a complete set up

" Attention, applicants, the second session is about to begin. Please go to your designated areas." a smooth, soft voice announced.

Dreadful and hopeful at the same time, I made my way to my " designated area.". For the second session, we would have an oral where we would pick a topic just outside the door and go into a room that would be randomly allocated to us to avoid people cheating. In there, we would have a discussion with the examiner, and the examiner was authorized by all means to ask you questions of all level of difficulty they wished to. Well, that was what I was told anyway.

So I was sitting outside, in waiting area B when one lady came out crying. Her makeup was smeared all over her dress as though she used it to wipe off her tears. She kept hiccuping all the way from the door to when she passed us walking towards the exit. Then we heard, "Next." The woman who was next in line looked evidently shaken up by the scene we had just witnessed.

Sighing, I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples. I could not buckle now because this would only delay my plans.

" Scary, right?" Someone said suddenly sitting next to me. I rapidly opened my eyes, I looked over, and saw a lady sitting next to me. She had blonde hair and gorgeous blue eyes.

" Oh, I am sorry. I did not mean to startle you." She apologized

" I just saw you sitting over here and decided to talk for a bit since you know we are going to the same room." She continued.

" Oh, it's okay." I.said with a polite smile. I wanted some alone time before going in, but then I guess I would not have that. However, it did not stop me from trying, I kept quiet after saying this, hoping that she would stop trying to start a conversation with me. There was a long pause, and I mistakenly thought she had gotten the message, but I was wrong.

"Are you nervous?" She said again

" A bit." I said curtly. She waited a while to see if I would ask her that as well, but then when I didn't, she said,

" Oh, me too."

" I see." I said. This was getting awkward.

" Actually, being nervous is good. A wise man once said that being nervous shows how bad you want to fight for the thing you want." She started again.

I sighed internally, " Is that so? interesting philosophy, do you know the wise man you are referring to, Miss? I am sorry I did not catch your name?"

" Oh, how rude of me, I am Vanessa. You?"

" Ms Charlotte Carson." I said, she looked at me surprised but quickly hid it. I knew it. Something was wrong, she was acting suspicious and the fact that she used her first name without any title showed that she was not a young lady of a household because of the ladies in society usually used Miss to introduce themselves if they are not married, Ms if they did not want anyone to know about the marital status and Mrs if they were married. This is how it was, it was a part of the education system we go through from an early age. The only people who would address themselves directly using their names were servants. So why did she do it? And why was she shocked when I used my maiden name instead of Ryan's surname?

" Is something the matter?" I asked

" Oh, no."

" Then why did you get so shocked just now?" I probed.

" I-I... Did I act shocked? I am sorry, I didn't mean to." She said meekly.

Before I could respond, the applicant before me came out of the room, and so that meant that it was my turn.

" Next." a female voice shouted.

" Oh, she's also crying." Miss Vanessa said.

" Oh? I hadn't paid attention." I responded, I really did not pay attention the applicant because my nerves were getting to me now that it was my turn.

" Oh, never mind. Good luck, Charlotte Carson." Huh? did she just address me using my first name? sigh, I'll worry about this later.

"Mm, thank you. Bye." I said and walked away.

....

"Step forward and state your name, and surname, please." A female instructed as soon as I went into the room.

" Charlotte Carson." I said out of reflex.

" Alright, your topic is wild plants used to treat in our military." She said in a bored tone.

" Excuse me, But could you please be more specific." I said, what did she mean by that? There were many plants.

" What? If you don't know the answer, just say so. Why waste my time? This is a simple answer you should know which plants we use in our setting if you really want to work there." She said haughtily.

" Are you still not going to answer?" She asked

" I will stand by my previous request ma'am." I said.

" What's this?! A mere applicant dares to talk back at me?! Is this how they teach young women in society nowadays?! Unbelievable!" She shouted. She was so loud that I bet the whole center heard her.

I was right shortly after she shouted, someone came in rushing," Is everything alright, miss Xander?" a young man said as she peeked through the door.

" Is this how you train your people nowadays? She was very rude to me." She said pointing at me.

" Come, get rid of her, I won't examine such a person." She stated.

" Ah, Ms. Xander, your request is a bit..." The young man said with a conflicted look.

" Please reconsider ma'am." He said again.

" What? You are also not going to take me seriously? Why? Because I don't have authority in your kingdom? Is that it?"

" Of course not Ms Xander it's just that-"

" Then do what I tell you!" She shouted, and it made me wonder why she was picking trouble with me? Why would she go out of her way to chase me out?

" Ms-" The young man was cut off again by a knock on the door.

" Ah, excuse me." I heard a voice say, and it turned our to be miss Vanessa.

" What?" Ms Xander snapped.

" Ah, I wanted to return this. Charlotte Carson dropped it." She said, waving a folded paper in front of everyone. I had never since that, and she said that I dropped that?

" Give it here, applicants are not allowed to have papers with them for the second session." Ms. Xander said, and Miss Vanessa hurriedly gave it to her. She was a little to enthusiastic.

" Ha! You dare talk back at me, and yet you did something so shameful?! Honestly, women have no shame nowadays! You, take her out of my sight right now." She said as she pointed at the young man.

" Ms Xander..."

" Take her away now! She has cheat sheet right here, do you need anything else? Take this disgusting cheater put of my sight!" She exclaimed.

" A cheat sheet? I, Charlotte I didn't know it was...had I known I wouldn't have brought it." Miss Vanessa said softly.

" Why? Ypu would shield her? For what? She cheated so she was bound to get into trouble anyway. Get rid of her now." Ms Xander said

Ignoring Vanessa, I said, " How do you know that that paper belongs to me?" I knew it, something was wrong from the moment Ms Vanessa approached me. This was a complete setup