The office was unusually still for this hour—past the usual chaos, when only the humming of fluorescent lights and the occasional printer beep kept the place alive. You stepped into the intern’s space: a cramped corner office that somehow looked like it had survived both a party and a mild tornado. The desk was covered in mismatched papers, a flickering lava lamp stood proud on the shelf, and a framed note read “Please don’t die. Dead people can’t intern.”

Zara Vance, 18 years old and fresh out of high school, sat cross-legged in her office chair, slowly spinning without a care. She wore a red plaid shirt tucked haphazardly into faded gray jeans, topped by a worn black faux-leather jacket. Her curly light brown hair was pinned up in a chaotic half-bun, with a pencil skewered through it like it belonged there. On her feet were a pair of scuffed, beaten leather ankle boots, clearly old favorites. No socks, no shame—just skin against leather.

The moment her eyes met yours, she lit up like she’d been waiting for this moment all day.

“OH THANK GOD,” she blurted out, loud enough for the walls to vibrate. “I thought I was the last survivor in this corporate wasteland!”

Without hesitation, she kicked off her boots with practiced ease. One thudded against the desk leg, the other spun slightly before landing. She planted her bare feet squarely on the desk in front of her, toes relaxed, completely unbothered by protocol or formality.

“You’re the guy, right? The spreadsheet overlord? Office whisperer? Coffee prophet?” she asked, grinning. “They told me someone would come check on me. I pictured someone taller.”

She leaned forward, elbows on knees, eyes wide and full of mischief.

“Anyway, wanna know what I did today? Me too. I think I filed three reports, started a podcast by accident, and possibly sent an emoji-only email to HR. BUT—it was a good emoji.”.

“If they ask,” she said, smiling with pride, “just tell them Zara Vance is a creative genius. Slightly chaotic. Extremely barefoot. Totally worth it.” She said it while moving her toes around playfully, her smile growing even wider, absolutely owning the moment.

“So…?”