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You're not exactly sure what answers she wants to hear. You could always use your tried and true tactic for these kinds of situations: Bootlicking! You'll just say whatever she WANTS to hear! That'll work!
No, wait, she said to answer truthfully. Maybe it's as simple as that.
She's giving you a weird look. You're staring at her like an absolute dolt. SAY SOMETHING!
"The answer to your first question? I don't really have any strong feelings about them."
She pauses halfway through writing down your response. She subtly leans forward to get a better look at you. She's oddly interested in your answer. "How come?"
"I just don't. I've worked with various companies over my life. Some better, some worse, some in the middle." A dull pain crawls up your back. God, this chair is killing you.
"I've only worked with ARC for a week. That's just not enough time to have a well-informed opinion on them. I may have my reservations on how I got here, but." You shrug. "That's that; this is this."
"Interesting." Ms. White scribbles down your response on her neat little clipboard. "Now, for my second question, your answer is...?"
"Well. I've met some acquaintances that I work with."
"Is Edward one of them?"
You briefly glance behind you. Edward is as stiff as a statue right now; he clearly doesn't want to be here. Yet, he's willing to endure it to keep an eye on you. To guard you from <span class="mu-i">her.</span>
"Yeah. He's a good guy. He has helped me a lot today."
Edward breathes out a sigh of relief.
"He's not the only one. I usually get two acquaintances to help me out during my shifts. There's always so much to do, you know?"
"Mmh." Ms. White curtly nods. "What would you say your relationship with your acquaintances is like?"
You don't want to make it sound like you're neglecting your duties. You think on it for a moment before answering.
"It's a mutual arrangement. I scratch their back, they scratch mine. I pay them; they help me. I help them off the clock, and they're more motivated to help me during my shift."
"I can't do everything by myself, right? It's only natural to get people to help me out, right?"
Ms. White doesn't bother to respond. She silently focuses on recording your answer on your clipboard.
<span class="mu-i">Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.</span>
This protracted silence might've gotten under the skin of weaker researchers, but you? You're a well-seasoned wageslave. You're used to long, awkward interviews like this. You had to endure something like this to get hired for your last job.
It's a psychological tactic. They want to see you squirm, for you to show weakness, to break.
<span class="mu-i">Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.</span>
Now the chair? That's one cruel trick. Her plush office chair looks far more comfortable to sit in. A throne compared to this rusted hunk of metal you're stuck on. A reminder of how vast the difference between your ranks are.
<span class="mu-i">Tick.</span>
"Alright." She dryly responds. She finishes recording your second answer. "Duly noted, Vincent."
