After I left Ravenwolf Co., I told Nathan I would need some time to process a few things... processing was finding the nearest boxing gym and beating the hell out of the punching bag.

On my way there, I couldn't stop thinking about our confrontation...

I should have hit him in the face when I had a chance to... that way, he would learn the hard way. To not touch me like that ever again, or face the wrath of Hazel Rose... even if he was upset, it was still unacceptable.

I kept thinking about how I could avenge myself...

When I finished hurling consecutive punches one after the other at the gym I must have caught an audience because when I finished they were all staring at me jaw-dropped. I took off my gloves, paced a little, and then sat down on the mat. What kind of unfortunate fate this was...

I really wasn't this meek, vulnerable person. Sure, I may come from a different upbringing, but being that rich didn't give you permission to be a horrible person. I wanted to give him space to vent. To be the bigger person. And look where it got me... thinking that I should have reacted more. I punched the air a few times out of frustration.

I should have slugged him when I had the chance... I exhaled, holding my head and regretting not grabbing him back. Yes, I was surprised by his actions, and I didn't want to stir the metaphoric pot but still... he probably doesn't regret what he said and did...

I sighed deeply again, pulling my body backwards, and laying down on the mat. I looked up at the large ceiling fan whirling around. I paid close attention to the rumbling sound of the motor, and I found a sense of peace again...

*

The next day I went to the art studio a little worn out from that intense boxing session. After laying on the mat for several more minutes yesterday, I got up again completely re-charged, and I couldn't stop imagining Kai smirking at me on the punching bag, so I don't know how long I was there exactly, but the sweat was pouring off of my body before I decided to leave.

I was sitting down now, thinking about what to do next.

I had come this far but attempting to proceed was another issue. I could have all the courage in the world, but I needed to think properly on how to approach the main issue at hand. My ignorance on everything about the automotive industry, about cars, about design in this field... I would have to start fresh. I would need a crash course in all the above, and I had no idea where to start...

"Hazel!" I heard Rae shout abruptly. I turned to her, somewhat dazed, and she rushed over and grabbed a little hand that was in front of my face. A young girl had been painting my face probably for the last several minutes.

"Abigail, this isn't very nice to do to Miss. Rose's face."

"Teacher told us we can draw when we feel inspired? I just wanted to make our teacher look prettier..." I looked at Rae and she stifled a laugh. I wondered what I looked like. Abigail was a 'problem child,' in our 5-7 age bracket range class.

Her mischievous behavior was sugar-coated with her seemingly 'innocent intentions,' but we knew better. She was just a little spoiled brat who didn't want to be here, but whose parents worked a lot, and wanted to help 'develop a hobby,' because she was expected to go into medicine like them.

It was a heavy burden for a 7-year-old. Rae asked another teacher to come in to take Abigail away. She then grabbed my arm and brought me to the bathroom.

I looked at my face in horror and shrilled. I started rubbing it off of my face with warm water.

"What a little devil..."

I had a uni-brow, mustache, target circles on my forehead, and whiskers on my cheek. She even put on a large mole on the side of my nose. Rae was laughing nonstop.

"She has quite an active imagination."

"I'm telling you her parents aren't showing her what love is as much as they think they do."

"Well, that's their failure, not ours."

"She's acting out for a reason."

"Perhaps, but we're not her caregivers."

"I should have a talk with her."

"Whoa, Haze..." I faced her, the paint streaming down my face and she laughed again. "Let's be calm and collected here... the matter we should be talking about is your own. Why were you that distracted?"

"I was..." thinking about how to become a business genius in less than a week. "Thinking about one of my friend's issues..." here we go...

"Who?" Rae knew very well I didn't have that many friends...

"Earlier in middle school, you wouldn't have known them," Rae nodded, she seemed to have bought yet another lie from me. My stomach churned. I hated lying to her.

"And, what about it?"

"Their boss... wants them to come up with a design and a commercial concept for this design in less than a week. She doesn't have much experience in that particular field. But he insists that she do this for... her growth..." I couldn't think of how to word this in a way that related to what I was going through...

"So, what's the main point here?"

"She feels pressured! She doesn't know what she's doing. If she fails, there will be greater consequences..."

"Okay, but, is she working alone?" I shook my head.

"Then she should rely on her team more and... educate herself on design and commercial concepts based on the company's previous successes and marketing tactics," it was like the light bulb I needed to flicker on immediately brightened up. I was so wrapped up in how to cram as much knowledge inside my brain that I lost touch of what I could control.

"Rae, you're a genius!"

"Well, thank you," she smirked. I was happy I could finally move forward now with a plan. When I was skipping away, she held me back.

"Hold on, let's first take the rest of the paint off," Rae smiled as I nervously laughed, and agreed to.

When I got home, I was on a mission. I told Nathan to send me previous documents on all the models that Ravenwolf has been manufacturing since their existence. All their concepts and commercials. Right from the beginning.

It was like watching time fast forward. Seeing the beginnings of the company. 1970s rustic commercials, to some retro elements in the 1980s. Laid back images in the 1990s, and a little more advances in the early 2000s.

All the newer commercials were perfected, like any other car commercials for big companies alike. The more I absorbed, the more fascinated I became with the way designs have changed over time, and the way they brought these cars onto the big screen. There was something I could find. An interesting angle or element that this company hadn't thought of exploring. I would find that... I knew I would...

Before I knew it, it was past 3am... I decided to go to bed. I had to set my alarm for 7am so that I could get a head start of getting to the company. I wanted to go to the mechanic's department. I remembered the comfort I felt from hearing the plethora of sounds: ignitions being turned on and off, various air pressures and tools clanging against one another...

*

In the early morning, one of the drivers was kind enough to drive me to work. When I got there, in casual clothing, the mechanics there hardly recognized me. I asked them if I could sketch around them and observe for the rest of the afternoon and they agreed.

It was kind of amazing to see how detailed their work was. Watching them transform literal car parts into state of the art metal machines, as I liked to call it. After a long day, and a book full of sketches, I decided to go home. They all thanked me for coming around today, and I told them I'd be back tomorrow afternoon. I wanted to meet the marketing team again. I had already set up a group chat with them. I felt good leaving after the day.

When I got home I had a quick dinner and then went right back into looking over my sketches, thinking over what kind of story I wanted to tell.

When I was invested in something I wanted to do my best and my best is what I would show...