Melody waited in the meeting room, arms crossed, her expression calm yet assertive as she surveyed the mural painting on the wall.
The atmosphere was cold, with a long mahogany black table dominating the center, surrounded by chairs. Bottled water, neatly arranged, awaited everyone on the table.
She let out a sigh, glancing at her wristwatch. "Three, two, one," she counted silently, anticipating the sound of the glass door opening.
The door eventually swung open, revealing the first newcomer—Angie, the girl who had responded to her previously. Slightly younger than Melody, she had brown wavy hair and a cream shirt neatly tucked into a black skirt, complemented by black heels.
"Where are the others?" Melody asked, her voice calm but firm.
"They're on their way. They'll be here soon," Angie replied, a friendly smile on her face.
Melody nodded. "Have a seat," she instructed.
Angie moved her chair gently before settling in and opening her laptop. Melody assessed her for a moment, sensing that she would find a good ally in Angie as they began working together.
Just then, her attention shifted to the door as the rest of the team entered. Their expressions were devoid of enthusiasm, clearly signaling their disinterest.
The last to walk in was a blonde who dared to glare at Melody before making her way to her seat and twirling her hair—Melody recognized her as the one who had been bad-mouthing her to Angie earlier.
Maintaining her composure, Melody straightened and addressed the group, meeting each gaze head-on.
"I have to express my observations. When I entered, I noted the look of disapproval and low motivation on many faces. While I'm not sure of the cause, I want to thank you for showing up today."
They all redirected their gazes to the table, displaying boredom; the blonde continued chewing on an imaginary gum while Angie shot her a concerned look.
Unfazed, Melody pressed on. "I've reviewed your past performance, and this team has achieved impressive results. I'm here to walk alongside you—not as a leader, but as your teammate."
At this, she noticed another girl looking at her with curiosity. "I'm Melody Brown, a former employee from the lobby, and I aim to gain insight from each of you while sharing my experiences. Together, we can elevate this team to new heights."
"Our goal is to enhance customer satisfaction and efficiency. We must embrace open feedback. Teamwork thrives on open communication, and we must accept and support each other to achieve our common objectives. I need everyone on board, fully engaged, so we can improve as a team and as individuals,"
Clapping her hands together, she commanded attention. "With that said, I'm excited to collaborate with all of you. I'm committed to supporting you and eager to learn from your expertise." She ended with a confident smile.
Silence enveloped the meeting room as she scanned the faces, hoping for a response.
Suddenly, a guy began to clap, followed suit by Angie, and soon the rest of the team joined in. The blonde looked surprised but reluctantly joined the applause.
After the clapping subsided, the guy stood up, wearing glasses and impeccably dressed. "I'm Marcus Hart, and I'm ready to welcome you as our teammate and leader," he declared earnestly.
Melody smiled, recognizing that it was the same Marcus from Angie's earlier conversation. "Pleasure to meet you, Marcus."
One by one, the team members introduced themselves.
"Angelina Jordan, but you can call me Angie. Welcome to the team!" she said, her enthusiasm was infectious.
"Pleased to meet you too, Angie," Melody replied casually.
Finally, the blonde introduced herself. "Natalie Fox. Welcome to the team," she stated, her tone lacking warmth.
Melody didn't expect everything to go as planned. She was pleasantly surprised that the team would eventually be open towards her.
Rather than letting the negativity of one person deter her, she focused on proving her worth to the team, confident that winning over their hearts and affection was within her reach.
She brushed off any skepticism that came her way.
"Pleased to meet you too, Natalie," Melody said with a decisive smile, even as Natalie shot her a pointed look before taking her seat.
The meeting progressed smoothly, with clear goals and objectives laid out, and Melody couldn't believe how well everything flowed. By the time it wrapped up, everyone began to take their leave, their faces brightened unlike earlier and Melody was pleased that she had achieved something.
Leadership is better when not forced but earned.
And throughout the meeting, she noted how everyone followed Marcus. When he spoke, they took it as their cue to speak too; when he was silent, they were silent too. They already regarded him as their leader but she didn't let it affect her, instead, she planned on observing them and studying them to see how she could help every one of them become better, also she had to learn too.
Back in her office, while she was busy with work, her phone rang, and a genuine smile lit up her face at the sight of Ethan's name.
His voice came through, "Hey babe, how's work going?"
"Great. How about you?" Melody responded, her enthusiasm shining through.
"You know how it is. Stressful, but for you, I can handle anything," he replied, knowing how much sweet words affected Melody.
"Aww, thank you, love," she declared, appreciating his words.
"Don't forget our date tonight. The Uber will be there at 7 PM, so you have plenty of time to get ready. I'll meet you at the SkyView Tower."
"Of course. Looking forward to it," Melody said.
"Gotta go now. Love you." She ended the call, feeling a rush of anticipation for the evening ahead.
The day was drawing to a close, signaling the end of a vibrant day. Melody felt a satisfying sense of accomplishment; everything was falling into place for her, and she was particularly excited about her upcoming date with Ethan.
She stepped out of the office to pick up some paperwork, allowing her teammates to focus on their tasks without interruption.
"Melody" One of them called, and she turned, her eyes bright with anticipation.
"We're having a group dinner tonight to celebrate your welcome to the team. Would you like to join us?" Marcus asked.
Melody's expression shifted; her lips parted in uncertainty. That same night, she had a date with Ethan and she contemplated what to do. The date was important as she was getting back with Ethan and so was this invite, this one, to get closer to her teammate and she didn't know what to decide. It seemed as though she couldn't forego one for the other and she felt her heart pound internally.
Her gaze fell back to Marcus who had an anticipating look on his face for her answer. She was scared to disappoint him. And the rest of them.
"What's with the hesitation? Do you have plans?" Marcus questioned, his brow raising.
"I do," she replied honestly, her voice low.
"No pressure then. We'll find another time," He said with a nod before returning to his work.
She bit her lip as she glanced across the room, everyone was facing their work.
Melody hoped her decision to go for the date would not later end up in tears and regret, because here was a good opportunity to bond with her teammate, yet she was pushing it aside, all for love.