8:30. The jarring sound of Eve's alarm clock roused her from her uneasy sleep. Groaning, she raised her head blearily to look at the time before ducking under a pillow, slamming blindly at the bedside table to shut the noise off. There was a gentle thump as the clock fell from its place, the alarm now slightly muffled from the carpet but still equally irritating. Eve groaned again, louder, before slowly easing her head out from under the pillow, pulling herself up to sitting. I've had 3 hours of sleep, maximum she lamented, kicking the clock and hitting the 'off' button with her foot. Too nervous. She glanced at her dress hanging against the wardrobe door, feeling her stomach begin to knot. It felt like the fabric of that dress held on to every bad interview experience she'd had recently. Perhaps it was cursed. If she had the money to buy a new one, she would. Better get up. 1 hour to get ready. Ignoring the uneasy nausea now sweeping across her body, she swung out of bed, padding her way out of her bedroom and into the hallway towards the bathroom, grimacing as she eventually caught sight of herself in the cabinet mirror. This won't do.

She rehearsed her pitch whilst in the shower, drying her hair, brushing her teeth and applying her makeup, finding fault with each iteration and trying not to give way to the wave of panic slowly spreading across her chest. She'd made notes on every interview question she could possibly think of, writing her ideal answers on post-it notes which were now stuck haphazardly around the mirror she was using to apply a finishing touch of mascara with. Pleased with her overall appearance and momentarily distracted, she indulged in a quick twirl, blowing her reflection a kiss.

"This time." She said to her reflection, as she placed her palms on the mirror's edge, and leaned forward to watch her eyes turn hard. This one she had in the bag. It was a step down in terms of position and a step in the wrong direction in terms of career, but at this moment in time she couldn't afford to be picky. Eve brought herself back to reality, flashing a brief smile to her duplicate. She could be charming if she had to be. It's only an interview. How hard can becoming a receptionist be?

She was impressed. Tuckersoft was much more of a formidable building than she had imagined. Grabbing her briefcase and stepping off the bus, she crossed the road towards the building, trying not to push her luck (and balance) too much whilst in heels by glancing up. At the entrance, she paused at the glass door, taking a moment to steady herself. I've got this. Taking and involuntarily holding a large breath, she shoved open the double doors with as much authority as she could muster, striding with an air of confidence that came so easily to her she almost giggled. Maybe she should have been an actor instead?

The company was a hub of noise and bustle, which surprised Eve. In the paper advert she'd applied to the description had mentioned the company was relatively new, however nothing in the atmosphere suggested anything other than intense familiarity: people were leaning against desks at complete ease, dressed casually and chatting amiably with colleagues. As she walked towards the empty reception area, she heard a muffled ripple of laughter from out of sight around the corner. She was relieved at the friendly atmosphere, but mildly concerned that in her current outfit and heels, she was overdressed. Perhaps she should hold off on buying a new dress. Conscious of her nerves starting to creep in again, she checked her watch. 10:10. She was early. Maybe a little too early she worried, biting her lip. Is 20 minutes early 'enthusiastic' or 'desperate'? She briefly contemplated leaving to find a coffee shop nearby, but her thoughts were interrupted by the clicking of heels, following by the source of the laughter she had heard earlier. From around the corner came a stunning blonde woman dressed entirely in red, accompanied by a large man in an impressive suit. Eve watched, fascinated, as they walked towards the reception, his hand making its way to the small of her back as she indulged him with another soft laugh.

"Well, it was fantastic to meet you, Catherine." He paused at the entrance as she turned to face him. "Likewise, Mr Thakur", she responded, beaming.

"Mohan, please." He insisted, shaking her hand- a gesture that lasted a little too long.

"I'd ask our receptionist to walk you out, but as you can see-' he gestured to the empty space around him jokingly, apparently oblivious to Eve's presence, "but, hopefully that's something you'll be able to help me out with in the future.' The two shared a smile as Eve's face paled. She hadn't even interviewed and the job had already gone. And even if it hadn't, she hadn't prepared to compete with a catwalk model. Her heart pounded furiously. She needed this job, badly. It had been a rough few months and the thought of this new income had been the only thing keeping her going. She was already a month behind on rent.

'Hello?' Brought back to the world with a start, she jumped at the voice, and looked up to see Mr Tucker staring at her, bemused. His receptionist to-be had seemingly disappeared outside. "Can I help you?".

"Oh." Eve stammered, off guard. "Sorry, I-" she paused, not sure what to say in the current situation. He waited politely, smiling encouragingly. "I had an interview" she finished lamely, gripping her briefcase tightly as she felt her face flush. Before she could make her excuses to leave, his face suddenly cleared.

"Oh Jesus, my apologies, my last meeting overran. Time flies." He checked his watch. "10:12." He tutted at himself. "You must have been waiting here for a while!" He motioned for her to stand up, a wide smile on his face. "You're a bit of a surprise, I have to say." He offered, after a brief pause. "Don't catch many sound engineers looking-" he gestured at her vaguely, still smiling. Eve opened her mouth to say something, momentarily stunned. Nothing came out.

"No, no, sorry, I mean it's a pleasant surprise!" He exclaimed, mistaking her silence for concern, holding his hands up briefly in apology. She flashed him an uneasy smile, weighing up her options.

"Please, follow me." Oblivious, he headed back towards the offices and desks, adding "this will be a quick one, I promise!" after a moment's pause, calling casually over his shoulder in her direction. Eve got to her feet, still clutching her briefcase. She needed this job. Does that leave me an option?

"Sound engineer" she murmured to herself, pushing herself to move after him.

She repeated the title to herself quietly, planning quickly in her head as she picked up the pace towards the meeting room Mohan was setting up in. Passing the office desks to the left of her, she quickly unclasped her briefcase and in one smooth movement grabbed her CV and discarded it into one of the paper bins she passed. She had said she could be charming if she had to be- time to test the limits.