I look up at the voice who had just spoken. Sitting on a big black sofa is two people. One male, and one female. The male has a smile on his face, as does the female, both kind, friendly, genuine smiles. I look around the room, and to my left is a door that I presume leads to another room. In front of the sofa is a coffee table, one that matches the one in the waiting room, only not as big, and behind that, facing the black sofa, is a matching chair.
I brace myself and walk forward, and carefully with as much dignity as I can muster up, sit on the black chair.
“Good afternoon, Miss Addison. Can we have your paperwork before we begin please?” asks the male.
“Yes, sure.” I say timidly as I reach over the table, and hand it over to him.
I sit there nervously while they look over my paperwork, my stomach doing somersaults. I take another look around the room, but there are no pictures, no pieces of art, or any decorational items in the room. It looks bland and boring. Not very friendly at all, but I guess it will stop peoples mind wondering while they are being interviewed, which is what I was hoping it would do while I sit waiting for them to read over my paperwork.
“Right, Miss Addison. Hello and welcome to Kalebs productions. I am Matthew and this is Sammie. unfortunately, Mr. Braxton is unavailable today, so myself and Sammie will conduct your interview. We would like to ask you a few questions to begin with, then we will move on to the second part. Does that sound reasonable?” he asks, pulling my eyes back to the pair of them.
“Yes, that sounds perfect.” I reply with a forced smile. I am struggling to compose myself, my voice is just as shaky as the rest of me.
“Have you done anything like this before?” Matthew asks, jumping straight in.
“No sir. This would be my first.” I reply honestly.
“Okay, what made you take this road?” he asks intrigued.
“Well to be honest, I didn’t want to. My friend told me about it, and because I couldn’t get anything else I had no choice.” I reply before I think about the answer.
Fuck, shit, wank, why the fuck didn’t I think before I opened my mouth. Great way to get a job, my filter has fucking left, leaving me saying whatever pops into my head with no thoughts.
Matthew laughs at me, “Well Rhiannon, I have to say out of all the interviews I have conducted, that’s the first time I’ve heard that.”
“I'm so sorry, I didn’t mean to say that.” I say embarrassed, and ashamed.
“Did you mean it?” he asks concerned.
Well I’ve not got the job now anyway so I might as well be truthful, “Yes,” I say diverting my eyes to the floor.
“I like you,” he says, “Not many people speak their mind. They tell us what we want to hear, not what they actually should say.” he says obviously impressed, but that does little to reassure me.
“I love your honesty.” Sammie says. Matthew looks at her, and they both nod their heads with a smile.
“Why should we employ you?” Sammie asks, continuing the interview.
“This might not be what I was after, but I have taken an interest to it. I feel confident enough to take this path. I am hard working, I put my mind to any task set before me, and I think this will be a great opportunity.”
“I like you, you have.... spunk.” Matthew says making me laugh.
“We could use someone with your personality. Let’s see how you do with part two, and the camera.” Matthew says.
*****
After interview part one, Matthew stands and asks me to follow. He straightens his black suit jacket and moves towards a closed door.
I get to my feet once again, and I follow Matthew, and Sammie follows me. He leads me in to a room full of equipment. I look around the room, and notice cameras, flash lights, white screens, a bed, fancy white sofa, and other props.
Sat on the white sofa is a tall, tanned man with dark hair.
“This is Toby; he will be doing the second part of your interview. I will be back next door going over the interview again. Once you're done just come back through, okay?” Matthew says to me. I look over at Toby and nod my head.
The equipment is a little intimidating, and I am shaking from head to toe.
Toby vacates his seat and comes to shake my hand.
“Welcome to Kalebs productions. I am as Matthew stated Toby, and I will be conducting this part. Thank you Matthew, that will be all.” Toby says dismissing Matthew. He waits for Matthew to leave the room before he turns his attention to me.
“Miss Addison, have you done this before?” he asks me.
“No, this would be my first time.”
“Right, so we will start out with the simple stuff. If you would like to get ready and take your position in-front of the white screen, we will start of doing some simple shots, is that okay?” he asks me.
