SEDUCTIVE PRETENSE

JOB HUNT

A cloud of air whistled past me, ruffling my sea rover dress. Glistening drops of moisture quenched the thirst of the earth as they pattered onto the concrete floor. The light smell of rain danced into my nostrils, a thick, refreshing waft that cooled my nerves and reminded me of the gentle calmness of nature. The mist of cold air cooled my skin, and soon I predicted that there would be a cloudburst. The sky darkened into an impenetrable color of black; it was going to rain heavily.

Larissa clasped my bag onto my shoulder and walked briskly, spotting the magnificent velvet black gate a few steps away. I was relieved that I wasn’t too far from my destination as I glanced at the address written by Sadie and confirmed my suspicion. My blonde hair tumbled unto my shoulders, giving me a graceful look. I wasn’t overdressed, but I emitted an aura of poise and grace. I was dressed in a blue sundress over brown flat shoes, with a brown bag slung over my shoulder. My ears were adorned with pearl earrings, and my lips were moisturized with a light gloss.

I arrived at the magnificent manor, and what I encountered took my breath away. Never had I seen an edifice as beautiful as this. The layout was well mapped, and even the dense dark cloud couldn’t conceal its naked glory. It was elegant and had great taste. I stood in awe and took it all in. I feasted my eyes on the glorious, splendid work of art in front of me. It was more than impressive. The wind whistled past me and swept my hair about. I tugged it back into place, and my eyes fixed on the magnificent mansion in front of me.

My hearing was tuned on by the sound of a male voice greeting my ears. My jaws dropped at the glorious-looking sight in front of me. He was an exquisite poet.

"Hey you! "What're you looking at?" asked the exquisite picturesque. His two hands were clenched into his pockets. He gave me a scrutinizing look, wondering what I was doing peeking through the gate like some kind of weirdo. I'm not here to beg. I'm well dressed, I thought.

"Why are you peeping through the gate?" He asked again, his voice being louder this time.

He wasn't a male model, but he should have been. He had a devil-may-care outlook and an ungregarious personality. His effulgent molten brown eyes were millpond round and the portal to his soul. His face was grafted into a masculine rim of light-skinned tan. His hair was a casual jumble but was neatly flowing atop his head. His angular cheekbones rested on his square jaw. His bass voice tingled my ears.

"Hey you! "What're you looking for?" He said it firmly, without any sonority.

What was I looking for? How rude! He could at least ask, "May I help you?" That sounded better to my ears than "What're you looking for?" Pffft!

My eyelashes descended onto my eyes as I blinked multiple times, trying to collect my thoughts. I cleared my throat and started,

"I, um, I'm here to, um, apply for the job vacancy." Well, that came out worse than I thought it would. Why couldn't I have said, "I'm here for the job?" That would have saved me from stammering.

The exquisitely picturesque, or should I say, model-looking male, shifted his gaze to a man dressed in overalls and signaled for him to come. The man was holding a toolbox, and I guessed that he was probably a mechanic.

He mumbled something inaudible to the man, and the man motioned into the house. The gate swung open, and I hesitated before raising my feet with the courage I had no idea I had in me.

I held on to my bag, and my eyes swept over the magnificence surrounding me. It was heavenly. I searched for the male model, but he was long gone. I have no idea where he went. I composed myself as I took a step into the entryway, exhaling and letting out an air of tension. It didn't work, and I was still nervous. I had to earn the job. It was my best bet, and I couldn't afford to fail.

***

I walked into the house with confidence. head held up high. I wasn't feeling very confident on the inside, but I couldn't afford to show that I wasn't. I wanted to give whoever would interview me the impression that I was the boss in this. I was experienced, even though I wasn't. I held my head majestically and stood beside the couch. I had heard that people who say things before they are told to often give the impression that they are proud, and for the sake of this interview, I was going to be everything but proud.

An elderly man in his fifties strolled into the living room; he had a spectacle perched on top of his nose and some lines of wrinkles at the corner of his eyes, which betrayed his youth. He was dressed in a simple cream-colored shirt over brown khakis. He seemed to have vomited the "Exquisite Picturesque" because they had such a striking resemblance. It was obvious that they were related. For a second, I thought the Exquisite Picturesque was going to interview me—not that I made a bad first impression, I just wished I had composed myself much earlier than when I stammered. I beat myself up internally when I remembered.

"You may have your seat." The elderly man said, motioning to make himself comfortable on the gray sofa. The living room was adorned with such finesse. Chandeliers dangled from the ceiling and illuminated the whole room. The sofa neatly occupied the room, and the floor was softened with beige colored rugs, giving it a finished look. The walls were also splashed with beige, complementing the rug color.

"Thank you, sir," I said, a smile growing on my face as I lowered myself onto the sofa. I made sure I didn't move too fast or too slowly. It was all about the impression, I thought.

"It's Martin." He corrected. I smiled in response. "So, you're here for which of the vacancies?" Mr. Martin asked with a curious look on his face.

"Housekeeping, sir." I said. Sadie had told me about the available vacancies, and I felt that housekeeping was the most suitable of all the positions. I could thrive in that. I thought.

"Have you any experience in the field?" Mr. Martin questioned

Larissa thought for a while. Should I lie? I should. Employers mostly hired people with experience. What if I said, "Yes," and he asked for references or where I had worked before? What was I going to say? I thought hard, and after a while, I said,

"No. I'm new here. "This is my first application." I said, unsure of what his response would be, but I prayed hard that he wouldn't turn me away. This position might just be my saving grace.

He adjusted his spectacles and pursed his lips together before saying, "I appreciate your honesty." He straightened himself, interlocking his hands together. "You see, honesty is one of the things I mostly appreciate. And I'm thankful that you chose honesty. "For that, the job's yours." He knitted his brows together after realizing that he didn't even get my name. "Uh- "What's your name, miss?"

Larissa's eyes were filled with joy, and adrenaline rushed through my veins the moment I heard that the job was mine. I did a victory dance in my head. That was when I heard that Mr. Martin was still referring to me. I poised myself and said, "Thank you so much, sir." I paused and said, "Larissa." It's Larissa George. My name is Larissa. I emphasized."

"Alright, miss, Larissa." The cook will brief you on your duties and responsibilities, including your off days. She'll be here soon." Mr. Martin said as he rose to his feet and exited the living room.

I was so excited and, at the same time, pumped. I couldn't wait to break the news to Sadie. I got the job! I got the freaking job! This was huge. I couldn't wait to start working and earning money like workers did. I was exhilarated. I was elated. I kept smiling and marveling at the look of the room, keeping my hands on either side of the couch.