The Beautiful Monster

Alyssa smirked as her cheeks reddened. That was a fantasy to her right now, but maybe it could be her reality. She would just have to wait and see because she wasn't going to say anything unless she was absolutely sure her feelings were returned.

"What about you?" she asked Zoe.

"What about me?"

"Got your eye on anyone?" Alyssa asked her. She didn't remember Zoe ever mentioning having a liking for someone.

Zoe shook her head as she wiped a few crumbs off of her fingertips.

"I'm open to anyone that catches my eye, though," she replied with a hopeful smile.

Alyssa had no doubts that Zoe would find someone incredible. She was gorgeous and funny. Anyone would be lucky to date her.

"Well, this is me," Alyssa said once they stopped in front of the library. If she got the job, she would be dealing with book check ins and check outs. It sounded simple enough, and she liked being in the library.

Zoe placed her hands on Alyssa's shoulders.

"You've got this. Just smile and be confident in your abilities," Zoe pepped her up.

Alyssa nodded, thinking back on her answers to the mock interview questions she quizzed herself on. She knew that she had the knowledge and capabilities to do this job successfully. She just couldn't overthink things.

"Thanks," Alyssa said sincerely. "Have fun in your class."

Zoe snorted as she dropped her hands from Alyssa's shoulders.

"Yeah, sure. Bye!" she called out as she headed the other way toward her class.

Alyssa turned to face the entrance to the library. She drew in a comforting breath. She had this. She could do this. She strode inside and walked to the front desk.

"Hi, I'm here to see Valorie," she said to a young brunette girl. She had received an email earlier telling her to ask for someone named Valorie, who would be conducting the interview.

The brunette nodded.

"I'll let her know you're here," she said before standing from her desk and disappearing into the back for a minute. She then returned with an older lady with short, curly hair and a green cardigan on.

"Alyssa, nice to meet you. I'm Valorie. You can come back here to my office and we'll get started," Valorie invited her.

Alyssa nodded and followed Valorie into her small office in the back. She sat down in a chair in front of a wooden desk, crossing her leg over her knee. She squeezed her hands into fists in her lap, trying to get them to stop shaking. She couldn't let herself seem so nervous.

"So, tell me about yourself," Valorie said once she sat down and got settled.

Alyssa tilted her head up in a more confident look. She remembered Zoe's words. Now, she had to put them into action.

"I'm a Biological Sciences major with an emphasis in Biomedical Sciences. I've always loved learning new things, and a lot of that happens here in the library," Alyssa replied with a small smile. She hoped that her tie in with the library helped her answer.

"That's great. Can you tell me a little bit more?" Valorie pushed a little.

Alyssa didn't like getting this question. It was hard to answer. She was still trying to get to know herself. How did she begin to answer this question? Her major was all that she was right now. Outside of being a college student, she was no one.

"I want to be a pediatrician. I think the childhood years are incredibly important," Alyssa continued. She was scrabbling at whatever she could get her hands on at this point. She didn't know how to talk about her hopes and her feelings to strangers. She hardly knew how to talk about them to her friends.

"Right. What is your schedule like?" Valorie asked.

Alyssa internally sighed in relief when they finally moved on from that question. She doubted that she gave that great of an answer, but she could talk about her schedule. She told Valorie her class schedule and when she'd be available to work. Tuesdays and Thursdays worked best for her.

"The job is pretty straightforward. You're a smart girl. Whatever you don't know, I'm sure you'll be able to pick up," Valorie said with a casual wave of her hand.

Alyssa felt her heartbeat speed up. It sounded like she could possibly get the job. Could it be that easy? She probably overthought all of this. It was a simple campus job, not some higher level corporate position that required multiple interviews.

"We'll be in touch soon. I have another interview to do today," Valorie said as she stood up from her desk.

Alyssa felt her confidence crumble. She didn't like the sound of that. If anyone had a little more experience than her, they would surely get the job over her. Then, she would have to dig around for another campus job to apply to. She needed one soon because her summer money was starting to run out.

"Oh, okay. Thank you," she said as she stood up and shook Valorie's hand. She left the office and paused in the main lobby of the library. Now, she had no clue what to do now. She was feeling a little down after her underwhelming interview. She needed a pick-me-up, and the café was only a few feet away.

Alyssa strode inside and got in line, tapping her bottom lip as she gazed at the menu. She couldn't help but let her eyes be drawn to the tea section. Elias broke into her thoughts so often, even when she didn't expect him to. How on Earth was she going to manage this crush?

"Ginger tea, please," Alyssa said to the barista before handing over her card. She knew that she didn't need to be spending money right now, but she deserved this after today. Sometimes, she needed to treat herself.

She drank tea and took a walk, calming her nerves and taking a moment to just take in everything that had been happening to her this semester. No matter what happened with the job, she was happy with how her life was going right now. She felt like she was blooming, and she hoped nothing stopped that growth. She hoped nothing threatened to cut her down, but hope was only so strong.

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