Sophie was late.
She prayed that the bus she was on would go faster so that she could make it to the job interview with just a twenty minute delay. With how slow the bus was crawling though, and with the traffic she saw out of the window, she could be happy if she arrived only thirty minutes late.
Damn.
Sophie checked her reflection on the window she was sitting next to, she swept her dark brown hair back behind her ear.
This would be her eight job interview in two weeks. Each of them ending in a rejection so far. They always had a 'better candidate' or she wasn't a 'good fit' for them. If she knew it would have been so hard to just get an entry-level office job she would've never dropped out of college. Too late to cry over spilt milk now though.
Sophie checked her phone. Still late.
A text message from her mom, wishing her good luck for the job interview. She was always so nice and supportive, maybe a little too much. Reluctant to let Sophie go out into the dangerous world and be her own person. Ever since Sophie moved out into the big city, her mom called her on the phone almost daily.
Sophie was lucky to find a room for rent in a two-bedroom apartment near the center of the city. The rent was cheap and her roommate Layla was, well, okay. Layla was a little eccentric, always dressed in dark clothing, spending her nights out in the clubs. She was always nice to Sophie though, a little teasing sometimes about Sophie's timid nature.
It was beginning to rain outside as the bus stopped at Sophie's destination. She got out and quickly ran to the shelter of the bus stop. It didn't look like the rain was going to stop any time soon, and she didn't bring an umbrella.
Just her luck.
She made her way to the office building she was to have her interview at, arriving completely drenched from the rain. The receptionist was busy punching away at her keyboard and paid no mind to Sophie patiently standing by her desk.
Sophie eventually gathered her courage and cleared her throat to announce her presence. The receptionist looked up at her and back down to her computer. "Good day, how can I help you?" she asked Sophie.
Sophie smiled at her and replied, "I'm supposed to have an interview about the clerk job, I'm a little late, sorry for that, where should I g-"
The receptionist interrupted Sophie and told her to sit down and wait, somebody would come over and fetch her to the interview shortly.
After another ten minutes of waiting in the lobby, her clothes still wet from the rain, a tall woman in high heels arrived and greeted Sophie.
"Hi, you must be Sophie, so glad you could make it, please follow me," she said and motioned for Sophie to hurry up.
She led Sophie through the open offices, everybody in a white shirt with black pants or skirt. A very professional environment. One where everyone could just sit in their cubicle and focus on their work, exactly what Sophie wanted.
They arrived outside a meeting room and the lady told Sophie to sit there and wait to be called.
Sophie wasn't the only one here, there were at least twelve other people waiting there with her. After her late arrival she was sure she would be called up last. She got herself comfortable on the bench in the hall and sighed.
This would be a long day.
As Sophie predicted she was the last one sitting outside the interview room. The last applicant had already left and she was sure she would be called up any minute now.
The door opened and a gruff voice called out, "Is there a Sophie Sullivan?"
"Y-Yes, coming," Sophie said as she got up and walked into the room.
She took a seat across from the tall older man. He scanned her every movement with his eyes.
"Hello," Sophie mumbled as she met the man's gaze.
"Good day, you are here about the clerk job, correct?" he asked.
"Yes, that's why I'm h-"
"And you have no prior experience and only a high-school diploma?" he interrupted to ask.
"I do, but I'm a hard worker and a quick learner, you just have to give me a chance to prove myself," said Sophie as the man read her short resume.
"Hmm, very well, and why do you want to work here?" he asked.
"Um, you know, like," she tried to get out her prepared speech, but she was drawing a blank. "I'm sorry, I'm really nervous," she apologized to the man.
The man looked up at her. "It's okay, take your time."
She took a second and composed herself, breathing out heavily. "I want a job where I can just focus on the task at hand and not have to interact with customers much. You know?" she improvised and coughed a little.
"I see," the man said and inquired further, "What would you say is your greatest weakness?"
"My greatest weakness has to be that I'm a perfectionist and-"
The man sighed and looked away from Sophie to the clock on the wall.
After Sophie answered a few more standard questions, the man thanked her and told her they would get by to her about the job.
Sophie wasn't completely clueless and noticed his lack of enthusiasm by the end of the interview. She hoped that maybe they were real desperate and she'd at least get a shot.
She went back outside to wait for the bus home. She missed it by five minutes and had to wait another twenty-five minutes for the next one. It was already dark out, but at least the rain stopped.
Finally arriving home, she met her roommate Layla sitting in the kitchen.
Layla had long blue hair, she wore a black t-shirt with a picture of a skull that was ripped so it revealed her bra underneath. Her face was adorned with multiple piercings, heavy eyeshadow and black lipstick.
"Hi," greeted Sophie.
