KACE entertainment

Chapter 2

Once I got off the phone with Rosa, I got dressed, gave myself a few pep talks and left for KACE entertainment. The instant I stepped my foot into the building, I was overwhelmed by its beauty and how busy it was. This was the umbrella that houses the country's finest celebrities, I mean the best of the very best.

I inhaled and walked to the reception desk.

"Hi, I'm here concerning the job advert placement." I said to the receptionist.

The woman looked at me. "Oh, welcome." She said.

"Please wait a moment while I contact the HR department." She brought the business phone in front of her desk to her ear.

"Okay." I replied and glanced at the entrance where a group of people whom I assumed to be members of the staff stood. I brought my attention back to the receptionist, she looked quite young and was dressed in casual business attire like most of the other staff. Some were even dressed in casual wear.

They seem to have a lenient dress code. I mused.

Isn't it cool? My inner voice remarked.

"Miss, you can now proceed to the HR department. It's on the second floor." She said politely with a professional smile.

"Thank you." I replied and left in the direction she had pointed at.

Locating the department wasn't much of a hassle but on getting to the department, I felt completely lost. It was hell busy, I didn't even know whom I was going to meet or rather ask questions. In my state of confusion, a lady dressed in a formal black and white striped jumpsuit and a red suit jacket approached me.

"Can we help you?" She smiled politely, her voice so professional and posh.

"Y-Yes." I found myself stuttering at the intense look she gave me. "I'm here concerning the advert placement and I'm also looking for Miss Erika Valdez."

That was the name Rosa had texted me on my way here. She was meant to give me the necessary information.

"Oh, I see." She pressed her lips into a thin line and nodded. "And I assume you are Kiara Michaelson." She arced a perfectly shaped brow smiling.

"Hmm?" I blinked, surprised.

Okay, I don't remember giving my name to the receptionist nor did I submit my CV. So, how the hell did she get my name?

"I know you are wondering how I got your name but Rosa called earlier about your arrival, I think you know her." She said.

"Oh, Rosa did." I mumbled. I should have known better.

"Yeah. I'm Erika by the way, nice to meet you." She smiled.

"Thank you." It was all I could say since I was too preoccupied with admiring her personality. She was beautiful and seemed friendly but not someone to be trifled with. The aura radiating from her was awesome, sort of powerful and it kinda attracts people to her. To top it, she's got a lovely accent which was freaking cool.

"So concerning the job," She stated, waking me up from my reverie. "You'll be working as a house manager to one of our clients although it's part-time but in subsequent time that could change depending on what the client you're assigned to wants. Currently, the owner of the house is out of town and so the house is a little bit out of shape." She said as we walked out of the HR department towards her office.

Once we reached her office, she shut the door behind her and offered me a seat on a sofa while she walked across the room to her table searching for a file among the neatly piled ones. I couldn't help but admire the office -it was spacious with a series of awards arranged on one side of the room and the other side had files and books neatly arranged on a wall shelf. I glanced at her desk which had her laptop with a document lying across its keyboard and a plaque with "DIRECTOR" written on it. It came as a surprise to me because she looked young not that I knew her age.

She found what she was looking for and came back taking a seat across from me. "Sorry for keeping you waiting." She said.

"It's okay." I replied, clasping my hands.

She peered at me briefly making me nervous in the process and then dropped the file she was holding on the table between us and continued explaining.

"You will work together with the staff in the house and also his manager. The cleaner comes twice a week, so try to get acquainted with her since you would now be in charge of supervising the house maintenance project. Mostly, you will be in charge of organising and coordinating house events and managing his schedules amongst others. And for that, you will be working closely with his manager."

She then handed the file and a pen to me. "Go through it and see if it's okay by you. When you're done and you're satisfied with it please proceed to sign the documents." I took the file from her and quietly read it.

I went through the documents and was about to sign them when her voice came. "You should note that you're bound to this agency once you agree to the terms written on that document. You can't just go tell anyone about what you see or hear. Our client's privacy is our topmost priority and we wouldn't want stories breeding everywhere now. Do we?" Erika asked.

I pressed my lips in a thin line. "No." I answered.

She shook her head. "During your work, you are to report any sort of misunderstanding or mishap to the agency or me, that's if there is any. You get what I'm saying right?" She asked.

"Yeah, considering this has to do with someone's private life and career." I replied.

"Thank you, you may now proceed." She urged politely. "You can start work tomorrow. You would be paid £25,000 for this month since it is almost ending but subsequently, you will be receiving the sum of £50,000."

Now, that got me pausing. I was shocked, my previous work didn't pay this much.

"£50,000 per month, isn't okay?" She said, upon seeing my reaction. "Although the pay is negotiable."

Woah, It's even negotiable.

"No, it's okay." I smiled and proceeded to sign the documents.

She stretched her hand, holding a card, "Before I forget, this is the house address." She said and handed me the card. "Please, send in a copy of your credentials and when resuming also come with another copy."

"Oh, I have a copy here with me." I brought out my CV from my bag and gave it to her.

"Good." She perused the file I had given her quietly and after a while, she looked at me and then back at the file but said nothing.

"You seem nervous." She stood up from her seat.

"Hmm?" I blinked but she gave me a blank stare. I shrugged, lowered my head and sighed releasing some tension from my shoulder.

When I looked up, she was still staring at me waiting for my answer. "I didn't think I'd get the job." I replied, breaking the silence. "I came immediately after I got the news and then I just wasn't prepared for anything, let's just say, I was a little scared of having an emergency interview."

