When Two words collide

A Day Of Anticipation Onika Kenneth, a 5'7" black lady with beautiful hazel eyes and a cheerful smile, hurried around her living room looking for her documents.

"Mum, I am going to be late for work! Have you seen my documents?" she asked, her voice filled with anxiety.

Onika, 24, was a Harvard University graduate with a degree in accounting. She is determined to create a name for herself in the financial world and is presently working at Drinks by Easton, a well-known beverage company. Mrs. Nichole Kenneth, a woman in her early forties with a nice smile and a kind face, descended the stairs, dressed in a pink robe and with her hair tied in a bun.

"Dear, you took them up to your room, remember?" she said, moving towards the kitchen to begin breakfast. The scent of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, and Onika's tummy rumbled with anticipation. She enjoyed her mother's coffee, which was brewed with a particular blend of beans from their homeland in Nigeria. Onika's cheeks brightened with recall.

"Oh, I remember now!" She hurried upstairs, her pulse beating with anticipation. She hurriedly collected her documents and headed back downstairs, her legs propelling her forward.

"Mom, can you give me a cup of coffee to go?" she inquired, reappearing in the kitchen. Mrs. Kenneth smiled, her eyes crinkled at the corners.

"Of course, dear." She began preparing the coffee, moving quickly and efficiently. She placed the scorching hot coffee in a thermos and handed it to Onika.

"Be careful, it's hot," she said. Onika took the thermos and gave her a short embrace.

"See you later tonight, alright? And don't forget to prepare pasta for dinner." She said as she ran out the door, her legs propelling her rapidly to the bus station.

The cold winter air smacked her face, and she tightened her coat over herself. At the bus station, she ran into her friend Pat, a magnificent dark-skinned woman with piercing green eyes, a lovely smile, and a confident demeanor. Pat's beautiful, wavy hair flowed down her back, while her bright red dress highlighted her curves. She was a statuesque beauty standing 5'9" with a commanding presence.

"Hey, Onika!" Pat waved and saved her a seat on the bus. Onika smiled, thankful for the friendly face.

"Hey, Pat! Good morning." They talked about their weekends, with Pat telling her stories about her newest experiences and Onika updating her on the latest news. As they neared their office building, they discussed the imminent promotion.

"Hey, have you heard about the shortlist announcement today?" Pat inquired, her eyes shining with enthusiasm.

"Yeah, I've been preparing for weeks," Onika says, her mind racing with excitement. "I really hope I make the cut."

"I hope you will, you're one of the most talented people in our company," Pat continued, her voice full of enthusiasm. "Just be yourself and show them what you're made of."

Pat worked in the foreign affairs department, where she managed international partnerships and discussions. She was a bright thinker with a strong eye for opportunities. Onika respected her brilliance and confidence, and the two immediately became great friends. When they arrived at the office building, Onika felt a rush of exhilaration. The building in front of them, it's bright sign shining in the morning light.

They both step into the building and is greeted by the beautiful reception area. The reception area was wide and well-lit, with comfy chairs and a giant welcome sign illuminated with LED lights. As they reached the reception desk, Angela, the gorgeous receptionist, greeted them with a friendly grin. "Good morning! I hope you came in with a nice attitude today."

Onika and Pat chuckled and responded to Angela's greeting as they checked in at the reception counter before walking to the elevator. Onika's pulse beat with excitement as she got into the elevator, her thoughts focused on the promotion. She clicked the button for the 26th level, her floor, she and Pat steps in the elevator which takes them to there respective departments.

"Good luck, Onika," Pat remarked, smiling as she exited the 24th floor.

"You too, Pat," Onika said, her gaze riveted on the doors as they closed. She took a deep breath and braced herself for the trials ahead. .........

As I stepped out of the elevator, I felt an inexplicable sense of optimism. I walked to my desk, greeting my coworkers with a smile. Raelynn, a tall, white girl with long blonde hair and dark blue almond eyes, noticed my enthusiasm.

"You look exceptionally happy today," she said, eyeing me with curiosity.

