chapter one
-x-
jerome ;
It's the typical dingy day in London. The streets are full of people, and the people never stop talking. It's hard to push through them, and I know I'm going to end up late to work again.
The bakery is a few blocks away, and my head turns to examine my watch. It's already 10:18 a.m., so I am currently 18 minutes late. Muttering a few unpleasant words under my breath, I try to get through the crowd of people.
It's interesting, though, the variety of people that you'll see. There's a lady with a big hat walking her dog. There's an emo kid with a frown on his pierced lips. There's a tourist taking a picture of every single shop on the road. There's that typical businessman with a sour look on his face.
You'll find any type of person in London. And that's what I love about the place. Well, that's probably the only thing I love about the place. The weather is awful and there are so many people holding a video camera in front of their face while they talk to themselves.
I finally enter the bakery after what seems like forever and give a sheepish grin to the woman behind the counter with an angry look on her face. "Hey, Maria." My voice is uneasy and her scowl deepens.
"20 minutes, Jerome. Twenty freaking minutes! Have you a clue how busy this place gets?"
I glance around, but I see no people in the building. "No," I answer honestly, but I know Maria is going to take it with attitude.
"Get out of my bakery, Jerome," she demands through gritted teeth, her face bright red.
"But I'm here to work, ma'am."
"I don't care! You haven't been here to work on time in the past week!"
"As I said before, I'm here now. Miss, you don't have that many other employees, I might point out."
"You might but you're incorrect. I had 8 people apply for the new opening."
"But there isn't a new opening. You only let 10 people work here."
"Well, now only 9 work here." She handed me a pink slip with a smirk on her face. "If you didn't get the memo a few sentences ago, you're fired."
My jaw dropped. I didn't get the memo, but I desperately needed this job. "N-no, ma'am, you don't understand. I--"
"I understand that you have the inability to show up for your job on time."
"But I need this job! I'm already three weeks behind on my rent, I'm gonna get kicked out and I needed the next payday!"
"I'm terribly sorry about your troubles, but by you not showing up on time you're going to stick me in the same situation. Make this easier for both of us and just leave."
I opened my mouth to say something but I jammed it shut in anger and spun around on my heel to storm out. I pushed open the door forcefully and slammed it shut. And then, just with my luck, it started to pour thick, cold rain.
-x-
I pulled open the door of my flat and immediately started to strip of my soaking wet clothing. I ran for ten straight minutes in the pouring rain to get to my house. And what made it worse is that it seemed like everybody in London had an umbrella.
I could've called for a taxi, but I don't have the money to pay for it. And I most certainly am not going to get in money soon.
My black boxers, which somehow were wet too, was the only thing that I was wearing at the moment. I gave a sigh, picking up my wet clothes and bringing them over to the basket. I'd go to the laundromat when the rain cleared up.
