As the elevator doors opened, Moesha stole one last look over her shoulder at the mirrored wall. Nervous, brown eyes peered back from her round-cheeked face. Her hair was too short for dreadlocks right now, so she had (with great difficulty) managed to make it smooth and glossy. She hoped it looked professional - but, then again, was she
supposed
to look professional for this interview? The emails had been so vague. This was it. Either the best or worst decision of her life. Summoning whatever bravado she could, she puckered her full, thick lips and blew her reflection a kiss. She felt silly afterwards, and had to turn away.
She walked down the gilded hallway, counting down the door numbers to her fate. Moesha was a short, thickly built young woman, with broad features, broad shoulders, and
very
broad hips. Her choice of garments fit well enough to look professional, but tightly enough to hint at what lay beneath. Moesha was chubby, which showed a little bit in her cheeks and belly and a
lot
in her breasts and buttocks. Part of the application she had filled out had asked about her measurements (38/33/43), and she hoped that this would be a selling point. However, while she was well used to being admired by her fellow urban blacks, she really had no idea if their concept of female beauty would be shared by her prospective employers.
"Moesha Clarke," she said to the pretty young receptionist, trying to keep her eyes level and her voice even.
The blonde at the desk smiled. "Bright and early," she said peppily. "Mr. Ulnik will be ready for you in about ten minutes. Just take a seat."
Moesha felt the receptionist's gaze on the seat of her skirt as she walked over to the comfortable chairs in the waiting room. She looked over her shoulder. The blonde raised her eyes slowly from Moesha's butt to her face, and smiled. Moesha smiled weakly back. Her heart thumped a little faster, and she felt a shiver; this really was a different world.
After checking the clock, she sat down and picked up a random magazine from the pile on the coffee table. It was about celebrities or something. Wishing she could have a beer or something to calm herself down, she read through a few more media darling articles until she heard a door open.
"Just hang out in the waiting room," said an unfamiliar female voice, "you'll be called back in in a few minutes."
"Right, I got it," answered a very familiar male voice. Moesha straightened up in her chair and put the magazine down. No, it couldn't be. Did that really sound just like...
She looked at the hall entrance, and saw Benjamin enter the waiting room. A moment later, he saw her as well, and stopped dead in his tracks.
"Moesha?"
Benjamin had filled out since last time she'd seen him; his shoulders were broader, his arms thicker, and his clean-shaven face conveying a touch of maturity it had earlier lacked. Aside from that though, he looked exactly the same. Bright green eyes, like a glass bottle washed clean by the sea. A strong jaw and chin that belied his otherwise boyish (well, a little less boyish than it used to be), freckled face.
"Ben," she replied, her mouth unsure if it should smile. "Uh...hi!"
"Hey!" he replied much more enthusiastically, though his eyes were still unsure. He rushed over to where she was sitting, opening his arms just a little bit as if inviting a hug while trying to maintain plausible deniability. Before she realized it, Moesha stood up and opened hers as well, exchanging a polite embrace. He was about an inch taller and his muscles tighter and harder than she remembered. Over his shoulder, Moesha saw the blonde receptionist watching them with a curious grin.
"How've you been?" Benjamin asked as he withdrew from her grasp and sat down in the seat next to hers.
"Workin'," Moesha said, trying to look less regretful of this fact than she was, "saving for school." Then, before she could stop herself, "Not making very much."
She regretted that as soon as she said it, as pangs of guilt shot through his green eyes. A mean, spiteful part of her was satisfied, which didn't make her feel good.
"Oh. I'm...sorry. Have you at least saved enough for a semester or two?"
She chewed her lip a little. "As long as I don't eat very much."
He looked pained. Guilty.
"How 'bout you?" She asked, sitting back in her chair beside him, both hands going to the armrest closest to him, "What's a nice boy like you doing here?"
He chuckled nervously, averting his eyes for a second. "Law school," he said, "law school, and a less than stellar LSAT score. And no way can I ask my parents for more money at this point."
Moesha had only a vague idea of what the LSAT was, but she understood the context. Moesha was a
potentially
good student, but her family's financial needs had limited her high school study time. So, apparently even
he
didn't always get everything he wanted; that appeased her spiteful half, at least for now.
"Well," he said, looking back at her and smiling, "I can't believe it. Its been...god, three years? More like three and a half?"
Moesha nodded. "Yeah. We ended in...February, a little after Valentine's."
He nodded back, his smile mostly faded. "Yeah."
There was another awkward pause. She was very aware of his body heat on her face and hands.
"You're doing your interview?" Moesha decided to break the silence.
"No, actually," he said, "I just got hired. They call you back in to get fitted for uniforms and stuff. I'm doing outdoor sports, by the way. How about you?"
She smiled a little. "I'm gonna be a-"
"Moesha Clarke, Mr. Ulnik will see you now."
Damn.