Strange

"Lynn, can you go on coaching and come to my station?", Carlo shouted, ten minutes after the shift started.

Lynn nodded her head and shouted back, "Alright, after this call!"

Oh no! she's the first victim. She thought it's her lucky day, since her pregnant boss was not there to torture her, but no, it's not, her new good looking boss seems to be targetting her as well.

After her first call, she took a deep breath, stood, then headed to her new boss.

"Yes, boss?", Lynn murmured nervously.

Carlo pulled a chair nearby and signal Lynn to sit down.

Lynn sat down, she felt uncomfortable and nervous.

Carlo stop what he was doing and face Lynn.

Lynn felt intimadated and unconciously bit her upper lip.

Carlo gave her his most charming smile, and said, "How are you?"

Lynn smiled awkwardly and said "I'm fine, thanks!"

"So, how are you today?", Carlo asked again.

Lynn felt a little confuse, didn't she already said that she was fine.

Carlo cleared his throat and smile again. What was he saying, is he running out of questions, that's very unlikely since he only use one question out of millions that exist in the world.

"I'm fine sir, how about you?", Lynn finally decided to asked him back.

Carlo chuckled, "I'm great, thanks, hmm..", he couldn't find his next words.

What's wrong with him. He isn't the type that gets nervous, not in front of a woman, the more the woman that was her employee, even more the woman who owes him an apology. This is nuts he thought.

"Sorry, I was distracted. I was going over your performance. I was analyzing them.", he said in defense.

Lynn nodded her head and said, "Right, we are currently at the bottom five in the ranking, but my customer satisfaction is currently at 80%, I'm top in the team.", she brags hoping to cover her high handling time.

"Hmm, how old are you?", Carlo suddenly asked.

Lynn raised her eyebrows, why would he ask her age, it has nothing to do with her performance.

"23", she answered directly.

Carlo nodded and smiled again. "I want to tell you that you are doing good and I hope that you can keep doing a good job.", he said trying to curse at himself for acting like a fool infront of her and why in this world would he asked her age, is he insane or something?

"Before you go back to your station, is there anything that you want to tell me?", he thought of giving her another chance to apologize.

Lynn smiled and hesitantly said, "Thank you, sir."

Carlo was disappointed, he can't believe that she was still not apologizing. She spilled chocolate cake all over his shirt, and it was his favorite one. He is not sure if she is just pretending or she simply don't remember him. But that was impossible, they were face to face during that incident. And he is sure that he is not easy to forget.

"Can I go back to my station now?", Lynn asked shyly.

Carlo just nodded. What a shameless girl, she did not even apologize. He should find a way to make her apologize somehow he thought.

Lynn as usual got a difficult customer, which causes for her handle time to suffer. It's a good thing that the rest of her calls were short, she thought that it might help her handle time somehow.

Today, indeed is strange, they have a new manager, and now the hair at the back of her neck keeps standing, she felt a little cold, she felt like a mice being hunted by a cat nearby. But she really couldn't understand what's giving her that feeling. Never mind, she's hungry, and her last call just ended.

Lynn stood up and went to Ella's station. "Let's eat.", she murmured to her ears.

Ella smiles and nodded. "One minute!"

Ella documented her call and stood. She put her arms around Lynns shoulder and said, "Let's eat."

"Team, let's all go on lunch, my treat!", Carlo shouted.

The team look at each other. They are hoping that Linda would come back tomorrow, they don't think that they will survive another day with their new manager.

He has not been saying anything, but they can tell that he has been scrutinizing their performance. He has been bombarding them with emails of their past three months performance. He even spoke with their top performer and she looks like a tomato that got rolled over by a car when she went back to her station. What more if he would call them out.

Team Linda, now Team Carlo was consist of fifteen members. They all headed to the elevator in silence.

"What would you guys want for lunch?", Carlo asked.

No one seems to dare to respond. He was answered by complete silence.

"Lynn, what do you think?", Carlo directed his question to Lynn.

