Chapter 3: Beginning With An Interview
BBRRIINNGG!
Waking up to my alarm was not the way I wanted to get out of bed today. Fumbling for my phone on the bedside table, I finally turned off the alarm. I looked at the time at it read 11 AM. When the sleepiness wore off from me, I realized what was going on today.
"Oh my gosh! I have to get ready for that interview at the Mega Pizzaplex!" I widened my eyes with panic.
Quickly throwing the covers off of me, I hurriedly stripped down out of my clothes from yesterday and ran to the bathroom. I turned on the shower and stepped into the cascading water. As I was finishing rinsing off myself, I quickly grabbed my body wash and lathered it through my hair, the scent of citrus filling the steamy air and helping to wake me up even more. The shower was quick but refreshing, and I found myself already mentally rehearsing answers to potential interview questions.
"Why do you want to work at the Mega Pizzaplex?" I muttered to myself, thinking about how I'd express my interest in the job.
After rinsing off, I stepped out and wrapped myself in a towel, rushing back to my room. I tore through my closet, scanning for something semi-professional yet comfortable. I finally settled on a light gray plaid button down long-sleeve shirt, a navy blue sweater on top, and a pair of black pants—a balance between looking presentable and not overly formal. I also put on my fancy silver watch, my white sneakers, and my silver angelic tennis necklace.
As I dressed, I glanced at the clock and saw it was already 11:30 AM. My heart raced. I grabbed my keys, shoulder bag, and a breath mint, slipping it into my mouth as I hurried out the door. I couldn't afford to be late to this. Locking the front door, I dashed down the stairs of the apartment complex. I got into my car, put the address into my phone's GPS, and sped off.
When I was getting closer to the Pizzaplex, I saw how grand the building was! Finding a parking spot in the huge lot that was close to the building, I rushed inside so I wouldn't be late for the interview. When I got inside, however, I was blown away on how beautiful it was! This was not like anything I've seen in Los Angeles! A child throwing a tantrum took me out of my trance of being awestruck. I looked over at the scene, it was kind of painful to watch. The kid was whining to his family about how he couldn't get a Glamrock Freddy plushie as they were leaving. Ignoring the scene, I looked between the customer service desk and ticket booth. I decided to go with the customer service desk because the ticket booth line was longer.
I really hope that I can get this job. I was getting all giddy inside.
"Next customer!" A brunette, middle-aged woman with pink and purple lipstick waved her hand.
Damn, she sounds like she's already having that kind of day. I sighed and started approaching the desk.
"Hi sir, how can I help you today?" The woman was clearly trying to keep it together from being tired by forcing her politeness.
"Uh, I'm here for the interviews today", I was trying so hard not to be awkward about it while plastering a smile onto my face.
"Oh yes!" The woman pulled out a phone from her pocket and was dialing a number.
It took a bit before the other person picked up.
"Hey Gavin! It's Kennedy from the customer service desk!", I heard the woman begin to speak, "I know, I know that you're having a meeting with Scott, but I have someone here for the interviews." There was a short pause. "Do you want me to direct him to you or-" She was cut off mid-question. "Oh okay, the both of you are going to meet him in the Atrium? Okay I'll let him know!" There was a fake smile before the call was disconnected. She turned towards me, handing me some sort of weird green watch with a gator on it. "He told me to give you a Fazwatch, so you could enter the facility more easily", Kennedy was trying to give me a genuine smile.
I switched my watch to my right wrist, and then put the Fazwatch onto my left wrist, "Thanks!" I smiled politely at Kennedy. "Hopefully, today will get better", I reassured the woman before going through the turnstile.
Looking toward the stairs and escalators up to the Atrium, I was awestruck again. The massive golden statue of Freddy was so incredible! On the left there was this café called the Faz-Pad, it looked like the right kind of vibe to be there. On the right of the statue, there was a gift shop called Glamrock Gifts.
Awe, that looks like a cute place! I cooed in my head.
I went up the escalators and walked over to the elevator. There was a day shift guard waiting by the elevator.
"Hello there, you ready to go to the Atrium?" The day guard smiled politely as the both of us stepped into the elevator.
"Yeah", I replied softly, with a bit of unsteady breaths.
The day guard pressed the button to go up a floor. While the two of us were riding in silence, there was some upbeat elevator music that played above us. When the elevator stopped, the doors opened, and I stepped out into one of the Atrium's many landings. I was in awe when I saw the Atrium! Well, besides the glaring neon lights almost everywhere.
