Numbers (Louis Tomlinson)

Chapter 11

Elle's POV

I get off the bus and huff a breath. Here's the studio. I walk up to the station's building. It's small, but what do you expect? They probably only need space for one or two offices and a studio, there's not much to a broadcasting station's blueprints. I open the door to the front entrance and walk in quietly, as if I'm the tiniest bit louder my entire sound will disrupt the station. I lead myself to the front lobby, a few people my age waiting around in chairs. I pick up a form from the desk behind the lobby and fill it out, my name and just simple and easy things. I then turn it back in so the interviewer can call me in later.

A few minutes pass by, so I get out my phone and start scrolling through Tumblr feed, looking at a few pictures of beautiful landscapes and stupid word posts. Nothing too interesting, but it amuses me for the ten minutes I'm sitting there.

"Elle Levine?" A lady calls out with a familiar voice. She's probably the woman I was talking to on the phone yesterday. I stand up and follow the woman to a small office, a plastic plant and desk, nothing too special.

"Hello." I smile once I take a seat in front of the desk.

"Hello, my name is Hermione and I'm the manager of the station. So you're here to apply for the radio host?"

"Yes."

"Okay, a few procedure questions and we'll get your application filled quickly," She's older than me, not like twenty years but at least in her early thirties, and she seems to be sweet, "Have you ever worked at a radio station?"

"No."

"Okay, how about other jobs. Ever work in marketing or commercial-programming?"

"Uh, no. I'm kind of new to this whole working thing."

"That's fine, our hosts 'leave being ready for the world' as I like to say. So have you taken any acting classes or voice lessons?"

Acting classes and voice lessons. Of course, but why would it matter? I mean I guess if I was a host they'd want me to be good actor and ad-libber for commercialing and article reading. So it's understandable actually. I nod my head, "Definitely."

"Okay good. Are you a mumbler, stutterer of any sort?"

"At least I don't think so." I chuckle, looking at her attentively. She grins and unclips the clipboard with my "application".

"Is that all?" I ask standing up, already heading for the door.

"Yup, it doesn't take much to get this job. You can even wait until interviews are over to see if you got the job or not. There's only a few more people waiting to get interviewed."

I nod, saying goodbye and sitting in the lobby again. I have to agree with her, there is only a few people left. They're all guys, all seem to be the average guy you'd find off the street. I might actually have a shot if I'm the only female. A few patient minutes pass by, and finally Hermione comes out of the corridor door with a smile.

"Elle, you've gotten the job."

My eyes widen. That simple? That easy? I realize I barely had any potential over the guys, but this just seems unreal.

"Really?" I ask, slowly standing. The men all shrug and leave, and I realize I'm the only who even really bothered to want the job. Hermione nods, looking at me for a second.

"Yeah, and you start tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?!" Oh this was getting better by the second.

"Yes, is that too soon?"

"No, that's great! I just didn't expect so soon..." I look at my hands to dull my amazement, it works.

"Okay, now you can follow me if you'd like to meet your co-host." She seems to be bored at this moment, as if they get a new radio host a day. I don't know, just all seems so quick.

"Okay..." I walk down the hall again, the white walls seem to be getting smaller. Huh. Must be a nervousness thing. We're led to the studio, well at least behind the studio wall. You can see through the glass and a man a bit older than me sits in front. He talks into the mic and then looks up for a second to give me a friendly grin. He finishes up his sentence and starts the next song, standing up and walking to the door exiting the studio.

"Hello. New host?" He asks, already holding out his hand to shake.

"I guess so..." I say shyly, taking his hand and shaking it firmly like my dad taught me.

"Don't worry, all the hosts are nervous at first. It's a quick job to catch onto." He releases my hand, "Sawyer by the way."

"Elle." I look past him for a second to look at the studio. Albums, tons of them, all assorted into shelves lining the walls.

"Nice to meet you. Look, it's commercial free hour so I'd love to stay and talk, but my DJ is begging me for help on a mix. So see you tomorrow?"

"Yes, tomorrow." I nod. He gives a quick smile before leaving again.

"Sorry. It seems like we're always busy in the studio, no time to chat or adapt on the first day, but it'll be easy once you get the hang of it." Hermione says, turning and facing the door we had just came from. I suppose I'm supposed to follow, so I do once more. I walk out the door so quietly, so confused. I had just gotten a job, and was literally the first thing ever. They must be extremely desperate. I walk out the front door, and wait at the bus stop.

Only half an hour had past. The next bus will take while, leaving me to my thoughts.

I can't wait to start tomorrow, even though I wasn't expecting so soon. It'll be fun to play tracks for six hours a day, easy too. Heck, if it was allowed, I'd bring in my schoolwork to work on while a song was playing. Here's a quick route to a fixed car, and my freedom will be returned.