Chapter 3 - Ana and Him - Hashtag Series

Chapter 3 - Ana and Him - Hashtag Series

After tiringly reporting all the talk to Lua, omitting the part of the signs, I finally got to go to sleep at 2am and must to get up at dawn and get the bus to go to work.

- He doesn’t look so bad, Ana! He was pretty cool with you yesterday.

- Yeah, he was.

- And by the way, looks like he likes you very much.

- Not me! Of my job, he likes approves my job. From what I understand, I do what he can’t. He keeps letting people around pissed and I kind save him.

- And for your work.

- So also ...

- Then be cool. Have you decided what you are going to tell Paula?

- No.

- I think she's in love with him.

- She’s not.

- Yes, she is! You've noticed how she looks at him as he crosses down the hall. Pay attention!

- Is she going to Recife, too?

- Why would she? She's from HR and she has nothing to do there.

- Let me get some sleep. Go to sleep, too.

- You know I can’t sleep at the bus.

- Bad luck of you! I can. Put on your headset and be quiet Because I’ll go to sleep.

***

Luckily, or not, we got a lot of traffic on the way up the road that day and it took us longer than usual to get to the office. The good thing is that our correct time is 9am and we always arrive before, but when HR wants to talk to you arrive at 9:40 is an absurd. There were still people coming after me, but the fact that I got there after 9am it was annoying to her.

- Ana, good morning. I'm glad you're here. I emailed you to come to my room as soon as you arrived, but as I met you in the hallway, arriving, please, you could accompany me.

I hadn’t even gotten to my desk yet; my backpack was in the shoulder and I needed to go to the bathroom urgently. I already knew the subject, there was no need for her to do that little show in front of people who were already there, talking lightheartedly about the weekend with a hot cup of coffee in hands.

- Sure, Mrs. Monteiro. In 5 minutes. Just going...

- I'm waiting for you, Ana.

I looked at Luana and took a deep breath, dropped the backpack on the table and went into the bathroom. Luana accompanied me. What a bitch!

-Relax, she must have slept in jeans all weekend. After all, what’s she doing here at your floor?

- Shut up, Luana.

- Is everything all right, Ana? Did something happen? - A random person came in and asked me.

- Everything it’s fine and you? - I answered without understanding.

- With me everything it’s fine too, but they're all saying that Mrs. Monteiro yelled at you earlier and wants to talk to you in her office. This is not good. I hope everything is fine! God will be with you and it will be all right!

The person gave me a quick hug and left.

Oh my God, this woman did that on purpose to make people afraid? Oh Gosh.

There I was, sitting in front of the dreaded lady Paula Monteiro, with her long blond hair, always very well-groomed, her lips always thin with red lipstick in contrast to the pink skin and makeup of a good girl. She always wore a tight-fitting tailleur in his distant body and high-hills. I felt like a beggar near her.

I never put on make-up, since I had been chartered and always slept on the bus, I wasn’t able to get anything before arriving in here. And at 5 o'clock in the morning, no chance at all. My mother said I had to bring it in my purse and do it in here, but what if I came in a backpack? I was in khaki slacks, a black sleeveless shirt, medium-heeled black shoes, and round beak. Usually I thought it was good, but not alongside Paula Monteiro. No one was okay beside this woman, we would always be one of the bad sisters and she would be the Cinderella.

- So, Ana, as you know, we'll open a branch in Recife.

I was in silent, just nodding my head. She got up from the chair, turned and leaned against the corner of the table facing me, then continued the narration:

- And Mr. Luiz will manage the startup project of this branch and he’s recruiting some reliable employees to participate in this great project.

- Yes....

- I make clear here the great responsibility that will be to participate in the implementation of new sectors, new collaborators, new cultures.

I could only think, "This woman is boring as fuck!"

- Then I don’t want there to be any flaw in the whole professional and ethical process within our company.

- Oops, warning sign! Seriously missy, really?

- I want you to know we have several names on the list.

I know I know.

- We don’t yet know who will be chosen for this great battle.

"Aha"

- But I also want you to know that your name was quoted.

I did my best porker face with a Mona Lisa smile and said:

- Yes, Mr. Nurs has already spoken to me and has only asked me to align the transfer points with you!

