It had been a week since the game, and also a week since I had talked to Ashley. This marked our longest fight ever, and I was getting worried that maybe she hadn't said what she said only because she was tired. I couldn't think about that now though. I had an interview with The Writer's of America. If I landed an internship at this place, my dreams of being a well known writer would be possible. My interview was at nine, and it was already eight, so I hopped in my car and started the drive to the place that determined my future. I arrived there quickly, it was only five or so minutes away. I walked into a huge building, and every wall was lined with bookshelves filled to the brim. In other words, my own personal heaven. I walked up to the receptionist, checked in, and took a seat. I glanced at my phone, hoping maybe Ashley had texted me, just to say good luck, if nothing else. She hadn't, but Eli had.
His text said: Sam, good luck today! I know how much those nerdy guys opinions mean to you, and I'm sure you'll knock this interview out of the park. Wanna grab coffee later?
I started to text back when a man in a fancy black suit came out and called my name.
"Sam?" He said, looking right at me.
I stood up, introduced myself officially, and followed him to his office. His name was Dr. Andrew Brennan, according to his nameplate on his desk.
"Hello Samantha. I'm Dr. Brennan, the cofounder of this establishment. Dr. Wells wasn't able to be here today on account of some business issues. I will be your interviewer today. Just relax, answer my questions honestly, and I'm sure you'll do well, alright?" He said, rather nicely, to my surprise.
I nodded my head, and he began his questions. There were standard questions about my age and why I wanted to be apart of this organization, but others were about how often I read books and what types I liked. Finally, Dr. Brennan smiled and said the interview was finished.
"That was more painless than I thought it would be, honestly," I said with a grin.
He laughed and stood up to show me out.
"Samantha, we'll be in touch with you some time in the next twenty four hours with the news. Probably sooner though, okay? It was a real pleasure meeting you," he said, but actually looked like he meant it.
I walked out side to my car, and sat in my seat for at least twenty minutes analyzing every aspect of the interview. There's nothing I could do now, I thought. I started the car and drove to the nearest Starbucks. To my surprise, I saw Eli's truck parked out front. I walked in and saw him seated at a table towards the back, but he wasn't alone. I couldn't tell who it was from here, but it was definitely a girl, and he was holding hands with her across the table. I walked up to the counter as casually as I could, and tried to get a good look at the girl. She turned around to look at something, and I caught sight of her face, which was all to familiar to me. It was Ashley, and I was furious. She saw me when she turned around, and snatched her hand away from Eli's. Eli looked up and saw me as well, and they both got up to follow me, as I was already halfway to the door. I got outside, with them on my heels, and Eli grabbed my arm.
"Sam, stop for a minute, okay? It's not what it looks like," he said.
I gave Ashley the meanest look I could make, and she looked down at her shoes. Her eyes were puffy, like she'd been crying. I wondered why but I was too mad to care.
"Not what it looks like?!" I screamed, "What it looks like is you are a fucking liar, Eli!"
People were starting to stare, but I couldn't stop my anger.
"And you," I said, turning on Ashley," You knew I liked him! You knew damn well I did! You're a shit best friend Ashley, and an even shittier person."
Eli looked like he was getting angrier by the second, and said," You don't even know what the fuck happened! Don't fucking talk to her like that Sam!"
"I think I've got a right to say whatever I deem for, Eli! Go enjoy your date, and don't fucking talk to me again, that goes for both of you," I said.
I turned around, walked the rest of the way to my car, started it up, and peeled out of the parking lot. The two most important people in my life, the people who were supposed to make me happy, had just hurt me the most. I pulled into my driveway, got out and ran upstairs to my room. I laid on the bed, face buried in my pillows, and cried. These tears were not just from today. They were from when Ashley said she had cancer, her first chemo, our fight, and of course today too. All the tears that had been bottled up inside me had finally found their way out. I stayed like that for awhile, and eventually fell asleep.
The next morning, I had sixteen missed calls, twenty texts, and three voicemails. All of which were from Eli, except for one voicemail, which was from an unknown number. I say bolt up right and knew who that was from. Dr. Brennan. I listened to Eli's first, then heard Dr. Brennan's voice come through the telephone.
"Mrs. Pierce, it is with genuine disappointment that I have to decline your application for an internship. You have a spark, Samantha, one that I do not see in many other applicants that walk into my office. A spark, unfortunately, is not always enough. It has come to our attention that someone very close to you has a serious health issue, and we agreed unanimously that you should have your full attention focused on that. It is not because you aren't qualified, we just feel you wouldn't be able to focus as you should. Again, I am deeply sorry. Have a great day."
I dropped my phone onto the floor. Sitting on the edge of my bed, I began to feel something towards Ashley I hadn't ever felt before. Resentment. She had taken Eli, and now she had taken my future away too. Maybe it wasn't her fault, but all the same, I was crushed. I sat on the edge of my bed, head in my hands, wondering where I was supposed to go from here.