"I feel happy, Lynn," I replied, taking a seat at my desk.

"By the way, have you heard about the meeting today?" Raelynn was about to respond, but she was interrupted by our director, Mr. Tino.

"Everyone, please return to your desks. We have an important announcement." As we settled in, Mr. Tino explained that today was promotion day, and only those who had worked for the company for three or more years were eligible. He also reminded us that senior staff members were excluded from consideration.

Raelynn leaned in, whispering, "Thank goodness for the change in rules. It gives others a chance to shine." I nodded in agreement, focusing on the director's words. After the announcement, Mia, the assistant to Mr. Tino, appeared, holding a file.

"Please make your way to the general hall. We need to be settled before the senior executives arrive."

Inside the hall, the atmosphere was electric. People chatted in huddles, discussing the impending promotions. By 9:00 a.m., Mrs. Taylor Owens, our branch manager, took the stage. She was a woman in her late 40s with short brown hair and a kind face. She wore a pink gown that stopped at her knees and hugged her curves, her six-inch heels clicking as she moved. She smiled and turned her head left and right, looking at her employees.

"Good morning all," she began. "Today is a great day for all of us. As promotions are handed out, please note that it was your hard work and dedication that brought you this far. And now, let's move on to the announcements."

As Mrs. Taylor continued speaking, she announced the first promotion. The room erupted into applause and cheers as Pat's name was called. We rushed to congratulate her, beaming with pride.

"Oh my gosh, Pat! Congratulations!" I exclaimed, hugging her tightly. "Thanks, Onika! I'm so thrilled!" Pat replied, her eyes shining with excitement. Raelynn joined in, grinning from ear to ear. "We're so proud of you, Pat! You deserve it!" After a long list of promotion being handed, it finally came to the last one, Mrs. Taylor announced Raelynn's promotion, and she froze, stunned, before bursting into tears of joy. I hugged her tightly, genuinely happy for my friend. "You deserve it, Lynn! You've worked so hard for this!" Raelynn sniffled, wiping her tears away. "Thanks, Onika. I can't believe it. I'm going to Paris!" Pat joined in, hugging Raelynn as well.

"We're going to miss you, but we're also so proud of you! Finally, Mrs. Taylor announced that one more position had become available at headquarters – the assistant to the president. The room fell silent, and I couldn't help but wonder who would fill that coveted role.

A Step Into The Unknown

Everyone gasped, and for two reasons. Firstly, the president of our company, notorious for his ruthless decisions, was rumored to be a very wicked and mean person. He fires and changes employees as fast as the wind, leaving a trail of broken dreams and shattered careers. Secondly, everybody was afraid of him, and he wasn't even present in our branch, yet his presence was felt like a dark shadow looming over us. I remembered the last time he once visited our branch, and with a single stroke of his pen, he fired our branch manager for "incompetence," a term he used to describe anyone who dared to disagree with him.

"Oh my fuck," Pat whispered, snapping us out of our own worlds. "Language, Pat," Raelynn chided, rolling her eyes.

"Who do you think would've given that awful position?" I asked, looking at both of them with my eyes full of confusion and dread.

"I'm already feeling sorry for the unlucky soul," Pat said, shaking her head.

"On the bright side, people say he's a drop-dead gorgeous piece of candy," Raelynn said with dreamy eyes, trying to lighten the mood.

"And how do you know that?" I asked, raising an eyebrow, "seeing that no one can find a single picture of him on the internet?" I asked with a more curious look.

Just then, Mrs. Taylor, our branch manager, walked up to the podium, her heels clicking on the floor. "The board has made their decision," she announced, her eyes scanning the room.

"So, the position of assistant to the president of our company would be awarded to no other than..." she paused, and I could literally hear and taste the drop-dead silence, as everybody prayed for their safety.

"Miss Kenneth Onika," I heard her announce, and I felt time legit slow down and then stop. I could see Pat and Raelynn turn to me with hands covering their mouths and their eyes filled with nothing but pity. The room erupted into a flurry of whispers and gasps, but I was too numb to move or say a word.

