WEEK 1 + How to create an initial outline
1885 Words
"Miss Luan Addammes?"
The interviewer eyed her behind dark-rimmed Harry Potter glasses. A large mop of brown hair sat atop his long face, orchestrated with a long pointed nose and thin lips. He wore a simple button down shirt and brown slacks that did little justice to his pale skin.
Lua adjusted her position slightly, tapping her sneakers on the ground.
"Yes?"
"Why do you want this job?"
Straight to the point.
Easy. "To pay back my student loan" she answered.
He raised an eyebrow. "You have no intention of bringing anything to the company?"
"I'm bringing myself, aren't I?"
The eyebrow rose higher.
She rearranged the line she'd let slip quickly and sat up straighter.
"My apologies. What I meant to say is I do intend on giving my best to um-"she waved her hand around "-what you hardworking people do here. Its always been a dream of mine. Paying back my student loan is only secondary to what I intend to do with the money"
She hoped that was enough to solicit for her mistake.
"What are your greatest strengths?"
Sarcasm. "My charisma and excellent persuasion skills"
"And what do you consider to be your weaknesses?"
"I dont believe I possess any".
"Greatest Professional Achievement"
"I wouldn't say professional but I have been the Best Academic student at my current high school for three years and counting. I've also been nominated for student body president this semester". That much was true. He made no comment.
"What's your work style?"
"Hardworking"
"How do you deal with pressure or stressful situations?"
Yelling and banging on furniture. "Calm and patience"
"How do you prioritize your work?"
"First above everything else"
"And school?"
"Second above everything else" she corrected.
"What motivates you?"
Money. "The desire to make you proud"
"Do you consider yourself successful?"
"Naturally"
"Where do you see yourself in five years?"
She rolled her eyes "Curing Cancer"
"What other companies are you interviewing with?"
"None other. This was my first choice"
"What should I know about you that's not in your resume?"
"I have a total of 25 participation awards from middle school"
"What are your salary expectations?"
"Depends on what I work as. But if I were to estimate, 2000dollars a month perhaps"
With the way the questions were being asked and the blank expression Mr. Cain, as his name tag suggested, carried no matter the response he got, Lua wasn't sure how the interview was going but she had a pretty good idea of how it'd end.
He cleared his throat.
"Is there anything else you'd like us to know?"
She flashed him her signature you-cant-resist-me smile.
"I would really appreciate it if I got the job".
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Giant arms threw her out.
They hadn't been rough or violent but she stumbled a little before she caught herself.
"Wait a second" Lua yelled "-if you'd just give me a second chance-"
The door slammed shut in her face.
"I'm much nicer the second time around, you know?!".
No response came, not that she was expecting one. She sighed, unaffected.
"There goes job option number 7 I guess".
Turning around, she walked out of the plaza, school bag swinging against her back.
The scent of fresh fruits licked the cool breeze of the early Monday morning. Big and small cars likewise, buses and cabs drove quietly on the tarred roads, whilst trees went about photosynthesizing in the distance, their flowers adding colour to the already serene environment. It won't last long, Lua thought, taking in her surroundings and how little homes there were here. Give it an hour and people would crowd all this beauty.
She pulled off the suit jacket she'd worn over a hoodie for the interview and made quick work of loosening the string on her bun, letting dyed hair fall short around her shoulders. Finally looking at least the part of a student, Lua took the shortcut to Sullivan High, where 8 long hours of forced interaction awaited her. The thoughts of books being her only comfort.
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The brick building that had existed for 29 years and counting, stood in its two-story glory in the centre of Amsterdam , the initials S. H sculptured onto the lawn. Cars of every variation filled the high school lot. Some students stepped out and moved towards the front gate. The ones already inside trailed in through the doors, moving either sluggishly or enthusiastically or neither. Lua joined the tide.
"How'd the interview go?" Aysel asked, once she stood beside her.
Together, best friends stepped through the school doors into a hallway of cacophony.
"What'd you think?"
"You got rejected?" She said.
Lua's silence was all the answers she needed.
"Kicked out, I'm guessing"
"-Did they threaten to sue you this time?"
"Surprisingly no"
Aysel pushed the door to their Chemistry class open and they plopped down on their favourite desk at the back, snagging looks. It wasn't easy for her bestfriend to be recognised as the best student in the school and still be a nobody. Not alot of people accepted it. She was proud Lua didnt care.
"For the smartest person at school," Aysel started, taking out her books, textbook and pen case "you really suck at job interviews"
Lua shrugged.
"It would seem that way". She set her bag to the side."I guess being super intelligent doesn't make you great at everything"
"Right. Because those questions are absolutely not the easiest interview questions ever"
"Why cant they just ask if I want the job or not?. I dont see why a vision of myself in 5 years is important"
She sat, with a pen behind her ear and her hand on her chin staring at the door but not exactly seeing it.
