2. Marissa

Acool breeze rustles my hair as I parallel park on a busy street in Chicago’s River North neighborhood. I take a moment to breathe, thinking about the stressful morning I just had.

Being an assistant sports agent should mean more than being someone’s errand girl. I can’t help but feel that I’m meant for more than fetching coffee and picking up dry cleaning for my boss, Isaac.

Yet, that’s exactly where I am in life. From the outside, it looks like I have my dream job. From the inside? Most days you would think that I’m an unpaid intern and not someone whose job description says they should be drawing up contracts and making deals.

At least I have breaks like this, where I can get away from it all for a while.

I exit my car and make my way towards the restaurant where I’m meeting Ria for lunch. As I walk, the smell of freshly baked bread fills my nostrils. My stomach growls in response, and I pick up my pace, eager to see my best friend and finally get some food.

“Table for two, please,” I tell the hostess upon entering the chic restaurant.

She glances at her list and nods, leading me to an outdoor table shaded by a large umbrella. Ria isn’t here yet, but that’s not surprising. She’s always fashionably late.

“Your friend will be here soon?” the hostess asks, her tone lighthearted.

“Hopefully,” I reply with a smile. “She’s worth the wait.”

“Of course,” she says, handing me a menu. “Enjoy your meal.”

“Thank you.”

As I scan the menu, I catch the conversation a group of women are having at the neighboring table. They’re talking about an upcoming work trip to Paris — something that sounds absolutely glamorous. Despite my best intentions, I feel a twinge of jealousy as they excitedly discuss their plans.

“Can you believe we scored that amazing hotel?” one woman gushes. “It’s going to be divine.”

“Right by the Seine!” another adds. “And the shopping? Oh my God, I can’t wait.”

Their enthusiasm should be infectious, but it only serves to remind me of how stagnant my own life feels. While those around me seem to be moving forward, I’m stuck in the same place, fetching lattes and photocopying documents for a boss who doesn’t seem to understand my potential.

I take a sip of water, hoping to calm my rising frustration. The trickling of a nearby fountain provides a soothing backdrop, but it can’t completely silence the gnawing feeling that I need to make a change, that I deserve more than what I have now.

“Marissa!” Ria’s voice startles me out of my thoughts, and I look up to see her beaming face approaching.

The sunlight glints off her sunglasses as she strides towards me, a radiant smile threatening to break through her effort at composure. Her energy lifts my spirits, momentarily pushing aside my earlier thoughts of inadequacy. We embrace, her warmth and excitement infectious.

“You’re practically glowing! What’s going on?” I step back, my curiosity piqued by her uncontainable joy.

“Okay, okay, I can’t hold it in any longer!” She removes her sunglasses, revealing eyes sparkling with happiness. “Look!”

She extends her left hand, and I gasp as I see the diamond engagement ring glittering on her finger.

“You’re engaged!” I exclaim, wrapping her in another hug, our laughter mingling together. “Congratulations! When did this happen?”

“Thank you!” she replies, beaming. “It happened last night. Henry surprised me with a romantic dinner at home, complete with candles and rose petals.”

We sit down to order lunch, and I hang on her every word as she recounts the evening’s events — the way Henry nervously fumbled with the ring box, his heartfelt declaration of love, and her tearful acceptance.

“Marissa, it was so perfect, I couldn’t have imagined anything better,” she says, her eyes misty with emotion. “I’m just so happy.”

“I’m honestly so happy for you too.”

I mean it a hundred percent. My own insecurities do still bubble beneath the surface, but now is not the time for that. Today is about celebrating Ria and her wonderful news.

As we dive into our salads and discuss wedding plans, my mind wanders. Ria’s life is taking off in ways I can only dream of, and while a part of me is envious, I know that her successes should fuel my determination to do more, be more.

“Are you okay?” Her concerned voice brings me back to the present.

“Of course,” I reply with a smile. “Just daydreaming. Okay, so we’ve gone over dresses and the date… but what about the location? Have you guys talked about that yet?”

I assume it’ll be somewhere local. With their busy schedules, planning a destination wedding seems like an impossible task.

“Actually, we’re going to have the ceremony in Greece!” She practically bounces in her seat. “Henry absolutely fell in love with it when he went there a few years ago.”

“Wow! That sounds incredible,” I say, trying to match her enthusiasm. “Greece, huh? He really does love to go big or go home.”

“Definitely! It’ll be so amazing. We’ve already started looking into booking the venue and making travel arrangements for our families. And the wedding party, of course. You’ll be my maid of honor?”

“You know it.” I touch her arm, but she’s already barreling forward, sharing more details about what’s to come.

As I listen to her talk about her dream wedding, I feel a pang of jealousy. Not only is her real estate career taking off, but now she’s getting married in Greece — a place I’ve always wanted to visit. It’s hard not to compare our lives and wonder why hers seems to be moving forward at such a rapid pace while mine remains stagnant.

“Marissa, you have to come to Greece early with me so we can have some girl time before the wedding,” she says, completely unaware of my internal struggle. “We could explore the islands, do some shopping, and maybe even take a sailboat tour.”

“That sounds amazing.” I force a smile. “I’d love to.”

“Great!” Ria cocks her head, studying me. “God, I’ve been talking about myself nonstop since getting here. How are you?”

“Just fine.” I occupy myself with taking a bite of salad.

“Really?” Her brow furrows with concern. It’s hard to hide anything from her; she always knows when something is off with me.

“I’m all good,” I lie, forcing a smile. “Just a bit overwhelmed by everything going on at work, that’s all.”

“Is Isaac still treating you like his personal assistant?” She makes a sour face.

“Pretty much,” I grumble, stirring my tea absentmindedly. “I’ve been at the agency for years, but it feels like I haven’t made any progress. He hasn’t given me one client to work with.”

“That blows.” Ria reaches across the table and places a reassuring hand on mine. “You’re so talented and smart. You just need to find a way to show Isaac what you’re capable of.”

“I know.” I sigh. “But how? He doesn’t seem to be willing to give me a chance.”

“Maybe you could suggest taking on more responsibility or ask to shadow him during contract negotiations.”

“Trust me, I’ve tried,” I say, shaking my head. “He just brushes me off every time.”

“Then maybe it’s time to start looking for opportunities elsewhere. You don’t want to spend your entire career stuck in one place, do you?”

“Of course not,” I agree.

What I don’t tell her is that I’ve already sent out resumés. No other agencies are hiring. For now, I’m stuck where I’m at.

I’m tired of talking about this, though. Tired of bringing down the mood. For just another twenty minutes, I’d like to focus on better things.

“Let’s get back to talking about Greece,” I suggest.

We do an internet search on the best beaches to visit, but even as we talk, that nagging fear that’s always in the back of my mind returns. What if this lowly job is all I’ll ever amount to?

What if I’ve already reached the pinnacle of my career and life, and there’s nowhere to go from here but down?

A shiver runs through me, and I push the dark thoughts away. Of course, they’ll come back later.

They always do.