St. Joseph's Island

5 - Lizzie

The inside of the country club was exactly how I'd expected it to be. Lots of wood paneled walls and elaborate designs on wingbacked chairs. And so much beige. Every wall that wasn't wood paneling was beige. It was a very depressing place to be, I won't lie, but if I could get the lifeguarding job I would be outside all day and that was the dream.  

May and I walked up to the front desk and she motioned for me to start talking. I rolled my eyes. 

"Hi, I'm Lizzie and this is May. We're here for interviews about the lifeguarding jobs." I said in my sweetest, suck-up-iest voice. 

The bitchiest face I think I've ever seen looked up at me from the computer. Then it was gone. Like she flipped a switch, this chick went from seemingly wanting to rip my face off to being kind and cordial as she invited us to follow her down a hallway. It was goddamn admirable the way she could turn on and off like that, I must say. 

We walked through a couple more wood and beige hallways until we reached a door with a couple of nice chairs outside of it. 

"Just wait here, I'll be right back." Said the sweetest bitch on god's green earth right before she disappeared into the office. 

"Okay you go first." Said May. "I gotta hype myself up."

I laughed a little. "Okay, you got it."

The chick walked back out of the office. "You can go on in."

I got up and made my way to the office door and she sat down in the chair next to May. 

What is with this chick?

The interview was fine. The dude who interviewed me was really nice but I couldn't remember his name. May would remember, she always knows that stuff. 

I've always been pretty good at conversing with proffesional adults. I read and write a lot so I know a lot of big words and I'm always extra nice. I've never had a bad interview, so I wasn't too nervous. May, on the other hand, has a terrible time talking to adults, or any one who holds power over her. When I walked out of the office after my interview I saw the fear in her eyes go to bad to worse as she realised it was her turn. 

"It's fine, he's super nice." I said as we crossed and I went to sit in the chair next to the otherr girl who is still there. 

"Hi, I'm Allison." She said, sweetly extending her hand. I shook it, tentatively. 

"I'm Lizzie, nice to meet you." 

"You too!" She said, then became a little less bubbly and a little more civil. "So, did you just move here? I haven't seen you around before." 

"Yeah, May and I are here for the summer before we go to SCC in the fall." 

"Oh, that's awesome!" She said. "I  would never go to South Carolina College, I go to NYU but my dad runs this place so I work here in the summers." 

"Oh." I said, forcing a smile. 

May, how long does a freaking interview take. 

"Oh, but my boyfriend goes to SCC!" She added. "I could introduce you if you want, then you could have a friend!" 

"Thanks, but I think we'll be okay on our own." I said. There was a long pause of silence that she must not have thought was awkward. 

"So where are you guys from?" 

"Indiana." I said after a quick beat. "We went to high school in a suburb called Fishers."

"Oh." She responded, a little surprised. "Indiana? I thought it was all just  cornfields up there!" She laughed the most annoying laugh I've ever heard. 

"Nope, we've got buildings and everything." 

She laughed again, a little too hard this time. "Oh, that's funny I bet you get that a lot!" 

I chuckled half-heartedly. "Not really, no." I mumbled under my breath. 

"Oh, I totally get it. I grew up in Chicago, Illinois. And kind of the rough side of Chicago, too" She said sincerely. 

"Oh, I bet." I replied. Right before she opened her mouth, about to say something else (probably annoying) May opened the door and walked out to the both of us and I practically launched from my chair. "Well, Allison it was so great talking to you." 

"Oh, wait! Before you go." She said, hopping up from her chair. "You both got the job, obviously. Our lifeguards patrol the pool and the beach, so you'll know which one you'll be stationed at on your first day. Can you start on Monday?"

Before I could even mention that she didn't talk to her father about whether or not twe got the job and the fact that she needs to wipe the fake smile off her face before I wipe it off for her, May piped up.

"Of course! Thank you so much Allison!" 

"Not a problem, you gals can find your way out?"

"Yep, we'll see you on Monday." May said, practically dragging me behind her before I strangled the living American Girl Doll. 

"I'm beginning to think the real interview wasn't even in the office." I said, as we made our way out to the parking lot.

"I agree." May said.