CHAPTER TWO; A NEW JOB, A NEW CHAPTER

It's been a week since [ Y / N ], Bianca, Naomi, and Lakeshia came back from their trip. The girls quickly fell back into their usual routine. They've been working hard to make up the money they had spend on their vacation. Well, 3 of them have. But not [ Y / N ].

[ Y / N ] was constantly looking for a job. She was checking all the sites for unemployed people, trying to find something for her. At first, she was just scrolling, not paying attention to jobs that seemed uninteresting. She definitely didn't want to work in any bars or cafes anymore. The girl had numerous experiences with being a waitress or a barmaid and simply knew it wasn't for her. After not finding anything, she became desperate. She's been spending hours behind her laptop searching for the right thing for her. She was trying to find a full-time job, but since it was summer there weren't many permanent offers. The one's that she found were or too far away from her flat, specifically on the other side of a city, or had a small pay, or weren't stable. The girl could have taken them of course, but she wished for a normal job. The idea of switching them constantly wasn't the most pleasing. [ Y / N ] needed something to do full time and that was a final.

Her best friends noticed how determined she was. They offered her help, by asking their colleagues and looking for potential works for her. They knew that [ Y / N ] would gladly accept everything.

The girl felt guilty and weak for not coping with her problem herself. Adding the fact that her friends were paying for their home, basic supplies such as food and hygiene products made her feel even worse. She wanted to take these responsibilities from their shoulders as soon as possible. To feel less useless and unfair she'd clean up the house, write shopping lists, make meals, and little snacks here and there for them. Her flat-mates noticed the sudden change in her behavior instantly. They assured her that it's fine and that she'll find something soon, but all of the words went to nothing. After a few days, they stopped saying anything.

The most helpful for [ Y / N ] happened to be Naomi since she worked from home. The young girl made money by doing commissions, some animations for YouTubers, mostly storytime, and painting. She adored art in every form. She's been drawing since she was a kid. It started with scribbles and now she could draw the most realistic portraits [ Y / N ] has ever seen.

Naomi was born in Japan but moved with her parents when she turned 17 years old. They opened a restaurant shortly after. At first, it was a small business that wasn't giving them enough money. To help her parents, the girl tried to sell her artwork to others, who were willing to buy it. She was also creating handmade jewelry and accessories. One day a very kind girl stopped next to Naomi's tiny stall and started chatting with her. With her trustworthy personality and the gift of persuasion she quickly learned about Japanese girl's problems. She bought most of Naomi's work and ordered a few accessories for her and her friend. That's how she met Bianca. When she finished her client's requests she called her saying that she's done and it can be picked up. Bianca came the very next day with her best friend - [ Y / N ]. Since the duo shared everything with themselves it wasn't a surprise that [ Y / N ] knew the whole story. They paid for the stuff Naomi made and promised to help her and her parents.

Since Bianca was known in her school and had her acquaintances with her friend's buddies. [ Y / N ] thought that her friend could use her popularity to share with others how she's been loving this small, new, Japanese restaurant that opened not so long ago. All 3 of them agreed on the idea and shortly after Naomi's parents started to get recognized. The married couple was awesome at cooking so quickly they got more and more clients. They were receiving well-deserved money.

From the moment [ Y / N ] met Naomi she knew she wants to get to know her better. It surprised her how cheerful she was even if her situation certainly, was not the best. She thought positively about the future. The way she spoke about art as a very precious thing was fascinating. It was comforting her, so that's why she turned to it when her situation dropped to a low point. But she never stopped smiling. Naomi had a lovely smile and a fantastic laugh that could bring joy to others. She liked doing something that would make her friends smile. But she had trouble memorizing things. It's been 4 years of their friendship and [ Y / N ] was aware that if you tell her to do something and do not remind her soon after she'll simply forget it. To prevent these situations from happening in her work, she's been putting colorful, sticky notes all over her room. Every color had its representation as a date. For example, the orange ones meant that the deadline is coming and she should finish her task soon. Back in her high school days, it was a huge deal for her to learn and remember the material for an exam. Not to mention her parents, were strict and wanted her to good at math and mostly on science subjects. Naomi always chose her way and instead of focusing on becoming a doctor or an engineer she decided to go to an Art College. She's been doing wonderfully at it, receiving high points for her work.