"Hey roomie, how was your day?" Layla asked.
"Ah you know how it goes," replied Sophie with an awkward laugh.
Sophie wasn't very good around people, but she was especially lost around people like Layla. Sophie admired her careless attitude, she could never go out dressed like she was. But her skimpy clothing and suggestive behavior made Sophie even more coy while speaking with her.
"You had that job interview today, right?" asked Layla and looked up at Sophie from her bowl of cereal.
"Yeah-uh I did-"
"How did it go?" asked Layla immediately.
"I don't know, pretty standard," Sophie replied and scratched behind her ear.
"Hmm, so you're finally gonna start working?" asked Layla.
"W-Well, yeah I think so," Sophie lied, she doubted she would be accepted, but she wasn't going to go over that with Layla.
"I sure hope so," said Layla. "I really like you and I'd hate to have to find a new roommate to replace you if you can't pay your half of the rent," she elaborated as she picked up her empty bowl and walked by Sophie towards the sink.
Sophie had some money saved up before moving out here, but it was quickly running out. She could maybe stretch the money she had left to pay for the next two months rent, if she only bought the necessities. Either way she would have to find a job soon.
"Maybe lower your standards and apply for some regular job," continued Layla, "like a waitress or something."
Sophie couldn't imagine having to interact with and serve customers every day, but she may have to if her luck doesn't turn for the better.
"Yeah, I'll think about it, thanks," Sophie said and continued to her room, having enough social interactions with Layla for one day.
She closed the door behind her, finally all alone. Putting on her pajamas, she turned on her laptop and checked her email.
She already had an email reply from her interview today. They regrettably inform her that they have chosen a more suitable candidate for the spot. She sighed.
Typical.
Sophie opened the web browser and the website she used to find job offers. She scrolled around, every listing there was either for places that already rejected her or ones that required multiple years of experience.
She clicked on the filters. Maybe Layla was right. She unchecked a few boxes and refreshed the page.
Hundreds of new job offers flooded her screen. She scrolled and read through some of them.
Shop attendant at 'Steve's Stereo and Music Equipment'. Knowledge about sound systems and friendly nature appreciated.
That didn't sound like something in her ballpark, she scrolled to the next one.
A waitress at a upscale french restaurant in the center of the city. Good etiquette, looks and hard-working attitude expected. Tips are split between the waiting staff and the cooks.
She still couldn't imagine herself waiting tables and interacting with the customers, scrolling on she continued searching.
A cam-studio is looking for a new model, all you have to do is entertain your viewers from the comfort of your home on our platform for a couple of hours a week and we guarantee you a handsome paycheck. We will provide advertising and promote your stream to thousands of eager viewers.
A cam-girl, really? Was she that desperate? She imagined herself in a bikini sitting on her bed filming herself. She blushed, her throat got dry at the thought.
Sophie sighed and leaned away from her laptop. None of these jobs looked like something she wanted to do.
Her phone started ringing. It was her mom calling, no doubt to ask about how the interview went. Maybe she could ignore it and call her back in the morning.
She sighed again and picked up the phone.
"Hi mom," Sophie greeted her mother.
"Hi-ya sweetie, how are you doing?" her mom asked in her usual excited voice.
"Good, good, what about you?" Sophie asked hoping her mom forgot about the interview.
"Ah you wouldn't believe it, the postman accidentally put a letter for Mrs. Cramsky into my postbox. I had to go give it to her and we had a good laugh about it over some exquisite apple pie she baked, she puts cinnamon in her pies and-"
Her mom continued to barrage her with little details from her day. Sophie didn't mind it, the exact opposite, she liked it. The more her mom talked, the more she could just listen without saying anything, and that suited her just fine.
"Enough of that, what about your job interview for the big shot office today?" her mom asked.
Sophie considered telling her the truth, but didn't want to hear her mom disappointed. "It went great, I think they were impressed," Sophie lied.
"Oh really? So they accepted you?" her mom asked.
"Well, not yet, they told me they would get back to me inside of a week, but I think this is it," Sophie continued her lie.
"Oh, I'm so glad sweetie," her mom said, relieved.
"As soon as I'll know their answer I'll let you know," said Sophie.
"I hope it works out," her mom said.
"Me too," Sophie agreed.
"But don't worry your head too much, if it doesn't work out it's not the end of the world. If push comes to shove you can just move back in with me while you look for another job," her mom said.
Before Sophie could reply her mom continued, "Oh, someones at the door sweetie, I have to go, bye bye, fingers crossed for you."
"Bye mom," Sophie said and hung up the phone.
Sophie considered leaving the city and going back to live at her mom's house. Twenty-three years old and living with her mom. She shook her head.
