2

After my head stopped spinning I realized it wasn't a wall I collided with but a man, very handsome by the way. I take his hand and he helps me to my feet.

- Are you all right? Did she get hurt? - In addition to being beautiful, that blonde was polite, I got a crush.

I came out of my momentary trance, composing myself and replied:

- Oh yes. It was nothing. Sorry for the inconvenience, it wasn't my intention. - I lower my head showing my inferiority and my regret for him in that situation.

- All good. Are you new here? I never saw her.

- Yeah, yeah, I just got hired. -I replied, and again I was embarrassed to see her smile.

- That explains your excitement just now - He gives a muffled laugh and I blush - Well, I have to go but see you around, newbie.

I study him as he walks away. He was tall and muscular, had impeccable posture (my spine envies him) and was a blond that might actually be a light/medium brown, I can't tell. His eyes were blue, which blended in with his navy blue suit.

I drooled a little.

Surprisingly, he turned to see me and gave me a sly, awkward smile. Flustered as I am, I turned sharply and hurried to the elevator.

How embarrassing.

Already on the ground floor, I stopped to analyze the building. I found out in HR that Monte Negro Corporation was not only a banking and investment company, it also worked with event and security planning and had a huge marketing sector for itself and clients.

Holding right, it owns the management of other companies or is a merged company. Whatever the case, it's pretty dominant here in California and in other cities where it has branches, California being the main headquarters where the CEO works.

In most places CEOs are considered Greek gods because of their beauty, is it just fantasy? A super appreciation of your person because of your influence and bank account?

Whatever it is, I'll be grateful if it's not a grumpy, perverted old man or a heterotop chicken male. Typical toxic bosses.

For God's sake, no dogs, abusers, pervs, or bastards for a boss. Thank you very much in advance. -Sigh

As it is a banking company and also an events company, right here in California there are other units of the same, this one where I will work is the main one where it operates more in the administration of the other units and branches. In short, it is the management and planning center for the others. There are some bank branches and practical events departments scattered around.

I was amazed by the company's structural organization. It was all so dynamic.

On the ground floor there is a bank branch aimed at large customers, the rich and millionaires. Not because of negligence (or not just because of that) but because it is bigger and safer for storing large amounts of money. On the first floor, the reception and the surveillance area where the cameras are monitored and where the security guards are, apart from some other rooms that are restricted, probably for things for the headquarters.

From then on, the floors alternate between the areas of services, Events and Finance, which are the areas of activity, totaling 17 floors. The job of security and/or escort is the control of the Events, since technically it is an event. Thus, there were 8 floors for each area, since the last one was exclusive to the CEO and a few other people responsible for the two areas of activity of the company, such as accounting and strategic analytics, for example.

The only thing I know about our CEO, and what I'm interested in, is his last name, Montenegro.

But anyway, today the day calls for me to finish myself off, I have shopping to do and clothes to pack.

Impossible not to snort in frustration.

It takes me about 15 minutes to get to the supermarket. Just looking inside I sighed wearily.

I haven't stopped to rest until now but at least all of this is a good thing, I'm finally getting my full independence and autonomy. It was such a dreamy achievement, even though we still didn't have great resources, yet. Everything was a matter of time, right?

It reminded me of the saddest fact at the moment.

- Who will have to pay for a taxi again to get the groceries? I, how wonderful - I murmur alone, mocking and trying to act as if someone else was asking me.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes.

I noticed a guy off to the side laughing after I finished talking, which made me nervous. He listened? If so, he's probably a wolf for getting it.

When he finally looked at me, giving a smile right after, I confirmed my theory. I blushed embarrassed and made my way to a cart a little disoriented.

I wasn't surprised to find one here, I know there is a pack around these parts and that there was a movement of wolves in the city for this reason. I know there is some peace treaty on that continent, or country, I don't know, with werewolves and humans, I don't know which one it is but I'm not afraid to break it, since I don't have a wolf anymore and I don't intend to wake her up.

I went ahead with shopping, I went first to the cleaning and hygiene session. I had even brought soap and other personal products that I already had, but I needed to replace them soon and, still, I needed to clean the AP, it was dusty and the kitchen utensils needed to be cleaned again like some appliances.