When Naomi heard that [ Y / N ] needs help in finding herself a job she immediately offered her help. Every often when she had a little free time she would sit with a desperate girl and look at the work offers.

"I will never find anything!" - [ Y / N ] wined looking at the fourth page, scrolling through jobs.

"Come on, with this type of thinking you definitely won't." - Naomi's head rested on the girl's shoulder, her eyes scanning whatever popped on the laptop's screen. Suddenly she picked her head up and pointed a finger at the screen.

"What about this one?"

[ Y / N ] looked at the job proposition. The person that posted it was looking for a librarian.

Librarian? That's new.

But as she looked lower at the description, she quickly got disappointed and skipped it.

"Hey! What are you doing? What's wrong with it?"

"They're looking for someone who will take the official librarian place temporary since they're on holiday and the library needs someone to fill the spot."

"So? What's wrong with a temporary job?" - the Japanese girl turned her head a bit more in her direction, a questioning look on her face.

"It's wrong because it's temporary. I want a full-time job. I don't want to look for new jobs over and over." - the girl explained.

"Oh yeah. I forgot" - [ Y / N ] smiled a little, then sighed and put her laptop away.

"It's pointless." - she mumbled while rubbing her eyes. - "Why are jobs these days so hard to find?"

Naomi picked her head from her shoulder again. There was a silence for a moment before the Japanese girl spoke:

"If it's so hard to find, why did you drop the last one?"

[ Y / N ] thought about her last job. She didn't like to go back to these memories but in this situation, she had to.

Previously [ Y / N ] had been working as a housemaid, before she dropped it. It all started when she was kicked out of being a nanny. Bianca, who's been working as a maid for years, suggested that maybe [ Y / N ] should become one too. She helped her find a free offer and [ Y / N ] being unemployed accepted it right away.

She worked for a man in his 70's. For most of his life, he was with his wife, but she died after battling cancer for a long time. He was living alone in his enormous house and got delighted when he learned that [ Y / N ] will keep him company.

At first, everything was fine. The girl worked there on Saturdays and Sundays from one to five o'clock. The house was large, so if she hasn't completed the work on Saturday she'd finish it on Sunday. However, if she dealt with cleaning fast enough she could leave early and have a day off. That's what she's been doing. Till one day.

[ Y / N ] exactly remembered this day. It was Sunday. She arrived at the man's house as usual and opened the door. He's never closed it. For the girl, it seemed weird since she was aware that many bastards would like to rob him.

"Mr. Ashton, I'm here!" - she raised her voice slightly as soon as she stepped into his poverty.

She didn't get any answer but brushed it off quickly knowing that he probably hasn't heard her. She started doing her regular work. She'd clean the ground floor first. She had expected Mr. Ashton to come down to her like he always did and chat with her about everything that came to his mind while preparing himself a second breakfast. But that didn't happen. [ Y / N ] realized that something's wrong and went on the first floor to his room's door. She knocked and patiently waited for permission to enter. That did not happen either. She knocked again and again.

Maybe he's sleeping?

[ Y / N ] sighed before she grabbed the door handle.

"Mr. Ashton, I'm coming in"

So she did.

Mr. Ashton was a lawyer and had his own agency. He was great at his job and to no one's surprise, he had lots of money. The man married a woman that was a teacher at some university. Mrs. Ashton was a wonderful woman. She had a lovely charm. The woman enjoyed giving lectures, explaining complicated stuff, and telling stories. The students liked her, the other teachers liked her and so did Mr. Ashton. They both valued intelligence and thought about each other as soulmates. After their wedding, the fresh couple bought a house and styled it with antics, paintings, and heavily decorated porcelain. The two had 3 children. After they had raised them, the married couple has been living peacefully and happily in their large house.

It all changed when Mrs. Ashton was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was bravely fighting but lost her battle 3 years ago. After her death, Mr. Ashton was left alone to live in, his now, big house. But [ Y / N ] wasn't aware of any of this information. Yet.

When [ Y / N ] entered his room she expected to find him sleeping on his bed. But she didn't. Everything was settled perfectly, exactly how she left it. The man's room had paintings' replicas on cream-colored walls, but who knows, with all the money he had maybe they were originals. There were many books on the shelves and cabinets with glass doors, so you could see the porcelain plates and cups. On the wooden floor, there was a red carpet with golden sewing threads. In front of her was a big window with a view of the garden. It always was well-kept, because the man had a gardener that made sure the bushes and flowers looked nice every summer. [ Y / N ] met him a few times. She's never asked for his name but the gardener was always polite to the girl, telling her good morning and taking his hat off while greeting her. This room could have belonged to a king. But it didn't. It was owned by an aged, elegant, smart man that [ Y / N ] couldn't find there. However, there was a door and behind it, happened to be a room that the girl has never been in.

