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Untitled Part 1

Ordinary. That's me.

Today I showered in my ordinary shower, I changed into my ordinary clothes; I met up with my ordinary friend and walked to my new ordinary job. There wasn't much special about me. Well. Nothing I would ever admit to, that is.

I arrived at my new job. My first day. It was nothing special, just a desk job pushing paper and making people cups of tea. My best friend, Demetria, had brought me a strong coffee and had walked me to work but left before we reached my destination so that she could get to the Youth Centre on time for her job.

I arrived on time but for some reason the security man, a short man with dark hair, had refused to let me passed reception. I fumbled around in my pockets hoping that I had put in the work fob I had been given at the end of the interview when I was told I had the job. I did not.

"Go home, Red," the man insisted. I consciously moved the hair out of my sight when he mentioned it. I had been born with unnaturally red hair which had always caused me problems. Schools' were my largest problem, they never believed me when I said it was natural. No matter who came to school, whether whoever my foster-parent was at the time or one of my social workers, no one ever believed me.

"Can't I just talk to Mr Henrickson?" I pleaded after a few moments of us arguing. I needed this job.

"No can do, Red," the man said with a sympathetic look. "No fob, no job."

Why can't he just let me talk to Mr Henrickson and sort this all out? It was unfair.

"Fine." I muttered. I turned around but stopped when I saw him. He wore an expensive looking suit with a corporate haircut and a moustache that made him just look creepy. That was Mr Henrickson. I had only met him once before in my interview.

"You're late." He said sternly. He spoke in a posh accent however he had slurred a few words, he had done this at the interview as well. He glared at the security guard as he pushed past him while clinging onto my cardigan so that I had no other choice but to follow him.

"I'm sorry, I accidentally left my fob-" I tried to explain myself but he had not been paying any attention to me, so I didn't bother.

We spent the next minute walking up the stairs in silence and before I know it we were on the top floor, our office, when he began to shout. My friend, one of the other new employees, had slipped me an herbal tea as we entered the main office, just seconds before he began to shout. I managed to guzzle down half of it before I dropped it in shock when Mr Henrickson raised his hands in the air and I thought he was going to strike me.

Heads began to turn at the sound of the mug shattering, and stare while the man screamed and spat. The few other new employees who had also joined the company took a step back and watch with fear in their eyes, glad it wasn't them.

I didn't speak. I didn't know what to say. Do I apologise for being late even though I wasn't? Do I rat the security guard out? He'll probably lose his job...

I looked at the new employees, how come they were allowed up with no problems? I mean, they probably came early on purpose, rather than myself where being on time was a miracle as I was almost always late. They all wore their fobs on lanyards around their necks. Why didn't I think of that?

"Well, what do you have to say for yourself?" Mr Henrickson shouted. I saw my friend, Vincent-Tracy, preparing to jump in. I shook my head. It's no good if we both lose our jobs on the first day, especially as Vincent-Tracy was actually here on time with the correct equipment. I mean, I brought a pen. A simple, black pen. That's it. I put my hand in my pocket, just to touch it to remind myself that I wasn't just some forgetful child who was late and lost everything, but it wasn't in my pocket. I looked down in shame. This was it, this was my luck.