What was I talking about? I’ve just accepted the job for what reason? I think it was just to see her shit face.

Their hand on the table slipped and she had to pull herself together.

- Of course. Your name was rated as the best, so we're having this conversation.

So she went back to her chair.

- I will send you an email with all the necessary information, if you have any further questions please speak to me.

Well I noticed her emphasizing the word "with me."

- Yes ma'am.

- So, for now we are already spoken, I’ll await your doubts, that I know there will be.

I realized that she wanted to kick me out of there as quickly as possible and I really had a lot of questions that I would have to ask her. I left and was already mentally tired. I collapsed in my chair and neither was my computer on the table yet. Before leaning against the backpack, I saw Mr. Nurs coming out of the elevator.

He was impeccable as always, today in a lead-colored suit and black shirt underneath, he had his cell phone in one hand and the backpack in the other.

Ah, you see how use a backpacking isn’t so bad. It's more practical.

He came down the hall talking good morning to everyone, when he was getting close to me, he had a different smile, with the dimple on the right cheek appearing, I was still down to get the computer from inside the bag, I realized he was going to say something when his cell phone rang, he looked at the screen and answered.

"Good morning," he said to the mobile, still standing in front of me, but turning his back to me, which made me notice his gorgeous booty for the first time.

Okay, okay, it was not the first time I noticed!

He dropped his pack on the floor, scratched his head, and put his hand in his pocket. Then my eyes went to where? To the person's ass right! Guys, sorry, I'm human, I could not avoid it, it lasted no more than two seconds, or ten seconds top, I took my computer from my bag, lifted my body and plugged it on the table. He was still there, so I kind of overheard a part of the conversation:

- Tomorrow. Yes, I know. Of course. No problem. Tomorrow.

Well evasive, I see! I was wondering my myself.

"It will not happen again, Ms. Monteiro, have a good day."

Fuck! He was taking a little hard time from Paula and it was probably my fault. He hung up the phone and when he turned that lovely dimple showing up was gone.

"Good morning, Ana."

He picked up his pack and went to his desk.

Damn it!

***

- It’s noon already, let's have lunch? I want to know everything you said to Barbie.

- Lua, don’t talk like that, at least not here in the office, okay?

- She's two floors down, relax. Let's have lunch?

- Come on, let me just close this incident here and ...

At this exactly time I saw an email from Big Boss, subject: Recife

- Shit Lua I just received an email from Luiz.

- Open it that later, let’s have lunch first.

I looked at his desk and he was looking at me.

- Are there people waiting for us?

- Yes, Miguel and João are in the hall.

- Then go with them, I'll order something to eat later. It's about Recife and I've even started yet and already fucked up with my boss. I'll tell you everything later. She looked at me with a puzzled, half-angry face but said,

- Okay, see you later then.

I clicked on the email that just saying: "can you come here?"

For that he could have called me. I'm going to pretend that I’ve missed the conversation he had early.

- Good afternoon Ana, glad you saw the email! I hope you're not too hungry, then I promise to pay you a lunch!

And made a scout signal. I let out a silly grin, since I was holding the breath I was so nervous.

- Well, you must have noticed the conversation I had with Paula earlier this morning on the phone.

Damn, that's about it. I could not take it a step further from where I was.

- Come on, girl, sit here and I'll show you something!

I went to the chair in front of his desk and sat down. And he spoke softly, I had to get closer to listen.

- She's crazy and you can’t tell anyone I told you that!

- That's not any news, I don’t need to tell anyone, everyone already knows it on their own.

- I knew you understood the call! You're very wise woman! Even though I had not released a connected word or a complete sentence you knew she was fighting me, right?

I made a face of shame mixed with pride. More of shame, since I felt a heat rise my cheeks. I knew they were already red. Shit!

- No need to be mad at you for that, I didn’t go out there on purpose, I wanted to know if you'd understand at all. I need someone who understands me, after all we will be in Recife together, so I want this partnership to work.

- Ok sir.

- So ... Miss. Monteiro didn’t like that I spoke directly to you, but I didn’t understand why, once you will work with me for at least another year. You made me very happy by accepting the challenge. What prompted you to accept?