"Holy fuck! This place is so awesome!" I said under my breath while walking my way over to the down escalator.
I looked over at all of the attractions in the building while riding down the escalator.
Monty's Gator Golf! Roxy's Raceway! Fazerblast! Mazercise! Kid's Cove! I couldn't be more delighted! I looked back up at a different attraction. Bonnie Bowl? I didn't know about the company that well, so I didn't know who Bonnie was.
When I was on the Atrium's ground floor, I started to scan through the waves of people that were scattered throughout each floor. When my eyes landed on a pair of men in extravagant suits standing next to what looked like a tall, orange bear? They were standing a bit to the right of the main show stage. I quickly walked over to the guys in suits. As I got closer, it totally seemed like the pair were, talking to the orange bear? Like they were best friends? I was actually nervous now, to be honest. Slowing my pace down, I warily approached the two men, and the tall animatronic. When I was really close to the trio, all three of them discontinued their conversation and turned their attention to me.
"Is there anything I can help you with sir?" The man in the navy suit asked me with a raised eyebrow.
"H-Hi! I'm here for the interview", I was trying so hard not to be nervous.
"Oh yes! Kennedy sent you to us", The other man, who was in a cream suit, beamed with delight.
"My name is Scott Carthon, I'm the new owner of Fazbear Entertainment!" The man with the navy suit on extended his hand out to me. I shook his hand with a firm grasp.
"I'm Gavin, the head manager of the Mega Pizzaplex", The man with the cream suit was next to extend his hand out for me to shake. Which I politely did.
My eyes slowly looked up at the bear animatronic. I looked away quickly when he looked down at me slightly. I think he knew how nervous I was.
"You don't have to be nervous, superstar. I'm Glamrock Freddy, but everyone here just calls me Freddy", the tall bear extended his mechanical arm out to me to shake. I nervously shook its, or his hand.
"THE NEXT SHOWTIME WILL BE IN THIRTY MINUTES!" I heard the intercom boom throughout the Atrium.
"I guess you have to go get ready, mister Freddy", Gavin chuckled at Freddy.
"I suppose it is that time", Freddy smiled softly, then turned towards me, "I hope all goes well, superstar." He winked and headed onto the main stage. Part of the main stage went down with him like an elevator.
"Let's go do this interview in the backstage security office, since it's the closest office", Gavin stated while Scott nodded his head in agreement.
"O-Okay", I nodded a bit nervously.
The three of us headed over to Rockstar Row because that's where the backstage's access door apparently is. This place couldn't get any more nicer because not only it housed relics from the past, these animatronics had green rooms!
I miss having a green room and having shows. I started to reminisce about my stardom, while we were walking through a door.
"Well, we're here!" Gavin beamed as a metal door lifted up for us, pulling me out of my thoughts.
There were a lot of screens all around the giant room.
Damn, that's a lot of security cameras! I thought to myself as I sat down in a rolling office chair across from the other two.
"So, let's begin. What's your name?" Gavin smiled while pulling up a word document on one of the computers.
"My name is Elijah-" I stopped myself for a second.
Should I say my last name? I don't want anyone knowing that I'm here. However, I doubt these two would know who I am. I was having a nervous breakdown about this.
I deeply breathed in and out, "-Elijah Castro." There was a long silence in the security office. I noticed that the two men before me looked between each other.
"You kind of look familiar", Scott started to think.
Oh, fuck! I panicked a bit.
"Are you that famous pop and R&B singer that 'died' last week?" Scott asked with concern.
I hung my head low in defeat. "Y-Yeah." I shot my head up quickly, "P-Please don't let anyone know I'm here! I'm supposed to be laying low!" I panicked.
"Hey, don't worry, I promise I won't announce it to the whole population", Scott reassured me.
"T-Thank you. You don't know how much stress and pain I've been through to keep myself out of the limelight", I was fighting back tears, "I'm sorry for this, but I really want to be here to work. I need to blend in with the town's population."
Scott grabbed my hand, we both stood, and he hugged me. "Hey, hey. You're fine. I wish I could understand how you're feeling, but I can empathize with you."
He let go, and with all honesty, I was kind of stunned. "O-Okay." I became more calm.
"I know it's unsavory in the eyes of a normal interview", Scott pursed his lips a bit, "I will give you the job, given that there are very special circumstances."
