Shining Stars

Chapter 7

The door lies between the two windows and as I push it open a bell chimes my arrival. A woman instantly walks towards me and asks, "Hazel Lancaster?"

I nod and shake her hand. She looks around mid thirties with dirty blonde hair and a light pink lipstick. She checks her watch, "Your just on time, follow me please."

She leads me down an isle that goes between book shelves. All the shelves are labelled with the category of the books they hold. I notice a girl with numerous piercings in the history section and a man with his young son in children's literature.

At the back of the shop is a door with a sign stating that only staff can enter. She opens the door and a look of shock falls over her face.

"Oh I'm dreadfully sorry, I forgot to introduce myself! My names Miranda Gold."

Miranda then switches a light on inside the room. It appears to be a storage room but toward the back there's a lonely table with two chairs. We sit there and Miranda we folds her arms on the table infront of her.

"Before we start do you have any recommendations?"

Just light a light being turned out Miranda's attitude had changed with the click of a switch. Just second ago she was an everyday happy person and now she's a serious business woman. I nod my head and place my references on the table. All the teachers were keen to give me their approval. They all said I was a great student and that they would miss me so much, etc.

Miranda lucks them up and reads them, silence hanging in the air.

"Looks like you were a very good student." She says appraisingly.

I smile and nod, "I'd like to think so yes."

She hands my references back to me.

"So, Hazel. Do you like books?"

I nod my head but Miranda says nothing, she wants me to elaborate.

"I love how a book can give you an inner eye, to view the situations from every possible angle."

Miranda smiles and waits for me. I'll have to pull out all the shots here, clearly she wants to hire someone with a live of books, which I have. Its just a matter of convincing her.

"Books allow you to enter another world, while still in the comfort of your own home. For a while everyday you can forget all your worries and become someone else. And the best bit is that once you've finished the story you can just go back to the start. There's always something new to learn from every book and the possibilities are endless."

Miranda smiles and takes note of what I just said. During the silence I twiddle mt fingers and think of what else I could say.

"Sometimes its not about how many books you read, its about how many get through to you and change the way you think."

I continue bur Miranda begins to laugh, "Don't worry, I get the picture. You clearly love books and the power of words."

"Now originally the part time job being advertised was once a week. However it is now three days. Is that okay?"

I nodded, that was even better for ne. Money isn't an issue for me but the more time I'm occupies the better.

"Yeah, that's absolutely fine." She then says, "I understand my friend Glenda Matthews was your professor at college."

I nod, "Yes she was the one who informed me of the job here."

Miranda shakes my hand, "Thank you for coming alone Hazel. I'll be in touch shortly."

For a moment I'm bewildered and our of breath. Did I do something wrong? Have I offended Miranda? She must've been able to see that I was concerned because her eyes sparkle with sympathy.

"Just look at you. Fresh from college and all ready to work. I remember when I was at that stage in my life...."

As her voice trails off she looks beyond me, as if a scene from her memory is unfolding and I cant see it. She snaps back to reality in a heartbeat.

"Don't worry, got did great. I just don't want to keep you here any longer than necessary."

I'm hurried our of the shop and once I have my back turned to Miranda I let our a deep sigh. I was so nervous throughout the entire thing that when she pratically pushed me out of the shop my heart had become a racing horse, it was beating so fast.

On the drive back home I mostly think of my interview but also Isaac, and Augustus creep into my mind. We were a threesome, we did everything together. Augustus wouldn't want this, in fact he would totally detest it.

I have tried texting Isaac. I suspect he's blocked my number, I'll just have to let him come back to me in his own time. If he ever does.

The moment my foot is through the door I hear my mothers voice shout,

"How did it go?"

Her voice is shrill and high.

"Ummm.... Not entirely sure."

I hear a clinking chime, my mothers way of saying tea is ready. And so after a hot cup of tea I explain everything to my mum.

"Honey, don't worry if you don't get it. There will be plenty more opportunities."

I look up from my empty cup and meet my mothers eyes. She's always been a great mum to me and I couldn't have asked for better. She's the one who have birth to me, the one who held my hand when I was given my cancer treatment, the one who will never give up on me.

I suppose the bond between mother and daughter is unbreakable, at least for us it is. I know that she will live the baby that is growing inside her immensely. I know I won't see my younger sibling grow up, but I know that my parents will make sure I am not forgotten in the family. I will leave my mark on them just like Augustus left his on me.