I can’t say to him, that it was just to see her stupid bitch face, who was talking a lot of nonsense bullshit, about if I could or not be chosen, once there were several people being listed!

- For the challenge sir. I believe I can learn a lot from you.

- That's good, it really made me feel better. No one else around here would fix as well as you.

- Thank you for the trust.

- Well, it's 1 p.m. do you want to have lunch? I’m leaving now!

- Don’t have to worry.

- I make a point. I know you were going out to have lunch with Luana when I called you and I really needed to talk now, with no audience.

- Good afternoon Mr. Luiz, sorry you're still in the meeting.

- Yes, Paula, I said I would be. How can I help you?

- It's about Ana's transfer.

- Well, she's right here. But since we're going out for lunch, you can talk to me later, maybe a quarter of an hour.

- Sure, Luiz, I'll send you a meeting invitation.

- Thank you. Come on, Ana?

He stood up and for a moment I thought he would take it my hand on his, but of course not, he got up to get the blazer that was hanging on the side and the wallet that was in the backpack.

- I'm not going, sir, thank you.

My belly was snoring, but I didn’t want Paula's eyes on me going out to lunch with my boss, who, as far as I could tell, call this meeting not to go to lunch with her.

I got up and went to my desk. Shortly afterwards she also left for her floor on 21st. I stayed on my desk, thinking that an hour and a half for lunch is a lot when we were inside the office. 1:20 p.m.

- Ana, let's go to lunch, you must be starving!

He was standing next to me again. I took a deep breath just to feel my stomach ache from being so hungry.

- Where do you have lunch?

- Where you choose, is that okay?

- I don’t think so, sir. The restaurants that we go to so that the ticket lasts the whole month should not be the same ones frequented by you.

- Okay, let's have a snack then, shall we?

- McDonalds?

- You exaggerated, madam! Could it be another place?

- Okay!

I got up and went to the elevator. We went straight from the 23rd to the garage.

- The mall is right there! - I informed.

- I know, but this one is very tight, crowded, noisy and bustling.

“Beep Beep”

I heard the alarm of his car being disabled, he took off the suit putting it on the hanger in the back of the driver's seat.

- Come in, Ana.

It was very hot that day, for sure walk to the mall, wearing suit and black shirt, really is not very tempting. I half-stepped into the car, which had all the glasses very dark, his door was closed and as soon as the sound started loudly, playing a very cool song from Nirvana.

- Sorry, my God, my bad Ana.

He hastily hung up the radio with a frightened face. I started laughing at the same time.

- What’s so funny, missy?

- You! Glad that the song was good, otherwise I would get out of this car screaming that I was being kidnapped by a madman.

- As if?

- Oh, shit. Sorry sir! I must control myself not to keep talking shit! - I spoke with my hands on my face in shame. He put his hand over mine, lowering them, laughing cute as ever and showing all the perfect teeth in his mouth:

- You're too awesome Ana! Did I already said that I adore you, right! Let's go!?

And we went to the most expensive mall I had ever gone to, to eat a snack that I paid mine and his.

It was a nice lunch, we talked a lot about what we will face in Recife, as we returned by car, cooler and fresh because of the air conditioning. When I came back I was still tidy, good-humored and perfumed.

- Thank you, Luiz, for lunch.

- Business lunch. – He pointed out.

I went to my desk and there it was Mrs. Luana waiting for me.

- It's almost 3:00 p.m. you don’t have work to do, do you? - I asked.

- Yes, but I also have coffee breaks. Where were you?

- Lunching! The meeting ended late, I went out to lunch as it was almost 13:30

- Wow. I'm not going home with you today, I’ll have to work later. The next two weeks will be intense, on the 15th will be the day of new routine in the client.

- Good luck.

- I will. Have you talked to your mother yet?

- Not yet. I'll call.

And she walked off, sending me a kiss over her shoulders.

I didn’t call at that time. I'll call her at night. For now, I’ll just send a message to the family group and it’s enough. I typed and sent:

"I won a mini promotion: I'm going for 6 months, to work in Recife next year"

It was enough, to pop on my cell phone tones of messages, from my brothers basically, but I didn’t answer any, had to work for now.