The Interview

 She looked at the building and marveled at its declaration of class and sophistication. She tried to suppress her fears “I will enter confidently and rest will fall in place”. She was not at all surprised to observe that she was talking to herself. This was something she often did when she was terrified. Though she had felt nervous before but this was different. She had come to interview the CEO of the company.

 This was actually Mira’s call. Her friend Mira was doing journalism from the same college where she was studying literature. Mira was supposed to interview this person today. But she was down with flu and hence she begged her to do this for her. Mira had got this appointment after months of struggle. This interview was important for her final project. Hence she had come to do what she hated most “talk to a stranger”. Her world was filled with people who were long dead and gone as Shakespeare, Wordsworth etc. Their writings filled her days and night. She was happy in her world of books and more books. She was completely opposite to Mira who was known in college for her largest group of friends. While Mira spent her time chatting with people, she spent most of her time in library or in room alone. But she admired Mira’s fun-loving and helpful nature. Mira was not only her roommate but her savior when boys drooled over her in college. If Mira was not with her she would have ran back home on her first day in college after ragging. Mira made friends with most of senior boys and that’s how both of them were spared of some initial terrible times together.

 Today Mira had convinced her that it would be really easy. She has to just read out the questions and write the answers on the paper. No extra effort is required. Also Mira would not take ‘no’ for an answer. Hence she was here.

After staring enough she felt dizzy and finally entered that beautiful building of glass and steel. She informed the girl on the reception about her appointment. The girl made a phone call and gestured her to take the lift and go to fifty-second floor. Though she was dressed in her best skirt and top, but the dress of the girl on the reception made her conscious of her own attire. The girl behind the desk was wearing a formal coat and skirt which matched perfectly with the corporate world surrounding her. She hated judging herself like this. But she could understand that it was another world and she was unequipped to deal with it.

Finally she entered the lift which went straight to fifty second floor, no halts in the way. Another young man, dressed in typical business-suit also entered with her. The lift showcased a sticker of clouds above the control panel which made her aware of the height the lift was supposed to reach. She had ‘acrophobia’ since childhood, typically known as fear of heights. In spite of the chilling ac she could sense few drops of sweat on her forehead. The gentleman standing beside was calm, composed and emanated a gravity about himself. He pressed the buttons of lift and the journey, leading to her fears, started. She managed to steal a glance at him. He was pretty young, actually misfit for a business suit. Neatly dressed, tanned-complexion and sharp features. She thought “he will really look cool in jeans-t shirt” .But then she rebuked herself for this stupid thought. It seemed stupid to decide dress for a stranger and more so to imagine him wearing those.

Only few seconds had passed and all of a sudden the lift stopped with a loud jerk. They both looked at each other, her eyes full of panic and his dark grey eyes full of calmness, with a tinge of worry.

“I hate her”, these were the only words that left her mouth in panic. “Excuse me?”The gentleman looked at her. She realized her stupidity and soon tried to correct it by telling the man that she was afraid of heights and she just wanted to leave the building at that moment. He understood something and told her to relax. He asked her why was she there at the first place. He could guess that she was new to that building. She told him how she is stuck with an interview with the stupid CEO and now in this lift. His face curved into a mischievous smile and instantly the lift started with a jerk. She heaved a sigh of relief.

Soon both of them stepped out of lift and before she could say something the person vanished behind a glass door. Now she proceeded towards the lady settled in a glass room. The lady greeted her with a smile informing her that she was expected there and asked her to move to the last room in row. As she approached the room, she rubbed her sweating palms against her skirt, gathered all her courage and finally knocked on the semi-transparent glass door. A stern voice asked her to ‘come-in’.

As soon as she stepped inside, her jaw dropped and she turned pale. Behind a large beautiful office table sat the ‘stupid CEO’, with whom she had just shared a lift-ride. “Well, this is going to be an interesting interview”, she murmured to herself and finally took her seat.