I was pissed as fuck and it was only my first day. 
I checked my WhatsApp message from my manager in India who had thankfully given me few contact numbers to save me from this plight. I called someone by the name of Richard Clarke without thinking twice. Richard who was supposed to be my upcoming manager. The call went on voicemail. Fuck him, too. 
The security guard definitely wasn't helping. His voice was starting to prick my ears. Eventually, he told me to wait by the longue. I couldn't help it this time. "Abbey chal ja na, bhosadike! Chup chaap apna kaam kar." (Just get off, you cunt! Shut your mouth and do your work). 
The guard shot a suspicious glance at me. I took a deep breath to calm myself. Perhaps I should see myself out before I do something regrettable. 
"Are you sure you should be cussing like that in public?" A male voice spoke, making the hair at the back of my neck stand. I whirled around to see a young fair man in an olive shirt and black pants. His lips twitched a bit though his gaze was serious. "One might understand the language and launch a complaint against you." 
I swallowed. The morning kept getting worse and worse, despite the picturesque scenery of the metropolitan city in the morning. I didn't want to lose that right yet. It's obvious the man knew Hindi. Fair skinned, short solder cut hair and pristine outlook made him look more intimidating right now. I crossed my hands, my head downcast. "I'm sorry for my misconduct, sir. It's my first time here and I was supposed to reach the office by 10. It's 10:45 now so I'm in a bit of a bind here. Sorry once again." 
"What's your name?" He asked, totally unaffected by my heartfelt apology. 
My heart thudded in my chest. "Na- Natasha Patil, sir." 
"Natasha, huh?" He repeated thoughtfully, his mind seeming miles away before facing me. "Just wait for a minute and give me your offer letter." 
I did just that and watched in anticipation as the young man took my letter to the security guard and talked him out. Was he helping or complaining about me? I couldn't tell. A minute later, the young man ushered me to come to the checking booth. The security guard punched his ID, opening the flaps to the inner departmental office. "Apologies for the inconvenience, ma'am. You can go in." 
"Oh... okay," I replied, surprised. I let out a sigh of relief once we were inside the office that looked no less than a prestigious hotel. I turned to the man in olive suit. "Thank you so much, Mister...?" 
"Irfan Ahmed." He completed my sentence and we shook hands. "You are here for Project Natick, if I'm correct. We are in the same team then." 
"Oh, I see," I added after a pause as Irfan continued to lead me through the corridor. "Indian?" 
"No, Pakistani." 
"Sorry." 
Irfan stopped walking, making me stop as well. His serious demeanor changed as he chuckled at my face. "No need to look so frightened, Natasha. It will be fine. Your secret is safe with me. I won't tell anyone." 
Okay, that slightly cracked me up as my lips pressed together. Perhaps this wasn't as nerve racking as I thought. I playfully thanked him and asked about his profile. Turns out he was part of the core team of Brooks Architecture & Design. He had been working as a designer for the past two and a half years. It was nice to talk to someone in Hindi. 
The day went smoothly after that. I got to meet Richard Clarke- A blonde man in his late forties. He quickly apologized for not picking my call earlier as he was in a meeting. An assistant manager briefed us about the company and the goals of the project through an eye-catching presentation. Project Natick had several employees working for it from outer & interior designing to execution, finance and management. Our team consisted of engineers & architects that covered a certain area and Richard was at the helm of it, having eleven years of experience behind his back. A ten minute interaction was enough to let me know what a cool and laid back boss he was. Hope he remained that way throughout the course.