I smoothed down the skirt that my mom insisted I wear to "look more professional" as I watched the elevator numbers ding up and up and up. My heart was starting to race faster as I neared close to the floor.
An ad recently went up in the paper looking for a new nanny for this wealthy family. It paid good money and I would get to stay with them granted I got the job. Being in college and struggling to pay student tuition and all that bs, I decided there was no harm in sending in a resume or something. I loved kids and they lived not too far from my parents' house, which meant I could always drive over there if I needed to.
When the doors opened on the floor, I found myself looking right at the door to the family's apartment...well...more like penthouse or condo, but whatever.
My legs wouldn't move. I tried to force them to move, but it was like I had been hot glued to the one spot. The elevator doors began to close and I snapped out of my nervous trance. I quickly blocked the door, causing it to angrily beep at me. I took a deep breath and stepped out of the elevator.
"Don't forget," I mumbled my mother's words to myself. "Back straight, shoulders back, head up, don't slouch, speak sophisticatedly, tell them everything they want to hear."
I approached the door, took one last deep breath, and knocked.
There was a moment before the door opened. I was greeted not by the mother, whom had called me to set up the interview, but instead by the child I could become the nanny for. I put on my best smile and knelt down to his height.
"Hey there. You must be Grayer. My name is (Y/N). Is your mommy home?" I asked in my nicest voice. The boy stared at me for a moment before slamming the door in my face. My smile dropped. "I guess mom forgot to add 'get along with the kid'."
I stood and knocked at the door again, but Grayer didn't answer me this time. I could hear him inside, however. I could hear his little footsteps walking away from the door. I knocked again and called, "Hello? Mrs. X? Are you home? It's me, (Y/N) (Y/L/N), the girl who applied for the nanny position."
"I don't need a nanny, go away!" Grayer called.
I sighed. "Well, I'm sorry kiddo but I have to meet with your mom whether you need one or not. It's just how...adult things work."
"There's no adults here so you have to go away or I'll yell stranger danger!"
At least the kid knew that.
I kept knocking and calling for someone to come to the door. I doubted that they would've actually left the kid alone by himself. He wouldn't need a nanny if they routinely left him. Maybe his mother was in the bathroom or taking a shower or on the phone or something. I wondered where his father was, in that case.
After a while, I checked my watch. It was 10 minutes past my interview time and no one was answering. I sighed and leaned my back against the door and sank to the floor. Were they really not letting me in? Maybe the first test was the kid and I failed...horribly.
I wasn't sure what to do. I didn't want to leave in case someone really was there, but I also didn't want to leave if it meant going home and admitting defeat. Mom would be so disappointed if I didn't get it. Dad...well...dad doesn't have a lot of faith in me anyways.
Pity swallowed me whole, I was so deep in that I didn't hear the elevator ding as the doors opened. I noticed a pair of sneakers stood between my opened legs. I almost didn't want to look up; please don't let this be the father.
I looked up to see a handsome blonde with a playful smirk standing in front of me. Oh god, I thought, please don't let this be some big brother or something. That'd be an even worst humiliation!
"Hello down there," he said. "Need some help."
"Depends," I replied. "How good are you at fixing prides and egos?"
He chuckled. "Well...not very good as I feel obligated to tell you that when you open that elevator, you can see right up your skirt. Cute polkadot panties, by the way."
I felt my face burn as I quickly looked away and snapped my legs closed, catching his feet in the process. God, that was so embarrassing! Why did I not think about sitting with my legs closed considering the fact that I was wearing a stupid short "professional" skirt.
Blondie laughed. "I'm joking, you can't see anything. But here, I'll help you up."
He extended both hands to me and I took them. He pulled me to my feet, which resulted in me tripping in my heels and stumbling into him. He caught me quickly before we could both fall over. Good God, (Y/N), can you be anymore embarrassing?
"I'm sorry," I mumbled. "I'm - um - just here for a job interview...but I don't think they want me here. No one is answering besides the son."
"I'm assuming you're the new nanny," he said. "My name is Hayden. I life one floor up. I was just talking to Mrs. X downstairs, she had to run down to get something and was stopped in the lobby by an old friend. She'll be up in a few minutes. So don't worry, you didn't miss your chance."
I let out a sigh of relief. So I hadn't lost the job already. Great, at least I have that going for me.
"Oh, thank God," I breathed. "I really need this job."
Hayden just looked down at me with a small smile across his face. I looked back up at him, then suddenly realized what I was forgetting.
"Oh! (Y/N)! That's...that's my name," I told him. "Thank you so much for telling me, Hayden. I may have left if I didn't know."
He chuckled again. "No problem. Just a heads up, though, Grayer was really close to the last nanny. He may be a bit hostile at first, but just wait it out, okay? He'll come along. And if you need any help, he sees me as a friend so you can call me up."
"That'd be nice," I said. "I'm kind of new to the whole nanny thing. I mean, I've babysat before but only cousins really."
Hayden nodded along. I realized I was talking too much. I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair.
"I am such an awkward embarrassment," I sighed. "I'm sorry."
"Stop apologizing," Hayden chuckled, shaking his head. "It's okay. I think you're pretty quirky, that's exactly what this family needs."
I smiled. "Well, thank you again. I'm glad I've met one nice face so far."
"I'm sure you'll meet a few."
God, he was so cute! And he only lived one floor up? Jackpot! I'd have to call him down often. That is, if I even got the job. I really hope I get the job now, I really do.
The elevator dinged once again and the door opened. A high class woman wearing designer clothes and big, brand named sunglasses covering her eyes stepped off. My eyes widened, she was slightly intimidating. And here I was, stood in the arms of a guy I had just met...a guy that she must know if her son liked him as much as Hayden claimed.
I quickly pushed Hayden away from me and put on the best smile I could muster, trying not to look as scared as I did.
"You must be Mrs. X," I said. "Hayden just told me that you were downstairs, I wasn't sure if anyone was here or if I should've left. Grayer wouldn't let me in."
"That's normal for him," she spoke. She even had a high class, posh voice. She was a walking stereotype. "It takes a while for him to get used to new nannies, he'll come around. I apologize for being late, I didn't expect to be kept as long as I was. Please, come in we'll start the interview."
I nodded and stepped aside so Mrs. X could open the door. Grayer raced to his mother and hugged her tightly, throwing me a glare around her legs before begging to tell me to go away. Before stepping into the...penthouse...condo...place, I turned to Hayden once more.
"Thanks...for a third time," I said. "Fingers crossed it all goes well."
"Even if it doesn't," he said, pulling a pen from his pocket. He took my hand and wrote something on it. "There's my number. Call me...whenever you need to."
He winked at me before walking towards the elevator and pressing the button. I knew I had to go inside and start my interview, but I couldn't help but give Hayden the once over before doing so. And, might I say, he has a really nice ass.