If I keep repeating it to myself over and over again, maybe it will be true.
It’s past lunchtime when I realize that I haven’t eaten. Jenna must have already gone to the cafeteria. She usually picks me up on her way down, but I haven’t been at my desk. I’ve been staring at a copy machine for two hours, and I swear that I disappeared into the twilight zone because it feels like it’s been just minutes. My brain just skipped over making approximately ten thousand copies of the first pieces of Meynard’s presentation. It’s not done in its entirety, but it’s done enough to start that.
Or so he tells me. He won’t tell me the details of what he’s actually proposing, even though I’ve asked him multiple times. Ever since Kris spoke to me yesterday, he’s even more tight lipped. He doesn’t trust me, and he hates Kris.
I can see why. Two days in his company and I can already tell that Kris can run circles around my uncle. Not exactly a kind characterization, but it’s the truth.
My stomach is growling as I finish off the last of the copies and box them. I drop the file boxes in Meynard’s office, hoping that he doesn’t notice me, but he does. “Hold on a second.”
He’s on the phone, but I wait. The excuse that it’s nearly two o’clock in the afternoon and I haven’t eaten yet won’t matter to him. His eyes land on me after he hangs up.
“I have to go out of town for a couple of days. Last minute arrangements for the presentation.”
“You have to go out of town for that? I thought all the presentations were theoretical.”
My uncle’s face goes cold and hard. “They are theoretical. But if you want to win, you need to do more than what’s expected of you. Haven’t I been trying to tell you that? The person who’s going to win this contest is the person that goes the furthest and has the most in place.”
“It’s not a contest, Uncle.”
“What did you just say to me?” His voice has turned deadly smooth and soft.
A shiver of fear goes down my spine. “I just meant that while it is competitive, I didn’t think it was a competition. You’re being given an opportunity to present what you view to be the best vision for the company. And the people evaluating it will be the ones to decide what direction that is. If they decide that they don’t like your direction, won’t taking steps to enact it before they’ve decided make you look presumptuous?”
He stares at me for so long that I wonder if I’ve made him have a stroke. Or an aneurism. Then he slowly shifts to that his elbows rest on his desk, hands clasped in front of him.
“Chianna, you’re an intern here. And because you’re my niece, and my ward, I thought it was a good idea. But don’t you ever fucking pretend that you know more about my business than me, is that clear? You’re nothing but a girl fresh out of college. You have no life experience, and the things they teach you in college aren’t worth shit.”
I swallow, and my eyes drop to the floor. The embarrassed blush is on my cheeks, but I can’t do anything about it. It’s just the way that my body works.
“I’m leaving tomorrow. I’ll be gone before you’re up, probably. I’ll be gone for three days. There will be a list of things for you to do here, and there will be someone checking up on your progress.”
“Okay.” I turn to go.
“Chianna.”
“Yes?”
He’s not even looking at me now. Already looking at his next piece of paper. “If you don’t finish the work that I give you, or you decide to go off on a tangent like that again, it will be your last day at this internship. Am I clear?”
I swallow. “Yes.”
“Good. Don’t be late for the meeting.”
There’s nothing I can say to that, so I don’t bother saying anything as I head out the door and down to the cafeteria. The meeting this afternoon is a big deal. Everyone who’s putting forward a presentation is going to be in the same room with the CEO, President, and the various Vice Presidents of Core Tech. That’s not for a couple of hours at least. I have some time.
Despite the threats, I’m glad that he’s going out of town. No matter the additional work that he’s going to pile on me, it’ll be good to have some relief and time away from him. If I could afford to live on my own in this city, I would. But without the trust money, I can’t. It’s not like they’re paying me.
The cafeteria is uncharacteristically empty. But then again, it’s long past lunchtime. That’s fine. It makes it faster to get what I want and I practically inhale the food. I’m throwing away my trash and putting the tray away when I sense someone behind me.