of months. She was nice person to talk to, very understandable and great listener. When Kat had problems with school or anything, Auntie Vickie was the one who she consulted, it wasn�t that Kat didn�t want to talk to her mother, but her mother just didn�t understand about school and things like that.

"So how was the interview?� Auntie Vickie asked while picking on her ham sandwich.

Kat replied, �It was good, well, that�s what I think. Mr. Ly was nice, but Mr. SaPone kinda scared me but he was okay too. Oh yeah, I don�t understand my position as �international assistant� what do I have to do?�

"International assistant, what is that??� Auntie Vickie repeated after her and continued; �I thought I told you to apply for assistant secretary� she spoke while scolding Kat.

Kat denied ever applying for international assistant and tried to remember if she applied for assistant secretary or not.

"Auntie, what do I do for that position?� Kat asked but got a confused look from her aunt.

"I don�t know, I think that�s a new position,� Vickie replied.

Once they finished eating lunch they went their own ways, Vickie went back to work, while Kat went home still confused about her new job.

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