"Onika!!!" Raelynn called out, trying to shake me out of my trance.

" All promoted employees should report to my office with immediate effect to get their letter of deployments stamped and signed, meeting adjourned," Mrs. Taylor said, her voice firm and commanding.

As the room dispersed, Pat and Raelynn rushed to my side, their faces filled with concern. "What am I going to do, guys?" I finally said, my voice shaking.

"You can always decline the offer," Raelynn suggested, but I knew I couldn't. I needed this promotion, not just for myself, but for my mother, who was counting on me to move her out of our cramped apartment and into a better life.

"It might not be as bad as it sounds," Pat said, trying to reassure me. "You're one of the most hardworking girls I know, Onika. Working directly under the boss might not be bad as it seems or as 'people' say."

"But what if it's true?" I asked, my mind racing with all the rumors I had heard about the president's ruthless tactics. "What if he's as bad as everyone says?"

"We'll be with you every step of the way," Raelynn said, squeezing my hand. "We'll make sure you're okay."

"But what about the rumors?" I pressed. "What about all the people he's fired and destroyed?"

"Those are just rumors, Onika," Pat said. "You can't believe everything you hear. Besides, you're not just anyone. You're smart and capable. You can handle this." I nodded, trying to convince myself that Pat was right. But the doubt lingered, like a shadow in the back of my mind.

"Let's go," Pat said, dragging me out of the conference room and into the unknown. As we walked, the weight of the promotion settled on my shoulders like a heavy burden. I knew I had to be brave, to face whatever challenges lay ahead, but I couldn't shake off the feeling of dread that had taken up residence in my heart.

"We need to go now; we are supposed to be in the office like 10 minutes ago," Raelynn said, glancing at her watch.

"Yeah, let's go," I said, taking a deep breath. "I can do this."

"I know you can," Pat said, smiling. "You're going to be great, Onika." I smiled back, trying to feel more confident. But as we walked out of the building and into the bright sunlight, I couldn't shake off the feeling that my life was about to change forever

..........

Pat, Raelynn, and I hurried to Mrs. Taylor's office, aware we were running late. We burst in, slightly out of breath, and apologized for the delay. The room was filled with at least 17 candidates, all seated and facing each other. Mrs. Taylor's desk was in the center, and we quickly took our seats.

"Thank you for joining us," Mrs. Taylor said with a hint of sarcasm. Pat apologized again, and we settled in, focusing on Mrs. Taylor's words.

"As I was saying, you will all be at headquarters by next Monday at the latest. Flights have been booked, and accommodations arranged by management. Please note that each house is a 5-bedroom apartment, which you will share until you decide to move out. The houses are located in the company's estate, close to the company premises."

Just then, her phone rang, and she answered, momentarily interrupting the briefing. Raelynn whispered,

"Oh my gosh, we're going to be roommates!" I shushed her, not wanting to draw attention.

Mrs. Taylor continued, "You will all be assigned roommates until you choose to move out. In front of you is a tray with envelopes containing your names. Inside, you'll find your flight tickets, recruitment letters, and accommodation details." She instructed the guy nearest the tray to pass it around. As we received our envelopes, Mrs. Taylor expressed her gratitude and emphasized the importance of representing our branch well in Paris.

With that, the meeting concluded, and we excitedly left the office, unsure of what the future held. Outside, Pat, Raelynn, and I decided to grab drinks and snacks at the canteen before preparing for our departure. We chose a quiet spot, sat down, and began to open our envelopes.

Raelynn eagerly asked if we could finally see if we'd be living together. I smiled, and we all pulled out our contents. "Can we open the envelope now, I really want to see if we are going to be living together," Raelynn said.

"Yes Lynn, you can open it up," I replied, and Raelynn began to open her envelope.

"Ohhh, business class tickets," Raelynn exclaimed, impressed. "Ahhhh, comfort at least," I said, looking at the tickets.

