Chapter Text
Throughout the years of Mariana studying in MIT, the name Evan Speck has been popping up as among the tech community as the next Steve Jobs. When she submitted her résumé to 3 companies of her choice, and Speckulate were the first to call her for an interview. Maybe it was shortsighted, but Mariana went with her gut and accepted the offer instead of weighing her options. She had a good feeling about the place, and seeing Gael, a walking painting, who was also interviewing for a job. Now her gut and her loins were signaling for her to say yes. So she did, and turns out she was dead wrong about both Gael and her new job.
Gael was simply wasn’t into her, and hooked up with Callie on their first night moving into the Coterie. His relationship with her sister wasn’t going anywhere.
Her job at Speckulate was a nightmare. Mariana felt unwelcomed and unworthy by her team. Only one nice to her only when no one was watching. Even Evan Speck, who is the main reason she accepted the job, turned out to be a dick. He unleashed HR on her for just approaching him about an app idea she wanted his advice on.
The place was toxic and demoralizing. Many times Mariana contemplated quitting, but her accumulating outstanding balance kept her on a leash.
“Adams-Foster don’t quit” she chanted to herself, finding new motivation to go to work. Marina decided to fight the toxicity of the work environment by changing it. She created the ‘Byte Club’ and joined hands with all the female coworkers for support and demand an equal pay.
Mariana also pulled late hours to build a prototype of the app idea she knows is good. Her plan was to show Evan Speck the app, to show that she is an asset to the company.
Once the app was fully formed, Mariana went to the CEO’s secretary, Josh, to book an appointment. Going through the proper channels, so that she could avoid another beat down from HR; however, the secretary always dismissed her requests by saying the “CEO is busy”.
She knew Josh was lying, and she had to approach him somehow. Mariana has been in Speckulate for five months now, and only saw the CEO six times.
1st time Mariana saw him in person was during HR manager touring her around the workplace. He had assistants running after him and he was super busy.
2nd time Mariana saw him was on her second day. They were alone in the elevator and Mariana took the chance to introduce herself and ask to run an app idea. Then Angela, the HR manager, gave her a public verbal warning to never approach the CEO again or she’ll get fired.
3rd encounter, Mariana spilled coffee on his white sweatshirt, broke his cellphone and head-butted him. All of this happened within seconds. Mariana knew she was going to get fired, but he was extremely chill about it. HR did not come, which puzzled Mariana.
4th encounter was during Speckulate’s 5th costume party anniversary. He was kind and gentle with her, talking about cheese puss and later that day saying he noticed she was alone during the party. It was the first talk they had during the first months, and she learned that he has social anxiety. Maybe that’s why he doesn’t like to be approached.
5th time, he sat silently at the bank of the conference room.
6th time was today.
Mariana at the time was at the elevator and Evan entered without acknowledging her existence. He was fiddling with the magnetic bullets frantically and lost in his thoughts.
Mariana forgot about all her plans when she saw the state he was in. He looked troubled by something.
“Are you ok?” Mariana asked, disregarding the elevator operator, who rolled his eyes at her for approaching the CEO again.
“Oh, uh, yes” Evan answered after turning around to see her. His eyes lingered for a moment. None of his employees ever asked him that. He was feeling anxious about a suspicion he had, and couldn’t talk about it with anyone, especially to her.
The elevator reached ground floor and Evan immediately turned and left.
“Mariana…thank you for asking” Evan spoke before getting into his car.
Mariana only smiled and headed out to grab lunch at a local restaurant close by. She didn’t have anyone to sit with during lunch. The female coworkers did not want to sit together, to avoid tipping off anyone about their unity. So here she was ordering an avocado bubble tea and avocado salad. This way was better in her mind: To sit alone in secret rather than alone in public.
She tried to enjoy the meal, but the thought that she blew her chance occupied her mind. Defeated, she threw away the unfinished lunch, and went back to work.
Waiting for the elevator, Mariana noticed that Evan’s car was still parked. Is he back? Her mind raced with ways to get alone time with him again.
The sound of the car doors opened. His car. He was inside the car, while she was looking at it!
Mariana turned her full body and tried to act natural when he stood next to her.
“Mr. Speck” “Mariana” The two spoke at the same time.
“You go ahead” “You go” They spoke again at the same time and laughed.
“You said you had an app to pitch” Evan recalled.
Mariana was shocked that he brought it up after the fiasco that happened with HR on the second day. She did not want to rehash history, so she responded with “Yes, I built the prototype too if I could show I to you anytime at your convenience”
“Come to my office at 4” he said, and scheduled the meeting into his cellphone’s calendar.
“Yes, sir!” Mariana couldn’t contain her excitement.
“Call me, Evan” he smiled shyly, and went back to his car and drove off.
Was he waiting for her in the car? Mariana wondered. No, that cannot be. She brushed off the thought, thinking its imposturous. Why would the CEO wait for her?
Mariana walked back to her office with a little spring on her step, only to see her worst nightmare occur again.
Angela, the HR manager, was waiting for her and she’s mad.