Because I’ve met him before, just last week in a convenience store.
I gave him a business card, and he gave me a penny.
I spent most of last night getting fucked into the mattress by him.
Slowly, I put pieces together and realize he must have used the card, since Grant got the job here, which led me to come on Friday and get a job.
The universe is truly fucked for this one.
I do my best to put on a happy face, convincing myself I simply need to move forward with a positive attitude, and everything will bejust fine. Right?
Right.
“Uh, hi,” I say, a small apprehensive smile tugging at my lips, “Wow. Small world, huh?”
“You two know each other?” Sutton asks, curiously looking from Graham to me and back again. I shake my head.
“No, no, not really, we bumped into each other once last week. Talked for a minute.” I leave out how I spent most of last night with him inside me, but something tells me Sutton can smell the lie. Graham’s face on the other hand is blank in a way I don’t know how to decode.
“You’remy new executive assistant?” he asks. There’s a hint of disdain in his tone that has my back straightening.
“Yes, I…” I fight the all-consuming urge to bite my lip. “I guess I am.” A beat passes, and I stand awkwardly, unsure of what to do. He’s looking at me as if he would rather anyone else be standing before him. His disapproving silence builds the uncomfortable tension in the room before he speaks again.
Any hope that things could be normal or copacetic melt away with his words.
“How do I know that you’re not going to scratch off a lottery ticket and quit? I can’t have flaky staff here when we’re in the middle of opening and launching this brand.”
“Graham!” Sutton says in a gasp. I should also be annoyed or irritated, but his tone flips some kind of switch, a challenge in it that helps me feel not so out of my depths.
I’ve seen this challenging face a dozen times on children trying to put me to the test to see if I’m going to back down. I stretch my shoulders and tip my chin before answering.
“Well, for one, I didn’t quit; I was laid off.”
His eyes narrow. “You said you quit.”
“Sorry, I didn’t realize I was having a job interview in a convenience store. Next time, I’ll be sure to shareallmy life details. Do you think my home address is necessary?” Sutton snorts out an entertained noise, but I don’t shift my gaze from the man before me, who continues to glare back at me.
“Oh, this is going to be perfect,” Sutton murmurs to herself.
“You were laid off: what was your old job?” Graham asks, ignoring Sutton.
“Fifth-grade teacher. I got laid off because they were reducing the number of classes: it had nothing to do with my skills, qualifications, or work ethic.” He nods, then looks me over, and once again, I feel inadequate. I know Sutton said this outfit was fine, but the man is sitting in business attire, a button-up shirt and dress pants, from what I can see. He’s not wearing a tie, which is a relief, but still, he’s far more dressed up than I am.
“What makes you think you’re qualified for this job?” he asks, sitting back and crossing his arms over his broad chest. "This isn’t playing with kids all day or teaching letters. This is managing deadlines, employees, and handling the minutiae of the day-to-day of the business, so I can make sure it succeeds. I have a lot to prove with this concept, and I can’t have someone coming in here because she wants to play Business Barbie.”
Nothing, I don’t say, even if it’s the first thing that comes to my mind. He’s right: I’m notspecificallyqualified for this position.
But I refuse to admit weakness. That’s what this manwantsme to do. It’s written clear as day across his face: he wants me to back down, to give in, to apologize and walk away with my tail between my legs, but he doesn’t know me at all.
He surely doesn’t know that there are two things I have always hated: one is making decisions.
The other is people underestimating me or questioning my abilities.
“As a teacher, I am required to balance multiple deadlines and objectives each day, as well as work with many different personalities and learning styles. It’s my job to ensure the entire class can collaborate and maintain a happy and positive environment. I often work closely with other teachers, administrators, and parents to ensure my students excel individually. If you replacedstudentwith the different lines of your business or tasks you’re juggling, you’d see that having a teacher on staff might be the wisest decision you’ve made. I am also a lifelong Seaside Point resident, making me qualified to handle the unique and sometimes frustrating ways of this small town. If you want to be so stuck up as to think only someone with a business degree could do this job, you can just say that, but I am more than qualified for this job.” I take in a deep breath,the adrenaline waning once my mini monologue is over, nerves settling in alongside reality.
I’m screwed.
Not only am I not going to get this job, which, if I’m being honest, I kind of soldmyselfon, but I’m going to let down Sutton, who asked me to make her look good.
