Chapter Two: Madeline
I spent the entire night wondering if was too late to change my major.
Eventually, I came to the conclusion that since I was a senior nine weeks from graduating, it kind of was.
I was going through my presentation over and over, and I would mess up something different each time. I groaned in frustration multiple times and collapsed on my couch, defeated. It wouldn’t do me any good to stay up all night, but I had to get it right.
This meeting with Collegium Corp was my big break. I was riding on it since January when I was told I was in the final selection, and could deliver my presentation in person to two of the most influential businessmen and investors in the city. I didn’t even know what they looked like, but I knew everything they did from top to bottom.
I memorized all their dates and numbers too. The exact day their gym, their springboard investment opened, when they started buying out investors, and when their company grossed a billion dollars in one investment period. They were a force to be reckoned with and I knew I had to do something to get their attention.
I purposefully didn’t want to see any photos because it would throw me off, I just thought of them as two springboards. They have a buyout option, but I didn’t want it. I wanted to be a CEO. It was why I double majored in business entrepreneurship and management. I was top of my class and had a perfect GPA. I looked good on paper. Now, I just had to blow them away in person.
“Oh my God, are you still up?” My roommate and best friend, Sarai, scared me half to death.
Her bedroom opened right up to the living room. She stood in the doorway, her shirt crooked and her blonde tresses wild and messy. She looked like I had woken her up, but I know she just lays around watching Netflix for hours.
“Yeah. I have that big presentation tomorrow.” I answered. She yawned and padded over to the kitchen in her fuzzy socks.
She made us both tea, black for me and green for her. We lived together for four years, and our friendship was accidental. But perfect. She was a public health major, so she rarely had free time and was the complete opposite of me. Tall, and leggy, perfect for a model. Seriously, she modeled to pay for school.
“How is it going then?” She sat next to me. I sipped the tea and instantly relaxed.
“Not good. I keep messing up the numbers.”
“Because you have been at it too long, go to sleep.” She said, half asleep herself.
I nodded in agreement. I had to be well rested and it was almost one. I stood up, my baggy shirt falling over my yoga pants and I started packing up my stuff. I had two big graphics and a PowerPoint presentation. All the stuff was there, and I knew it was good.
The idea came to me in one of my required classes, composting. I geared it toward the younger crowd, who was quite honestly very lazy. But a good majority of them were in touch with the environment, and the amount of people composting now were largely made up of the younger crowds. So, by putting an easy access facility near campus, it would encourage young people to take part in it. One day, it could expand to residence halls, apartment complexes, and such.
Maybe I was a hypocrite because I don’t compost myself, but if there was anything I learned in my business classes it’s that if enough people do it, it’s important. It matched up with their investments from the past two years. They had acquired almost twenty private recycling firms, and have stepped in to sustainability within the community. This was the only idea they had not capitalized on. I really hoped they didn’t buy it off of me, but I would take what I could get if it meant being mentored by either of them.
Ugh, I needed to sleep.
I finished off my tea, and Sarai said goodnight. I knew she only came out to check on me. She was more my sister than a friend and roommate. We met freshman year at the required orientation, as roommates, and hadn’t parted ways since.
It has been good so far, but we have both been so busy since the second semester, that we have barely seen each other. Even over spring break we were working nonstop on our thesis and turned them in early. We had one day off to binge watch Game of Thrones.
I was glad I had someone to challenge me though, to push my limits and make me work harder. We studied together, motivated each other; we balanced each other out.
I begged sleep to come but I was so hyped up. I got up again and picked out what to wear. Judging by their accomplishments, I thought they were older conservative men so I picked out my only black skirt suit, the skirt went past my knees a bit, and a white button up. It seemed that was the last thing I needed to plan before I collapsed into bed.
~
I was scheduled for noon on the dot so I got up at nine-thirty. I made breakfast and had a double dose of coffee before I got dressed. I took my long brown hair and braided it back. I wasn’t the makeup type so I just wore foundation to hide my dark circles and simple peach lipstick. I spritzed on my favorite perfume and double checked my notes and materials. I was ready to go. Just extremely nervous.
Sarai had already gone to class, or work. I couldn’t remember. She worked at a small boutique where the employees also model the looks. She always rocked the exotic, bohemian look with her deep eyes and thick brows. It was the perfect job for her. She didn’t need the money, so she just did it for fun.
