Windows on the World (OLD VERSION) [BEING REWRITTEN]

[⁹] ᵇⁱᵍ ʷᵒʳˡᵈ

"Try and stop me."

"If you do not, I'll see myself in the position of having to inform your mother."

Not knowing how to counter that, Phoebe stormed out with one last grunt of despair.

She knew very well what her next stop was going to be.

"You fucking bitch!" She shouted as soon as Kaylee was in sight in the yard. "What's your problem, huh? Are you really so bored that my life has to become some sort of pastime for you?!"

Kaylee pretended to be unfazed by the sudden rumpus, but Phoebe could tell she'd been caught off guard.

"Why don't you chill a little? People will start thinking that you're not only a prostitute, but a loony as well."

"I don't give a damn what any of these people think!" Phoebe scoffed after glancing at the irrelevant premises. "You've messed with something you shouldn't have."

"Oh, you mean your little 'deal' with that blond guy from the restaurant." That wasn't exactly what Phoebe was talking about. However, though she knew they were nothing more than assumptions on Kaylee's part, it irked her that those assumptions weren't far off. "Yeah, Chloe saw you getting into his car. It doesn't take a genius to put two and two together."

Apparently, Kaylee didn't think depriving Phoebe of her job was enough, she had to go out of her way to make sure she didn't receive any kind of help.

"I'm gonna-"

"You're gonna what? Hit me? Go ahead, dig your grave." The smugness on her face, the way her lip curled up... It definitely made Kaylee dangerously 'punchable'.

Phoebe gathered all her anger and threw it alongside the spit she directed at Kaylee's feet.

"Why are you so gross?!" Phoebe heard Kaylee say when she had already began to walk away.

It wasn't easy retreating with all those spectators watching her, probably trying to work out in their minds who they would rather stand by in the whole ordeal. Phoebe not only felt aggrieved, but so, so mortified. Not that she would let it show.

The thought of having to live with the scrutiny of others from then on, thinking that she had a 'sugar daddy' was excruciating. Because she did in fact have one, although that wouldn't be the first term she would choose to define Walter. But she could not really deny that part. However, insinuating that she was in any way 'returning the favor' was crossing the line.

With shaky hands for what was left of school, Phoebe thanked God that Mr. Cauldwell hadn't shown up for class that day, which allowed her to leave early. That was about as much as she could be thankful for. She didn't wait nor stayed back to say goodbye to her friends. She was like a horse with blinkers over her eyes. Only one clear path ahead of her, leading to the Trade Center.

Everyone in New York was always fast, but that afternoon no one was quicker than Phoebe as she crossed streets and passed block after block until reaching the Plaza. In her determination, she had not expected to run into Walter while he was on his way inside the tower. Phoebe ran up to him before she could lose him.

"Mr. Cooperman!"

"Phoebe?" Walter turned around so abruptly that it almost looked like he'd already began to turn long before hearing her voice. He observed how flushed her face was and how heavily she was breathing. Something was up. "Why are you in such a rush?"

"Everyone-" Phoebe tried to catch her breath. "Everyone's saying that I'm selling myself." She then lowered her voice. "That I have a 'sugar daddy'."

She was so upset as she told him this. It wasn't just her shortness of breath that was making it hard to talk. Those words held strong connotations-directed at her, nonetheless. Walter saw her pitiful shame while pronouncing them as clearly as day.