and we chased

Chapter 3

ARIA

I set the camera on selfie and quickly check if everything sits in place before I enter the huge building. I have no idea how I got the interview at APOLLO Cars. Like zero clue. However, instead of pointing it at the hiring committee what a great mistake they did, I decided to dress up nicely and arrive with a big smile on my face. I went for a casual yet professional look. A white sweater, a pair of jeans, some sneakers in the same color as the sweater, my hair up in a bun, a makeup kept casual; the many freckles on my face are popping enough already; and my two lucky necklaces around my neck. The ones I wear daily. A necklace with white pearls and a planet charm, and another silvery thin necklace with a small "A" hanging from it.

You got this, I tell myself.

If the whole day wasn't intimidating enough, the building doesn't really hope. It looks like a spaceship. Well, not an actual spaceship, so it doesn't have the shape of an UFO, but it is made solely out of glass windows. And I have to lean my head back to get a full-look at it.

I take a deep breath and enter inside, tugging at the tote bag I'm carrying on my shoulder. The one that has my iPad and a printed-out CV and application form. If there is something I value is order. I can't live in chaos. I'm pretty sure I'd end up dead if the files on my iPad weren't sorted.

As I enter the lobby, there are a few race cars on display. Everything is white or made of glass, only the cars are black and blue. APOLLO's official colors. I figured out that much as I scrolled through their posts last night. Even the counter where the receptionist is at is a huge black block with blue neon lights.

Welcome in the UFO.

"Hello, how can I help you?", the receptionist asks me, looking up at me.

I walk over to her and smile bright as I say. "Hi. My name is Aria Grant. I'm one of the applicants for the social media program. I have an interview at two o'clock."

The woman types something in her laptop, then looks up at me once, to which my smile turns innocent, and her gaze goes back to her laptop. "Aria Grant. I found you. You're in room Imola. That's on the second floor. Just take the elevator on the right, then wait on one of the chairs on the hallway. My colleague will be there to take care of you in no time."

I thank her and make my way to the elevator. Which looks fancy. I don't know if you ever thought of an elevator as fancy, but this one is. It is so fancy. Everything is black, apart from the glass-window with view over the city. The buttons are also black, yet their outline is lighten up in blue LEDs, matching with the theme.

I want this elevator in my future house.

The elevator doors do a bing, showing we're there. I have to frown leaving one of my new favorite places.

I don't even have time to sit down, as a woman with a clipboard walks outside and smiles at me.

"Aria Grant?", she asks.

I nod and she makes me a sign to follow her. I catch up with her pace and she shakes my hand. "Tina White, head of the hiring committee at APOLLO. It's a pleasure to have you here, Miss Grant."

"Please, call me Aria", I tell her. "The pleasure is all mine, Ms. White."

She nods as if she would understand and leads me inside a room. There is only a desk there, a laptop and some clipboards on it, a bookshelf with a coffee machine and some cups on top, all being labeled with the bold written "APOLLO" and two chairs in front of each other. Ms. White takes the chair in front of the keyboard, I take the sit opposite hers.

"So, Aria. You applied for our social media team. May I ask how you found out about the program?"

"A friend of mine told me", I answer. "We were working together for a photoshoot and I mentioned searching for a job. He recommended me this program."