Uncertainty

by Bella Baird

  “Yes, this is she,” answered the woman.

  “My name is Alice Reed. I was told to call you to set up an interview,” Alice tried to sound confident as she spoke on the phone.

  “Oh, hi! I thought you might call today. Devin sent me to your website. I have to say, I’m very impressed. Not only by the work highlighted there, but also by the style and technical aspects of the website itself. Did you make this on your own?” asked Veronica. She spoke very animatedly, almost as if she were on a caffeine high.

  “Yes, I put it all together and obsessively tweaked the code until I had exactly what I wanted.” Alice hoped she didn’t sound too full of herself.

  “Fantastic. We’re looking for multi-talented people like you. Here’s the situation. Jitter has been in operation for a year now, and the number of users has increased very quickly. We have a lot of design positions opening up because our new goal is to completely reinvent the look and function of Jitter. Imagine that we’re trying to flip a house. The first step would be to burn that sucker down, and then we’ll rebuild it from the ground up!”

  Alice couldn’t help but burst into laughter before saying, “Hopefully I can be a part of that process!”

  “Let’s set up the interview then,” Veronica said with more enthusiasm, if that were possible. “Would Tuesday at 2:30 be a good time and day?”

  “Tuesday is great, but could we try for 3? I can leave work at 2, and then I’ll need some time to get there,” Alice implored timidly.

  “That works great. I’ll send the address to you via email. When you make it here, go up to the 14th floor and check in with Annie for the interview. I can’t wait to speak with you in person!”

  “Likewise! Thank you so much. Have a good day, Veronica,” Alice piped.

  “You too, Alice. Bye!” Veronica said.

  Alice wanted to run screaming through the halls in excitement. Not only had she landed an interview at the biggest upcoming social media site, but she also would be interviewing with someone who had seen and liked her work. She loved Veronica’s attitude and couldn’t wait to put a face with the voice. Before Alice ate lunch, she had to text Daniel to tell him the news. She knew he would be relieved for her. This is it! Things are finally happening for me! She had to remind herself that this was not a guarantee, and things may turn out way more challenging if she were to get the position.

  She went back to her desk and continued the document she was working on before lunch. Typing went a lot more quickly and smoothly for her now that she’d gotten over the hurdle of calling Veronica. Plus, something told her that she’d be trying out Ethiopian food sooner than later.

  

  The weekend passed by a little too slowly for Alice’s liking. She spent a good amount of time fixing up her portfolio to look perfect for the interview. Any one thing could force her to lose out to her competition. Most likely, there was a plethora of talented individuals who had already interviewed and were waiting for a call. Alice tried not to think about all of these possibly more qualified designers. Imagining them all made her actually sweat. She didn’t want this chance to pass her by the way all the others had.

  She did get to spend a little bit of time with Daniel on Saturday. Though as much as he wanted to celebrate with her, Daniel was preoccupied with a large show at the gallery, which was open all weekend. He could barely keep his eyes open, and he fell asleep while she cuddled with him in front of the TV. Monday was better for the both of them. They had a good time at the Ethiopian restaurant, which was much less of a risky decision than Alice thought. The food tasted good, and they ate it with the “tablecloth”—actually made from a sort of bread.

  Tuesday brought another excruciatingly slow day at work. Alice rejoiced in the fact that it was an early day for her again. Her moods were all over the place though. She jumped from euphoric excitement to sheer terror several times during her shift. Alice attributed these mood swings to the hype of a great job that four months of searching had built up in her mind. After work, the walk back to her car had Alice sweating profusely. Smelling like a normal human being has to be a requirement in nailing this interview.

