Through Stares and Glances

Chapter 1 - New Chapter in our Lives

"Leigh, you're gonna be late for you interview! Come faster, I packed your breakfast to eat in the car!" Mrs. Richardson shouted as Leigh hurried down the stairs. It was a bright and sunny Tuesday and Leigh was on her way to have an interview for a job since she graduated months ago. Leigh was medium built tanned woman in her mid 20's wearing a Gray business suit and an inner old rose blouse. She ought to wear her ballet flats as she doesn't want to mess up in walking because she knows how clumsy she is in her heels. Leigh was sort of a geek who studied actuarial science and as she searched for a job, she just knew that this was the one, a job in healthcare.

"Am I good enough mom? My suit, may hair?" Leigh asked her mom as she stood outside the car. "Of course honey, you are as perfect as you ever should be. Now get inside the car or we will be late!" Leigh got into the car and saw the breakfast packer for her. She had not that much appetite and just took several bites and a sip of coffee. "Mom, I am so nervous. What if I don't get the job?" she asked her mom. Mrs Claire replied "It's okay to be nervous. If you don't get the job? Then look for another. But what if you get the job? Positive outlook Leigh, always be positive" her mom smiled as she drove down the town.

The Family Health Clinic downtown is 10-minute drive from Leigh's place. It caters to emergency situations, out-patient medical and dental clinics. It had its soft-opening few months ago and since then, jobs were posted for different administrative and operations positions. Glenbrook is a small town near the bay with not much of a population. People who live there almost know each other and knows if people are from other towns.

Leigh POV

"We're here honey, smile and relax, just give me a call if you want to be fetched later okay? Or you can just ride a cab home" Mom smiled as she brought me in front of the Clinic. "Okay mom, wish me luck" I called out and turned around to go inside. "I am one of the applicants, may I ask where I can go?" the lady pointed her towards a lounge area as she was about to make a phone call. As I arrived, I checked my watch and smiled "I am early for the interview", I thought. There were a few applicants, mostly around 20s and they all quiet, like me, probably nervous. A few more applicants came in just a few minutes after her and some of them stood as no chairs were already vacant. A lady beside me greeted "Hi! I am Kim, and I am new here in town. How about you?" she smiled. "Uhm, I am Leigh, from a few blocks downtown, near the beach. What are you applying for?" and our conversations started. "I am here to be a dental assistant, it's really hard to land into a job in cities nowadays, and I am lucky enough to see this add as I drove by. How about you?" Kim said. "I am here for any clerical job. I just graduated and my mom doesn't want me to go farther away from the town. Lucky enough, this clinic is just built" I replied. "I hope that all of us will get the jobs that we wanted. I also have some friends coming over, a nurse and a medical technician. Can you help us get a place if we will be hired? It's a 2-hour drive from our town to here." Kim asked. "Oh, I will ask my mom, we have some spare rooms and the house beside ours is on rent." I said. "Oooh, that's great! And here they come, just in time as usual" Kim said as she looked towards the corridor. Walking towards the girls were three tall guys, almost same height with muscular built.

"Hey Kim! Why you always so early?" said the tall cheery guy. The guy beside him with glasses smiled and waived, while the other guy at their back just quietly smiled back and seemed tired. The three guys came from the town of (---) which was a 2hour drive from the clinic. "Hey, wassup guys! You know, I was so worried that I will not be on time, that's why I came here early and had breakfast in the coffee shop nearby. Meet my friend, Leigh, she lives around here." Kim gestured towards Me. I just lifted my hand to say hi. "And these are my friends, Marco, Karlo and Chris. All of them are nurses by the way." Added Kim. "Oh, hello! Can you show us around later? But hope we all get hired first" Marco said. He was the guy with glasses, around 5'7 tall, muscular built and cleanly shaved. "Yeah, it would be so nice to go around, let's have lunch together later, is that okay?" Karlo said. Karlo was the tall cheery guy who gave a high five to Kim as they arrived. The other guy, Chris, just sat in the chair rest beside Kim and patted on her hair. Kim shrugged his hands off as she was irritated and smirked back. "Whatever Chris, get a life. Hahaha. I am not a kid anymore, okay?" Kim said.