Heels

«Oh dear, you won't last long sweetie.»

That was the first thing she said, the intimidatingly pretty blonde with the sky high heels and the heavy lids as she leaned against the receptionists counter at Welhaven Industries, looking Jackie up and down.

One small sentence from her gorgeous mouth, and Jackie's day was ruined.

«Hm, hm, hm,» said the equally beautiful, black woman on the other side of the counter agreeingly as she gave Jackie a treatment similar to the one the blonde had. Her name tag read Uma. Uma's chocolate brown eyes ran over Jackie's outfit, which consisted of black ballerina flats, thick stockings, a blue checkered skirt with a matching blue sweater over a crisp white shirt, before they halted at the blue bow Jackie had put over her heart to bring it all together and feel nice, and her left, neatly plucked eyebrow raised. «He'll eat her for breakfast.»

Jackie, who was, to say the least, confused by the conversation between the two, looked at the blonde with big, puzzled eyes, unsure what to do. She had only just walked in here; her jacket still smelled like smoke from the group of men who had been smoking outside the entrance, and now she was being sized up by the receptionist and this blonde woman. The blonde rolled her eyes and put her coffee down before she turned around and started walking away from Jackie.

«Come with me Bambi,» she called over her shoulder, «I'll show you what you need.»

Jackie looked bewildered for a second, unsure if she was 'Bambi', and if she wasn't to sign some forms or at least get a name tag like the receptionist had, until Uma raised her eyebrow at her again, as if suggesting she should get a move on. Jackie almost jumped and started after the blonde, who was walking with long, firm steps towards the elevators.

She managed to squeeze into the little cubicle just as the door were about to close, and swayed for a second before she regained her balance and stood awkwardly next to the unpleasant blonde, sending her small, nervous glances through the side of her eye.

The elevator was coated in red, rich velvet, with with little pleasant lights high up on the walls, and one wall covered with a mirror. Jackie couldn't help but smile admiringly at the beautiful surroundings, until she noticed look she was getting out of the side of the blonde's eye. It was one of disdain and amusement, and it made Jackie feel very small.

She spent the remaining 20 floors staring straight ahead.

As they stepped out of the elevator a couple of moments later, the blonde started walking with her gigantic steps, Jackie struggling to keep up. The 21st floor was spacey and had a lot of windows, letting daylight in. Most of the furniture and the finish was black and sleek, with little fake and black flowers here and there. All over where neat-looking woman and men, walking with the same kind of determined steps as the blonde leading Jackie's way, and everywhere there were phone's ringing, and people talking out in the air on their handsfree's and briefcases and heels and clicking and typing. Jackie felt her eyes go wide with it all, and spent the next minutes trying to take it all in. The whole place reminded her of a gigantic anthill, with ants crossing each other elegantly, knowing exactly where they were going.

When the blonde suddenly started speaking, Jackie almost jumped again. «Okay, Bambi, as your proceeder I the honor of letting you in on the secrets of this job.» She said the word 'honor' like it was some sort sin, «There are more than a few things you need to know. Most of them you'll learn on your own, but some of these things you just need to know in advance. You should probably take notes.» Jackie found the scribble block with the little bumblebees on it which she had gotten from her niece just this morning, and a sharp pencil.

«Number one: this is a though job. I'm sure your agent made it seem like heaven; well-paid, luxurious, and all that just to be the assistant of one of the most infamous playboys of our time? Well, let me kill that right now -and have no doubt that this is true- that playboy is the most demanding superior you'll ever have.

Number two: In addition to being wildly demanding, he is an asshole, and there ain't nothing you can do about it. During your time here -which I'm guessing will be brief- he will find so many ways to break you down, you'll in the end think there cannot possibly anything else he can do to hurt you, and then he'll find a couple of more ways to be mean. He will call you names, insult you in any manor possible, criticize everything from your breathing, to your writing, to your body, to your hair to your speech, everything. He will touch you inappropriately, drink, have sex and do drugs, and expect you to clean up after him. There is a reason why this job is as well-paid as it is.»

