I thought I’d finally caught a break when I landed my dream job. But my excitement quickly turned to dread when I saw who my new boss was—my old college rival, the guy who made my college years miserable. Now I’m stuck working under him, and I’m bracing for the worst.
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After three long, frustrating months without a job, there it was—an email sitting in my inbox. It was from the company I’d been dreaming about for years, the one I’d always imagined myself working for. But now that it was real, I just sat there, frozen, staring at the screen.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“How long are you going to wait?” my roommate Shanti asked, giving me one of her classic no-nonsense looks. “You’ve been staring at that screen for ten minutes. Just open it. They definitely accepted you. If they didn’t, they’re idiots.”
I sighed, barely able to meet her eyes. “I’m scared, Shanti. What if it’s a no? My whole future depends on this. I don’t know if I can handle another rejection.”
Shanti rolled her eyes and sat down beside me. “Oli, you’re being dramatic,” she said, grabbing my laptop before I could stop her. Without waiting for me to agree, she clicked on the email. My heart felt like it was going to burst right out of my chest.
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For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“Dear Olive,” she began in a slow, serious tone. “Unfortunately, as you were an excellent candidate…” She paused, and my heart dropped.
“They didn’t hire me?” I muttered, already covering my face with my hands. I didn’t want to hear the rest.
But Shanti kept reading. “You were an excellent candidate, which is why we regret to inform you that you’ll have to sacrifice your personal life, hobbies, and the time you spend cooking for your lovely roommate because now you’ll be spending all your time at work.”