"What was the interviewer like?" Al asked.
Lua sighed, remembering earlier this morning "Wasnt much of a dresser. Pale. Had a really long distracting nose."
"Distracting?"
Lua faced her best friend, meeting brown eyes. "It was really lonnnnggg"
Al let out a small chuckle.
"It was so boring." she shivered. "Most frustrating interview yet".
"Worse than the last one?"
"No way" Lua scoffed, recalling the last interview she had at Frosted and Fried. "I wanted to punch Steve"
"The guy who kept asking for your number after every question"
"And his huge stupid belly that kept pushing the table towards me"
They burst into a fit of giggles at the memory, Lua burying her face in her hands from embarrassment.
"How long did this interview last?"Al asked when they'd settled
"No more than 20 minutes I guess"
"That's a new record"
"Yh well-".
The rest of her comment died out when she heard the noise outside. A sharp voice cut through the noise followed by a weak protest.
It just occurred to Lua that half of the class wasnt around, and the few others that remained peeked nervously through the blinds. When she turned to Al, her best friend had already noticed.
Something unspoken passed between them when their eyes met and together they made their way outside.
Alot of people hung around the hallways, whispering and watching but noone was getting close to where the commotion was actually coming from.
Zac Lanes's hand slammed against the locker for the tenth time by the looks of its dented structure and everyone flinched.
"What do you mean you didnt do it?!"
Veins popped out by the side of his neck as he talked, spat actually. Lanes was a final year student, suspended about 13 times and popular for being a dumb bully. But what caught Lua's eye wasn't the stupid hulking image that was Zac and his premature attitude, it was the red haired girl on glasses he was intimidating against the locker. Books lay scattered on the floor by her feet.
Lua pushed her way through the crowd, Al right behind her until she was just up front, close enough to smell the aftershave. She put her hands in her pockets.
The girl, she recognized on closer inspection as Isa, cowered.
"I-i'm really sorry"
"Sorry's not gonna cut it!" Zac growled in response,his huge hand a few inches from her head.
"I didn't have enough time! Pls if you let me have another day-"
"You think I'm stupid?!-"
"I do". Someone answered amidst the crowd and everything and everyone fell silent.
"Who the f**k-" he started.
Everyone's line of vision turned to the figure squatting on the floor next to them. Lua picked up the book beside Isa's trembling feet.
"I mean, this is an interesting way to come out about how stupid you are" she said, standing up." You must have felt pretty closeted keeping it all in. I dont blame you".
Laughter filled the air.
"You-"
She waved her hand, cutting off any response he might have.
"A little too early for all this testosterone, don't you think?".
His brow creased in confusion.
"Didnt they ever teach you to rely more on intelligence and less on testosterone to deal with things?"
"Stay out of this, Addammes. This doesn't concern you"
"Neither does that quote, come to think of it. Considering you have little to no intelligence to spare"
Laughter filled the air around them and Zac tensed.
He worked to make himself seem relaxed and offered her a forced smirk.
"You seem extra witty this morning, Addammes. Haven't you heard that orphans look better with their mouths shut?"
The tension immediately pulsed through the air.
Lua's face hardened, but she rearranged the features into one of mild curiosity.
"How's the finger Zac?" She asked, pointing to the bandaged index finger on his left hand "I broke your finger before. I'll break it again. Watch what you say"
Zac flinched reflexively but kept quiet.
Lua turned to Isa pressed against the locker
"You alright?"
The girl shook her head.
"Just because you wear glasses doesn't mean you're completely blind. Stop messing around with idiots like this guy-" she pointed a thumb in his direction
"You-!" Zac started, grabbing her shoulder.
In the second it took everyone to suck in a breath, Lua grabbed his hand and forced it backwards. He sank to one knee, as her hold tightened.
"Touch me next time" she said into his ear, voice sharp and menacing "and I might just go for the whole shoulder"
Zac winced but kept his head down.
Satisfied he'd stay down, she released him and walked away. But it didnt last long before Zac was back on his feet and rushing at her.
The world seemed to be moving slower than usual as she turned.
The blow never came.
Lua let the shock at letting her guard down register first, before taking in the figure who stood protectively in front of her.
His back remained facing her, but she could see he'd stopped Zac's fist halfway up. Everyone, including her, was too stunned to make a noise.
'Its not nice to beat up ladies". He said calmly, ignoring the glare he was receiving.
Lua moved back a step.
Something felt too similar here.
Whoever this person was, this would be their first time meeting, and yet it felt like she'd known this voice all her life. The sense of not knowing gnawed at her.
And while she stood there thinking,
Deep blue eyes turned to meet hers.
- Writer
