CHAPTER 17. JOB-HUNT
HARA
I shrieked as another thunderbolt tore through the clouds. It was heavier than the ones before it and it struck down a flower vase.
I took refuge in a newspaper vendor store and watched the owner of the flower vase in the next store weep for her loss. There were so many flower vases on display. And this was a small, market area, so there was no doubt what just broke was a huge loss.
She struggled to take them inside, and I would have helped if I was still cleared for such tedious work. My pregnancy had me tied in a knot.
I looked up at the cloud hopefully, but its gloominess killed whatever hope might have sprung up in me. There was no sign the rain would be ceasing anytime soon. So we were still at the mercy of these thunderbolts.
My raincoat was drenched from the many hours I spent in the rain. I've been out all morning, just like every other morning for the past week.
It's been a week since I quit working at the bar. I hadn't realized my rash decision would leave me jobless until I went job hunting and found none. I've tried so many bars, and restaurants and even considered being a janitor in an orphanage, a school, or a hospital. I didn't care. I just needed a job. Had to pay my bills. In my one week of being jobless, I used up all my savings, so right now I was broke, like literally broke. So I couldn't afford to be picky. I was going to settle for anything at all, as long as I was getting paid.
But nothing worked out. I was never even called for an interview or interrogated. For the many places I visited in my search for a job, they throw me out on seeing me. They don't even bother hearing me out. They just ask me to leave, that the job has already been taken by someone else.
And when I picked up newspapers and saw job advertisements, I'd call them up but the minute I say my name, they hang up on me. Just like that. It was like I'd been blacklisted or something. Because I couldn't explain the illogical rejections.
It got me depressed and I spend my nights crying my eyes out. So many thoughts ran through my mind as to why they were rejecting me. Sometimes, I feared they'd found out I wasn't a member of this pack and they didn't want to have anything to do with me. Or, they could see right through me and had caught on to the fact that I was pregnant, and they didn't want to hire a pregnant lady.
Or maybe someone pulled a few strings to keep me unemployed forever. So many unruly thoughts ran through my mind and I wept for the future of me and my unborn child.
After the endless tears last night, I was out here again today. It was already noon, even though the sun wasn't out. I've been going in and out of these stores, inquiring if anyone needed a helper. But these were small stores, they made little earnings for themselves. They couldn't afford to pay for an extra hand. But still, it was worth a try.
”You need a newspaper?” The old man in the store asked. I was startled out of my thoughts and I turned to him. He was dressed in clothes that could pass for rags.
I didn't know what to say. I'd run in here for shelter. Not to pick up another newspaper. But what if I don't buy and he kicks me out into the rain? I sighed and took out the last money in my pocket.
“Yes, Here,“ I gave him the money and he happily took it from me and handed me a newspaper.
I couldn't bring myself to open the newspaper. I didn't want to see another job advertisement and get tempted to call them up, only to get rejected afterward.
“You should read it. Who knows, you might find something that interests you,“ The old man spoke up again.
I nodded with a forced smile, “O-Okay,“
Reluctantly, I opened it. I was flicking through it and nothing was fascinating about it. Just updates on the continuous rainfall, and how it might bring about a typhoon. I hoped not, because that would be a great disaster.
I was reaching the last pages when I saw a picture of him. I stopped flipping the pages and couldn't help but stare at him – The Alpha-prince.
His visit a week ago had left me thoroughly confused. His cryptic questions about my mate left me with so many nightmares of Roland and him. My nightmares have always had just Roland in them, where he'd be chasing me, and when I'm finally in his grip, he fucks me so hard. Just like in the past.
But now, in my nightmares, he comes to save me from Roland's torture. It was the craziest nightmare anyone could have, but it kept reoccurring.
And it made me think of him a lot, almost every time. I couldn't explain my nightmares, or why I was having endless thoughts of him. And seeing his picture now sent my heart racing. Dear Goddess, what's happening to me?
”Do you play golf?“ A voice asked and I quickly looked up. It was Cy. Covered in a raincoat. “Or do you have a huge crush on that CEO?“
Huh? I didn't understand anything he said. And where the heck did he appear from? I haven't spoken to him since my last day at the bar. How did he know where I was?
”You've been staring at that page. Surely, something, or should I say, someone in it left you intrigued…“ He said.
