Hit and Run Around

I’m still in shock. After that night, I thought my life was over. I stopped planning for the future, I stopped daydreaming about how things might turn out, stopped playing scenarios in my head, and at just 16 years old. But, this. This is a turn of reality that I never expected. These are some of the thoughts that play through my head as I sit in a red fancy cushioned chair brought out especially for me while we await the results.

“Mr. Avalan, congratulations! We want to say, on behalf of the whole Avalanche Team, we are beyond grateful to be a part of this. You have single handedly-” One of my business executives begins her speech and grabs my attention for these few lines before I go back into my head for the remainder of it while pretending to remain present. I’ve gotten all too good at that. Pretending to be present here while I’m entirely somewhere else in my head.

I sneak through the celebrating crowd and slip out a side door promptly following the announcement of the results. I’m sure the rest of the party was lovely because the applause was an uproar. People were celebrating like the business was their own. It might as well be because no matter how well the company does, it will never be my true dream.

I opened Avalanche while I was recovering from a knee injury and waiting to get back on the snow. I started designing my own snowboarding gear as a way to stay connected to what I loved while I couldn’t physically enjoy it. People ended up loving it to the point that I got so many custom orders that I was able to open up my own business.

At Avalanche, we make custom gear for all your snow needs. From boards to boots, helmets, clothes, gloves and more. You name it, we make it; and we customize it for you too. Today’s launch was of this new high tech helmet I designed that comes with the ultimate level of protection, comfortability and visibility. It sold out within hours of the launch. This success was from our stores sales alone so, the next step is to bring our products to the online market.

I know I should be celebrating but I am so focused on moving on to the next step that I leave the launch celebration as early as politely appropriate so I can go prepare for the hiring interviews I must hold tomorrow. No one knows this but the next launch I am preparing for is going to be a whole body suit made out of the same material as the helmet and I’m going to call it Snow Armor. It should be especially useful for kids and extreme snow sports participants. I got home and prepared for a few hours before calling it a night.

I wake up from a sleep that feels like you closed your eyes just five minutes ago and now you are awake again. It could be the anticipation of the day but it’s still odd to me because I don’t tend to get nervous or anxious. I don’t give the feeling another thought for I have a long and important day ahead. I walk into my pristine building to a waiting room filled with applicants. I see a diverse bunch all sitting calmly with confidence. I like that. I hide a smile as I enter my office.

I meet with three strong and promising applicants before receiving a concerning phone call that distracts me from the hiring process. I cancel the rest of the interviews for the day and ask them to reschedule with my assistant on their way out. I don’t explain much besides that I must step away for the rest of the day due to an unexpected emergency but I’m thinking that’ll be enough explanation. Not for one of the eager applicants who barges into my office demanding to be interviewed though. What a nightmare.

“We have been waiting out here for an hour. Oh, and before that some of us waited out in the snow, freezing our fingertips off, just to get a chance at this interview.” She yells with her hands in fists resting at her hips as she stands firmly in the doorway to my private office.

“Why don’t you come in, have a seat and we can have a proper chat, Ms.-”

“Zaveera, the youngest social media guru on this side of the world.” She extends out her right hand, left one still firmly on the hip.

“A guru, in my office? How did I get this lucky?” I shake her hand with a half smile on my face still coming down from the amusement of her entrance. “So tell me, what is a guru doing applying for an entry level position like this one?”

“Look, it’s true, I can apply anywhere but I like it here and this is the only company that has a headquarters within our state. Let’s just say, this position would fit into my current life the best.” She explains as she makes herself comfortable on one of the chairs across from mine.

“Well, as much as I would love to hear more, I really do have to step out and take care of something urgent. But, I can schedule you in as the first interview for when I get back. Please leave your availability with my assistant on your way out.” I direct the eager applicant.

“Let me come with you. Maybe this’ll be an opportunity to show you my skills in real time.” Zaveera insists.

“You don’t even know what the issue is.” I rationalize.

“If I am to run the social media portion of this company’s affairs, then I need to know everything that goes on.” She stands tall and stands her ground on the matter. “This way, I can get ahead of it if it turns into a PR crisis.”

“Alright then, let’s go. I’ll explain in the car.” I reluctantly say, after giving in to her wild request.

We go to the problem site and to my surprise, Zaveera creates a post that brings in positive engagement for our company and even support for the issue that occurred instead of anger.

“Although I will most likely never repeat this very unique interview style, I must say, I am impressed but I cannot offer you an entry level position. Instead, I would like to make you our Media Manager. I’ll have an official offer letter sent to you by tomorrow morning.” I congratulate her on our car ride back.

“Oh, thank you, thank you! You won’t regret this, I promise.” She shouts with gratitude as she turns to her side to face me and lunges forward to wrap her arms around me.