  The route to the building was easy enough, and traffic flowed much less congested than usual. This left her with a lot of time to spare, but she made her way from the parking garage regardless. The building itself was a tall glass and metal structure that was all windows. Alice felt intimidated just being in front of it, thinking about the fact that she might work there soon. She checked in with Annie at around 2:40 and proceeded to sit down in an extremely comfy lounge chair. Her surroundings looked almost like a law firm. Walls consisted of dark wood, and offices on the outer edge had all glass walls. The light fixtures and furnishing were very art deco. This place had an aura of class and professionalism she hadn’t envisioned, although Alice wasn’t sure in what kind of building she thought a social media site should have its headquarters.

  After what seemed like an hour, a short blonde woman in a pink blouse walked over. She was most likely in her early forties, but had a bouncy walk and bright smile that made her appear a bit younger.

  “Alice Reed?” she asked cheerfully.

  Alice stood up and replied, “That’s me. Hi.”

  “I’m Veronica. My office is right over here,” the woman said rapidly while they shook hands.

  They took a turn at the end of the hallway, and ended up right across from what looked like a large meeting room. The wooden doors were propped open so that Alice could see the whole space. She saw some sort of game console below a rather large flat screen. In the center stood a sizeable glass table that looked like it could seat about 30 people. In front of the ceiling-length window in the back sat a wooden desk topped with stacks of papers and what looked like some dog toys laying in a very unorganized manner. On either side of the desk, huge bookshelves set into the walls held about 300 books or so. Alice couldn’t believe her luck interviewing at such an extravagant place.

  She was about to turn around when she saw a tall man stand up from below the desk. She took a second look at him. Something about him was so familiar to her. Alice couldn’t put her finger on what made her feel this way. It was his short dark hair, his eyes, and the way he stood there brushing himself off. He looked up from what he was doing and saw her practically staring. An expression of shock came across his face, and Alice realized that she knew him somehow. She quickly looked away and thought to herself for a second. How do I know him? Did we go to school together?

  Before she could place him, she heard Veronica say, “Come in and have a seat. That’s our CEO. Don’t get nervous though. He’s very hardworking and expects a lot from employees, but Mr. Beringer is really a great boss to have. We’re all really lucky to work for someone so modest and accessible.”

  Alice didn’t recognize the last name, so she brushed off her feelings of familiarity as a case of mistaken identity. She figured he just reminded her of someone she once knew or saw on the street. Stepping into the office, she closed the door and sat down in front of Veronica’s desk.

  “I have your website pulled up right now. The design is absolutely fabulous! It’s got some eye-catching contrast between the black and white, but I’m glad you added in these little bursts of red and grey. You’ve given everything a sense of depth without being overwhelming, too. Oh, and the page transitions! So smooth the way it fades to the next one. Well, you know I love your website. Let’s see your portfolio,” Veronica gushed at Alice.

  She honestly seemed very excited about this interview. Alice was feeling exactly the opposite, although Veronica’s pep helped her relax a little bit.

  “Okay, so I have this binder with various logos, pamphlets, business cards, and other things I’ve put together.” Alice placed the binder facing toward Veronica—who opened it immediately—and reached down to pick up her large, thin case. “When you’re finished with that, I have this holder with posters for events.”

  “You have a lot of variety going on in your
designs, but there’s still a level of restraint in each one.” Veronica looked up and saw that Alice had a slightly worried look about her. “That’s not a bad thing at all. Some people like to do everything bold and wild. They’re trying to be modern and trendy, but they end up showing less diversity. You have a classic approach that seems to be your signature, but you throw in these elements that take you by surprise while staying consistent with the overall design. You have a masterful grasp on color schemes and compositions that match with whatever type of company or event that you’re working with,” Veronica stated as she carefully poured over the designs.

  Alice couldn’t believe her ears. This was the best thing she’d ever heard about her work. The most complimentary thing she heard about her assignments before graduation was, “You’ve come a long way from your earlier work.” Obviously, these intensely positive statements about her designs were new to her. She was unsure how to react.

  “Oh, thank you so much. It’s really refreshing to hear,” Alice sputtered.

  “You don’t usually get compliments like this?” asked Veronica with incredulity.

  “Not typically. This much enthusiasm is so hard to come by. Interviewers tend to verbally destroy my work if they don’t like it,” Alice answered.

