Amanda’s POV

"Huh?" I mumbled in a sleep filled voice as I slowly pushed myself onto my elbows and pushed my hair out of my face with my fingers.

Val was practically vibrating with excitement as she handed me my phone– which made my heart soar a little in hopeful anticipation. I unlocked my phone slowly, a small feeling of dread settling in the depths of my stomach a few seconds later as I pondered on the different negative thoughts running through my head at the moment.

What if I’ve been rejected?

That's probably it, why else would they be replying to an application sent to them by 07:40pm, a few hours later– to think I wasn’t expecting them to give me a reply in about a week's time.

They probably didn't even review my application letter, that's totally unfair!

Different kinds of negative thoughts were swimming through my head as I hesitated about the process of unlocking my phone.

"Come on, check it out already! It's a good thing, stop over thinking about it." Val groaned out between a small, amused huff, and I glanced up at her immediately.

"How would you know?" I mumbled out as I quickly typed in the password and unlocked the phone, a phone which I had planned to change as soon as I graduated, start working and earn a reasonable amount, but I guess not everything works out according to plan.

"Your email address is registered on my laptop, remember? I saw the email already." Val countered as she stood up from my side on the bed to get her laptop from its spot on the couch.

Oh, right.

I opened the email which came in two minutes ago, my breath hitched in my throat after I read the first two lines of the email.

www.axm.globalcompany@noreply.com

‘Hello, Amanda Westbrook

We have reviewed and gone through your application letter and are happy to inform you that you've successfully crossed the first step into working under 'A&M'.

We've scheduled an interview for you 'TOMORROW' by 07:45am.

Do come along with your 'CREDENTIALS'.

Ensure to arrive on time.

Best regards,

A&M.

I blinked once, then twice, before rereading the email again, the moment the content of the email hit home, I threw my arms in the air and squealed loudly while bouncing on the bed, excitement lacing my voice and a wide smile peaking out across my face. Val's facial expression mirrored mine as she sat down on the bed beside me, her laptop placed on a pillow behind her, this time.

"The job is yours, best friend!" Val gushed loudly and I

nodded my head vigorously in reply before a side thought made its way into my head, putting a halt on my excitement instantly.

"Val, why did they reply to me by this time? The reply was sent in by..." I quickly checked the time the message came in again just to be sure. "...09:05pm. Isn't it a little bit weird?" I voiced out my thoughts to Val who had a thoughtful expression on her face.

I felt my stomach start to slowly sink in disappointment as I continued. "Actually scratch that, that's super weird. I mean... Do people work at 09:05pm? No, they don't. But I got a reply by that time. Maybe it was a glitch or something." I muttered as I fell flat on the bed, a small sigh leaving my lips and my stomach starting to tighten up into tiny knots, I knew it was a tad too good to be true.

"No, no. Some people actually work till they sleep off at night, that way, it makes their job a lot easier the next day instead of leaving everything and allowing them to cluster up,” Val explained with a shrug of her bare shoulders, save for thin straps of the small pink camisole she was wearing at the moment before continuing.

“Oh.” I muttered dumbfoundedly and she nodded her head immediately before continuing. "I'm working at the moment too. Why else would I stay on the laptop for hours without listening to music?"

Val, Kris and I graduated from the famous Exlars College a month ago, we're four in numbers actually, there's still Cal, the only male in our midst, but he’s in Italy at the moment, working in the same position his father had been working in for over two decades.

I studied Calculations and businesses, while my best friends had studied different courses. Whereas my best friends could afford the school, I couldn't. And so, I had to apply for a couple of scholarships before graduating from highschool, which I got granted fortunately. Unfortunately, the scholarship covered just my school fees and some other fees concerning the registration process, so I and my family had to fend for the rest.

My mother being a single mother who couldn’t even feed herself properly was out of the question and so I had fended for myself and paid my way through college with the help of a few jobs that didn’t interfere with my studies too much, and with the help of my best friends.

I don’t think I’d be where I am today without them.

I'm just glad that phase of my life is now over. Done and over with.

Now, to work and earn.

That thought doesn't sound as promising as it did the moment I, in the traditional graduating cape and cap, had accepted the firm handshake our chancellor offered me as he handed me my certificate amidst the loud applauds of the guests.

Cal had a job arranged for him even before he graduated – benefits of being from a wealthy family, and Val had gotten a job a week after graduating. Kris had taken two weeks after graduation before finally getting a job offer, and there was me, a month after graduation, and still without a job.

"So, I'm going to be attending the interview tomorrow." I breathed out after a while, nodding my head along with what I had said, as if waiting for another extra confirmation to be shoved into my face.

"Yes, you are." Val echoed after me, her head bent over the laptop as her fingers quickly moved across the keyboards, the sounds doing a 'tap, tap' dance in the room.

"Where's kris?" I asked after a few minutes of me playing with my fingers on the bed.

"Oh, she had to go get what we'd be having for dinner, she'll be back soon."

"Congratulations bestie!! You have no idea how excited I am about this.” Kris gushed out excitedly and pulled me into a tight hug which I returned earnestly– the moment I informed her about what had happened while she was out, getting dinner.

"I know, right? It honestly feels like a dream that’s too good to be true and I don’t even know if… I started to say with a small shrug of my shoulders but Kris smacked me on my shoulder lightly before pointing out.

"You don’t know what? This is a miracle, Ama! Don't ruin it with your mind. It's as real as it can ever get.

"Alright." I breathed out along with a small sigh, grateful that Kris hadn’t given me a chance to entertain any negative thoughts in my head as I slouched down one the bed after a few seconds.

Be positive, Amanda.

Only positive thoughts are allowed to flow into my head tonight!

******

This is it, the walk into my successful future.

Hopefully.

I couldn't help but add the last part as I stood outside the huge building in a black skirt which was almost brushing my knees, a smooth and ironed white shirt, a matching jacket and a pair of three inches black heels. My hair arranged into a tight and neat bun on my head, and I knew without a doubt that I was as professional looking as I could ever get.

Lord, the building was extremely huge, and the amount of stories the building has, Jesus Christ. I tried counting the amount of stories the building has but I stopped when I got to twenty and it didn't look like I was halfway to the top.

How would I even get a job here?

This big place... I'm sure even the receptionist working here probably already had years of experience down before even bothering applying for a job here.

A glance at my phone made my eyes widen in shock when I took note of the time.

07:40am.

What the fuck? How the heck did I end up being this late?