A bet that changed their lives

Part 5 - The Interview

Arya stood there awkwardly, fidgeting with the folder in her hand, shifting her weight from one foot to another. She uttered a polite "Good afternoon", noticing how Derek was staring at her. Her meek greeting seemed to have brought him out of his trance as he awkwardly cleared his throat and gestured for her to take a seat. Arya felt a bit at ease as the interview started with some really basic questions, her interviewer's curious glance look forgotten. She felt she answered them quite well, justifying the whats and whys eloquently.

Just when she thought the interview had gone well and maybe he was about to conclude, Derek started off with some tricky questions - "Are you the type who works when on vacation or on leave?" "How would this job fit in your overall professional goals?" "Why do you have a diploma in creative writing? Aren't you serious about growing in this field?" "Why did you opt for this job when you could have opted for a job that went well with your educational qualifications?"

The questions continued, as Arya skillfully answered them, being as honest as possible. Despite her calm and somewhat confident exterior, she was going to have a breakdown soon due to extreme nervousness. She constantly wiped her sweaty palms dry under the desk, away from the observant eyes of her interviewer.

The interview was soon done after around an hour of questions, answers and counter questions. She left the office after exchanging a handshake and a polite thank you. As she left his office, she couldn't help but hope that her interviewer didn't notice how sweaty her palms had been, even though she had discreetly wiped them dry multiple times before the handshake. She passed by the receptionist's desk, absentmindedly smiling her way and was surprised to see that grumpy receptionist return it. Once in the elevator, she didn't know if she should feel optimistic, though he did say they would call. But wasn't that also a polite way to inform someone they weren't selected? Her self-doubt and overthinking were going to be the death of her some day. She exited the Towers, looking around the area that was peppered with a lot more high-rises, lanes bustling with professionals who had come out to take a break from work, just grab a bit, or take a short walk before they headed back to their desks.

She spotted a small café right across the lane and decided to have something to calm her rumbling stomach. She ordered a small burger meal as she wondered if The Jones. Co would make an offer, and the kind of offer they would make. She unlocked her phone and checked her mails. She was also awaiting a formal contract from the small-time publishing firm she had been working for as a part-time freelancer since quite some months now. She couldn't contain her smile when she saw a mail from that firm, confirming that she was now an official part-time freelancer appointed by them. This news deserved to be celebrated, she thought as she couldn't help grinning like a Cheshire cat. As her order arrived, she made a mental note of purchasing a few cupcakes before going home, still finding it hard to contain her smile that threatened to make her cheeks hurt badly if she didn't stop smiling soon.

***

"How many times have I told you to knock?" Derek raised an eyebrow at Mark who had, yet again, just barged into his office. "Have you, now?" Mark playfully responded before continuing, "Forget that, I need to know something urgently. Who was that girl to exit your office?" "Why do you want to know?" Derek frowned. "I have been looking for her since all these years and I have finally found her! She has stolen something extremely precious to me, and I need to meet her before she disappears again!"

Before Derek could respond, Mark couldn't control the grin that formed on his face. Face-palming, Derek played along, "Let me guess. She is the latest one to steal your heart. Am I right or am I right?" as he air quoted "steal your heart". Mark justified that she was definitely alluring, boasting that he just needed 10 minutes with her to sweep her off her feet. As Derek was about to retort, Mark hurried towards the door not before shouting, "I need to find her soon. She is 20 years too late."

Derek shook his head in disbelief as he prepared to leave his office to grab a bite. Mark could be silly sometimes but what he said was true, Arya was definitely alluring without even trying hard. He picked up the phone and informed the receptionist to ask the remaining candidates to take a break. He wasn't interested in interviewing the others as he had got the one he wanted as his PA. However, he still decided to go ahead to be fair to those who were waiting. He entered his private elevator and reached the ground floor, surprised to see Mark occupied with another female, who was laughing at something he said. A small smile appeared on Derek's lips as he was expecting Mark to forget about the one who had 'stolen his heart' once he saw another female come his way.

Derek exited the Towers and reached his favourite café across the lane. He occupied his usual place, not before greeting the middle-aged man who ran the place. As he was about to place an order, his eyes caught a familiar figure, only now she had an infectious smile on her lips as she was busy with her phone. He was instantly drawn to her but then a thought crossed his mind. What if she was reading a message sent to her by her beloved? Was she seeing someone? He felt a slight tightness in his chest, alarmed by how someone could affect him so much and shocked by his own train of thoughts. This was ridiculous, he thought as he placed his order and refused to glance Arya's way again.