Celes Chere is tired (ofapalewinter) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2014-05-22 21:06:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, celes chere, emma frost (white queen) |
who: Celes and Emma Frost
What: Interview for a job
When: 5/21
Where: Frost Academy
Rating: Pg-13
Status: complete
The lead up to the Frost school was a little intimidating for Celes, but she never was one to let herself be intimidated. She drove through the gate and through the meticulously kept landscape, parking in a designated spot, before walking up to the front door and ringing the bell. She took a breath and waited to be let in. She’d worn white slacks and a sharp white blouse, strategically unbuttoned.
Emma didn't usually make it a policy to wait around by the front door for people, not unless they were very rich new students arriving for the first time. Usually, even if parents stopped by to meet with her, she stayed in her office and let the staff guide visitors wherever they needed to go.
But it happened that today she'd been on her way to the kitchens to try and steal a coffee before her interview, one that Celes was a little early for. She looked around to see if anyone else was nearby to get it, but of course, no one came running to get the bell, and she let out a sigh.
"This is precisely the sort of situation that having a general manager would alleviate," she muttered, while making her way to the door. She was currently wearing a pair of white pants and a blouse in a sort of summery blue, that played up the color of her eyes. Emma thought that might make a striking impression on Celes, and she flashed the other blonde a smile as she opened the door.
Oh no, Celes thought. She’s hot. She put on her best smile and focused her eyes on Emma’s, as they’d both clearly gone to the same school on having just the right amount of buttons undone. One of the things she was good at was hiding her true feelings. A careful placement of expression on her face, a little cold, submerged any emotion she might be feeling. It was protection. “Ms. Frost.”
Celes and Emma seemed to also have gone to the same school when it came to hiding their feelings, too. Emma's face was every bit the ice queen exterior that everyone who had ever met her claimed it was. It was impossible to know if the other blonde was impressed by Celes, though she was. She liked the other woman's immaculate appearance and owned that same blouse.
"Ms. Chere. How embarrassing would it have been if I'd decided to wear that blouse today?" She let herself sound a little amused at that, and stepped aside to allow Celes to step through the door, "Welcome to the Frost Academy, where the headmistress usually does not answer the door."
“It would have meant my fashion sense is almost as good as yours,” Celes replied smoothly. She came inside, glancing around in curiosity. “I’ll just count myself lucky. Or good timing.” She turned her head towards Emma and inclined it towards her. Just being around Emma made her want to stand at attention for inspection.
The main door to Frost Academy opened up into a spacious sitting area. There was a set of glass doors directly across from them that lead into the back lawns, and rows of windows were set in on either side of it. It made the area warm and sunny, and the rugs that had been laid out over the floor added to that warmth. Even the furniture looked inviting to sit in.
There was a wrap-around desk in a dark wood against the wall to the left, where a receptionist might sit during normal hours. Wide glass doors on the right wall lead into an obvious eating area, and there was a fireplace set between them.
Emma smirked at the smooth comment and waved Celes over to the desk, "If you would sign your name on the logbook, we can get this interview started. You do have very good timing. I was about to fetch myself a coffee from the kitchens. Not as good as the kind we get from the shop nearby, of course, but it will do for now."
It was oddly warm, compared to the headmistress. Celes followed the other woman, eyes darting around before she leaned over to sign the logbook. “I passed it on the way in.” It looked well beyond her usual means, but it had also smelled divine and she decided she was going to treat herself if she got this job.
Her signature was neat, and she set the pen down.
The prices at the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf were comparable to any of the local Starbucks, but Emma found their coffee to be of a general higher quality. She was quite the elitist when it came to her beverages, and the fact that she was willing to drink anything out of the kitchens was a clear sign that even the on-site coffee was good.
"I have someone run and get me a few cups every morning. Should you get the job we can add something for you to the list, too."
Emma started walking in the direction of the kitchens, then, making her way through one of the sets of glass doors and brushing past an area with a dozen tables set up. There wasn't a soul to be found, not until they walked through another door into the teacher's lounge.
"Afternoon, Martinique." Emma waved to the woman, who'd been stocking some pastries in a little display area, "This is Ms. Chere, she might be your manager if I decide I like her well enough. Ms. Chere, this is Chef Martinique. She went to culinary school in Paris and her pastries are absolutely to die for. Literally. She makes the puff pastry from scratch and you'll be working those calories off forever."
