It was my first weekend in New York, after a rather boring week since all I did was go to the office, walk back home, cook dinner, and sleep. Hit repeat.
I landed here last Saturday, all the way from my home country that is so different from this big city.Born in Jakarta, grew up in Jakarta, attended uni at Jakarta, worked at Jakarta; my entire life is stamped with Jakarta all over it that stepping foot here is like a slap to my face.My parents are the kind of people who prefer their kids to blend in with the surrounding community so despite the abundant amount of money they have, they sent my siblings and I to a government school instead of those private ones.I'd like to think myself as a lucky person considering the amount of procrastination and lazy-ass attitude I've been practicing since forever that somehow, along the way, I always, always managed to get away with everything.Lucky because I was granted a full scholarship for my bachelor degree at a local university. To be honest, I don't think I'm a smarty pants. This is purely luck.Lucky because I got an internship at the company others have been aiming. I low-key didn't hope much for anything bombastic. If I get a good placement, sure. If I don't, well, at least I got a placement. Right.Lucky because I got a job offer at that same company three months after I completed my studies. I don't know what they see in me but hey, if they want me, sure. I'm too lazy to send resumes to multiple companies anyway.So there, I had everything easy since day one.Until New York.I am so used to the pace I had at Jakarta, to chill and procrastinate until there's no more time left to procrastinate further that I had to force myself to finish the assignments but coming here, oh God, I feel like quitting this instant.Here in Big Apple, everything seems to be fast-forwarded to ten times because everyone, literally every single person I've met here wants things to be fast, fast, fast. Efficient, efficient, efficient. Perfect, perfect, perfect.It's not just perfect but it's perfect, perfect, perfect.Well, you get the gist. I'm not gonna repeat every word thrice, bless my fingers because the temperature is so low even the leather gloves I'm wearing right now don't really help. I'm freezing. Frosting. Urgh, again the struggle with the use of correct words. Have I told you how much I hate it here?One, I need to speak English ALL the time. I'm good with writing but I suck at communicating in this language. I miss my Jakarta so bad, where I can explain stuff at the office either with my broken English or just using the Indonesian language since everybody speaks it.Two, the weather. We only have one season there; it's hot all year round. Well it does rain sometimes but it's nothing like here. Don't get me wrong, I've been on vacations. I've been overseas. But to live here as in ‘work’ here for a loooong duration of time, it sorts of overwhelms me.Three, the company. No, not the company I'm working at, though that will come later in the next point but yeah, I mean the people around me.I only know three people here and the rest are all strangers. And those three? Well, I don't exactly know him or her like we're friends or something. It's more like, ’hey I've seen his/her name before in an email!’ So basically, we're not even acquaintances.Four, the company. Yes yes, the office. I've mentioned this before, about the different work culture. Perfect, perfect, perfect, remember?Instead of work-life balance, people seem to focus on the results here. No wonder only high-achiever employees were sent to this New York office. To which come to my last point-Five, why me. Why. Like seriously, whyyy?Wait. I do know why. I was just being dramatic, asking God why though I know the management chose me because I'm the only person available for this assignment since everybody else is busy with other international projects.It's supposed to be this senior Geomodeller who has worked thirteen years in the company but she has to take one year of unpaid leave because of her baby. So here I am, being inexperienced and all, though I shouldn't say that since I've worked for six years now but yeah, whyyy. Why meee.I whine a lot considering this is just an introduction. Well, better get used to it. Because I do rant, whine, complain, insert other synonyms here because I'm all that."Hi." A good looking woman with charismatic voice, dressed in a white winter coat stops me from my walk to the subway station. It's Saturday afternoon but she's dressed as if she's on her way home from work.Well like I said, New Yorkers are all high achievers. Of course they work on Saturdays too. How would she be able to afford this fancy outfit if she works like me, clocking eight hours then off I go.Even during that eight hours I'd spend two playing my phone, another two gossiping with co-workers, and finally the last four to actually working. On top of the one hour lunch break, that sometimes extends to another ten to fourty minutes.But I don't