Chapter 1
I get fired.
Rain fell from the skies, sttering loudly on the warm asphalt of the road. It mixed with the stench of burned rubber and garbage
stocked on either side of the alleyway. The alleyway is empty except for the lonely cat who had taken shelter inside a garbage can
under an upturned cardboard box. The cat’s glistening amber eyes stare at me, and I stare back, unwilling to get up from where I
cuts on my face, given how it fucking hurts when I try to move my mouth a little. The water flowing down the road is dangerously
close to rising to be leveled with my mouth.
Because I did not fancy taking a gulp of road-washed water, disregarding the pain in my body from the blossoming bruises, I shake
myself and get up.Each step I take toward the direction of the road hurts. The rain gets harder and harder as I trudge towards the
miserable building my studio apartment was situated in so I could change and get to my job.
I did not anticipate constant bullying being part of my university life when I moved to Empire city in order to attend King’s College
University. I had been so excited when I got the final eptance letter. King’s College was the most prestigious academic
organization in the country, and its eptance rates were very low. Their graduates were guaranteed to be much-sought experts in
their rtive fields, and being chosen was an honor.
I confess I was idyllically na?ve when it came to university. I thought all the students would be respectable
and good-mannered, polite and friendly.
How wrong had I been.
Kings’ College students were instead snobbish and arrogant, snotty and privileged. I’d rather eat rocks
than be friends with them given how much they tend to backstab each other for their own advantage. So,
rest assured, I did not gain many friends in my first year.
However, I gained many enemies. And Stone Jeffreys was the worst of them all.
He was a football yer, a star athlete, and an academically gifted student. And he was also a bully of
the worst kind who seemed to be especially targeting me.
And today was one of those days where I was caught in his rage.
Showering was torture, and I get dressed in clean, dry clothes in my apartment as fast as possible. My
whole body aches, but I can’t afford to call in sick.
I make my way to the café where I do a part-time job. My boss barks at me to get my ass to serve the
tables immediately before I can even say, “hello”. I exchange a short greeting with the floor supervisor
and my fellow waiters before donning the mandatory apron with the café logo, grabbing a pen and a
notepad, and making my way to the tables to start my job as a waiter.
I try to immerse myself in my job, but the pain is too much. Stone had made sure to target my ribs when
he punched me as two of his friends held me by the arms, and now breathing itself was difficult. As time
goes on, the ache in my side heightens to a point where I have to crouch when walking. I pray that no
one notices my difort.
“Hey, waiter,” One of thedies at a table calls me as I lean over a counter to take a breather, “I need a
refill. Hurry up.”
She taps her ss with her fork, getting some of the sauce on the ss as well as the table. Oh, great,
she’s one of the messy customers who get everything dirty. I am so not going to enjoy cleaning that one
up.
“Yes, ma’am,” Taking a ss jug of water, I make my way to the table.
Just as I’m only a step away from her, the pain in my side res up, blinding me for a moment. But that
moment is more than enough for me to lose my footing. My hand goes up, and a shriekes. Water
sshes on the woman who called me.
Oh, shit.
The woman begins to scream immediately as I apologize, but it’s toote. The manageres to see
what had happened. And just as he gets closer, the woman gets up and ps me hard across my face.
Fuck.
“This dress cost me ten thousand dors, you idiot!” She starts to scream, “Who is going to pay it back?!”
That dress is so not ten thousand dors, it was most likely thrifted.
“I’m so, so sorry, I did not mean to do it, I just slipped,” I try to apologize again, my face burning from
humiliation, but it’s not enough.
“What the hell did you do now, Jace?!” My manager gets in my face.
“I’m so sorry, sir, it was a mistake, I sincerely apologize…”
The manager’s eyes narrow on my face, “Is that a bruise on your cheek, Greyson?”
Oh, crap, there’s a bruise on my cheek? I didn’t know Stone got me there.
“Is this how you expect to work here, Jace?” The manager blows up on my, “Sporting bruises like some
criminal, being negligent and spilling water on our customers? What kind of a server are you? Do you
think we pay you toe and act like thugs?”
God, make it stop!
“No, sir,” I murmur, knowing that arguing with him is pointless.
“I demand to bepensated for my dress,” the woman deres, “Otherwise, I will sue this ce!”
She is clearly bluffing; nobody can sue a café over a mistake like mine. She was being ridiculous.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.
“We are so sorry, ma’am,” the manager apologizes again. “We willpensate your loss, of course. And
your meal is on the house.”
Then he turns back to me
“You’re fired.” He speaks. My eyes widen.
“But-“
“You’re fired! Get out of here, now! I’m docking your pay topensate for her dress. Now get out!”
***
And now I am jobless.
I scuttle back home, sorrow heavy in my mind. It wasn’t the best job, but it paid my bills. And now I have
to look for another.
As I get closer to the apartment, my phone rings. It’s a familiar number, and my heart skips a beat.
“It’s Jace,” I answer the phone, and a familiar voicees.
“Young master,” Gerald said, “I’ve been trying to contact you for ages.”
“Hello, Gerald. I was busy. How are you?”
“I am fine, master, but your father is asking for you. He misses you very much,” I scrunch my eyes shut.
It’s the same plea over and over again, “Pleasee back. It’s been a so long already. It is time.”
“I’m sorry, Gerald, but for thest time, no. I will note back to ndestine city, that part of my life is
over. I start the new school year tomorrow. Have a good night.”
With that, I end the call.
No matter what happens, I need to find a way.