Pass some cloth at least right.

Soon my affection already had a broom, shovel, cleaning products and some hygiene products. I realized then that a cart wouldn't support everything I needed to supply my AP and I wouldn't be able to walk with two, apart from that it would be hard to take things from the taxi to the AP which is on the 4th floor.

So I decided to make a food consumption expectation calendar right there, putting together what I was going to eat in 5 days. So, I might come here again to buy the rest. So I wrote some dishes I was going to make for lunch and dinner to buy only what I was going to use.

This would probably be expensive as I would have to pay for another taxi, but if I keep going, after that, in 7 or 7 days, doing weekly shopping, I wouldn't come with big bags and even if I did, I could walk with them. It will only be a 40 min walk.

I decided and started to do it until a brunette girl with long black hair hit my cart where she was leaning making me almost lose my balance.

I think the market should put traffic signs and speed limits in the corridors, where it has already been seen.

- There! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that. It's new in town!? Cool. Nice to meet you, Dayane - Said it all in one breath.

Is she asking or stating? I don't know.

- Hi, how do you know that? - I asked nervously.

Is she a stalker? Or in that treaty it says something about some spell that has around the city where it reveals who is a wolf, witch or human and they send this information to some species registration site and leave it in public, so whenever someone new enters the city it notifies who accesses it and says "new wolf in town". The spell I put hibernates my wolf but doesn't change my DNA.

My paranoia is interrupted by his response.

- Who comes to the market to buy various cleaning and hygiene products, along with brooms and shovels that those who already have a fixed residence for a while would have had for a long time? Only if you procrastinate a lot and wait until you really need it all to buy everything at once. Even so, buying brooms and a shovel together is strange, usually when one breaks down you buy one at a little shop, but buying both? Peculiar. Besides, you're using your cell phone as if you were consulting something and thinking, which could indicate that you're looking at a shopping list and... - I interrupt your conclusions and theories. She must really talk a lot

- Got it, got it. God, are you analyzing me that much? I wouldn't think about all that - I was even afraid of her.

- I talk a lot when I'm airy. I work with investigations and I'm always exercising my suggestive skills, I like trying to find out what the people around me are doing. You didn't tell me your name! - Said happy at first ending angry.

It's crazy.

- Annie - I answer a little embarrassed.

- Pleasure. Well, I have to go, I'm going to prepare a little party with only goodies for my brother as a welcome present! He was cheerful again, but I felt a twinge of irony.

- Did he travel and is he coming back?

- No, I'm back! And I'm going to give myself a little pet and fill his mouth with treats so he can't complain. - He says confidently and smiling. -I'm going, maybe we'll bump into each other there- If she turned and waved her hand ending the conversation.

I didn't even have time to answer, the crazy girl ran away with the affection again.

Whatunwise.

I made a simple food calendar to save well, the new crop of money only comes in the next month and also to carry and arrange the minimum of bags. After picking up everything, I go to the cashier and pay everything.

Beloved be my limited credit card.

I thought about getting an app car but I thought.

I'm not going to wait for minutes for a car while I'm full of bags and the driver can be an old man or an arrogant person, neither of them would help me carry the bags to the car and even to theapartment.

Usually those supermarket taxis already adhere as a job function to help carry big purchases, which is probably why some are expensive goods.

So I do that, I call one and he helps me with the purchases and then I tried to confirm if he could help me unload later. I noticed his tired look but he confirmed it without asking for an extra fee.

Or he can take advantage and charge you at the end, threatening you in some way to give you more money. It would be his word against his and he would have already done the job.

It is better to tip a little to ensure safety.

I noticed that the suspicious wolf also worked as a taxi driver, never that he would ask for his services. Staying in a closed vehicle with a wolf is asking to be kidnapped and or killed, I have enough proof of that.

The taxi driver who looked to be in his 40s really helped me with my groceries. I think I should have told them that I lived in an AP without an elevator, I felt bad and offered them water and the $10 bill I had in my purse for the extra service.

If only I had a roommate I could ask her to help me. One stayed down there looking at the bags while the other went up the bags. I wasn't going to be able to climb it all at once and I wasn't going to leave the rest lying down there.