I looked down on the page and for the first time read its headlines. It was a golf meeting between the Alpha-prince and a certain human CEO. I hadn't even noticed there was someone else standing by his side in the photo.
“Nah, not really. I was just reading through it,“ I lied. Quickly, I closed the newspaper and held it in a wrap. “What are you doing here?“
“I came to see you.“ He replied and looked around the small store. “You work here?“
“No. I'm just taking a little break from the rain.“
“Oh, okay. So how's it been going with you?“
“Bad,“ I puffed. ”I'm jobless and broke. I think I've been jinxed,“
“What?“ He laughed. “That's crazy.“
“No, I'm serious. No one would hire me. They wouldn't even let me stick around long enough to be interviewed. I think someone blacklisted me,“
“Why would anyone do that to you?“
“I'm yet to figure that out myself. But I'm tired. The frustration is killing me,“
“Then let go of your ego and come work in the bar again. We're yet to find a replacement so your position is still vacant,“
I froze at his words. Returning to that bar meant seeing the Alpha-prince again. My heart kickstarted at the thought of seeing him again. A part of me dreaded seeing him again. I was scared of him, for so many good reasons. But surprisingly, another part of me was aching to see him again. It felt like I needed to see him to feel alive. I was hungry for that spark that always went off in me when he was close to me. Geez, what's going on with me? I think I've lost my mind.
“Hey, Suzy,“ Cy. flicked his fingers in my face. “Are you even listening?“
“Huh? Yes…yes…I – uh –I heard you, but no. Thanks. I'd rather not come back,“ My words came out in a ramble and I dashed into the rain, heading home in quick steps.
Maybe the rain would help rid me of the crazy thoughts I was having. I didn't understand them, they made no sense. I mean, why would I be longing to see him again when I'd literally kicked him out the day he visited? What is this? What's wrong with me?
“Why not? Your job needs you. The bar needs you. You can't keep doing this to yourself when you have a job…“
“I don't want to work in a bar that has Shilah and that old perv in it. I can't stand those two anymore,“ I said. It was the perfect excuse I could come up with.
“Shilah and Mr. Macdonald don't work there anymore,“
“What?“ I stopped in my tracks and turned to him.
“Yeah, His majesty fired them, after beating Mr. Macdonald up and leaving him crippled.“
My eyes shone in shock. “What happened?“
“I don't know the gist. But that's how it ended. So you don't have to worry about them being a nuisance. They're long gone.“
I resumed walking but slower this time. Why would the Alpha-prince beat up that perv? Did something happen between them? I couldn't say this had anything to do with me, but his actions keep leaving me very confused.
I got home and Cy. followed me inside. My room had just my bed and a couch, and he perched his butt on the couch.
“Coffee?“
“I'm not having anything here,“ He stated matter-of-factly. “Not until you accept my offer. Please, Suzy. Think about it. You need your job back,“
”I know,“ I finally admitted, slumping on my bed. I do need my job. But what happens if the Alpha-prince comes after me again? I don't want to be more confused than I already am. I don't need him around, disrupting my inner peace.
“Is there another reason why you don't wanna come back?“ he asked. “You can tell me,“
He was anticipating me to say something, but I couldn't bring myself to say anything. How do I tell him the weird stuff the Alpha-prince did to me? He wouldn't believe it. He'll think I'm crazy, and just making up stuff. He might ask for more explanation and I wouldn't be able to give it. Because I had no explanation for the Alpha-prince's actions either, or why his wolf had howled out the word 'MATE' to me.
“Suzy…“
“No reason, Cy. I just think it wouldn't be right jumping right back on a job I'd walked out on.“
“No one will judge you for it. Or for anything at all. It's your position. It'll always be.“
I nodded, feeling oddly convinced. Cy. does have a way of convincing people. And right now, my resolve was broken.
”Can I get the coffee now?“
”Sure. You know just how I like it,“ He grinned, relaxing now on the couch.
I went into the kitchen to prepare the coffee. But I thought I had something fallen and I hurried back to the room.
He didn't hear me get back inside as he was on the phone with someone.
”Please tell him I just did what he asked. She'll be back to work in the bar.“ Cy. said to whoever it was on the other line.
I disappeared back into the kitchen, wondering who he was talking to on the phone. And now more than ever, I wondered how he found me in the newspaper store. How the heck did he know where I was?