think that lazy-worker behaviour will be happening here since I don't have any friends to be my partner in crime. Maybe, just maybe, I'll finally work during all that eight hours like I'm supposed to."Err hi." I'm not sure if I want to talk to this stranger. Mama did warn me not to talk to people who look suspicious.It's a big city and I'm new here so that calls for bad things to happen. But hey, she looked expensive, so what could go wrong? It's not like she's gonna kidnap me and cut my organs to be sold at the black market, Ma."I don't have much time but this is my card," she holds out a small rectangular piece of paper towards me, white just like her coat, shoes and bag, "If you're interested to be an actress, do call me."My eyes widen upon hearing what she said, "An actress?"I've decided at this particular moment that this black Michael Kors winter coat I bought last year during my vacation at London is worth every penny for making this magic that gives an illusion of me as a promising actress.And please, do remind me to tell Mama and Dian that this in-a-whim-purchase is seeing it's rate of return; a compliment from this elegant lady.It's not exactly a compliment but potato-potato, because actresses in Indonesia are always associated with beauty."Call me," she smiles genuinely then walks to the sidewalk, entering a black car that matches her expensive appearance.I stare at the card I'm still holding as the car has been gone for a couple of minutes now. There's this one big word at the top in capital letters spelling CUPCAKE.And below it, right in the middle of the card, there is one word which I believe is her surname since it's just a simple ‘Collins’, with a phone number and an email address written under it.So this Miss Collins scouts people to be actresses? Hence the luxurious car and clothes with charisma sprinkled all over her?Uhh. This feels too good to be true.But as I said, I've always been lucky. I've been complaining about my work and within days, I got an offer to switch career? To be an actress?Is this for real or just a scam? Am I really that lucky?It takes three days for me to surrender. Once I reach home, I run to my room and look for the bag I used last Saturday searching for that specific white card because today, my boss has officially called for a war. She publicly criticised me in front of seventy executives during our monthly meeting. At first she was just introducing me to the team but towards the end of her speech she told me -fucking mentioned my name with her eyes directed to me- to be better than what I've been this one week. "Maybe it's a slow week for you since you're still settling in but I expect better from now onwards." Last week, on my third day here she called me to her office to ask me to step up my game. Because apparently, according to her, I'm lacking at delivering impactful results. She expects to get the job done yesterday if she's asking it today.That's how I became determined from that moment onwards to be more efficient. I worked eight hours every day compared to what I used to back in my home
"You'll be taking a role as Scarlett Monroe." "What do you mean I'll be taking a role as Scarlett Monroe? Where is she? Why do I need to be her? Is this like Vanessa Hudgen's Christmas movies at Netfl!x? Taking over somebody's role just because they have the same face?" "Pretty much," Drey nods, "But you'll be getting money out of this." "And Mr Gunn is fully aware you're not the real Scarlett Monroe." "Mr Gunn? Who's that?" I'm getting dizzy with all these shocking information. From the pictures I have in my hand, Scarlett Monroe seems to like dressing up, and always has herself put together. Unlike me who'd wear anything to the office if I'm too lazy to plan my outfit. Especially on one of those weeks when I hibernate. I have this tendency of going all out after spending weeks at home. I'd go out, hang out with friends, and after a fun, tiring weekend with them I'd hibernate for weeks until I'm ready to come out and play again. "Mr Gunn is Scarlett's husband." "Ooohhh?" Inte
This is officially my fourth week in New York, and I'm getting used to being here. Wearing hijab is a norm in Indonesia but here in New York, especially in my office, I'm like a rare species simply because I'm the only one who wears it. I've received multiple questions from my colleagues that sometimes I wonder if they ask because they genuinely don't know about it or simply to mock me; “Do you sleep with it”, “Do you shower with it”, and the one that got me extremely speechless was, “Do you actually have hair?”I try to be positive and answer them with a smile eventhough sometimes I do wanna be spiteful and throw that “Of course I shower with it, I use Hijab and Shoulder”. But no, compose yourself Alya. Show them that Islam is beautiful, not condescending. "Oh wow," I hear a gasp next to me, "You look so much better without that thing!" I turn to her as I put another one of my friendly face, "Thank you." Is all I said then I get back to putting on my hijab. Sometimes this chiffon
