It's been a few days since Nate had passed his sign-up form online, having done so when he got back to his dorm. He's been nervous ever since because he's asked Lynn if there's an interview when signing up for a position at her org.
"Yes," She had answered, not even sparing him a glance as she worked on proof-reading the articles she's been passed. "It is not that difficult, really. But still, professionalism is needed, President is a bit strict.. kinda."
So that's gotten him nervous. He's had a class with the EONS organization's President in the previous year, and he still couldn't shake off the intimidation he felt around her. While she was kind and had a cheerful personality, he could feel the leader-like features flowing off from whatever she does. Whenever he'd ask a question about the org's President, Analyn would laugh it off, he found it odd.
He arrives at the mess hall, having finished classes earlier since the professor decided to dismiss them thirty minutes earlier due to everyone passing their homework before deadline. Luckily it also gave him time to read up on his notes for his next class, he knows that he has a test later.
Until he receives a text from Analyn.
[ Analyn (14:16) : It is your vacant period, right? President is free right now for you interview, if you don't mind. ]
Nate stares at the text. Checking the time, he still has an hour before his next class. Seeing that he's studied enough for the test, there's nothing he couldn't risk, right?
Having thought about it enough, he packs his things away into his bag and stands up.
"Woah, I just got here and you're leaving already? Did I do something to you?" Kol says, having just sat down at the table he was at. Nate flashes an apologetic smile, slinging his bag onto his shoulder.
"I got an interview at EONS, sorry dude. We're still eating dinner with the otherslater anyway, don't sweat it." Nate says, waving before heading out of the mess hall. Nervousness taps at his thoughts as he heads to the Akadem sector, which is where the EONS organization is found. He finds himself turning the wrong way, having forgotten that the newspaper org had switched from being inside one of Akadem's main buildings to an abandoned two-storey building that the university had refurnished for the org to stay at.
Upon getting on the org's area, he spots Lynn standing by the porch, waving at him.
"You got here earlier than I expected." She says, amusement evident in her tone. She motions to the door with her head, saying, "Clary is inside at her office."
"You guys act like an actual publishing company, feels like I'm actually applying for a job." Nate chuckles, trying to laugh away the nervousness as he follows after Lynn inside the place. This really feels like a job simulation to him, how everything looks so professional with people typing into their laptops at desks and such. He recognises a few people from his classes, waving at them when they acknowledge his presence. He wonders if it would be rude to suddenly sign up for a top role in the org such as News Editor, but then again this is just an organization, it's not as serious as a job.
"Hey, what's the second floor for?" He asks, noticing the door reading "do not enter". Lynn gives it a glance before turning back to the direction where his interview will be conducted.
"We do not really disclose the second floor for just anyone, there are only a select few that gets to go up there." She answers, heading to a door. He notices the way she brushes off the topic so easily, though he doesn't ask any more questions. She knocks first, pushing the door open just enough for her to peek in, "Pres? Nate is here."
"Nate?"
"My soon to be co-editor."
"Ah, send him in."
Lynn turns to him, fully opening the door. She spares him a kind smile, saying, "Good luck, try not to stutter or anything."
"I'll try." He answers, smiling nervously as he enters. When the door closes behind him, he spots Clary, the President of EONS. A guy is standing in front of her, desk, holding a laptop in front of him in such a position as if he was showing her something. Nate flashes a smile, greeting, "Hello, you received my e-mail, right?"
"Yeah, it was professional. It seemed like you were applying for an actual job, it's amusing." She says, chuckling lightly. She turns to the guy in front of her, passively waving a hand, "We'll talk more about this later, you don't have afternoon classes today, right?"
"Of course, madam. You know me well." The guy says, picking up the laptop and turning to the door. He grins at Nate saying, "Good luck to 'ya, she's a feisty one. Might bite."
"Oh, Chen, don't scare off a new editor." Clary chuckles, though he could tell there was a stern edge to her tone.
"Nah, I know 'ya." Chen says, heading out the door. As Clary motions to the chair in front of her desk, Nate goes ahead to take a seat.
"You know my name, right?" She says, tapping on the placard on the desk. It adds a touch of professionalism to their organization, especially the way the placard seems to be made out of metal. Upon further observation, he could tell it was just plastic. On it reads her name, "Rosaline Clarielle Albeon" with the words "President of EONS Organization" below it. He wonders if other editors had the same placard or it's just her as the leader.
