EXCERPT

I looked through the stack of resumes on my desk. Not many good ones caught my eye.

Whoa. What was this? A resume from Kevin Burns—our current Career Prep program teacher? Yup. Same e-mail address. Same phone number. He even had our school listed under his “Work Experience”—and his cover letter stating he could start anytime, even this week. Well, lesson learnt, Jason Walker. A good way to test the loyalty of your staff: post an ad online and see which members of your current team would jump at the chance to desert you.

Finally, there was one good candidate out of the stack of a couple dozen. The phone rang and rang and rang, with no answer. I sighed, throwing the phone down.

You’ve got to be kidding me, I thought. Why on earth would you apply for a job and not have a voicemail on if you’re not going to pick up the damn phone? Geez. The light knock on the door startled me.

I looked up from the paperwork and—what a pleasant surprise. Mei-Fang, the newbie.

“Come in,” I said, motioning for her to enter my office.

She came in, smiling at me.

“I bring you some chocolate.” She put some goodies on my desk and retreated to the door. “See you tomorrow.”

“Wait,” I said. “Thank you.”

She stopped and looked into my eyes.

I smiled back. “Could you close the door?”

Mei-Fang nodded and pushed the door gently until it shut completely. She leaned against the wooden door, her face beaming.

“So, tell me, was your first day okay?” I asked. It was a harmless and genuine question, just to make sure she was appeased with our school.

She stroked her hair playfully with her right hand and nodded.

I tried to ignore her cute mannerisms, because I really wanted to ensure she was comfortable with her surroundings. After all, I could fantasize after work, but now, in my office, wasn’t the time for any of that nonsense. Again, it was about image, first and foremost.

“I like you,” was the only thing out of her mouth. The way she was standing against that door, it seemed like she was trying to flaunt her breasts at me. Oh boy.