She arched her eyebrow smiling. "Really?" She asked and I nodded.

She chuckled heartily, "I get you." She said. "You know, I was tempted to hold that interview but decided against it because someone else is going to be doing that."

I blinked at her. Who?

"Besides, I figured you weren't ready and I had this feeling that you're capable and then, there's another factor, Rosa. She recommended you for the job."

She went behind her desk and stood there. "If there is something I know about Rosa, it is that she doesn't fail to deliver and her recommending you means something. And besides, I owe her one." She grinned, exposing her beautiful set of teeth.

I agreed with her on that one. Rosa was never one to fail particularly when it involved her or someone close to her. She'd give it her all until she's achieved her aim. Figuratively speaking, she is a fighter.

I couldn't help but smile as I stood up from my seat.

"Kiara." She called, my name rolling off her tongue with ease. "I want to believe that I can trust you with this job and I hope you won't fail my trust."

I pressed my lips together and sighed. "I won't." I answered. "Thank you very much, Erika." I smiled, walking toward the door.

"You're welcome. I look forward to working with you." She replied with a smile.

"Same. Have a nice day." And with that I exited her office, mulling over everything that had happened.

After all that ordeal, I wasn't exactly surprised to see Rosa waiting for me outside the agency now that I knew she was somewhat involved in this whole process.

"Hey babe, how did it go?" She walked towards me grinning.

I smiled, "T'was fine. Guess what?"

"What?" She looked at me expectantly waiting for my reply.

"I got the job."

"Hooray!!" She squealed, throwing both hands in the air. "That calls for a celebration."

"Yay," I replied, mimicking her with little enthusiasm, "And without an interview at that." I added, watching for her reaction.

She frowned slightly, "Why the sarcasm?"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not being sarcastic," I answered. "I wasn't interviewed."

She tilted her head slightly and placed her chin in between her thumb and index finger as if she were thinking.

"That's weird." She muttered.

Since it was through her recommendation that I had gotten the job, I was wondering if she had used the same to hold off the interview but judging from her reaction, it seems she had nothing to do with it.

I shook my head, "I know but she said that she trusts me not exactly her words though and that she owes you one."

"Aww," she smiled, "She probably likes you, you know that kind of instinct that comes at first sight, right?"

"Right" I replied with a bored expression. "How did you know her?" I narrowed my eyes at her.

"Now who are you talking about?" She stared blankly at me.

"Don't play dumb with me, Rosa."

"I don't get what you're trying to say either." She replied, smiling sheepishly.

"I'm talking about the director, Erika." I said, tilting my head a little. "Come on, spill." I arced a brow.

"Erika Valdez, you mean." She replied and flipped her hair out of her face. "She is a friend and very good acquaintance." I nodded.

"For a director, she seems so young." I mused.

Rosa snorted. "Don't be deceived by her looks, she's two years older than the both of us." She commented as we walked to the parking lot.

"Really?" I glanced at her, replying to Krystal's chat.

"Yes and I think she's the director of the HR department."

"Woah, that's a whole lot of responsibility." I replied, keeping my phone in my bag.

"Yeah." She replied, scanning through the parking lot for her car.

"She went to the same high school as you, right?" I muttered.

"How did you know?" She asked, smiling brightly.

"Just guessed. You hardly talk about your friends except for the ones from your high school."

"Aww, you're so smart." She cooed at me but I gave her a blank stare and continued walking. "Don't give me that look. Just say thank you like every normal human." She huffed.

"You're so cute." I laughed.

"That's why you love me." She said, arranging her bangs as we walked towards her car.

"Thank you." I turned to face her.

"For what?" She replied, her hazel eyes sparkling with amusement.

"For everything." I smiled.

"Oh my gosh, don't make me cry." She blinked back invisible tears. "I'm just doing what a normal friend would do."

I smiled and pulled her in a hug. "I mean it." I murmured into her jacket.

Truth be told, not all friends are willing to go miles with you in search of happiness. Friends like her are rare gems.

"I know you love me and all, could we please save it for indoors? I don't want people thinking we're mad." She said, untangling herself from the embrace.

I made a face at her, "Way to ruin the moment." I said.

"You should know we ain't normal" She smiled but it disappeared as soon as it came. "I'm sorry, but I'm hungry." Rosa said.

"No wonder, you came looking for me." I pulled the door open.

"Of course, partner." She slid into the car. "I couldn't afford to eat alone when you're close by." She said once I'd gotten into the car.

"Where exactly are we going?" I asked, tuning the stereo.

"MacDonald's." She sang, tapping the steering while I searched for my favourite music on her playlist.

"Woah! Can we get going already?" I replied, bopping my head to the beat of the song playing.

"Impatient, are we?" She smiled, driving out of the parking lot.

"Yea. I'm starving already."

"If I hadn't come to get you, you wouldn't have known you were starving."

"Well, a certain someone mentioned MacDonald's and woke the sleeping devil." I countered.

Rosa smirked and stepped on the accelerator making me jerk backwards because of the force.

"Ah, what was that for?" I whined, placing a hand on my neck.

"I don't want someone to starve." She answered with a loop side smile.

"Shut up and drive."

"Aye, aye captain." She replied and we both burst into laughter.

We create memories and hold unto them. Looking back at these memories at times could be painful but most time joyful and then we laugh at them. Everyone laugh for different reasons but for whatever reason we laugh, it should be to create and hold on to happy memories that would last and stand for a lifetime. I for one, I'm creating memories that will stand for a long in this foreign land.