Chapter 17
Sophia's POV
"Oh, boy.." I whispered with great excitement and nervousness as I clicked on the email from Urban Next Design Studio. This is it, my dream internship!
I truly admired their work and have heard how interns were always treated wonderfully and given great opportunities. I'm eager to meet new people in the field and learn from them. It'll be amazing! Plus, I'll get a monthly salary too!
I scanned the email with eager anticipation. The company was impressed with my portfolio and wanted to schedule an interview during their presentation this weekend at the Goldwell Institute of Art.
Excitement bubbled up inside me. Oh, gosh! Some good news, finally!
The weekend was approaching, and I was looking forward to the design presentation on campus. It had become a place I loved, almost like a second home. Daniel was supposed to come with me, but he had to cancel at the last minute due to an important school project.Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.
As I entered the auditorium, I could feel the buzz of excitement in the air. The speakers were engaging, discussing the latest trends and innovations in interior design. I listened attentively, taking notes and absorbing as much information as I could.
After the presentations, I wandered over to the exhibit area to see the interior design works. They were avant- garde and impressive, showcasing the creativity and talent of the studio's artists.
One of the designers, a girl with a striking pixie cut, caught my eye. I approached her, admiring her work. "Your designs are amazing," I said, genuinely impressed.
"Thank you!" she replied, a smile lighting up her face. "Are you a designer too?"
I nodded, feeling a surge of pride. "Yes, it's my passion."
We chatted for a while, exchanging ideas. I've never felt more alive. I'm truly in my turf, and this journey has just begun.
When I moved on to the next displayed work, my eyes were focused on it straight ahead. I didn't notice at once the young woman coming toward my direction in a rush.
Boom! We collided without warning. And before I knew it, I was knocked off balance, instinctively protecting my stomach as I fell into what I thought would be a painful impact. To my surprise, I landed steadily in a warm hug.
"Are you alright?" a concerned low voice asked. It belonged to a strange man who happened to be the one who had caught me in his arms.
Awkwardly, I straightened up and pulled away, giving him a sheepish smile. "Yes, I'm fine. And I'm so sorry."
"Oh, it's no problem at all. Glad I was here just in time to break your fall." The striking man towered above me with a kind smile.
Just then, I noticed a woman standing beside us. She'd been the one I had crashed into.
"I'm so sorry too," I told her. "I wasn't looking where I was going. I was too preoccupied with the beautiful works."
She grinned in a friendly manner. "Don't worry about it. It was much my fault as yours. I wasn't paying attention, either." She extended her hand to us and added, "By the way, I'm Julia."
"I'm Sophia," I responded. "Nice to meet you."
"Well, I'm glad to see that you both appreciated the displayed works so much that you almost had an accident," the man quipped, chuckling. "But I hope no one is hurt."
Julia and I smiled, shaking our heads.
"Good to know," the man replied. "I'm Trevis Miller, the director of Urban Next Design Studio."
My jaw dropped. "Oh, wow. Hi! It's good to meet you, sir."
"Yes, it's so good to meet you," Julia echoed, looking as awestruck as I was feeling.
"You two look like talented designers who may just be what we're looking for at the moment," Trevis said.
"Thanks!" I answered. "I'm actually here for an interview for your internship program. My name is Sophia Bennett."
"Miss Bennett," Trevis said, his eyes brightening at the mention of my name. "I remember the work you submitted. Totally impressive. Excellent portfolio for someone who's just beginning to study art."
"Thank you," I beamed.
Julia then handed him a folder. "Sir, this is my portfolio. Maybe you can take a look at it now? I would love to apply too."
"Sure." Trevis really seemed like a down-to-earth, nice person. He went through her work, nodding as he reviewed each piece. "It must be my lucky day to be blessed with two beautiful and greatly talented young designers."
Julia and I looked at each other, smiling excitedly.
"Well, I'll get back to you two very soon, but I think you both have a good chance." He took Julia's contact details and then excused himself to attend to the other guests.
"Oh, my gosh! Can you believe that?" Julia gushed. "It's my dream studio, really!"
"Yeah, me too."
"I'm really glad we met, Sophia. I feel like we could be good friends. Why don't we head over to that campus coffee shop and talk some more?"
"Oh, I'd love to," I answered genuinely. "But I'm allergic to coffee, and I sort of made plans for this afternoon already. Maybe some other time."
"Sure, no worries." We exchanged phone numbers and social media accounts, then went our separate ways. Later I tried to look for Trevis in order to get my interview done. I quickly spotted him in a quiet corner with his back on me, engrossed in a phone call.
When I got closer, I couldn't help but overhear snippets of his conversation.
"Yeah, man, it's kind of unfair..." he was saying, sounding frustrated and agitated. "We've been friends for a long time and you just... You haven't treated me right, I believe..." There was a pause before he continued. "Well, you're the one who seemed to forget about your friends after you got married. Or maybe it's after you became very wealthy and successful."
Oops, I don't think I should be hearing all this. I felt like I was invading his privacy so I started to tiptoe away. "You must think twice, Elijah..." I heard Trevis say as I went further. That made me stop in my tracks. Did I hear him say Elijah? Or did I just imagine that?
What's wrong with me? Even when I'm in my own world, he still manages to creep up on me, to force himself into my life. Maybe I'm imagining things, or I'm just too tired already. It's been a long day, after all.
I shook my head in disbelief as I walked away.