ALL BECAUSE OF YOU

Chapter 2: I want to be happy for you

Kelly woke up to the relentless beat of a throbbing headache, and a terrible hangover. As she mustered the strength to face the day, she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror. Dark bags were underneath her green eyes.

"I look like shit, Gabe should have stop me yesterday!" she said to herself as she reached for her phone, only to be greeted by a flood of missed calls and texts from Gabe.

'Just incase you have a hangover, don't forget to drink lots of water ◉⁠‿⁠◉'

'Kelly, I've been trying to call you, don't tell me you are still sleeping ಠ⁠︵⁠ಠ'

'Kelly! Please pick up, you are so late and the boss is angry, I am too ರ⁠_⁠ರ'

Kelly's face turned into a frown, her brows furrowing in frustration as the weight of her mistake settled on her.

"Oh crap! I am late for work!" She ran to the bathroom, her footsteps echoing through the empty hallway and came out just as quickly. In a whirlwind of urgency, she picked one of the clean clothes that were scattered on her bed, she looked at herself in the mirror as the charcoal grey dress hugged her curves in all the right places. Applying a mild make-up with one hand and wearing her new shoes with the other.

Kelly hurriedly made her way to her car, her heart pounding with a mix of anticipation and frustration. The scratches on that car looked like they have been passed from generations to generations. She inserted the key into the ignition, but fate seemed to have other place, as the engine stubbornly refused to start.

Her patience wore thin, and in a burst of frustration, she cried out, "Don't do this to me, not today!" When she was about to give up, it finally started working. Kelly let out a scream that was sure to wake up a grumpy man that was two streets away.

She got to work soon enough, her heart races with anticipation as she hurried to her office. Just as she thought she had successfully slipped in unnoticed, a sharp voice pierced the air, calling out her name with a tinge of annoyance.

"Miss Kelly Anderson!" A feminine voice that carried a distinct Hispanic accent rang out. Kelly turned to face the source of the voice, her eyes meeting those of a short, plump woman. The woman's round glasses perched on her nose, magnifying her disapproving gaze. Her bob haircut framed her face, accentuating her no-nonsense demeanour.

"I'm sorry, I am late ma'am. I have a very good explanation, I..." Kelly's voice trailed off as her boss abruptly interrupted her, her frustration echoing through the entire building.

"What is the excuse for your tardiness this time, huh?" Her boss's voice boomed. 

"This is the twelfth time you've arrived late to work this month, but who's counting, not me. Why did you come late this time?" Her face contorted with disapproval, her lips pursed tightly.

"El gato de tu abuela acaba de morir y fuiste a llorar con ella? Esta es la excusa que quieres decir esta vez, ¿no?" (Your grandmother's cat just died and you went to cry with her? This is the excuse you want to say this time, isn't it?) Her boss's words, delivered in Spanish.

Kelly hesitated for a moment, contemplating her response.

"Sí?"

"¡Eres un mocoso molesto! ¿Entiendes siquiera lo que estoy diciendo?" (You annoying brat! Do you even understand what I am saying?) her boss exclaimed in frustration, her words laced with annoyance.

"Sí?"

"On your resume, it was said that you understand and can speak Spanish fluently, another lie huh?" She shook her head in disgust and disappointment.