"Yesterday,
All my troubles seemed so far away,
Now it looks as though they are here to stay"
"Oh, I believe in Yesterday", I mumble the next words out. I stop dusting the cereal shelf as a sudden realization hits me. It's two in the afternoon, highly unlikely for any customer to drop by for a pack of Cheetos or bubblegum. This means that I can sing out loud! It has been some time since I have done that. It is such a stress buster and makes you feel younger even when you sing like a cow choking on a wailing crow. That, trust me, I do. So I take a quick scan of any conscious beings lingering around the shop that can potentially embarrass me to death if they catch me singing and add that to my insecurities.
This little grocery shop is located in such an area where there are houses but no people. Most of the house owners of this dead area of the town live abroad and, so most of the houses have been locked up for years. Some are rented for hosting parties over the weekend, mostly by college students who just want to get high at a place where they can't get caught at. It is not unsafe but I do see quarrels between sketchy men at times. Nonetheless, the streets are empty most of the times. Still, somehow the shop manages to gain enough profit because it is the last food supply shop on the road to the capital Nashville. The next one being an hour away. However, my salary has been the same since I joined a year back.
Wow, I am again thinking about the roads and houses of Smyrna. Only because I don't want to think about that hot college guy that dropped by last Saturday for some packets of chips but ended up taking my phone number as well. I start thinking in detail of things randomly like I did with Smyrna when I don't want to think of a particular thing over and over again. And to know if the thing that I want to ignore is actually something I like and is worth it, it will be in the back of my mind through every thought and even keep resurfacing over all thoughts from time to time. And it seems that that guy is almost there as yeah his eyes were pretty blue. Also, He sent me a good morning and a good night text yesterday. Cute. Are there any guys left like that anymore? Probably not. Although there is this one minor problem though. I don't remember his name. Well, I am sure he mentioned it, but I kind of was too distracted looking at his hair, brown curly hair, that I didn't catch it. He looks like a Cole or Reece or any of those college guy names like Travis or Levi. Well of course he must be in college after all, high school guys are lanky.
He had nice arms.........
Stop digressing Rose!
I saved his name as 'gummy bear', because he is so sweet.
Just stop it Rose!
Standing on my toe tips, I survey the street beyond the shop. As expected I don't see anyone anywhere. Still, I look closely using all of my non-existent observant skills to use and find a black dog, not too far away, casually taking a sniff off of his butt, thinking no one would notice the stinking deed.
Hah! I did!
Why are you like this, Rose, why?
I try looking for any cars far up the ends of the road but find none, so I shrug off any chances of the self-conceited dog bursting through the glass doors to disrupt my almost-Beyoncé performance and lean back on the shelf and play a dance track.
I stand up from my squatting position and sway myself back and forth as the music starts playing.
"How you gon' be talkin' shit?
You act like I got up in it
Been the number one Diva in this game for a minute
I know you read the paper – the one that they call me the queen
Every radio 'round the world know me 'cause that's where I be ......"
I finish my performance with the single ladies step, dancing and singing along with queen Beyoncé.
"What the hell is wrong with you? Shouldn't you be working your ass off for the job you were begging for? And not dance like an Oompa Loompa, when a customer can walk in anytime!" a voice shouts behind me.
I quickly turn back and see Diane leaning back against the shop doors with her arms crossed and a sharp glare fixed on me. Oompa Loompa?!
"It's none of your business", I reply to her taking off my earplugs and taking my place behind the counter.
"It is of my dad though! Where is he?" Diane says as she takes a packet of Doritos from the shelf of her dad's shop, whose money would be cut from my wages. Such a kind uncle I have!
"It is half yours dad's, actually even less than that." I retort back. "Who is not here, so I think you should go", I say trying to make her leave before she eats more of my brain or the Doritos.
"Oh, too bad, give me some money I have to meet Jeremy in the evening." She asks as if asking for a glass of water. Wait, not ask but demand for money. Such a witch!
"Why are you asking me for it? I don't have any!", I lie.
"Well, dad's not here and I know you keep all of yours in your jacket pocket." She says and pulls me or more like my jacket by the collar and slides her palm in a secret compartment behind my neck and snatches all of my money out. I sewed a little cloth below the brand tag to hide my money after she stole my purse last year.
I try fighting her but she has a lot more strength and pushes me back against a shelf making the rusted nail on the edge of the shelf dig into my flesh. I hiss in pain as I fall on the floor. It is definitely bleeding, not the first time though.
"Don't do that! It's my money, I earned it myself you loser!" I shout at her.
She ignores me and exclaims, "Wow, I knew you had a lot of money but this is a fortune! Well, 500 Dollars is a fortune for people like you", while quickly putting my money in her blouse.
It took me months to save that much money with a sister like her and uncle like her dad. And it's all gone in just a second! Diane and I have fought for years, she has taken away my earned money before but the sum has never been this much. I don't know what this is, but suddenly I am furious. Five years of living struggles and shit from this bitch and her bastard of a father has finally pushed me over the edge.
I am surely going crazy as I kick her shin hard under the counter, making her fall face first on the ground. She groans loudly and turns her head towards me. Her makeup is smudged, half of it rubbed on the dirty mat and she snarls at me. I get up faster than she can, and kick her butt in her process of standing up. She jerks forward due to the impact and stands up with the help of the door handle. She turns back ready to attack me but catches my ferocious expression and make a good decision. She runs away from the shop.
In the heat of running away she looks back from time to time to see if I am following her and breaks one of her shoe heels. She hobbles the rest of the way to her van and dashes away as soon as she sits inside it.
Oh my god. What the hell did I do? I beat up my sister!
I suddenly feel dizzy and steady myself with my palms on the counter. Oh god. She will tell uncle and...... Nooooo!!
He won't let me work or go to the college anymore, all my dreams will be over. I won't be able to save enough money to move out and get the hell away from them. Oh no!
And the punishments. They can lock me in for days without food or water. They can........ I gulp as I remember my initial years with them.
I should have taken my money back from her and ran away now but it isn't enough, I have some in between my clothes and for that I would have to return to their house, and well I am sure they won't let me out.
No matter what, I have no option left. I have to face whatever shit they throw at me, like I have done for years. I take deep breaths. It will be fine. I desperately hope so.
Hunger suddenly strikes me. I look at the time and see its 3 o'clock. It's been 9 hours since I last ate. That too just some cereals. I look at the half eaten Doritos packet Diane dropped behind. It's better to finish it, god knows when will I get food next and anyways I'll be paying for it. I Move forward to grab it when I almost step on something. My headphones. They must have fallen from the counter, when I kicked her butt. Despite the situation I brought myself in a laugh escapes me. I literally kicked her butt. Oh god! It was so worth it.
This calls for a celebration which is probably going to be my last solo dance party as I put the earphones on and take the chips. I instantly start relaxing as my favourite song by Beyoncé - formation, starts playing.
Though soon I finish the packet but I still feel hungry. So I grab something I brought from home. But when I take a little bite from my special veggie sandwich I notice something very off. Can you guess what? Bloody tomato ketchup! Pun bloody intended. It's not bloody enough!
I look here and there while slyly putting my hand behind the chocolates in the shelf. I take out the ketchup bottle. The one that was not delivered by the company last month and for which, my uncle had given the delivery boy an earful. My bad but tomato ketchup is never enough.
So as I silly dance to Beyoncé trying my best to forget about everything, I unscrew the cap of the red bottle and-
-squirt it all over that black dog , one that was on the street before, in surprise as it bursts through the glass doors and points a revolver at me.
Wait a minute, a REVOLVER!