"What's your address," Pat asked, looking at her accommodation letter. "No 5 Easton's estate," Raelynn replied. "Oh my God, same as mine," Pat said, and they both ended up squealing and hugging each other.

"Oh you guys are so lucky," I said, faking a sad face. "Don't be sad," Lynn said, hugging me. "We could still be visiting from time to time."

Pat took my documents and looked at them. "Don't listen to her fake sobbing Lynn, she has the same address as both of us."

"Oh Onika!!" Lynn exclaimed, pushing me away, and I burst out laughing. "Argh!!! I was worried about you and you are here playing with my emotions," Lynn added with a scolding look.

"Look at the bright side Lynn, we are all roommates," I said, trying to change her expression, which totally worked as she pulled me into a hug, squealing and giggling.

"I wonder who our remaining roommates are," Pat said.

"I pray they are clean and respect boundaries at the very least," I replied.

"And also friendly and lots of fun," Lynn added.

"We just have to wait and find out," I concluded.

After an hour of talking about what we are going to do in Paris, the shopping and night clubs and Lynn hoping she meets Prince Charming there (to which we laughed about) we got tired.

"Let's go home, I have a lot of things to prepare and get ready" Pat says.

"Ya, please let's get going okay. I still have to break the news to my mum and boyfriend and I still don't know how they would react". I said

"Ahhh the joy of living alone" I hear Pat say and Lynn nodding in agreement. With that we stood up, leaving the canteen as we walk to the elevator to get to our different departments, to get our bags, clear up our desk, wrap up everything and say our goodbyes

A Heartbreaking Surprise

As I returned to my department to clear my desk and bid my final goodbye to my colleagues, I couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. Raelynn was beaming with excitement, but I was deep in thought, my mind racing with worries.

We walked to the bus stop, Raelynn chattering nonstop about Paris, but I wasn't listening. I was too preoccupied with the daunting task ahead: leaving everything behind, including my mum and boyfriend, Chris.

Chris, my boyfriend, is a 6'0" tall, dark-skinned guy with short dark hair and piercing dark eyes. We met in college, and he asked me out on a date. A few weeks later, he proposed being his girlfriend, and I agreed. We had a lot in common, and I thought we were happy. But now, I was about to move to another country, and I didn't know how to break the news to him.

As we got on the bus, my worries intensified. How would Chris react? Would he understand?

Pat, noticing my distress, asked, "What's wrong, Onika?"

"I was just thinking of how to break the news to Chris," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Oh, I think Chris would understand perfectly," Pat said reassuringly.

"You guys have been together for a while, and he loves you. He'll support your decision."

"But what if he's not into long-distance relationships?" I asked, my doubts creeping in.

"Well, then you'll cross that bridge when you come to it," Pat said pragmatically.

"But I think you're overthinking this, Onika. Just go talk to him and see how he feels. Maybe you both can make it work." Raelynn, who had been quietly observing our conversation, chimed in, "Yeah, Onika, Pat's right. You and Chris are strong. You can make this work."

I nodded, taking their words to heart. Maybe they were right; maybe I was overthinking the whole situation. Chris loved me, and I loved him. We could make this work, couldn't we? I then got the courage to go talk with once and for all, so I got down at the nearest bus stop to his house and bid my friends good bye.

As I walked to Chris's house, I felt a mix of emotions: anxiety, uncertainty, and a hint of hope.

I used the spare key he kept outside and let myself in. The silence was eerie, and I noticed a pair of unfamiliar female slippers in the entrance. "Maybe he has a guest," I thought. I entered the living room, and the TV was on, but no one was there.

I heard voices coming from his room and grabbed my pepper spray, thinking it might be a robber. As I approached the door, the noises grew louder, sounding like moans.

Confused and concerned, I opened the door, and what I saw left me dumbfounded

... .........

I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, unsure where I was headed or if I should even stop running. But the more I ran, the more the memories of what I saw tormented me.