She squeezes me tight for a few seconds before coming down from her excitement and realizing my identity. She pulls back and apologizes, fixing herself and returning to a professional demeanor. I laugh to ease her tension and welcome her to the team with a handshake.

A week has gone by and Zaveera has already set up all of our online profiles with every relevant app in existence right now along with a schedule of posts to promote our products, launches and offers. I get to my office and am greeted by a paper on my desk with a list of problematic posts connected to me or the company name, courtesy of our new social media manager, Zaveera. There is a note on it explaining that she did some digging online and believes these posts could be bad for business and is requesting permission to delete them.

For the first time since opening this business, it feels like someone else cares about it just as much as I do. She really cares, like actually cares about my business and all the customers affected by it. I stare at the paper and smile until the words are a blurry compilation of letters on a page. She’s not just here for a paycheck, she actually wants the business to thrive.

“Good, you got my note. So, can I delete those?” Zaveera enters and gets straight to business.

“Sure. Thanks for being so thorough.” I put the paper away in a file after approving her request.

In such a short amount of time, she has proven to be a tremendous asset to my business. She is the only one with the guts to speak her mind to me. She is so impressive and somehow I got lost in the newness of it all and broke professional character a few times since she has started. I caught myself slipping in comments I shouldn’t be saying. But, what’s more interesting is, I caught her responding to them with the same energy. I decided to be a bit more direct.

“What are you doing this weekend?” I ask as she’s about to walk out the door, letting my intrusive thoughts take over.

“Not working, that’s for sure.” She crosses her arms in front of her chest.

“There’s this Business Gala. Come with me.” I stand up and lean towards her, holding out the invitation.

“As one of your business associates or your date?” She questions, maintaining her stance.

“I’ll leave that up to you to decide.” I wave the invitation in front of her.

“Well, like I said. I’m not working this weekend.” She snatches the invite and quickly turns around to hide the growing smirk on her gorgeous face behind her long black hair.

“I’ll send a car to pick you up.” I say as she runs out of my office.

I arrive at her apartment and get out of the car to greet her myself, as a gentleman, of course. She opens the door in the most stunning floor length emerald green dress I have ever seen. I’m too mesmerized to say anything at all for the first minute. Good thing she’s good at breaking the ice.

The Gala is two hours away but the car has plenty of space, snacks and drinks to keep us occupied on the ride there. We start the journey off by talking business but that quickly changes 15 minutes into the conversation. One hour into us talking nonstop, I say something that triggers Zaveera in some sort of way. I can’t tell if it’s good or bad because she goes silent. She’s frozen in a sort of shock, like she just saw a ghost or alien.

I’m confused and afraid to say anything to worsen her abrupt mood change so I stay quiet and attempt to keep busy by pouring us each a drink. She slowly turns her head to look at me, then silently averts her gaze to the drinks then back at me. She takes a glass and chugs it until the glass is empty, places it in a nearby holder and swings her leg over me.

She grabs my face and asks me if I was serious about what I said. I say yes and she puts her lips on mine, face still in her hands. She starts kissing me more passionately by the minute. We are still on the road but there is a window between us and the driver. Zaveera slips up her silk dress, slides her stringy green thong to the side and sits on top of me while maintaining eye contact. I pull her closer to me, a breast in one hand, my drink in the other and put my lips on hers. We managed to finish twice each before arriving at the Gala.

The Gala ended up feeling more like a fun party than a business trip and we still got two investors interested in investing in Avalanche. I’ve never had such productive fun before. Actually, I haven’t had any type of fun in a while. When we get in the car, I ask her why my few words made her have the reaction she did. She goes on to explain that her father was killed in a hit and run when she was young and that he used to have something with the same words on it. I ask her to describe it more in depth so I can understand her reaction a bit better. I stay mainly silent as she explains her story to me throughout the two hour car ride home.

I walk her to her doorstep and kiss her goodnight quickly with a peck on her soft pink lips. I walk rushingly to the car and tell the driver to hurry home. We get to my house and the driver parks my black mini limo inside my five car garage and swaps into his own car to be on his way home. Even after he leaves, I stay seated in the parked limo, almost glued to the seat, staring at my garage walls.

I stare that way for about ten minutes and then snap out of it. I pull out my phone, email my assistant instructing her to send out a company-wide notice that I’ll be working from home until the next launch and to contact her if they need anything in the meantime. After the email, I block Zaveera’s number and block her on every social media account we follow each other on. I put my phone in my pocket and exit the car, walk across the large garage and make my way up to my personal home office. I turn on the fireplace and throw a few logs in to increase the flame.

I go over to my desk, unlock the bottom drawer, grab a wooden figurine and chuck it into the fire without hesitation or delay. I pour myself a full glass of whiskey neat, stand in front of the fireplace, and watch as the wooden figurine of an angel with the words “Rest In Paradise” carved along the bottom burns to ash. I sip and stare as the memories ingrained within my brain replay as a horror show on a loop in my mind.