I went to the living room window and noticed that the wolf taxi driver was on my street.

Did he follow me?- I despaired.

I breathed better again when I saw a lady paying him.

- It was just a coincidence. - consoled myself

I saw that it was still 2:07 pm, so I tried to put the food that needed to be cold in the fridge and went to take a shower to go to the mall. They asked me to start on Wednesday because there was apparently some shortage of employees and the service accumulated. Technically I was asked to start tomorrow but I explained that I was new in town and needed to settle down and get organized first.

Do I need more time to get my life in order? I need to, but I saw the face of the woman disinterested in my life and I needed to show efficiency and commitment to the job, maybe she writes something bad about me on my file to take away points from me. She was from HR and it wouldn't be good to have such a thought from me before starting, Monte Negro is a strict company.

I dressed very simply: white high-waisted jean shorts, a loose navy blue blouse with darker stripes, the same black flats, and a rubber ducky yellow bag.

A bag in this color is not so "simple" for being flashy, but it was plain without any details so it fits.

I took a bus and there I was lost not knowing where to start. Start what? Shopping for more formal clothes. I noticed that everyone there was wearing suits, blazers, etc. All with poise and class.

Mental note: Don't look like an outcast from the end of the world, improve your posture, sit straight and maintain a serious but at the same time charismatic face.

I visited some stores to give that famous "research" and after seeing what I wanted I went to action. I already had some formal clothes but I didn't know where I had put them and it's good to have several to take turns.

I bought a blouse, two skirts, a pair of pants, two dresses and three shoes, two heels and a pair of sneakers.

I'm not short, I'm 1.66m, but I already have some sneakers at home.

I took advantage of the fact that it wasn't even 5 pm to go for a walk and relax. After a while I see a mane of hair jumping near the mall fountain, I recognize the voice of the crazy woman from the supermarket.

Denise? From... Daniela? Day! Dayane.

I don't know her well so I decide to follow my path. I'm not very good at making friends, I get in the way.

As if discovering my attitude, she turns to me, smiles and calls out to me with a prolonged "Hi".

How not to reject/ignore this call?

- Hi, Dayane - I say awkwardly seeing that she was with another girl.

- Wow, she remembers my name. Sorry but are you?

- Annie. For someone who works as a researcher, don't you think it's good to memorize the names that surround you? - I said without thinking and when I noticed I blushed embarrassed.

Who am I to talk like that to a stranger?

Incredibly, she started laughing in agreement.

- Yeah, I know, I need to stop being so airy - She replied smiling - I liked you.

- Thanks. - I think

- You're not going to reciprocate the comment, are you? Did not like me? - She says a little crestfallen.

Is she bipolar?

- No, none of that. I thought you were a little crazy, that's all. It gets to be fun - I say smiling.

- What do you think? Thanks. Want to go clubbing today? She was calling Sofia to come too.

I look at the girl and see her scared face. Do they know each other by chance?

- Will the three of us go? - I ask

- Yes! I just came from Louisiana and have only met you two so far.

She really is crazy. I see the girl staring at me shaking her head "no", probably they met now. Dayane stares at me hopefully and I end up accepting it nervously.

Neither of us has an affinity with anyone here in Los Angeles so we can meet together in this city.

- Sorry Diana, but I already have a date. Er, leave it for another time - The girl hurries out to meet a man.

- I don't need committed friends, nor can I have fun with them - She says, shrugging.

I didn't quite understand what he meant by that, but I did.

- Well, let's get ice cream and then you give me your number.

- I skip the ice cream, I'm trying my best to save money. Moving from one side of the continent to the other is expensive. - I replied sighing.

It's not that I'm cheap or anything, I just spent a lot on this move and spent my entire inheritance for it. I even invested it to the maximum to earn more but I wasn't rich, buying an AP and furniture are very expensive.

- Don't be put off by it, I'll pay. Where did you live before I came? - Curiosity hung in his voice

- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

- I know where Philadelphia is - He says making a silly face and asks for our ice creams.

We talked a lot of silly things while she and I played guessing what the others were thinking, it was quite fun. Around 6:30 pm we decided to go to our homes and we made an appointment for her to come and pick me up at 8:40 pm so she could take me to the club.