My fingers twitched as I fiddled with my tie for the tenth time that minute. Then I looked up at the opposing building in front of me. Obsidian Jewels. It was the best jewellery designing company in New Orleans, if not the country or the world.
This had been the dream company to work for when I started applying for jobs after I graduated with honours from college with a bachelor's degree in design.
During college, I specialised in metalwork and even won several competitions with my designs. However, even with that under my belt, I, never in a million years, dreamed that I would get chosen above everyone else to work here.
Yet, one week after the interview, I got the call. Now, here I was, shaking with nerves before starting the first day of my dream job.
Ever since I was a child I'd been obsessed with gemstones and jewellery designs. Being an orphan, I didn't have anything that was mine except for a pendant. The nuns at the orphanage had said when they found me it was with me. They held onto it until I was old enough to look after it myself. It was a small silver chain with an obsidian crystal.
When I was young, I imagined it was some mystical object that could help me find my family. Though as I got older that fantasy faded quickly. When the chain finally broke, I had to figure out how to fix it without money. That was when I started looking into jewellery design.
I loved how you could take something so small and make it beautiful and unique. Ever since then, I was hooked. I worked two jobs whilst studying and now my life was really about to start.
When I heard that I, Sorin James, had my dream job, I screamed so loud in my one-room apartment that the noisy neighbours next door banged on the wall to tell me to shut up.
After receiving that call, I instantly gave my two weeks' notice to both jobs, hoping that one day I would be able to give my notice to my landlord too.
The morning of my first day I had woken up at the crack of dawn, I was so excited. I had spent an hour trying to style my unruly, small, brown curls. Eventually, I gave up and focused on what I should wear.
The company was high profile, so as tempting as it was, I didn't think jeans and an oversized hoodie would make a good first impression. I found the only white shirt, tie and black khakis I had. Thankfully, they weren't too creased.
I looked at my reflection in my pathetic excuse of a mirror before leaving. My brown eyes looked brighter than they had ever been and my pale skin looked a little flushed. Grabbing my bag of art supplies, as pathetic as they were, I headed out.
Half an hour later, here I was standing in front of the building I had always admired from afar. Finally, taking a deep breath, I took my first steps into the start of my new life.
The lobby was lined with white marble floors and tables that looked too grand, like something from a movie set. Black chairs and sofas littered one side near the floor-to-ceiling windows, whilst a huge reception desk ran along the other side.
I knew Obsidian Jewels wasn't the highest profile business in this building but I still felt out of place. As I approached the reception desk, the young receptionist smiled at me.
"Hello, how can I help you?" She looked friendly but that sounded forced and too rehearsed.
As I stopped in front of her, I sensed something off, like she wasn't as friendly as she appeared to be. When I was younger, I discovered that I could sense certain things about other people.
One of the nuns, who took care of us, was upset. I knew about it before anyone else. I knew everyone's secrets. At first, it had been cool, no one could lie to me and I would win at games. After a while, the other kids started to think I was weird or a showoff and stopped playing with me.
The nuns were kind to me but I knew they were weary of me too, one even thought I was dangerous. It confused me so I decided to hide it. I would avoid being near other people and I tried to ignore it. Over the years, I learned how to not react to people based on what I felt. It doesn't always work but for the most part, it does.
My senses were telling me the receptionist was fake and really didn't want to help anyone. Instead, she was only interested in you if you had money. Ignoring that, I plastered on a fake smile just like hers.
"Hello, my name is Sorin James. Today is my first day at Obsidian Jewels," I told her, proud the nerves hadn't shown in my voice.
Her interest in me instantly changed, she went from not caring about me to being intrigued. Her fake smile turned to a flirtatious one, as she clicked a button on her headset and spoke into the mic.
As she spoke I studied her a little. Her bleach-blonde hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail and she wore a thick mask of makeup probably to hide her fugly side. I guess she was pretty by some standards but to me, she was too fake. Eventually, she clicked the headset again.
"If you would like to take a seat, someone is on their way to get you," she pointed to the waiting area. "If you need anything, and I mean anything, don't hesitate to let me know," she flirted and I inwardly rolled my eyes.
I nodded before I walked away, breathing a sigh of relief. Her fakeness was choking me. No way in hell would I be asking her for anything. Taking a seat on one of the sofas, I waited for whoever was coming and thankfully I didn't have to wait long. Who knows if she would have left me alone if I waited any longer?
"Are you Sorin James?"
I jumped as a deep male voice called my name from behind me. The man chuckled as I stood and turned to face him. A man, who was easily over six feet tall, towered over me. His dark brown hair was spiked and his blue eyes shone with amusement. He wore jeans and a t-shirt that said 'Don't speak to me until I've had coffee!'
'I guess I could have worn my hoodie and jeans after all,' I thought to myself.
He looked entirely relaxed and I found myself matching him. My body relaxed and I felt comfortable.
"Are you Sorin?" he asked with a quirk of his eyebrow.
I wanted to facepalm myself. I had been so lost in his sense of relaxation that I'd forgotten he had asked me a question.
"Erm, yes. Sorry," I mumbled quickly.
He smiled and offered his hand to me which made me feel faint.
"Erm, I'm sorry but I don't …. I mean I…." I looked at his hand, I had no idea how to say it.
How could I explain to this nice man that I was a freak that hated touching people because of the weird ability I have, it intensifies when I do. The man smiled at me and pulled his hand back. He didn't sense like he was offended.
"No contact no problem, I understand. Come on, my name is Mac and I am the creative director. There are three of us in total in the design department, well four now, including you," he explained as he guided me to the elevators. "Ella, Tony and Yumi are the other designers and they are very eager to meet you."
"Me? Why?" I asked.
No one had ever been excited to see me before, to see me leave sure, but never to see me arrive.
"Of course you, ever since they saw your designs they've been itching to meet you. You're very talented," he told me as we stepped into the elevator and he hit the button for the ninth floor.
Mac rambled on about something about the tenth floor but I, honestly, couldn't say I had any idea what he said. My nerves kicked up notch by notch the higher we went. This was the time everything changed, hopefully, for the better.
When the elevator stopped for a moment on the eighth floor. I stilled, and then I suddenly became lightheaded. I could feel something close by, something dangerous but enticing at the same time. It chilled me until the doors closed and the lift continued on.