first day 5 months ago

The first day I walked into Charisma Legacy office, there was a training about to start. So I sit in for it because my appointment with Ms. Fiona Tahir was only after the training. I came right from work and haven’t had dinner so I was a little hungry. I was sitting at the front row and when I looked at the back of the training room I see a bunch of people around chit-chatting. Of course, I just had to go and interrupt.

“Excuse me, hi, do you have some water?”

They looked at each other and shake their heads. They must have think who is this girl do I look like a waiter to you.

“Sorry, I baru balik kerja tak sempat makan. Where can I buy mineral water?” the whole building is an office lot and I am not too familiar with the area.

I really really cannot remember who but someone replied and said, “It’s okay, I pergi belikan. You can sit and join the training.”

It’s only the first day and already, I boss people around. Way to make new friends, Azrah.

After the training ended, I saw Ms Fiona standing at the back of the room and we made eye contact. She approached me..

“Hi Azrah, how are you? Come, let’s go to my office.”

While walking to her office, we made a small talk to break the ice. One of the observations she made ..

“Azrah, you look a lil bit like Maya Karin”

Erk. 

I've heard Siti Nurhaliza (when I was chubby), Lucy Hale, Minka Kelly, Fazura, and now Maya Karin. As usual, the awkward me doesn’t know how to respond to a compliment (if it was one?).

“Really, ehek ehek no la. Very different.” Blushing and avoiding eye contact.

Ehek ehek? That’s how I sound when I try to laugh shyly, hand covers the mouth and all.

Great, I made it 10 times more awkward now.

I’m glad that we were already walking into the office, just the two of us. Make me feel a lot calmer. 

Or so I thought.

Ms Fiona was asking if I needed something to eat and what a nice coincident they have a lot of pastries and buns from their event earlier that day. She offered me a baked sardine puff. I took it with muka tak malu because guys, I was really really freakin hungry!

So Ms Fiona started to explain to me about what Charisma Legacy does and what achievement they’ve won over the years and introduced me to some of the very successful people they’ve created and shaped from the early days, which are all very motivating and inspiring. Clearly, I was listening intensely and giving so much interest in her explanation, … while munching away the puff AND FREAKING DROPPED THE CRUMBS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. 

Beautiful ivory shaggy carpet, must be expensive. 

Sigh, anything else I can do to embarrass myself?

I might trip myself on the way out, who knows, really.