She held her report close to her chest and suppressed her laugh while walking through the corridor. After walking for a while she reached her seat and sat down. She remembered his face, his gaze, the way his mouth opened in shock after hearing her, the way his eyes followed her. She was pleased indeed. Her trail of thoughts swarmed a smile on her face and brightened her heart. She was lost in a world of her own before she was interrupted,

"How did you meeting go?", Simon asked Akira after seeing her all lost like she was captured in some kind of trance.

"It was ok. Just one parameter change in the input. That's all", Akira beamed and replied to Simon.

"Great girl. Now lemme see your report", Simon said and took the report from Akira. He had asked her earlier if she needed his help on the report and she had politely refused. So he was curious to see how this newbie had performed own her own without anyone's guidance.

As he scanning through each page, he looked impressed. Given that she was continuing her Master's degree, her report was of really good standard. He took the report and smacked Kirk's head with it and said,

"Check her report and tell me how it is".

"Ouch", winced Kirk and smoothened out his hair which was disturbed by Simon. He took the report from Simon's hand and started going through its pages. He was also impressed with the way she had written the report covering each and every minute detail.

Akira tiny heart was elated to see everybody appreciating her work. It kind of boosted her morale and she was all pumped up. She went back to her seat and started correcting the weights which Raymond had mentioned earlier.

She had just finished changing the input parameters when she heard Kirk screaming at the top of his lungs,

"What the hell !!!"

Simon and a few others who sat near Kirk went to his seat to find out why he was shouting hysterically. Kirk was showing everybody the last page of Akira's report. Akira saw the expression change on every single person's face who was looking at her report.

She couldn't understand what was wrong with the report and why everyone was acting so weird.

"What's wrong?", she asked.

"What's wrong? What's wrong you ask? You got a 'Good Job' from Raymond. A freaking Good Job" said Kirk and flashed the last page of the report in the direction of Akira.

Akira couldn't understand for a moment what he wanted to convey to her. So she came to him and took the report back from his hand.

The moment she saw the last page she immediately understood what was this fuss all about. Raymond had actually written 'Good Job' on the last page of her report and had signed it as well.

Her heart was not able to contain the happiness and joy which she was feeling at that moment. She was trying hard not to give away the wide grin approaching her face. Kirk's face was almost red with anger. He clenched his fist and asked Simon,

"I never got a good job from Raymond. Forget Raymond, even you have not given me a good job ever. How to hell she gets a good job on the first report itself". He was really bummed over it.

"You are worrying about yourself? Even I haven't received a good job ever," said Simon and Akira could see that even his expressions looked all grumpy.

Akira laughed inside her head after hearing what they all had to say.

"Will you guys just get back to work and stop making a fuss about it", screamed Brian who was another graphic lead of the team. The crowd dispersed after hearing to Brian.

Akira also went back to her seat and resumed the report work.

Within half an hour she was done with her work and sent the final draft of the report to Raymond via email. Then she waited at her desk for another 15 minutes thinking that Raymond would probably ping her or send her some comments but unfortunately, he didn't. It was almost 7 pm by then so she decided to start for home.

Before leaving her desk she texted Vikram,

"Guess what happened today at work?" - Akira

"What?" - Vikram

"I got a good job from my boss (happy face smiley) !!!" - Akira

"Good Job? Really? What are you guys in kindergarten now?" - Vikram

"Yeah go on, mock me. You don't know the good feels of it. You are the boss. You can never get a good job from anyone. Poor you (sad smiley)" - Akira

"Well, you can give me right?" - Vikram

"Yes, I can. But no I won't (tongue face smiley) - Akira

"What was the good job for?" - Vikram

"I made a demographic analysis report." - Akira

"Heavy !!!" - Vikram

"Jeez Vikram, can you talk with me for one day without teasing me?" - Akira

"Now that's an unreasonable request. You are my daily dose of fun." - Vikram

"Go, I am not talking with you. Bye" - Akira

"Ok Ok. Dinner tomorrow?" - Vikram

"Yusssss." - Akira

---

On her way back home Akira stopped near a pharmacy store to get the medicines which Katherine had recommended for her. While she was waiting for the pharmacist to bill her medicines, she started looking around and a young girl caught her attention.

She was standing two shops away from her, happily busy licking her ice cream cone. She looked really pretty in her ash-green colored frock and yellow leggings. But then she noticed that this girl was unmindful of the approaching traffic as she started walking slowly, perhaps intending to cross the road. Akira screamed and waved at her but unfortunately, that had no impact. She realized in a split second that she was tuned to her iPod and had no idea of vehicles honking at her or of her scream. She was about to jaywalk into the main road.

Akira had a surge of adrenaline and she immediately ran towards the girl and and pulled her back towards the pavement side. She pulled her with so much force, that she was unable to maintain her own balance and they both fell on the pavement.

"Good God!!!", cried Akira in pain after crashing on the pavement.