I do as instructed and stand in-front of the white screen. He walks over and starts turning all the camera lights on, and the room is instantly brighter. The strobe lights are pointing to the center of the screen, so that’s where I take my position, taking the spotlight. He then gets his camera and starts taking shots of me. He asks me to turn one way, then another. Raise my hands, drop my hands, lift my chin higher, and look different directions. Once he has taken about fifty photos he puts his camera down. I am starting to relax now. Toby is easy to work with, and he is patient. He is making this easier than what I anticipated it to be.
“Well, now that smile doesn’t look so forced, and you look like you're starting to enjoy yourself, shall we move on to something different?” he asks me with a genuine smile.
“Yeah, it’s not as bad as I thought it would be.” I admit with a real smile.
“I'm glad, would you be okay just changing dresses? We need different looks for your portfolio and file.” he explains.
“Urm.... I didn’t bring another change of clothes.” I reply ashamed. What sort of idiot am I. I have come to an interview of this nature with no change of clothes.
Being behind the camera might be fun, but I really don’t think I am cut out for this sort of career. I've already opened my mouth at the inappropriate time, now this.
“I know, we have props here, in this job you will actually never wear your own clothes anyway, that’s why we never told you to bring your own.” he says reassuringly, putting me at ease a little.
He walks over to a rail that is full of clothes, and hands me a dress bag.
“If you go behind that screen there.” he says pointing to the far right corner in the room “You can get changed behind there, I’ll just be over there, sorting these pictures on the laptop.” he says as he extends his hand with the dress in.
I take the bag from him, and go behind the big screen.
I lift the white dress out of the bag, and I am instantly blown away. I dare not even touch it, never mind wear it, and crease it by messing around in a photo shoot.
It takes me a few minutes to put it on, coming to the conclusion, I have to put this on. Toby asked me to, and since it’s not my dress, I shouldn’t worry about creasing it, but with such a beautiful look to it, I do fear doing some damage to it. The material is delicate and fragile. I step out from behind the screen and automatically walk over to a mirror. I have to see my reflection, and see this stunning dress again.
The dress is pure white, a beautiful silk material, and hangs beautifully.
The dress is backless, and only just covers my ass. The straps cross over at the back, and go over my shoulders, where the material meets a strap of pearls, which forms the neckline of the dress. The front straps also meet the strap of pearls, but the material is cut in two pieces and hangs low, still not revealing my breasts. The dress is skin tight, and gathers at the hips, giving it a ruffled affect. The dress hangs loosely down my legs, and has a little gathering of fabric on the floor. I don’t know if the dress is too big, or if that’s the design, but having a guess myself I’d say it’s the design. The last feature on the dress is a slit in the center of the dress, just up to my thighs. I feel beautiful for once.
Toby looks up from his laptop and gives me a warm smile.
“Well, that dress looks perfect. Let’s get back to it shall we?” he asks pointing to the screen again. I take my place again and he starts snapping shots again. This dress really does make me feel beautiful. Once I’m done with the white background he asks me to do a few shots on the white sofa, after he has draped a black fleecy blanket over it so the dress stands out.
Once were done he puts his camera back on the tri-pod and walks over to me.
“Are you comfortable enough to get down to your underwear?”
“Yes, I don’t see why not.” I reply shyly. I once again go behind the screen and remove the stunning dress.
I’m glad I thought ahead and wore some nice, matching, lacy underwear. The last thing I want to do is look mismatched and stupid.
I step from behind the screen once again in my ivory underwear.
I’m glad I work out, and don’t feel shy in my own skin. My tiny frame is lightly tanned, and is toned.
“We are going to use the bed this time.” Toby says.
I start by lying on the bed, and he passes me a few props to pose with.
After two hours of posing Toby calls an end to the shoot. I have had loads of fun, more fun than I thought I would. Toby has had me pose with some ice cream, a teddy, a feather boar, handcuffs, and a riding crop. It really was fun, and I enjoyed myself immensely.
I go back behind the screen and retrieve my clothes.
