Lauren's problem

Tiffany squealed with delight when she saw Lauren walk into MegaCorp. She was excited to be able to work with a new friend but she was especially excited to see Lauren dressed up. “Girl you are killin’ it in that dress!”

Lauren smirked and smoothed out a couple of wrinkles she had made when nervously fidgeting in the cab on the ride over. “Thanks, Jodie picked it out for me. You sure I’m dressed okay?”

“Trust me, no one else is wearing something totally stunning as you.” Tiffany smiled.

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Lauren mumbled under her breath. “I don’t suppose you have any tips for me?”

Tiffany scrunched up her face in thought, “Nope.” Her response shocked Lauren. “None that, like, you would do.”

“Oh. OH!” It took a second for exactly what Tiffany meant to sink in, “D...did Jodie-”

“No, no, no. She interviewed with Ms.Bridgette. I don’t know if Jodie swings that way but Ms.Bridgette definitely doesn’t. But you’ll be seeing the head of I.T.”

Lauren breathed a sigh of relief, she didn’t think Jodie was the type to cheat but if she was as **** for a job as she was when Lauren showed up then who knows what that might drive her to do. Besides, it was painfully obvious that Jodie was just madly in love with her brother. Lauren stood by Tiffany’s desk as they continued talking, mostly about Jodie’s surgery. “So how does she look?”

“She looks, well, bigger. I think she’s still adjusting to the size, but I see her smiling every now and then.” What Lauren had seen of her yesterday had been a mopey girl in pain, that perked up when the subject of shoes came up and snuggled close to her boyfriend. Of course, that was a mix of hormones and pain killers, but Lauren only knew of the latter and not the former.

“I hope she’ll be back soon. Ben-Dr.Foo says if her post-op goes well she can come back to work by next week. Isn’t that, like totally, fabulous?! We can all work together!”

“That’s if I get the job.”

“Fer sure you will. Look at you. You’re like, totally hawt!”

“I don’t want to be hired because I’m hot...and besides I couldn’t exactly wear something like this to work every day now, can I?”

“Well no, you’d need a lot more cute dresses.”

“If I get the job I want it to be because I’m the best qualified for the job. I don’t want them thinking I’m some bim-uh,” Lauren stopped herself, afraid she may hurt her friend who no doubt had been called that, and probably worse. “Good looking.”

“They’re fer sure gonna think you’re totally good looking anyway. Might as well enjoy it.” The silence between the two women as Tiffany answered a call was interminable.

“Tiff, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

Tiffany typed away at her computer, how she did so with her long nails Lauren couldn’t tell you, “It’s fine.”

“No, really I think-”

“I know I’m not smart, like, not book smart like you. I’ve known that when I had to, like, repeat the sixth grade. People have called me worse, believe me. But, ” she shrugged, “I’m happy with who I am. I learned a long time ago that it has nothing to do with me. I don’t have to pretend I know things I don’t, like some of the bosses do, cause no one, like, expects me to. Ben just says some people’s brains are, like, wired different.”

Lauren placed a comforting hand on Tiffany’s shoulder, “But it doesn’t mean you’re less than anybody.”

Tiffany smiled up at Lauren, “Of course not.”

“I really am sorry. You are the kindest person I know, with a heart as big as all outdoors and I wouldn't want you to change for anything. And I know Jodie wouldn't." The guilt was plain on Lauren's face. "Are we still friends?”

Tiffany scoffed, “Besties please.” She stood and leaned over her countertop so she could hug Lauren. The girls held each other for a few moments. One girl needing the support of her friend and the other grateful to be over this moment with their friendship still intact. Tiffany considered herself to be everybody's friend but too often she had run into this exact moment with girls who were smarter than her. They may apologize but few, if any, were truly sorry.

Their long hug only ended with the ringing of Tiffany's phone. "Yes sir. She'll be right there." Tiffany hung up and smiled up at Lauren. "That's your future boss. He's totally ready for you now."

Lauren and Tiffany got off of the elevator together. Tiffany claimed she would her Lauren find her way faster by going with her, but she was more concerned with office gossip about those she could see along the way. Lauren at first didn't care but soon found it rather comforting as it distracted her from her worries. While Tiffany was dishing out the latest gossip on a worker named Johnson Lauren came to a small but significant realization; Tiffany was gossiping with her on purpose, not for any need to gossip but because of the distraction that it was and how it helped her for a moment relax.

When they reached the door to the I.T department Lauren stopped and turned to Tiffany, "Thank you."

"No worries, and you'll totally knock-em dead. Steven is a real sweetheart." The girls hugged once more for luck before Lauren went into the office.

The department had six desks equally spaced apart under fluorescent lights. Of the six visible desks, two were cluttered while the others were pretty tidy and one was empty of anything besides a standard work terminal. Standing over one of the cluttered desks talking another tech through a problem was Steven, according to the badge that dangled around his neck. "I'll be with you in one second." He said without looking away from the screen. After a brief conversation, Steven stood up, gave the tech a pat on the back, and greeted Lauren. "Sorry about that. I'm Steven Wright, I take it you're my ten o'clock?"

"Yes sir, I am. Lauren Morrison." Steven nodded silently as he took Lauren in. She certainly stood out from the other candidates. Lauren felt the silence had gone on way too long so she quickly spoke again. "I made sure to bring my resume." The silence had only been about a second or two but Lauren was filled with that nervous energy one fills when you're close to an important goal or power lines.

