Elina set down the documents she had just printed and photocopied: her application letter, highest diploma, typing course certificate, and passport photo.
"Is everything ready, Sis?" Erin came over to her.
"Yep. Tomorrow, all I have to do is leave. I can't wait to get there. The building must be huge. I wonder what the boss is like."
For some reason, Elina's heart raced whenever she imagined the next day. She checked the documents she would be bringing over and over again.
"Did you ask for time off from the eatery tomorrow?"
"I did. I called Auntie Munah earlier."
"I hope everything goes smoothly tomorrow. Mom and I will always pray for the best for you, Elina. I'm sorry I can't help with anything."
Elina hugged her younger sibling. "Don't ever say that again. You and Mom are the people I love most. I'll risk anything to make sure you're always happy."
The two of them hugged each other.
Dawn broke. The sun shone softly on the eastern horizon. Elina had been awake since five in the morning. She cooked breakfast for her sibling and her mother.
After preparing breakfast, Elina took a shower and got ready. She wore a clean white shirt and a black skirt. Her long legs were adorned with black flats. She deliberately left her long hair loose.
"You look so beautiful, Elina," Erin praised her.
"You always know what to say. How do I look? Everything's neat, right? Do you think this is too much?"
"Perfect. You look gorgeous, and I'm sure everyone there will be captivated by you and fall for you."
Elina giggled. Her younger sibling always knew exactly how to cheer her up.
"Is Mom awake?"
"Not yet. She woke up for a bit because she was thirsty, then went back to sleep. Are you leaving now?"
"Yeah. I need to get there early. I'm afraid I'll get stuck in traffic later."
Elina grabbed her bag and put her application documents inside. Then she took her motorcycle keys. After saying goodbye, Elina rode away from home.
She deliberately left early to avoid the traffic. But it seemed this city could never escape congestion. It was still early, yet the roads were already packed. Fortunately, Elina knew all the back roads. Even though she had to weave through the alleys between residential houses, at least she wouldn't be late.
Elina accelerated her motorcycle and turned left at the last intersection. Suddenly, she lost control of its speed when a car appeared and cut into her lane.
"Aaaaargh ... CRASH!"
Elina tried to swerve and avoid a head-on collision, but instead she tumbled to the left. Luckily, she and her motorcycle landed on the grass. Even so, she still ended up with scrapes on her elbows and knees.
Elina winced in pain as she tried to lift her fallen motorcycle. She glared at the car that had stopped by the side of the road.
Furious, Elina stormed over to it. She pounded on the front of the car.
"GET OUT!" Elina yelled. Both her hands remained outstretched in front of the car.
A man in a beige shirt got out of the car. "Hey, be more careful with that motorcycle. You're causing trouble here. My boss is in a hurry," said the driver, who was named Johan. His name was clearly displayed on his shirt.
"Oh, don't you dare blame me. I should be the one who's angry, not you." Elina planted her hands on her hips. "Can't you see this is a two-way road? You can't just cut into someone else's lane whenever you feel like it!"
"My boss is in a hurry, so I had to take an alternate route!" Johan defended himself.
"Who does your boss think he is? You broke traffic laws for him!"
Elina's chest heaved unevenly. The two of them continued arguing until a man finally stepped out of the car. His handsome face left Elina stunned for a moment. She stared intently at him.