I step out and Toby is stood talking to Matthew in the far corner.
Matthew smiles as I make my way over to him.
“Well Miss Addison, Toby here told me you are done, would you like to come back through here please. We need a few more questions answering before we call it a day.” he says stepping aside to let me through.
Back in the meeting room, I take the white chair again as Toby and Matthew take the sofa. Sammie isn’t here I notice.
“Okay, Toby said you did a brilliant shoot today. I would need to know before we take you on, if you would be comfortable getting naked in front of the camera.” he asks concerned.
“I will admit, I was very nervous coming here today, but Toby made it so easy for me to relax.” I admit aloud.
“So yes, I think I would be okay with that.” I reply honestly.
They both smile at me.
After a few more questions, I am done. They needed to know if any of my details had changed from when I applied for the role.
They both bid me goodbye, and I am left walking the big house on my own finding my way out. I think it went well, despite my smart mouth, and now it’s just a waiting game.
Once I reach the outside, the valet rushes of to bring me my car. I thank him as I climb in, glad to have it back in one piece. I don’t know how he managed to get this job, because he is a menace behind the wheel, and I did fear my cars life.
I pull away, and drive down the drive way. Once I get to the big gates again I slowly pull up and press the big green button that opens the gates. I put my car back into drive and watch in my rear view mirror as the big house grows smaller and smaller in the back.
I carry on driving for about five minutes before I pull over, and text Grace like I said I would.
** Oh my gosh, Grace I did it. I have finished with my interview, and it was amazing, a little hiccup with my smart mouth, but they laughed it off so I am hoping it’s all okay. Drinks tonight at our usual joint, and I will fill you in. meet me at 8, love ya, Rhi XoX**
I press send and wait a few minutes for a reply. We usually go out on a Saturday, so she was probably expecting this message.
Sure enough one hits my phone almost straight away.
**About time, I thought you had forgot about me, lol. You have a date, I’ll meet you there – I need the gossip, I do hope you didn’t do anything to embarrassing, but I know you, you can quickly recover and have them eating out of your palm. Don’t be late, you know better than anyone I don’t do waiting. Today has being long waiting for news from you! Love ya, G XoX**
I don’t respond, I will tell her when I see her.
I continue my drive home, going through the interview in my head. Did I do okay? Will I get the job? Did they like me? All questions I couldn’t answer, and I'm not sure I want to know at the minute. I felt like a fool in the interview, but Matthew was okay about it, but the photography stage was truly epic, and I would happily do that again.
As I pulled up outside my house, I parked the car and ran inside to my apartment, out of the rain that had been falling for about twenty-five minutes.
*****
I arrive at the bar two hours later, but only an hour late. I did inform Grace I would be late, so she wouldn’t be wondering where I was.
I walk in to the bar and up to the bar. I order myself a cocktail and look around for Grace, she informed me she was already here. I spot her straight away. I grab my drink of the bar man, hand over the payment and make my way towards Grace. She is wearing a purple summer dress that hangs just above her knees. She sees me making my way towards her, and she picks up her pace to meet me half way. When she reaches me, she smiles and throws her hands around my neck, pulling me into a hug.
“What’s your excuse for being late?” she demands, in my ear trying to be heard above the dance beat that is bouncing off the club walls, but not loud enough for anyone else to hear her.
“I had to change and get ready, and have something to eat.” I inform her, I need something to soak up the alcohol I know I will be consuming tonight.
“You take longer to get ready than anyone I know. So come on – gossip. How did it go?” she asks diving straight in.
“Oh Grace, it was amazing.” I start as I drag her to an empty table. We both sit down as I continued my story of the day.
“Mr. Braxton wasn’t there today, so I had someone called Matthew interview me. He was kind enough. Then when it was time for the photo shoot he introduced me to Toby, who by the way was very cute, with his dark hair and bright blue eyes. Anyway we did the shoot, and he asked me if I would be okay doing underwear shots, which I agreed too. I can’t wait to get a copy of the pictures Grace, they are beautiful.”