"That's good." He took the offered resume and skimmed it before speaking again. "We should probably do this in my office." Steven's office consisted of two oscillating fans and a cluttered desk, but otherwise, he had no wall save for the back wall that was part of the office itself. "This is my office. Such as it is." He smiled. "Sorry about the fans, I'd turn them off but it's a broiler back here without them because of the servers behind this wall. They put out an ungodly amount of heat."

"It's fine. I think I got enough hair spray to handle a hurricane at this point." They both gave a small laugh as the interview continued.

"So, what was your concentration in school?"

"Well mostly just general coding, python, some C++ but nothing that in-depth."

"What school was this?" Steven was taken aback, what college only taught the basics?

"I...I haven't yet, sir. I recently graduated high school and I was working most of that time trying to save up for school. I almost had just enough to start but then my previous job shut down for six months of renovations. So that blew that's plan out of the water. But, but, I'm a fast learner. And, I'm pretty good with puzzles."

"Do you have any tech experience?"

"Uh, a couple of months working at the nerd brigade fixing some minor problems and some at my previous job as well. Mostly fixing their computers."

Steven sighed setting Lauren's resume down and leaned forward on his desk. "I'll be honest. That's not exactly a strong background. Our company would pay for your school so you can be of better use obviously but I Still need someone who can at least be effective right now. Why should I hire you?"

"Because no one will work or study as hard as I will. I know you may see it as a gamble to hire me right now, but if you bet on me I can promise you I'll be able to pay you back tenfold."

Steven leaves back in his chair and rubbed his chin, once again sizing Lauren up, this time the silence did last an uncomfortable stretch. "You promise that huh?"

"Yes sir."

"Come here." He stood again and walked Lauren to the elevator. They made small talk while the elevator quietly dinged each floor. Steven seemed, to Lauren, a really nice guy and probably a much friendlier boss than her previous employer. He asked about what brought her to town, if she had a car, where she was staying. He raised an eyebrow when he learned she lived with Jodie. "Where is Jodie anyhow? I haven't seen her for a couple of days."

"She's recovering from surgery."

"Oh. I hope everything's okay." Before Lauren could answer Steven popped in with another question, "Say. You wouldn't happen to know anything about this boyfriend of hers she keeps talking about do you?"

Lauren smiled and repressed a giggle, "That would be my brother actually." 'Man, Jodie's got it bad!' Though she couldn't exactly blame her. She was excited about her new guy too. It warmed her heart to hear she's still gaga over Eric even after three years.

"Wow! What are the odds." Was all he could say. When they finally reached their destination "This used to be Ron's desk. Ol' Ron took an "early lunch" so he won't mind us using it at the moment. This morning we got a call that someone fouled up this computer. I was going to fix this after my interviews but why don't you give it a shot." Steven explained some of the problems they were having with the computer and let a very nervous Lauren work while he watched from a corner. From what she remembered she tried a few of the usual fixes she could remember from school to no avail. Each time it would give her a new error and terms she could only vaguely remember.

Lauren could feel the watchful eyes of Steven, she was sure he had already given up on her. ‘It’s probably something ridiculously simple, any other tech…’ Lauren did something she figured would probably cost her the job, but she refused to give up without a fight. She searched a few of the terms and errors she had been seeing. She was thankful at least one edge she always had was speed-reading. She managed to find three possible solutions and felt good about the third as it sounded closest to her problem. She tried what the one commenter had suggested and found a new error, she remembered another commenter had said this had happened to them so she implemented their fix and managed to work out the rest from what she remembered her teachers had told her and solved the issue.

Turning out of the chair she met Steven’s eyes, her face full of confidence she didn’t feel. “I’m pretty sure it’s fixed now.” Steven silently checked the connection and managed to connect to the office intranet.

“That it is.” He smirked at Lauren, “you couldn’t figure it out on your own?”

Lauren’s **** confidence faltered for a moment, “No, sir. But I worked it out quickly.”

“That you did.” Steven nodded, “Come on. I’ll walk you out.” What little remained of Lauren’s hope for getting the job, being able to go to school, being able to pay rent, dwindled away as they rode the elevator down to the main lobby. “So, where are you planning to go to school, around here or online?”

“Most likely online so I could still work...wherever, and get my education too.” With no hope left she made one last case for herself, “I know you or your other techs probably knew how to fix that problem offhand but...I still fixed it.” her voice struggled not to fade away in defeat. “And I’ll figure out the rest just as quickly.”

“You’re right. We do know it offhand.” The elevator doors opened to the lobby and Steve walked out with her, allowing others to get on. “Well, I have a few more interviews to get to today.” Steve and Lauren shook hands, “I think you should absolutely keep at it. You’ve got a great head on your shoulders.”

“Thank you.” Lauren started to turn and walk away when Steven called her attention back.

“You wanna know a little secret about I.T. people?”

“What?”

“We know a few tricks off the top of our heads but when that doesn’t work...we google the answer. You did exactly what anyone else in your position would’ve done.” Lauren had to admit that it did make her feel better to know. “I’ll call you in a few days to let you know our decision.” Lauren nodded and watched as Steven got back onto the elevator.

Still, dejected Lauren laid her head down on Tiffany’s countertop with a groan. In a few seconds, Lauren felt Tiffany at her side and wrapped her arms around her friend. “Hey,” Tiffany spoke after a minute of silence, “you hungry? There’s this cafe that’s, like, totally awesome. They have great food too.” Lauren simply nodded and followed her out the door.