«I'm sorry,» Jackie cut in, holding up her pencil, making the blonde stop and look at her, «If he's that bad, why is anyone working here at all? -And, if he's been touching his assistants... that's sexual harassment.»

«I was getting to it,» blonde said and started walking again, leading them through a room filled with nervous looking men and women and into a gigantic room filled to the brim with desks and phones, all filed under signs with various countries represented on them. China, Spain, England, Poland, Norway. Jackie was almost blown away by all the noise and busy looking people there.It was ten times worse than the elevator area. «The third thing you need to know: no matter what he does to you, no matter how mean he is, and how far he goes, you'll still respect him. Care for him even.»

Now it was Jackie's turn to stop. Blonde turned and looked at her with her one eyebrow raised. «You can't expect me to believe that,» Jackie said and looked up at the woman, «I mean, you cannot possibly respect a man like him- if he is how you describe him.»

The blonde inclined her head and turned again, «You'll understand. I'm just telling you, you'll still look up to him, admire him, strive for his approval. He is possibly the most charismatic man you'll ever meet. He'll have you in the palm of his hand the moment you meet him.»

«Okay,» Jackie said, deciding not to argue while internally disagreeing, «If you like him so much, why are you giving up this job?»

«Didn't your agent tell you? This is a one year-thing. Every year he takes in a new one, to torture and be mean to and when that year is over... You can do anything.» A smile passed her doll-like features and she allowed herself to stop for a second, «I'm going to start my own magazine.»

Jackie grinned up at her, «Good for you!»

The blonde smiled -a genuine smile- before she started walking again, Jackie following in her wake. «Anyway, I never said I liked him, I merely said I respect him and care deeply for him.» In her mind Jackie wondered how you could care deeply for someone without even liking them, but she decided not to interrupt again. «The fourth thing you need to know:» The blonde went on as she lead Jackie towards a spiraling staircase, leading to what looked like a large glass cubicle hanging in the air with great big balcony on the side turning towards the office scape. All the shutters in the cubicle were closed, and on each side of the cubicle there were a series of doors, there among a fire exit and some elevators. Jackie faintly wondered why they had not taken that one.

«When you're here, you have to watch what you say and do, and more importantly, who you say and do things with,» she looked at Jackie, «This is important. Your boss, you see, is not only a demanding asshole, he is a well-connected, demanding asshole, with a sick range of roots throughout his entire stack of employees. Everything you say will most likely come back to him, and if it doesn't please him, it will bite you in the ass. The walls have ears here.

«Fifthly: you clothes.» The blonde threw yet another disapproving look towards her outfit, and Jackie's cheeks flushed. «I hope you know how to wear heels, because that is like, one of the rules here. Appearance wise, he'll probably change everything, and my advice is just to go with it.The sooner you accept it, the better it will be for you.»

Now they had reached the staircase, and the blonde twirled around. «This is as far as I go,» she smiled and Jackie could even detect a flutter of compassion behind her gorgeous green eyes. She could feel her own eyes widening. «The last thing you need to know Bambi, or at least the last thing I can tell you. You'll cry. Every day in the beginning, but I promise, it gets better. Just hang in there. When your 365 days with that man is over, you can walk out of here a changed woman; a stronger and better woman, and then you can do anything. That's all I can help you with, I'm afraid. Good luck Bambi, God knows you'll need it in here.»

Then she was gone, her heels clicking loudly against the hard floor beneath her. Jackie couldn't help but think they sounded like the heels of a woman who had just gotten her freedom back. Jackie herself was left to climb the stairs alone, well aware that everyone in the room was following her with keen eyes. She felt like the little, unsuspecting fish, dropped into a shark tank.

Jackie bit her lip, took a deep breath and told herself she was a strong, confident woman, before she ascended the stairs slowly, eventually reaching the large mahogany door labeled 'Casper Welhaven, CEO.' With her heart in her throat, she raised her hand and rapped her knuckles sharply over the door three times.

«Enter,» said a deep voice from the other side.