Piercing Hatred | ✔️

1

~Flora's POV~

"You're late, Ms. Key. Again." My boss, a middle aged woman at about forty-something years old, said. I cringed as I stood in the doorway of the little store, awkwardly fiddling with my fingers. "Sorry, Cher." I apologized weakly, unsure what to say.

Cher scowled at me, not at all impressed with my less than satisfactory response, and crossed her arms over her chest. "This is your fourth time this month, and you know what I told you. I'm sorry, Flora, but you're fired." She said with a shake of her head, the words causing both my face and my heart to drop. "Fired?" I echoed in a squeak, panicked. I'd had this job for a little more than nine months now, and I simply couldn't afford to lose it. "Please, I need this job. I-I'll stay late!" I tried to beg, my fingers shaking anxiously.

However, she just gave me a pitying look and shook her head. "You've had months, Ms. Key, and I've let you off for being late more times than I can even remember. I like you, but liking you doesn't take away from the fact that you don't show up on time and haven't been for a while." She huffed. "So you should go, and make sure you take all your things when you do." She added, giving me one last glance before she turned and left, disappearing into the back room.

Deflated, I simply stood there for a moment, stunned at the fact that I had just lost my job. I knew that she had to, so I didn't blame her for firing me, but it still sucked all the same. This job was my only source of income, and I didn't even have enough money as of right now to pay my bills. I'd need to find a new job as soon as possible, considering my rent was due in two weeks.

A heavy sigh left my lips as I fixed my bag over my shoulder, wandering behind the counter to check that I hadn't left any of my things behind. I hesitantly left afterwards, biting on the inside of my cheek as I hopped into my tiny car and drove back to my apartment. The drive back home was quiet and tense, a frown on my face when I entered my apartment and kicked off my shoes by the front door. I locked the door behind me and walked into the living room, where I plopped onto the couch and began to search online for job offers. Finding a job was definitely something I needed to do sooner rather than later, much sooner.

I looked for a while, trying to find anything that paid as much as or preferably more than what I was paid before. Though it took a while, I submitted a few different job applications and wrung my fingers together after I had finished submitting them online, rising from the couch.

Now, all I had to do was wait.

**

Over the next few days or so, I got no phone calls, only emails back that my application had been denied. I was beginning to grow worried that I'd be unable to find a job, and that I'd be not only jobless but homeless if I didn't have a way to make money soon.

But finally, on the fifth day, I got a phone call.

I was watching TV when I got the call, the quiet spoken woman on the phone quickly running me through my position within Interstellar, which was the name of the clothing store I'd gotten the job at. I'd never personally shopped there before, but they were willing to pay me fourteen dollars an hour, so I didn't care. That was almost five dollars more than my previous workplace had paid me.

After the woman told me that I started work tomorrow morning and that I would be tasked with mainly keeping shelves stocked or working as a cashier when I needed to, she hung up the phone and I found myself smiling happily as I tossed my phone onto my bed. I had worked as a cashier before, so it wasn't unfamiliar, and stocking the shelves was pretty self explanatory. I found myself feeling excited, happy to have found a new job, especially one that paid so well. I could easily pay my bills and rent now, though I'd have to see about getting paid ahead of time so I could pay rent when it was due next week.

I'd never been this happy about getting a job, so much so that I found it difficult to fall asleep when I was laying in bed later that night. My shift was supposed to begin at eight AM, and I knew I needed to wake up early in order to be on time, but falling asleep seemed to be a feat.

Thankfully, after about an hour of tossing and turning, I managed to drift off to sleep within the comfort of my white blankets.