Flashback:

I opened the door to Chris's room, and my world came crashing down. My boyfriend was with another girl, bent over, and he was taking her from behind. She was moaning, and he was hitting her with each thrust. They were so lost in their sinful world that they didn't even notice me. The can of pepper spray fell from my hand, and it caught their attention. Chris turned back, and his face drained of color. Before he could say anything, I ran out of there as fast as my legs could take me, not wanting to find out if he was following me or not.

Flashback over:

I ran till I got to a park, deserted and eerie, and sat on a bench, shedding more tears.

"How could Chris do this to me?" I felt betrayed.

Five years of dating, down the drain. In the midst of my tears, I could hear my phone ringing nonstop. I brought it out, and seeing his name as the caller made me scream so hard that it scared the children in the park, but I didn't care.

Declining the call and blocking his number on all social media platforms, making sure I left no way for him to contact me. I hated how I felt right now, because I shouldn't be crying over an asshole who chose to betray me, but I couldn't help it. Chris was my first everything, and I thought we would end up together forever, but I guess it is what it is.

I sat on the bench for what seemed like hours, crying, before I finally got the strength to call an Uber to take me home.

Finally, I got home, paid the driver, and got out. I felt drained, emotionally and physically. I dragged myself to the door, opened it, and walked to the living room, where I found my mom seated and watching her favorite reality show.

She looked up from her show, surprised to see me home early. "Hey, baby, why are you back home so early?" she asked, noticing my tears.

"Were you crying?" she asked, looking more surprised, and I burst into more tears, which confused her further but she rushed to me and pulled me into a tight hug as I continued to cry.

She dragged me to the sofa and sat me down, then rushed into the kitchen and got me a glass of water. She handed it to me, and I drank it all. She took the glass and dropped it on the table, then turned to me for an explanation.

"Chris," I said, choking on my tears.

"What happened to Chris?" she asked, looking worried, as I continued to sob. "Did anything bad happen to him?" she asked, and I shook my head to dismiss her claims.

"So, what happened, baby girl?" She asked again.

"He cheated on me," I finally said, and more tears burst out of my eyes like a broken dam.

"Oh my god," I heard her exclaim. She looked pissed, then sad, as she sat down close to me and hugged me.

"Oh, my baby girl, how did you find out?" she asked, handing me a tissue with which I blew my nose. "I went to his house because I got off work early to tell him about my promotion, and I saw him screwing a bitch," I said, with more mucus and tears coming down my nose and eyes.

"Oh, my baby...," she stopped and looked at me, her eyes narrowing slightly. "You got promoted?" she asked, her voice laced with a hint of suspicion. I nodded "Oh my gosh, that's good news" she says I took a deep breath, my heart racing.

"Mom, I got promoted to the headquarters... and I'm leaving on Saturday," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

The room fell silent, and my mom's face turned pale. She looked like she had seen a ghost. "What do you mean you're leaving on Saturday?" she asked, her voice shaking. I could see the fear in her eyes. "My baby, you can't just leave like that! What about your life here?" she asked, her voice rising.

"Mum, I just found out the supposed 'love of my life' cheated on me and I'm not going to waste another tear on him. And my life here? It's over. I need a fresh start, and this promotion is my chance," I said, my voice firm.

My mom looked at me, her eyes searching for any sign of hesitation. But I was resolute. I had made up my mind, and I was not going to change it.

"Okay, baby. If this is what you want, I'll support you. But promise me you'll stay in touch and come back to visit often," she said, her voice softening.

"I promise, Mom. I'll stay in touch and come back to visit. And who knows? Maybe one day I'll come back for good," I said, trying to reassure her. My mom nodded, a small smile on her face.

"I know you will, baby. You'll always be my baby, no matter where you go." We hugged each other tightly, both of us trying to hold back tears.

I knew this was goodbye, at least for now. But I also knew that I had to do this, for myself and for my future. As we pulled back from the hug, my mom looked at me with a determined expression.

"You go out there and show them what you're made of, Onika. Make me proud." I nodded, a smile spreading across my face.

"I will, Mom. I'll make you proud."