- Friend, I'm going, I can't be late for the interview.
I say picking up just an apple from the fruit bowl on the table. I didn't mind eating too little, my whole life was like that, however, before I didn't do it for the reasons of now, before I was concerned with just keeping in shape.
- Another interview?
- Yes, this time I'm optimistic. If I'm not late, I have a chance.
- So good luck Lana, don't forget the coat.
Alana grabbed her coat from the sofa and hurriedly put it on. She learned the hard way that delays could hurt her. When she was a model, she could delay as much as she wanted, they were always waiting for her. However, she learned that in the real world, delays mean irreparable losses, it was getting late that she missed three job interviews in her first week.
Now, with her lesson learned, she left the house an hour early.
Unlike her previous glamour, when she went out every day to audition to debut campaigns where she would be the lead model, now she was aiming for a secretary position. A very humble but dignified job.
Of course it was very difficult for her to adapt to this new reality, but she had to change her whole life overnight, which has been very difficult, however she would never give up. That was pretty clear in her mind.
She wore clothes that she never thought of wearing before, her clothes were austere, almost no makeup and her hair neatly tied up in a bun, whoever saw her would never imagine that she was ever in the most diverse fashion magazines in the country.
As the subway followed the path, she thought how stupid she was to spend all her earnings. She didn't even have to, but she had never thought anything like this would happen to her. He had lived a pretty reckless life and now bitterly regretted it. Suddenly, the subway loudspeaker indicated that they were at the station that she would have to get off, so she prepared to get off. She was carrying a somewhat large bag, as she was carrying a shoe inside her bag, as she wore slippers, she would have to walk another ten blocks to reach her final destination.
If she passed the interview, it would be a real marathon every day, but she didn't care, she needed this job, or next month she would have to live on the streets. She held her bag tightly and got off at the station, starting her walk, she was afraid that someone would take her bag, that red-soled shoe was the only thing left of her past.
She didn't have any experience with this secretarial thing, however, as her father always said, she could have some privileges, just by being pretty.
In the fashion world, she had an enviable portfolio, but in this new world she was entering, she didn't even have the qualifications to be a cleaning lady.
Good thing the accident hadn't affected his face. She even tried the job of cleaning lady, but when employers saw her beautiful face, they scoffed and said they couldn't give her the job. Your friend was the one who told you to make a new résumé, now for secretary. I hope this time it works.
When she arrived at the front of the company, she was standing there and put the shoes she had in her bag, some people looked at her strangely, but she didn't care, she needed to be presentable in the interview, it's like they say, the first impression is the one that stays
Every step she took from there she considered decisive for her life, so much so that she tried not to stagger in her heels due to the nervousness she felt. She took a deep breath and assumed the best posture she could and walked to the company reception, there were two women, one of them looked sympathetically at Alana, as if she was seeing a celebrity in front of her, while the other measured her feet to her head and gave him a look of pure envy. Alana greeted them both, if it was before, she admits she was a bit snobby, she would have expected them to greet her and treat her like the celebrity she was, but now, she had learned that she wasn't that important.
- Good Morning!
Only the nice girl returned his greeting.
- Good morning, I'm Lisa and this is Stacy, how can we help you?
- I came for a job interview, for the position of secretary.
Stacy's unsympathetic only then spoke:
- There is novacancy for a secretary here, you can leave.
Even though I didn't trust her words, I panicked, I need this job, it can't be possible that the vacancy doesn't exist anymore. I looked pleadingly at Lisa who said:
- There must have been some mistake, because the vacancy they are doing interviews today is for Mr. Brandon.
- I can do the interview, I don't really care about the position, I just need a job.
She looked at me with a little pity, in the face of my despair, I don't care, I just need to have money to pay my rent and bills for the month. The nosy Stacy again spoke:
- You really don't appreciate your job, don't you Lisa, it's clear that this woman is not qualified to work here, when they ask from above, I'll say it's all your fault.
Lisa rolled her eyes at Stacy, which was a good sign for me, after which she pulled out a visitor's badge for me and told me a little grumpy.
- Look girl, I hope you don't let me down, go and get this job. Thirty-fifth floor.
Stacy huffed, but no one took that card away from me, not until I got this job.
The interview was not for the position I expected, being an assistant requires a much better qualification than that of a secretary, even more so for the President of a corporation as big and rich as this one. The biggest construction company in the country, I had researched the company yesterday, but for this job it was much better that I had studied the man behind such a success.
There was no way around it now, I just hoped he wasn't one of those old perverts who like to take advantage of the employees around him. Pos in my current situation I don't know how far I can sustain my dignity.
The elevator arrival bell sounded and I was greeted by a sober and very chic environment, I looked at my clothes and really if I had any alternative I would give up.
Once again I took courage, adjusted my posture and imagined myself parading in Madrid again, use your weapons Alana, that's all you have left.
I went towards the secretary's desk, which unlike any of the other desks I've passed, there were no pets, there were no personal objects, it was just the computer and lots of papers, organized in piles.
The secretary was a very pretty middle-aged woman, looks like beauty was a requirement to work here, so I'm in the right place. While that didn't say anything in my boss's favor, it just meant he was a shallow guy.
The woman smiled at me and as friendly as Lisa asked me:
- Good morning miss, you must be the candidate for personal assistant that Lisa told me about.
- Yeah, where are the other candidates?
I looked at the big empty space of the presidency's reception and there was no one.
- There's only you, please wait until Mr. Brandon can attend to you.
She points me to a black leather sofa, the thing was so big I felt suffocated just sitting there.
A half hour or so passed and with every minute that passed, Alana was getting more and more nervous as she didn't know what to expect from this interview.
I looked at the clock one more time, it wasn't like I had anything to do but it was agonizing.
It doesn't take long until the phone rings and Jessica calls me. She looks a little disconcerted at me and calls out to me:
- Alana, can you come here please?
I get up and go to her table.
- Is he interviewing me now? Can I enter now?
- Calm down. - She laughs a little at my anxiety. - Look, he won't be able to meet you today, but if you can come tomorrow I'd appreciate it.
- But why? Is he no longer interested in an assistant?
- Look Alana, I don't know what you know about Mr. Brandon, but I assure you, he needs an assistant, even though he is stubborn and denies it. But, I'll convince him to hire you, just show up tomorrow.
- So you mean this vacancy doesn't exist?
All my hope went down the drain, as an employee could demand that the boss hire someone.
- Thanks Jessica, but apparently I don't belong here, thank you and good work.
- Be here tomorrow at the same time.
She said even before Alana got into the elevator, but she didn't pay any attention to it, it was all over for her.
Alana reentered the elevator, very frustrated. This interview was the only hope of restarting his life with dignity, apparently that would have to be left for later.
Finally, looking at her reflection in the mirror of the elevator, a tear fell from her eyes and she couldn't keep her posture, when she arrived at the ground floor, her head was down.
She approached the front desk to return her visitor's badge and to her misfortune Lisa was nowhere to be seen, only Stacy, who hadn't pulverized her from her sourness.
- How cute, she's frustrated because she didn't get the job. I warned you girl, this company is not for you.
- Don't worry, I'm not coming back here anymore.
Paying no more attention to the woman, she headed for the exit. Arriving outside, she took off her shoe and changed it back to her flip-flops and followed the exact same path home, earlier she thought she would go home jumping for joy, but now Alana had nothing to celebrate.