  Veronica’s face became more sober, as if she were thinking about what to say next. Then she said, “You know, there is a lot of competition out there. Educators and employers in this field have to weed out a lot of things that aren’t bad but also aren’t what they’re looking for. People who bash work that doesn’t fit their criteria have no idea what the fuck they’re even talking about.”

  Alice let out an astonished laugh. She knew that she’d like this interview with Veronica. Even if she didn’t get the position, she would still leave this office with a boost of confidence that might help her later on.

  “It’s true! Sometimes real skill and talent pass them by because they weren’t analyzing the work correctly. It’s their loss. You eventually find a place that values your style, and you stick with them,” Veronica sighed. “But now it’s time to get down to business. Let’s take a look at your résumé, and then I’ll ask you a few questions.”

  Veronica happened to be impressed by the fact that Alice worked consistently since the age of 16 at only two different jobs. In her words, it showed great work ethic. After this, she toned down her energy a little and began asking more standard interview questions. Alice explained why she wanted to be a designer, where she saw herself in the next five years, why she wanted to work there, and why she thought she should get a position there—among many other things. Veronica seemed to have an endless stream of questions for Alice, though she answered them flawlessly. Her nerves had calmed down tremendously, and she was comfortable talking with Veronica. They even started cracking jokes and laughing together about the common types of artists that one encounters at school and on the job. Alice felt as if she were talking to a long-time friend.

  Suddenly, Veronica’s desk phone beeped with a call on the intercom. She picked it up and said, “Oh, hello!” There was a smile on her face and also a look of puzzlement, too.

  “Sure. Um, yes. We’re almost done here.” She paused and then said, “Right. Yeah, I’ll be there in a second. Mhmm. Bye!”

  Alice looked at her and asked, “Are we out of time?”

  “No, I just have to step out for a moment. I’ll be back soon, and we can finish up.” Veronica quickly got up and took Alice’s binder under her arm. Then she left the office, closing the door behind her.

  Alice wasn’t sure what to think about the call on the intercom. Now that she was alone in the room, she had nothing to do but think about how things were going. Her nervousness came back and filled her head with negative ideas. What if things aren’t going as well as I think they are? Could Veronica just be acting nice even though she’s already decided on other candidates? It seemed like 20 minutes had passed since Veronica excused herself, but in reality it was way less. Alice wished she had something to distract herself from her own insecurity and boredom, but she didn’t dare to pull out her phone in case the woman returned at that moment. Just when the panic set in, the door opened and Veronica stepped back in. However, the door remained open with her waiting just inside.

  “It’s a little unusual, but Mr. Beringer has requested to see you in his office across the hall,” Veronica declared with some bewilderment and a little of what Alice thought was amusement as well.

  “Wait, that’s an office? I thought it was a conference room!” Alice exclaimed. She shook her head and asked, “More importantly, why did he ask to see me?”

  “It is unusual. I’m not sure why he wanted to see you, but I guess you’ll find out.” Veronica looked at Alice’s expression and added, “Oh, don’t be scared. He’s a very nice and down-to-earth guy. I’m sure it’s not a huge deal.”

  Alice took a deep breath and walked across the hall. The door was closed this time, so she knocked on the large wooden door. The left side swung open for her, and a voice told her to come in. She walked in without glancing at Mr. Beringer and looked around again, saying, “ You have a beautiful office Mr. Beringer. It’s…,” Alice trailed off.

  She’d turned back to address Mr. Beringer in mid-sentence, and in that instance she finally realized why she’d gotten such a familiar vibe from him.

  “Trent?” She inquired in an uncharacteristically high-pitched voice.

  “Alice…it’s been a long time,” said Trent in his distinctively soft, deep voice.

