Poker Face

Chapter 2 - The Interview

Fifteen minutes later the telephone rang and Amanda sent Ruby up to Mrs Hughes' office. She gave her vague and unhelpful directions so Ruby walked out before she'd even finished, content to find her own way. She slowed as she climbed the staircase, her hand sliding over the polished, dark wood banister. The office was located on the first floor, towards the front of the building, and she knocked like she hoped nobody would hear.

'Come in,' chirped a voice from the other side and Ruby was relieved to find Mrs Hughes much nicer than the dinosaur on reception. She stood as Ruby entered the room, inviting her to sit.

'Would you like to remove your jacket, my dear? It's like a furnace in here..." she chatted freely, "and it won't get much better now we're at the start of summer'. Ruby hovered between standing and sitting. 'Yes, sit, sit,' she beckoned. 'It's these old buildings, you see, single pane glass and wooden frames. Freezing in the winter, completely the opposite in the summer!' Ruby removed her blazer, placing it over her lap and crushing the material between her hands.

Mrs Hughes paused for a long moment, settling herself back into her seat. 'So, dear, I hear you've come straight from school.' Ruby nodded. 'And your careers teacher sent you, is that right?' Ruby nodded again, but the squint in her eyes made it look like it hurt. Mrs Hughes searched her face. 'Hmmm, a Mrs...Mrs...,' she looked down at some jottings she'd made on a piece of paper then, using the nib of a pen to keep her place, she looked back up again, 'Maloney, so Mr Alessi informs me.' Ruby stayed deadly still. Mrs Hughes tapped her pen. 'Now, that's interesting because both me and Mr Alessi know your careers teacher very well.' Ruby sat rigid in her chair. 'For future reference, and hopefully you don't make a habit of this, his name is Mr Dunlop. Like the tyres.'

She reminded Ruby of an old fashioned school teacher: tall, wide, pale around the eyes, glasses perched on the end of her nose so she could look over the top of them more easily, a white streak running through her fluffy, shoulder length hair. But when she smiled her whole appearance changed. Ruby's entire body was tense and a knock at the door made her jump. Mrs Hughes leaned forward, 'It's a busy building. I get a lot of visitors.' She leaned back again, eyes still firmly on Ruby, reading her every move. 'Enter!' she shouted with force, and Ruby jolted again.

The door opened and a young man leaned in. 'Sorry, I know you're busy'. He turned and looked over Ruby, dark eyes taking her all in before turning back. 'Have they made some alterations to the uniform at St Marys?' Mrs Hughes pressed her lips into a firm line but said nothing. "I mean, I have to say, I think it's an improvement.'

'Mr Glover, do you mind!' Mrs Hughes berated.

He was smirking now and Ruby found herself looking back and forth between the two.

'In case you hadn't noticed, I'm in the middle of a meeting—'

'But it's not a meeting is it because she never made an appointment,' he thumbed over his shoulder in Ruby's direction. She sighed, wondering if there was anybody in the building that didn't know what she'd done. 'Anyway, apologies for interrupting your 'drop-in, Lottie' he air-quoted, 'but I'm off to court. Don't suppose you have those papers Alessi gave you?'

'For interrupting like you have, commandeering my office doorway, yet again, and referring to me using my first name during a meeting, whether it be scheduled or not –'

'It's not.'

'Yes, whatever, Danny! I should withhold what you need and let you take the flack.' Despite her threat she scooped an A4 envelope out of a red tray and the young man slipped into the room to keep her from having to get up. At least that's what Ruby thought he was doing. He grabbed the document with one hand and then stole two sweets from her open bag of jelly babies with the other. 'Danny!' she objected.