My eyes widened a bit. "Oh my god! Thank you!"
"However, since we only have two technicians for the night, you'll have to be the night guard and the night handler", Scott smiled at me.
"I can totally do that", I replied with a bit of excitement.
"Let's do these questions, so we can at least have you in the system", Scott turned towards Gavin.
The two men asked me the typical questions. "What are your qualifications?" "Where are you staying?" "Contact information?" "Why did I want to be here?" "Any references?"
As I answered the questions, Gavin typed them out. Of course, I gave them my manager's number as my reference.
DING!
Scott looked through his pants pocket for his phone. He pulled it out when he found it, and had this look of slight frustration on his face.
"Sorry about that, Elijah, they need me at the other location", Scott muttered and got up from his chair. He quickly darted out of the backstage area when the metal door lifted for him.
"Other location?" I was really confused.
"Yeah, this location is the more modern version of the pizzeria," Gavin explained, "The other one is more geared towards the pizzerias of the past. I'd rather not get into that."
"O-Oh okay", I didn't know how to respond.
"You'll get the grand tour when you come back for your first shift later tonight", Gavin smiled, but then remembered something, "Oh, if you're okay with that." He smiled sheepishly.
"Yeah of course", I smiled softly at him.
"Great! Your shifts are always 11 PM until 6 AM. You'll be paid twenty-five dollars an hour as your compensation", Gavin stated as he typed that down for him to put in the system later.
"Okay", I nodded in acknowledgement.
I got up from my seat, while Gavin did the same once he was typing everything out and saving it. He took me out of the backstage area, and back out to Rockstar Row. It looked like the show was still going on because it was just Gavin and I walking through.
"So, uh would you mind telling me why your manager sent you here?" Gavin was trying to make conversation between us.
"Um, I don't feel like talking about it just yet", I nervously replied, with a hint of guilt.
"That's totally fine, just let me know when you want to talk about it", Gavin smiled softly at me while we were walking back into the Atrium.
"Okay", I looked down with guilt.
I wish I could just tell people, but I do not want anyone to get hurt. Or even anything worse, like being killed. I would hate it for everyone here to get hurt because of me. I'm starting to sense that they're like family to each other. I was worried about what would happen.
Hearing loud music as we ascended to the top floor of the Atrium, I looked across towards the main stage. It looked like the show was wrapping up. The four animatronics who were performing posed and did their things, while the crowd below them went wild. I could hear cheers and a lot of applause. Gavin led me back to the elevator I came through earlier.
"I hope you'll have a great first shift tonight!" I heard excitement radiating from Gavin as we stepped into the elevator.
The head manager pressed the down button, and cue that overrated, annoying as fuck elevator music.
"I hope so, too", I politely smiled at Gavin.
When the elevator opened up for us at the main lobby, I was mentally relieved because I escaped that stupid jingle. The both of us heard a commotion coming from Glamrock Gifts.
"Oh that's just fucking great!" Gavin groaned with so much annoyance.
Next thing I knew, the head manager ran down the stairs towards the loud commotion. I hesitantly followed in pursuit. Hearing the shouting getting louder and louder as I nervously approached the gift shop.
"What in the hell is going on?!" I heard Gavin shout as I was directly outside of the shop.
That made whoever was arguing instantly shut up. I looked into the shop and I saw the most irritating thing possible. These two middle-aged women were fighting over whose child deserved the last giant Glamrock Freddy plushie. I saw both of the said children with tears in their eyes, and that kind of broke my heart.
Why can't they just get it from one of the other gift shops? I asked myself in my head with annoyance.
When Gavin was dealing with whatever the fuck that was, he looked at the entrance. He saw me, smiled, and walked over to me.
"I'm sorry you had to witness that, especially on your first day", Gavin looked apologetically at me.
"No it's totally fine", I chuckled a bit.
"Well, I'll see ya later at 11 PM! Have a Faz-errific day!" Gavin beamed and waved goodbye to me.
"Thanks", I smiled softly at him.
Heading through the exit turnstile, I walked towards the entrance. I glanced around me, there were surges of people coming in and out of the Pizzaplex.
Geez, this place gets busy so damn quickly. I thought to myself while exiting the building.
Hopping into my car, my stomach rumbled.
"Guess I'm that hungry", I chuckled to myself, turning the ignition of my car on.
Whirring to life, I pulled out of the parking lot, and headed home.