"We were in the same class once, of course I do." He says, trying to act casual to a degree. They've been classmates, it wouldn't really dampen his supposed professionalism to act so, right? "I assume you still remember mine?"
"How could I forget a name like Ignatius Kron? It's unique, more so that you choose to be called Nate." She chuckles.
"Well, it isn't really that comfortable for me to be called Ignatius, it sounds.. Hacrene." He says, lightly shrugging.
"Ah, so we have the same predicament, then? Imagine me being called Rosaline or Clarielle, it's all too Hacrene-like. Clary is just fine." She leans back in her chair. The silence follows causes him to fidget in place, by the way Clary had just been staring him down even though she was much shorter gets him unnerved. She clasps her hands, saying, "So, News Editor, huh?"
"I could just go for Editor, really, but I've had the same position at the journalism club back in Devel." He explains, trying to feel comfortable in his seat. "Lynn told me she needed to take some work off her shoulders and asked me to apply, I don't really mind applying."
"Is that so? Well, with the examples you sent me I could tell you're a pretty decent writer. Because you're applying to be an editor I want to see how you proofread. I had Analyn give me an article she hasn't edited yet, I wanted to see how you'd proofread it for the writer to make changes on." She says, turning her laptop around so it would face him. "Ah right- do you want anything to drink?"
��No thanks, I'm good." He says, moving the chair forward to he could see the screen of the laptop. Just from reading the first line of the draft he could see grammar errors already. This should take him a while.
"Is something wrong?" Clary asks, eyebrows raised in concern. "You can start editing now."
"Ah, right, I'll get started." He mumbles, bringing his hands up to the keyboard. He starts on spotting the spelling mistakes, mumbling under his breath what they got wrong. The mumbling was on purpose, he can't really help but make some noise as how silent it was in the room. He feels unnerved as to how Clary is simply staring at him, though she'd write down something he couldn't see as the laptop's monitor was blocking his view from the rest of the table.
"You're a History major, right?" She asks, looking up from what she was writing. He pauses on typing, having read about a quarter of the article.
"Yeah.. it was a compulsive decision, I never really planned on going to a university," He admits, continuing to type. "I went to the entrance exam and surprisingly got in with a scholarship, so I couldn't really turn it down."
"So what would you have been doing if you didn't go to Valnix?" She questions again, writing a few more things on whatever notes she was taking.
"I originally planned on getting a culinary course, but even if I did or didn't I could just work at my family's diner in the Pykrest part in this state." He answers, looking up. "Is my answer crucial to me getting the position?"
"No, I just wanted to know you better. Carry on with the proofreading." She smiles, tapping on the table. "Hmm.. what got you interested in being a History major, though?"
"Well, I've always liked learning about History. Since each state teaches History differently, I wanted to know each states' perspective on Rapille's History." He explains, halfway done with his proofreading. Checking the time, he has half an hour before his next class. He has to get this done soon. He continues, not wanting to cut his explanation short, "Most likely at the era when the Suffocation happened."
"That was 25 years ago, but still not a lot of information was reported other than it was destructive." Clary says, an amused tone in her voice. "Do you agree?"
He tries not to shudder from her stare, the way she had asked him that seemed like she was evaluating him.
"I can't really form my own opinion if I don't know most of the perspective told about it." Nate shrugs, turning the laptop around so it would face her. "I've finished."
"That was fast. I imagined you would be taking your time." She smiles, leaning closer to check the laptop. "What time is your next class?"
"In.. like fifteen minutes." He checks his wristwatch, turning back to her, "Is it alright if I go or is the interview still going on?"
"I'll get back to you after checking this edit." She says, nodding along. She passively waves a hand, telling him, "You can go now, I'll just send you an email. You got the position, honestly, but there's a few more things we need to discuss."
A knock on the door resounds throughout the room, the door opening to the blonde girl holding a laptop, "Clary, you free?"
"I am now." She says, standing up. Smiling at Nate, she holds her hand out, "Welcome to EONS, Nate, I'll introduce you to the team soon, is that alright?"
"I don't really mind. See you around." He stands to shake her hand, heading out of the room. He nods in acknowledgement to the girl who had just entered the room, then stepping out.
He got the part, right? Now he just has to study hard so he can keep his scholarship.
That's all there is to it.