"Mr Gunn accepts the first two conditions," Miss Collins announces on the follow-up meeting after I laid out five things to be brought to him prior my agreement to the contract, "But he won't tolerate the remaining three." First, I will never, under any circumstances, have sex with him be it oral sex, vaginal sex, anal sex, fingering or hand jobs, dry humping or genital rubbing, or masturbation. Fucking wrap your junk and hide it from me. Second, I will not sleep with him even without any physical contact. Because satan is always beside us to influence us towards sinful acts. Third, I will only be available during the weekend. Fourth, I will not live with him.Fifth, family is off-limit. Be it mine, or his."So I have to live with him full-time?" That would be impossible, "I have my day job. There is no way I'm gonna apply leave from work for three months straight for him." Even if it guarantees me a hundred and fifty thousand dollar.That's 2.1 billion rupiah. I will not just b
I thought he'd be proud to know I've memorised all the utensils on which to use for what but he's a tough one to please because I stutter the moment he asked me to demonstrate on how to use the spoon for soup in case it's hot. "You do it half moon crescent," he runs his spoon in the soup in front of him, "Not blowing it as if you're playing trumpet." I giggle again and pick up my soup spoon, copying his act, "Like this?" "Make sure your spoon is facing the other way when you dip into the soup." I sigh, "I'd rather not eat soup in front of people my entire life if there is so many rules to follow." I'm sure he'll faint if he sees how hard I blow my instant noodle and slurp it loudly whenever I‘m eating it. No, not eating it. GOBBLING it. After we're done with the food etiquette class, it's the styling class next. It's a miracle no matter how many hours I've spent with him for this particular class, there will always be something new to know about Scarlett, or being a rich woman i
"Is it laundry day?" My sister, Dian teases me in Indonesian as she munches on her snack while watching me button the tweed jacket I've just put on. "No, no, no. Wrong question. Is it pay day?" Oh I know what she meant by that. Being sisters means we share our clothes despite the difference in our size; she's two sizes smaller so she can wear mine but I can never fit into hers. That also means she knows every article of clothing I own, and this two-piece skirt suit is too obvious for being a brand new expensive-looking item I just owned. "Whose is it?" "Not mine." "Yeaaaaa I know it's not yours, obviously," she rolls her eyes at the last word, "But who's the designer? How much is it?" To be honest, I have no idea how much does this skirt suit cost. All I know is Drey specifically asked me to wear this on my first meeting with Mr Gunn. Uhh, I mean Honey. "Uhm let me check," I walk to my bed and grab the skirt I laid there, wanting to inspect the tag at the back to which she ga
"Go to the penthouse, meet him there. Have dinner with him. Off you go to your own bedroom to end the night."Step one is completed, now onto step two. Honestly, I'm prepared to give him two kisses a day, as per Drey's briefing. One would be in the morning, when I send him to the door before he go to work. The second would be at night, right before we depart to each other's bedroom. And those kisses were supposed to be lip-locked but being a hard headed, I made it a non-negotiable condition on top of the two he agreed earlier before I signed the contract, that I will only kiss his cheek, unlike the previous Scarletts who would have no problem to kiss him on the lips. I'm a Muslim, remember? But that, was unexpected. I thought I have at least an hour or two to decide if I'm pulling myself out of this charade but one minute in, he already marked his lips on my body. My hair, to be exact. "Bee," the way he calls me as he goes down the stairs gives me this certain vibe, as if I'm r
"Tell him I-love-you as much as you want, that's part of your job description. And don't worry, he won't fall for you." "He never fall in love with any of the Scarletts?" "Nope. Every time we have a new Scarlett he has no problem to switch them up." "You mean he currently has a Scarlett? Like right-now?""Her contract will be terminated just before yours is activated, as in your first day with him." "What? I thought you said he's nice?" "He is. But this is a business transaction. If we have a new product, of course he wants the latest version.""So we're like iPhones? To be changed every time a new one is available? He's a jerk alright." I still remember that conversation I had with Drey, and the remark I made of calling him a jerk. But when he said ‘I love you’ just now, he doesn't seem like he's lying. Like he's not the jerk I thought he was. "I love you too, Honey." I reply sweetly, silently knocking my head to remind me that I'm on the clock. He said I-love-you to Scarlet