Lynn was hiding at the back, trying to be as invisible as possible. What is wrong with her team mates today. They usually like to brag, to show off to their bosses. But why are they acting so careful as if afraid to make mistakes. Ans what is wrong with their new boss? Why is it that it has to be her again? During work, she was the only one pulled out for coaching. And now why would she need to decide lunch? Why can't they just leave her in peace she thought?

Lynn smiled awkwardly and said, "Anything will do!"

"What's your favorite food?", Carlo asked while looking at her seriously.

"She likes McD.", Ella announced.

The team stared at Lynn.

Lynn felt really stupid right now. Why is everyone giving her attention. What is wrong with the world, she thought.

"McD it is then.", Carlo said and smiled at Lynn.

There is a McD accross the street, the team needless to go further to eat. Everyone got in line to order their respective food and settle in their own group of friends. Lynn and Ella of course were together since they don't get along with the rest.

Lynn ordered a burger and fries with softdrinks. While Ella ordered one-piece chicken and rice with softdrinks.

Carlo was carrying his tray of food. He ordered 2-piece of chicken and rice, a burger, fries, sundae and softdrinks.

"Boss, you can sit here!", Chyx exclaimed, she decided to relax and be-friended their new boss, and maybe she can also seduced him with her charm.

Carlo just smiled and walk pass them and headed to where Lynn and Ella were eating together.

He pulled a chair, put his tray on the table and sat in-front of Lynn.

Lynn and Ella stared at each other, and of course their team mates were also staring at them.

"Let me join you ladies.", he announced and started eating his burger.

"I haven't eaten anything today, I'm starving.", he said.

"My mum said that you shouldn't starve yourself, you might get ulcer.", Lynn spilled out, and regretted it as soon as the words were out her mouth. Why would she care if he gets ulcer, and why would he care about her opinion.

Carlo raised his head and look at her. "You're mother is a wise women, she's right, just like my mum.", he said laughing,

"But I was busy today, didn't get the chance to eat breakfast.", he continued.

Lynn just smiled and decided to shut up.

"The food here aren't healthy, why do you like it?", Carlo asked Lynn.

Lynn looked at Ella, she wanted to strangle her for announcing that she likes McD. Ella on the other hand was smiling and enjoying her food.

"It's not my favorite. It's just convenient to eat here.", Lynn said hesitantly.

Carlo nodded, "My mum would not agree to you, I'm sure your mum too."

Lynn thought for a second and said, "I'm sure my dad would disagree."

"I'm sure my dad, too!", Carlo responded.

"You're parents should meet then.", Ella murmured.

The three of them look at each other and started laughing.

"Last call everyone!", Chyx shouted.

Everyone were astounded. Did she ate something that gave her the courage.

Chyx stood up and went to Carlo's station. "Hi boss! Should we celebrate your first day as our manager.", she said confidently while sitting down at the chair opposite Carlo.

Carlo thought for a while and responded. "Sure! Everyone, let's all go out for drinks after shift. My treat."

The team suddenly got excited and started cheering. There's nothing they like most than free drinks and food.

"Are you coming?", Ella whispered to Lynn.

"No, it's Friday, I have a date.", Lynn wink at Ella.

Ella chuckled, "Movie marathon with your cousin again."

"But ofcourse, we need an escape plan though.", Lynn said.

"How did you know I'm not joining?", Ella said innocently.

Lynn laughed, 'It would be a miracle if you would."

Ella was actually hoping that Lynn would come, she wanted to join the team but she wouldn't dare go without Lynn. The last time she hang out with the team without Lynn, they treated her like a joke.

Lynn hates team building, she never join any team dinner, she never goes out with them. That is why the team is particulary not close with her, because she always find ways to distance from them. Ella doesn't want to be exactly like Lynn, but she is impressed on how despite being an outsider, Lynn was never bullied by their team mates. They would just either ignore her or let her be. Probably because she is good at what she does, and she is also an attractive looking woman. Unlike Ella, she looks like an ordinary girl, regardless how hard she tried to dress up.