  Chapter 2

  Alice was 16, a sophomore at West Grove around six years ago. She had already developed an intense interest in art, creating paintings and taking classes to practice the skills she possessed naturally. That year, she decided that she was also fascinated with what she could do on a computer. Alice signed up for a Computer Design class as an elective. On her first day in the class, she sat next to a tall and somewhat nerdy kid of whom she didn’t think much. From day one, he constantly bothered her. Staring at her computer while they both were supposed to be working, asking her obvious questions about the assignments, and eventually probing for personal details about her life were all things he did to get on her nerves.

  Alice couldn’t deny that he had a certain charm about him. He always told jokes that made her laugh uncontrollably. Their teacher, Mrs. Page, had a poor attitude and never failed to insult her students’ work in front of the class, until Trent began insulting her right back. He stuck up for his classmates and made everyone laugh in the process—although this got him sent to the office over and over again. His parents didn’t approve, as he told Alice then. On the bright side, the trips became fewer and further between when Mrs. Page learned to treat the class with more respect. Even after this, he took pictures of the teacher and edited them on a computer for comic effect. He showed Alice every time, and she had a hard time suppressing her laughter to keep his “projects” a secret.

  About three weeks into the semester, he asked Alice out to dinner. Reluctantly, she agreed. Sure, he annoyed her a little bit, but he also made her laugh. Not to mention that he was sort of cute with his oversized glasses, shaggy hair, and beautiful brown eyes. A couple of nights later, Alice and Trent went on their date. They ate some potato wedges and pickles before bowling, and he showed a sweet side of himself that she hadn’t known about. At the bowling alley, Trent really acted amusing. He cheered Alice on loudly when she hit a lot of pins. Conversely, he booed when she rolled the ball into the gutter or hit fewer than four pins. She started to make fun of his bowling skills, which were more mediocre than hers. It was a nice night, so they took a short walk after playing a few games. Both of them shared stories about their lives, especially of their overbearing and overprotective parents.

  Alice wasn’t aware that they’d have so much in common. They had similar family lives along with similar life goals. Trent revealed himself to be more of a creative individual than she thought when she met him. His need to produce art
didn’t end with “photoshopping” pictures of Mrs. Page. Alice didn’t want the night to end, but she really had to be home by 9 o’clock. From the sound of things, his parents wouldn’t be pleased if he got home late either. When he pulled up to her house to drop her off, she took a chance and kissed him on the lips. Before his surprise could wear off, Alice ran up to her door. She took one glance back to Trent before going inside. His face was completely flushed, but he looked like he’d just won the lottery.

  For a few weeks, they frequently called, texted, and met with each other. He sometimes teased her, but otherwise, Trent made her feel like she was the most beautiful girl he had laid his eyes on. He didn’t make much of a first impression, but Alice thought his kissing skills were way above average for guys their age—not that she’d kissed many guys by that point. He was only a year older than she was, so his “talents” couldn’t really be explained. When Alice and Trent kissed, her body tingled with excitement. She always became extremely hot and aroused. His hands knew just where to go when they passionately swirled their tongues together. He never let them travel to private places of her body…unless she guided them there. Trent liked to drag his fingers slowly and softly down her sides and back. Too softly to be a tickle, but enough to make her nerves quiver with pleasure. Sometimes when they were lying down, Trent rolled on top of Alice and caressed her legs and thighs, wrapping them around him. Other times, he simply held her face in his hands. For some reason, this was her favorite thing. Once enough time had passed, Alice knew that she was ready to fully give herself to him.

  It wasn’t just a great physical connection they had. It seemed as though Trent was the only one who would listen to Alice. She could come to him with problems, and he’d give her a little advice after hearing her out. Even though they were from different worlds, with Trent coming from a wealthy family, he understood exactly what she was going through with her mother. He brought a sense of humor and deep intelligence to any situation they encountered together. Alice started to love him profoundly, and she knew he felt the same way. Even when he acted like an ass, Trent was all she could have ever wanted. Before they knew it, five months had passed. It didn’t seem like much time at all to Alice, but at the same time she felt like she’d known Trent her whole life.