The Little Things

Jade

I gaze up at the enormous building and it's significantly taller than I expected. I can see myself in the glass windows as I approach the doors. I pause and check to make sure everything is in place. I can feel my tote bag handle digging into my shoulder and the warmth collecting underneath my suit and pants in my arms. I notice how small and inexperienced I look compared to the confident lawyers who are filing into the building. According to my mom, I couldn't wear my suit on the train because it would get "wrinkled and absorb damaging train odors." I honestly didn't feel like fighting her nor did I want to risk showing up with a wrinkled suit or smelling like anything unpleasant on my first day. I take one more look at my baggy jeans and colorful sweater, shake my head, and then head through the glass door.

I probably look like a fish out of water in my idiotic sweater. I love this sweater so dearly - but to a law firm? I clearly didn't think this through. I need to find a bathroom as soon as possible. I think the receptionist picks up on my anxiety because she tries to catch my eye as I frantically scan the room for a bathroom. "Miss!" she calls. I turn my head so she can't see the exasperated look on my face.

I quickly turn back to face her, "Yes?"

"Can I help you with something?" she peeps. She's got a slight new yorker accent that you can tell she tries to conceal. I notice how tense she seems as she looks at me with such concern. Well, if I had to sit behind that desk all day, I'd be tense too.

"Uh...I um...," I stumble over my words, "Where can I find a restroom?" I try to collect myself a little and I step a little closer to her desk. Now that I'm closer, I notice how young she is. Twenty-two maybe? She looks like a college student. I think she notices how young I am too because her body relaxes a bit.

"Oh that would be down the hall and second left," she replies with a kind smile. I now realize that the first smile she gave me was as fake as the flowers on her desk. She must be used to dealing with adults who treat her like garbage. What a society we live in. She's probably treated like a waste of space simply because she works the desk.

"Thanks so much," I say, smiling back. With that, I turn around and head down the hall. I look out the windows and see all the lawyers pouring in. How many are there? It's like a suit-wearing cult or something.

The city is so beautiful, I wish I could live here. Well, maybe if I can locate the bathroom and change into proper attire then maybe after that I'll have a shot. I reach the second left turn and I see a door with that familiar ladies room symbol. I hurriedly push the door open. Bam. I almost knock someone over running into the bathroom. It's a tall slender woman carrying two briefcases. She drops one and it pops open.

"I am so sorry," I gasp. The woman stares at me blankly as I babble on. "I was just in a bit of a hurry...I'm so sorry I should've been more careful, I just-" She cuts me off.

"It's quite alright," she says. I scramble to pick up her papers and put them back in the briefcase. I notice another briefcase in her left hand as I lean down to place papers back in the other. Who the heck needs two briefcases? Who even carries a briefcase anymore anyways? Not to mention two of them. Maybe she's just that important. I notice one of the papers has a photo of a suspect. Lucas Barnes. I remember his name from one of the cases I researched.

"This is from the Barnes brothers case!" I exclaim. She pauses and looks up at me with a strange look on her face. I realize I'm looking at her private case files and that is most likely, scratch that definitely breaking more than one rule legally and manners-wise. "Oh my gosh I am so sorry," I mumble as I quickly put the last papers into the briefcase. She still hasn't said much and this makes me anxious. Also, if this lady is working on the Barnes brothers case, she's a really important lawyer.

"You know this case?" she finally speaks. I hesitate but I'd already embarrassed myself so much, whatever I say next won't make a difference.

"Yes, I've been following along with it and did some of...my own research," I say cautiously.

"Well it is quite an interesting case," she replies, "I don't blame you."

"It really is," I answer, "I can't wait to see how it resolves."

"Likewise," she responds as she turns to leave.

"Sorry, again for the-" I begin to apologize again. She raises her hand.

"No worries," she insists and then disappears out of the bathroom. I notice I've been clenching my muscles and digging my nails into my palm this entire time. I shake my arms a bit and rub my palms. That was..awful. I open a stall door and sit on the toilet seat, staring at my feet. It's time to get ready for the day ahead.