I worked in the admissions office as a secretary. It was boring, but I could get a lot of studying done as I sat at the desk. I took today off to prepare, since I only had classes two days a week the job was relatively easy to keep.
My trusty, fifteen-year-old Beetle was parked across the street. The blue paint was chipping so bad, it looked gray. But it did look kind of retro and cool, all that mattered is it runs. I headed to the hall they held the interviews at, and found easy parking.
I got in with thirty minutes to spare, so I just sat outside.
“Are you waiting for the presentation?” An older woman, with dramatic features and a kind smile asked me while I waited on the bench.
“Yes, I am.” She asked me my name and I assumed she was an assistant of some sort.
“You look nice.” She told me.
“Thank you, I am a little nervous.” I smiled. She waved me off.
“Don’t worry. They like to think they are all big and mean, but they really aren’t. Especially Jake.”
I smiled a bit.
“Thanks. I’ll try to relax.”
I waited a few more minutes, and then went in the bathroom nervously to check myself. I heard noises in a stall that sounded like crying. I never liked knowing people were upset about something. I thought it would take my mind off of my own mess of a life anyway.
I knocked on the stall gently, “Are you okay?”
The sniffled stopped, and then the stall opened. She looked so pretty, and well dressed in a suit. Why was she upset?
“I’m fine, thanks. Just an interview gone bad is all.”
She went over to the sink and washed her hands, then started fixing her makeup.
“With Collegium Corp?” I don’t know why I asked that.
“Yes, do you have one too?”
I nodded.
She shook her head. “It was a disaster. I thought my presentation was good. I know the idea was a little crazy but I was prepared. But one of them was a total asshole and got mad at me for not Googling them or something. It was awful. I ran out in tears! Oh no, are you going in too?”
I nodded slowly. Now terrified to even go. I glanced at my watch. Five minutes to go. Would I run out in tears too?
“Yeah, I do. I’m sorry it didn’t go well,” I said gently.
“It’s fine. I guess I will just have to go and work for my dad or something. I just wanted to make it on my own for once.” She shook her head sadly as she looked down.
Man, I really felt for her. I felt the same way. My parents were very supportive, and hard working. But if I didn’t get this job, I would have to move back home after graduation and I definitely didn’t want to do that.
“I know. I have to go, I’m sorry.” I smiled sadly at her and left.
One minute. I tapped my foot nervously, standing by the door. What if they hated me? I imagined they would. They were so mean to her, I didn’t do well with mean. Only because I didn’t take shit from people, and I didn’t like when people come for me without warrant. If they said something I didn’t like, I was afraid I would retort with something equally unfriendly.
Of course, I know how to hold my tongue. But still. No one likes being yelled at.
“You ready?” The woman from before asked. You’re asking me? I thought.
“Sure. Yes.” I reassured myself.
I had given presentations to hundreds of students before, this was just two men. What could go wrong?
“Go on in.”
I walked in to them having a conversation, but didn’t look at them. I headed straight for the podium. I wouldn’t look until I began, it would keep my nerves down. But I kept overhearing what they were saying.
“Okay, back to the club. We have a membership for a reason, and we never go.” The voice was deep, and ropey. Each word had its own harsh undertone, and drawl.
“Yeah, ‘cause we have been busy.” My back was to them, setting up the boards. The second voice was deep as well, but softer. The kind that could lull you to sleep.
I shuddered at the energy in the room, whoever they were. They were intense. I bent over to get my laptop out, and the talking ceased.
The room was so quiet, I could hear the empty seats. Now, I was nervous. My heart beat into my ears, and I felt my back growing moist with nervous sweats. I kept my face from sweating by standing in front of the fan on the podium.
That was it, everything was set up.
I drew my eyes up, and focused on the two men sitting across from me. My knees shook in my heels, and I was wide eyed like a confused little girl. These weren’t men they were…they were gods. Built by the gods, for the gods, and everything in between.
On the left; I saw a beachy man with light brown hair and gray eyes, that I could feel from here. I say beachy because of his shorts and polo, it was very casual. His tattoo peeked out of his broad, muscular chest. I felt myself wanting to lick…stop.
But next to him was Geek Squad on steroids. He had a similar muscular build, but it was wrapped in a crisp white dress shirt, silk tie, and black dress pants. His hair was much darker, and his eyes a piercing blue.
He said, “Ready?”
Well, now I’m not.