Interview of Nicolette Ambler

[Kelleh]

11 YEARS AGO



Let's start here?

Nicolette Ambler- 23 years old

[Adélaïde Léglise]

Knock. Knock.

The woman glanced up at the door irritably. She was trying to read a fine article on French philosophy - so of course, someone had to bother her. It was interesting.

Another knock, and she sighed and gave in. She flung the article down on her desk, gritting her teeth.

"Come in."

That miserable excuse for a housekeeper appeared, giving her a nervous smile. It was stupid how all the staff were scared of her. Really! She wasn't that intimidating.

"What is it?"

"Someone wants to see you... for a job interview."

Adélaïde brightened considerably. They could do with more teachers; they were running short. And so many people were believing that stupid myth these days - how ridiculous could people get?

"Let them in."

[Kelleh]

A young brunette cautiously entered the room. She smiled faintly.
"Hi. I'm Nicolette Ambler. How do you do?" Nicolette asked.

[Adélaïde Léglise]

Adélaïde glanced over the woman. She was very pretty, which was a bad start. Adélaïde believed strongly that having pretty teachers messed up the entire system, though some might claim this merely to be because she happened to be somewhat ugly herself. Still, they needed staff...

"I'm very well, thank you," she replied stiffly. "Adélaïde Léglise, as I'm sure you're aware. Now... I've been informed you are interested in a job here?"

[Kelleh]

Nicolette nodded eagerly.
"Yes! I'm interested in teaching French. I'm 24, and I've been studying French grammar and usage for the past 5 years in college." She smiled again. She really did love this place... already.

[Adélaïde Léglise]

"French..."

Adélaïde fixed her with a steady gaze. She did actually look eager, and interested, which was more than she could say of herself. Maybe she was a bit... young, naïve, careless seeming... but well. That might not necessarily make her a bad teacher.

She started as she realised she was already trying to persuade herself into accepting the girl - the term "girl", for Adélaïde, applied to anyone under thirty - into the school.

"Okay, we'll go through the formalities, then. Firstly... why do you want to work here?"

[Kelleh]

Nicolette thought for a moment.
"Well, I've always wanted to work at a boarding school. And one that has a legend. Like this one. Also, I want to work at a place near my home, Dijon. At least, it's in France," she replied with a smile.

[Adélaïde Léglise]

"A... legend?"

Suddenly the woman's voice was harsh, unwelcoming. Too many people were spreading that story these days, that was the problem. That bloody reputation was starting to go before the school. It was simply unbearable. And now it was a fucking legend all of a sudden? Oh, boy.

"I think, for something to be a legend, it has to be a little more famous than that silly little story about this school."

Her voice was light and easy, like an adult scolding a toddler when their heart isn't in it, which was funny, because she was shaking with anger inside.

[Kelleh]

Nicolette's eyes widened.
"I-I didn't m-mean it... that way..." She stammered. What had she done wrong? Why wouldn't Adélaïde want her school to be a legend? It was such a neat one too...
"I'll... I'll just... leave now... then." She stood abruptly, and hurried for the door. she placed her hadn n the knob, hoping that Adélaïde would stop her.

[Adélaïde Léglise]

Adélaïde sighed. Much as she loathed this, it had to happen. After all, they needed the staff, didn't they? And it wasn't the girl's fault. Not really. She didn't necessarily have to interact with the teachers, besides, so it wasn't like she'd have to talk to her every day for the rest of her life. She looked down at her desk, scribbled something on a piece of paper.

"Here. On the way out, give this to the housekeeper."

She handed the note to her.

A new teacher is starting at the school. She will need a place to stay, and meals. Sort it out with the cooks. Her name is Nicolette Ambler.

[Kelleh]

Nicolette took the note, and, without looking at it, smiled at Adélaïde, and waved goodbye.
"Thank you for your time." She then strode out of the room. After the door clicked shut, she unfolded the note. All of the apprehension that had welled inside her vanished.

She was in.

[Adélaïde Léglise]

Adélaïde watched the door swing closed. The girl would read the note, soon, and then she'd know. She'd be pleased, probably. She had that expression on her face of the one who loves everyone. Adélaïde tended to dislike those sorts of people, very probably because they were so much more popular than her.

Still. They had a new teacher! Surely that was a good omen; there hadn't been any interviews for months, unless you counted that guy that had escaped from the local prison, or that old man from the old peoples' home. No - it had to be good. Things would look up in the future, it meant.

She'd run this school for quite a long time - no, a very long time. And it had gotten slowly worse, all the time. But Adélaïde had been taught to never give up, so she kept hope. Someday, things would be better. And until then... well, she'd just wait and see. A new teacher.

There'd been more students coming too. For years, hardly anyone had applied to come into the school. But this summer, there'd been a few sent to her, just a little while back.

People expected her to be a pessimist, because she was an ugly old woman who lived by herself, and because she was the headmistress of an old, old school that was rumoured to be haunted, and for a million reasons more that she really, really didn't want to go into.

But they were wrong.

"Everything's going to be fine," she said to herself, a faint smile twitching on her lips.