INVISIBLE WALL FLOWER

NO ONE LOOKED AT SOPHIA MORALES TWICE

I could be Santa on a sleigh riding through the sky and no one would notice .

Gurls like me are hardly ever seen.

I’m the one holding the elevator door open, the one picking up the folders someone else dropped. I’m “Thanks, uh… Sophia, right?” and “please will you be kind as to grab us coffees too?”

I graduated top of my class—high school and uni, yet no one cares about that. I was like a mere fixer, almost a maid. If there were errors at work , I fixed them before our senior partners noticed. At Pierce & Pierce, the most prestigious law firm in the whole of New York, I was unseen but used as a rag to fix mishaps.

“Sophia,” Catherine Brooks said without looking up, “the notes I asked you to make for me, I haven’t seen them until now.”

I held back a sigh, “I already emailed them.”

“Mmm next time I ask you to make notes, print them out and put them in my desk on time.”

I nodded “I will,” I said, quietly.

She looked at me and give me a putting smile to remind me that I was beneath her. “If you want to go far in you career, you need to be more agile, more up and doing.” She said with eyes narrowed.

I nodded. Like I could be anymore agile than I already am. I literally run in just two hours sleep every single day because I do my job and the job of others.

I turned, and walked away 

At my cubicle, Maya, my best friend arched an eyebrow at me. “From that look on your face, Let me guess. Either the Queen Bitch or her minions struck on your way here ?”

“I’ve never heard her say thank you. Every time I do something for her, I expect to hear it but she never says it.  Do you know how long it takes me to do the tasks I do for her?” 

Maya snorted, “ or maybe you can stop doing going on errands for her or anyone else. Your job description does not say you must assist everyone at the office”

“Thanks but no thanks. If I stop, I’ll be bullied into leaving this job. I need the money.,” I muttered, slumping into my seat.

“I mean it lovingly,” she said, smiling. “You’re brilliant. You’re dangerous on paper. You’re beautiful. You shouldn’t be anyone’s slave and you don’t even help matters, dressing like this will get you pushed around. ”

“First of all , I like…I love love love my suits!.” I did a chef’s kiss

“You look like you just came out of the 18th century.” She countered.

I glared at her. She just grinned 

“Secondly, do not flatter me by saying I’m beautiful. I know what I look like on the mirror and finally my intelligence really doesn’t matter In this office.” 

She looked at me like I had lost my mind.

The work day was short yet very long. 

“Today is Friday and we will be closing quite early, how about I take you to a very nice place?” She asked and threw a small colorful paper to me.

“What’s this?” I asked, flipping it to the other side.

“Your salvation from this boring and pathetic life you live ,” she said dramatically. “It’s it’s a masked party happening at one of the VIP underground clubs in this city.”

I blinked. “Excuse me?”

“Yes, not everyone gets an invite but I did and I’m allowed a plus one. We need to get you out there, dresssed in the shortest dress and linked with the hottest man.”

“So…you wanna pimp me out.”

“So, transformation,” she corrected. “The calm, church-dressed, smarty pants Sophia now needs to be seen for the beauty she is. I know just the perfect dress for you tonight.”

I stared at her and then back at the invite..

She leaned in. “You don’t really have a choice in this, you’re going..”

***

“Okay, girl. It’s time to leave. We’re going to my place to get you all dolled up.” Maya’s voice sounded just above my head.

I lifted my head from the table and tried to look at her but she was just a blurr figure through the tears flowing from my eyes.

“Oh darling, what is it?” She asked with so much compassion in her voice.

I looked at her, my heart shattered and broken. “I’m tired,  I can’t do this anymore. I can’t sacrifice my sanity because I want to keep a high paying job.” I cried to her.

“Oh honey” she immediately hugged me.

I sobbed hard into her shirt.

“Is it a crime to be me? Did I create myself? Why am I being punished for how I look? Why am I being dragged like a rag around here for something I have no control over?”

“Shh…shhh…” she rocked me.

“I’m tired…” my voice cracked.

“It’s okay honey, if you want to quit, I support you…shh…take it easy…” she consoled.

She held me until there was no more tears to cry and all there was was the hiccups—after math of crying for long.

“Look this might sound strange but I know a thing that might help right now.” She said.

I looked at her without saying anything but my eyes clearly urged her to continue.

“I know a place, I got an ad from them once, apparently they can perform some spells that turn ordinary women into pretty women.” She said.

I burst out laughing.

“Uhmm, at least I made you laugh” she winked.

“You aren’t serious. A spell, what is this? Disney land where maids are turned to princesses?” I chuckled.

“Mm-hm” she nodded.” I smiled at her attempt to make me happy.

“Okay, let’s see this place that can make me pretty.” I picked up my bag and followed her out.

***

“This side of town is weird” I said to Maya as we walked down the streets to this magical place that supposedly turns people pretty.

“Yes, it is. It’s not for rich kids like you.”

“If you say so.” I shrugged and continued after her.

We arrived at the place. Something about it felt too weird for daylight. “This is an occult house “ I whispered to Maya.

“Yes, of course, what did you expect? A church?” She whispered back.