"Good morning all," Malthus said as he walked into the room of the interview.
The 2 interviewers exchanged greetings with him. With his hand stretched out, Malthus gestured for the interviewees opposite of him to sit as he got comfortable on his. Observing that all interviewers and interviewees were seated, he began.
"Let's start, please."
Saying this, the woman beside him adjusted some papers on the desk in front of her, "Miss Stella, could you please tell us why you've chosen to work with us?"
Laura was sitting with all comportment she ever had, trying her best to ease up her wildly beating heart, her thighs were also moist, telling of her heightened anxiety. Her eyes traced to the man who was seated in the middle of the other two interviewers. Her mind screamed, "That's Malthus Higgs!" She knew that he was the personal secretary to the CEO of the company. How did she not recognize him earlier?
Laura was so unsettled because that was also the man she bumped into at the elevator while she was rushing to get to the venue. Yes, as she feared, she reached very late. The traffic was heavy, it was as if the stars didn't want her to be at the interview. It was already 9:30 when the taxi dropped her at the company, she was further delayed at the checking point at the company, where she was properly identified and directed to the floor where the interview was to take place; at this time, 10 minutes had already passed.
She ran with all her energy in her low office heels, her file in her hand, and her bag in the other. Her short skirt gave her enough room to take longer strides so she could jump in and stop the elevator doors from closing. Sighing in relief and mentally rejoicing at her success in stopping the elevator, Laura allowed herself in.
As the elevator doors closed, she could then see her wild appearance in her reflection on the already closed doors. Her hair was in a mess; strands already escaped her scrunchie, one of the buttons of her shirt was opened, revealing her cleavage, and her shirt was almost entirely untucked from her skirt.
Laura couldn't believe how unkept she looked, embarrassed, she began to put herself back in order. Placing her file under her armpit, and holding her bag on her arm by its handle, she first buttoned up her shirt; if she wasn't wearing makeup, her face would've revealed the depth of her ashamedness. She went on to repack her hair, placing every fallen strand back into the scrunchie. Immediately she was done, she began to tuck her shirt into her skirt. She did this until she was satisfied with the look she saw in the reflection.
Finished, she became more composed in her mind as she waited patiently for the elevator to reach the 48th floor. While she waited, it was as if her eyes suddenly brought all those who stood behind her to her attention, through the reflection. It was now that her mind recognised that she mannerlessly redressed in front of strangers. Laura felt so despicable, that she wondered how lower she could go.
In a sudden rush of embarrassment, she didn't dare to move an inch, so as not to reveal her face to those behind her. In her mind, so far as her face wasn't revealed, her reputation could still be salvaged. When others began to exit the elevator as soon as it reached their various floors, Laura had to scooch various times, in very unnatural ways. "They could eventually become her work colleagues if she gets the job!" She thought.
She would at times scooch to the right, sometimes to the left, to allow the people to pass, as she covered her face. Covering her face meant that they could not see her, which was to her advantage, but it also meant that she couldn't see properly. At times, she would bump into one or two of them when they tried to exit the elevator.
When it finally seemed like all had exited the elevator, Laura felt more at ease. She let her hand fall from her face, straightened her back and flung up her head into a confident posture.
"Ah!" Laura jolted when she heard a cry, making her turn instantly. Unbeknownst to her, a man remained in the elevator with her. She saw as he covered his eye, she knew that she must have flung her ponytail into his eye.
"I'm so sorry." Terror was all over her eyes as she apologised. "Forgive me, please, it was a huge mistake on my part." She continued.
"It's okay, I'm fine." The man straightened up, meeting Laura's eyes. His eye had already reddened, this made her feel even more sorry.
"How can I help you, please?" Laura asked, her palms sweaty. "I'm so sorry." Immediately after she voiced this, the elevator signalled that its doors were opening, this grabbed both their attention.
"It's fine…I'm fine. I have to leave now." As soon as he said this, he left the elevator. Laura stood there for a second, in a haze. She wondered why the day was so troubling.
She noticed that the elevator doors weren't closing. Almost panicking, she wondered what floor she was on. Tracing her eyes to the head panel, she realised that the elevator had already reached her floor; the 48th.
Seeing this, she swiftly headed to the room of the interview. Opening the door slowly, she saw three ladies sitting facing backwards to the door, opposite them, with a large table demarcating, two older looking women were seated. Laura was aware that the interview was supposed to be a group interview, seeing them in this manner, she didn't dare enter. While she was contemplating if she was to enter or not, one of the women sighted her.
"Are you Miss Laura?" Laura was shocked when she heard her name. Now, all heads and eyes were turned, looking at her.
"Um…Yes, I am." She gathered the courage to speak.
"Please come in, have your seat." The woman signalled an empty chair opposite her. Laura entered and walked in to sit. She immediately checked her watch, and was shocked to see the time; it was 10:09. "I'm late, I deeply apologise." Laura immediately said.
"Although you're late, Laura, one of us is also late." Saying this, the woman chuckled. "Mr. Malthus is unexpectedly occupied; he will shortly join us. Then, we can begin."
Hearing this, Laura was a bit confused about how her lateness could be taken lightly, she feared that this was all a front, that some marks might've been removed from her score because of her lateness. She looked up, trying to stop her eyes from tearing up.
The door opened; all eyes turned to see. A man walked in. Immediately, the two interviewers stood to welcome him, this also made the interviewees naturally stand too.
"I'm sorry I'm late, I was caught in an accident." Laura was alerted. That voice sounded somewhat familiar. She looked again at the man, this time, more intently, it was the man in the elevator.