Post by MCKENZIE DANIELLE ASHLAND on Jun 8, 2011 23:38:15 GMT -5
mckenzie danielle ashland, jessica lowndes, physics teacher, stephanie
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the brunette glanced nervously at the clock situated on the wall facing the large, open window. it had been ten minutes and the dean still wasn't present. tick tock tick tock. she lowered her gaze to her manicured nails and bit her lower lip, willing the noise of the ticking clock away.
and, then, finally. the oak door swung open and a man, clad in a fine suit and groomed hair, stepped in. she immediately stood up respectfully and smiled hesitantly at him. "good morning, mr. darrison." she said carefully and precisely. the man nodded to her in acknowledgment and beckoned her to sit down in front of his desk again. she obeyed. she watched as he sat down as well, in his seemingly comfy chair, and shuffled some papers in his hands.
"so, ms. ashland," he began, his voice deeper than she had expected. "i understand you are applying for a job here at brookwell?"
she nodded her head twice, and said almost shyly: "yes sir.. it has always been a dream of mine - to teach."
his face was vacant of any expression. she felt her stomach drop slightly. "very well. tell me a bit about yourself."
this was it - the moment she had been preparing herself for weeks for. "well," she started, and then delivered another smile his way. "my full name is mckenzie danielle ashland. i was born october 5th, and i am 23 years old. i just finished college at NYU. i majored in physics and have a minor in historical art. i previously went to brookwell, actually. i was.. very happy here--"
"ah, that's right. i do remember you. straight A and B student, if i do recall correctly. your mother was linda, was she not? i quite remember her. you look exactly like her, might i add."
mckenzie felt her cheeks flame. she had been compared to her mother before but every single time it was awkward. she forced herself to nod in indication that she heard him. "yes, that would be me." deep breaths. play it cool, kenz. he didn't say anything else, and she took it as her cue to begin speaking again. "i was, as you said, a straight A and B student here. i was very devoted to my studies all through high school and college. science had always come easiest to me, and that's why i majored in physics." a brief pause. what else was there to say?
"tell me about your family, ms. ashland."
deep breaths. "my mother is linda caine-ashland. she's a great woman - very smart and organized. she was the one who taught me how to be respectful and polite towards my elders. my father.. my father was kennedy ashland, and he was a very well-known businessman until he died in 2004." her father's death had always been a touchy subject for her, but now she just hoped that she wouldn't make a fool out of herself during her own interview.
mr. darrinson nodded solemnly and leaned back in his chair, observing her carefully. "i am very sorry to hear about your loss." he said flatly, and although she knew that he was simply consoling her with empty words, she nodded gratefully. "tell me, were you born in the states?"
"i was born in dallas, texas. my family moved to new york when i was thirteen, a year before my first year at brookwell." she said, fabricating a false smile.
"interesting. tell me about some of your likes and dislikes."
where to begin? mckenzie folded her hands in her lap and resisted the urge to chew on her bottom lip. "well, for starters, i really like science but i'm sure that's obvious. i've always been a fan of constellations, and astronomy in general. i think that stars are very interesting, and anything related to stars like supernovas. i also have a fondness for prince - even at my worst moments, his songs always find a way to cheer me up. i'm a fan of basketball - especially the new york knicks. i, um, i also like moments of.. serenity. peace and quiet. it's what i always look for." peace and quiet at a high school? not likely. mckenzie continued: "however, i-i don't like um, i have never been a fan of cold weather. i suppose living in new york.. it's just inevitable, but..i don't know. oh, i also don't like gum. i don't like the idea of chewing gum or hearing the sound of people chewing gum. i can eat mints, but never gum."
mr. darrison peered at her from his desk. she felt self-conscious under his scrutinizing gaze. finally, he averted his eyes to the papers he had in his hand. "tell me, ms. ashland, how do you view yourself? do you believe you are worthy to be apart of our staff?"
she swallowed uncomfortably and fidgeted in her seat slightly. "i-i view myself as a very respectful person. i believe that you reap what you sow so.. i try to be respectful towards others so people can respect me. recently, i've been finding myself trying a bit.. too hard at some stuff so i have made it my goal to stop doing that at all costs. i also think that i am very friendly, and easy to get along with. i like to think that i am just and understanding but i suppose that is up to somebody else entirely. i.. i have also discovered that i have a tendency to be very organized. some call me a neat freak but.. i don't know. i'm just another average person. there are my bad days, and my good days. i like to think that i am very intelligent, er, in not just a book-smart kind of way. i'm a nice person, at least.. i try to be."
he lifted a hand for her to stop. she did. her attention was completely focused on him now. "that's enough for now. i have learned quite a lot about you, ms. ashland. i will call you back later after much consideration. thank you for your time." he leaned forward, his hand outstretched.
mckenzie stood up, pushing the chair back and then leaned forward to shake his hand. "thank you for your time," she echoed and then stepped away. she was feeling quite good about the interview. a smile - not fabricated this time - widened her mouth as she stepped outside into the hall and closed the door behind her.