"Thanks." Celes followed Emma, letting the woman be ahead of her as that seemed appropriate. It allowed her to get a gauge of the woman's attitude, and the way she held herself. Emma seemed to be a woman of incredible composure and arrogance, but Celes didn't feel bothered by that.
She smiled at the Chef. "I'm sure it'll be worth the exercise."
The chef eyed Celes up and down and smirked a bit, before bowing, "Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Chere. Ms. Frost. The coffee is fresh. We also restocked the fridge with your favorite cream."
"Excellent work, Chef," Emma replied, with a nod. She wasn't above giving a compliment when it was due, especially to someone who was in charge of important things like food. Martinique nodded again, recognizing a dismissal when she heard it, and headed through another door into the kitchens.
While the Chef departed the room, Emma's hands gracefully went through the motions of pouring herself a coffee, "When speaking of employees in business speak, I would have to say that our Executive Chef is one of our most valuable ones. Martinique is easy to work with and will run the kitchen for you if you simply let her do her job. She seems to already have a good rapport with you. Coffee?"
Celes' eyes followed the chef out of the room. She could appreciate someone who looked as good as that coffee smelled. "I'll keep that in mind. It's always good to leave people to their expertise when they don't have friction with others. And please, I may not look it but I could use the pick me up." She winked.
"You don't look it at all, which is quite impressive. I don't impress easily, as I'm sure you're aware. Cream? Flavored syrup?" Emma got a second cup out and filled it up with coffee, then paused with the cup in her hand, awaiting Celes' answer. This wasn't a service she would have performed for anyone else, but there was something about the other woman that made Emma feel she could drop some of the walls. Celes seemed to be a kindred spirit in many ways.
And she'd noticed the way that the other blonde looked at other women, which amused her greatly.
It was a way that Celes wasn't entirely aware of. She generally preferred men - ones with strength of will who she couldn't step all over - but there were a few women she'd been attracted to. Mostly blondes.
"Cream, and if there's Almond flavor that would be perfect," Celes replied. She thought that offering to do that for her would not go over well right now, and let Emma have control over the coffee. She was trying to figure this woman out.
Emma filled the cup with cream and a couple of pumps of almond syrup, then picked up a stirrer for her and handed the cup over. It was one of the paper ones, the fancy kind with the extra cardboard wrapper around it to keep your hand from burning. Emma slid over a lid for her, then picked her own up and sipped at it.
"The staff lounge is open during all school hours, and you'll find a range of snacks here to take in between meals, which we serve between seven and nine, twelve and two, with dinner from five to seven. On sundays, we skip breakfast and serve brunch from ten to two instead. Martinique has a kitchen staff of twelve under her, and you'd be working with her to manage their schedules and arrange their payroll."
She waited until Celes was done preparing her coffee, then beckoned for Celes to follow her back in the direction they'd come.
Celes stirred her coffee, absorbing what Emma was saying and making note of it. She thought this place was going to make her fat. It was a very real threat. "I'll have to get a look at that, if I'm hired. She knows them better so I'd defer to her unless I saw a way to make things run more efficiently."
She once again followed after Emma. She liked this school, and she hoped she didn't blow it.
Emma walked through the main hall again, and then lead Celes down a hallway that opened up next to the reception desk. Windows ran along the right and they passed two doors on the left before she indicated one, "That one will be your office should you get the job."
She walked down to another door which was clearly labeled 'Emma Frost', with the word 'Headmistress' underneath the name, and opened it, then stepped inside.
The office was at the very end of the main building. Two gigantic windows took up the space on the opposite wall of the door, giving warmth to an otherwise frigid environment. Everything in Emma's office was immaculate and white, smooth, polished, and placed just so. She took a seat at her desk and motioned towards one of the chairs in front of it, "Now, why don't you show me that resume you've been carrying around this entire time, and we'll get to it."
She glanced at the door, but it was closed so it gave her no idea of what the office might be like. Yet the idea of having an office was amazing to her. Then she saw Emma's office and her breath was nearly taken away. She inhaled sharply. "You certainly know how to decorate."
Celes sat down, crossing her legs and sliding the resume across the desk. She had all her cover stories on there, the 'networking' she'd done as well as her management work at two book stores.
"You've quite the eye, darling. Lets just see what we've got here..."
The other blonde picked up the resume and looked it over, then began the official interview questions. It was mostly a formality at this point. Emma had already made her decision, and within the hour, Celes Chere was signing new hire paperwork.