Maybe he's right there? she thought before knocking on the door 3 times.

Nothing. There was no response. [ Y / N ] saw that the door lightly opened which meant that they weren't closed. She called Mr. Ashton's name once more before she entered the room.

She founded herself in his office, the place he had been working before he retired. The room was like a small library. On the wall to her right, there was a small library with books, but also newspapers. On her left, there were binders filled with papers. They had surnames written on them. Probably his client's. In front of her was a desk with detailed wooden legs. On it, there was a big bottle of the unknown for [ Y / N ] liquor, and next to it, Mr. Ashton's limp body.

"Mr. Ashton!" - the girl screamed and ran to him.

[ Y / N ] tried to move his body up to make it resit on the chair. She leaned over his mouth and nose to check if he was breathing.

Please don't be dead! Oh please don't be dead... she thought desperately, her eyes tearing up from fear. Drinking a whole bottle for a man in his 70's was like drinking poison.

Then she felt a light breath on her cheek. It stank of alcohol.

Thank God he's not fucking dead!

[ Y / N ] didn't have time to think. The girl ran to the bathroom and searched for a bucket. She found it under the sink and filled it with cold water. She ran back to the room as fast as it was possible. [ Y / N ] stood in front of a man ready to splash him, but she hesitated.

What if he'll die from a shock? He's drunk as hell and if I...Nah, fuck it!

She poured the water on him. There were a few seconds of pure silence. She felt her heart pounding in her chest furiously.

Oh no...Oh fuck! I killed him! No, no, no, NO! The girl wanted to scream in terror before she heard a loud gasp.

The man opened his eyes in shock and started to cough rapidly. She gave him a bucket and he began to throw up in it.

[ Y / N ] felt all of her energy escaping her body. She took 4 steps back and slowly sat on the ground, her breathing erratic. She hid face in her hands. She didn't realize until then, that her cheeks were wet from her tears this entire time. She wiped them off and gave herself time to calm down.

It's okay...It's fine. He's alive...You haven't killed anyone.

The girl raised her head to see Mr. Ashton being as powerless as her. The man looked at [ Y / N ], his savior. They made eye contact with each other. There was a silence between but then, the man spoke with a weak voice:

"I can...I can give you an explanation. Just...in a moment."

She stayed silent for a while, before opening her mouth and replying.

"I'll gladly hear it."

___________________________________

[ Y / N ]  gave a man a glass of water before settling down on a chair, opposite to him. He drank it all without hesitation. He placed it back on a table and looked at the girl. [ Y / N ] was mad, oh yes extremely mad. Her eyebrows were furrowed and her face was clenched. The girl's eyes were like two bolts, ready to fire at him any time. She cleared her throat before speaking.

"I'm ready for your explanation Mr. Ashton." - the man sighed and rubbed his eyes.

"Before I say anything I'd like to apologize to you, [ Y / N ]. You are the last person who should have seen me in that condition. I'm aware that seeing me drunk, on my desk must have been traumatizing. I'm deeply sorry to you and you're psyche."

The girl stayed silent before she bringing her first down to the table and raising her voice.

"That's all? So I'm not getting any "thank you" after saving mister's life?" - the anger was spilling through her. Mr. Ashton sighed again.

"I can't."

"What do you mean you can't? You're not able to be thankful for having your life saved?!" - [ Y / N ] couldn't believe it. He almost made her pass out too, but he wasn't able to bring himself to say a few simple words?

"As I promised I'll explain everything to you, however, it will take some time. You're not in a rush, do you?

"No, I'm not. I'll listen to everything you have to say."

"Good. So let's start from the beginning." - the old man cleared his throat and proceeded to tell the story of his life. - "When I was 27 years old, I started my lawyer agency. I was already known as a good lawyer, so for obvious reasons, I had many clients. One of them happened to be my future wife." - Mr. Ashton smiled at the memory. - "She needed my help, because of her family's depth. They had taken a loan and couldn't pay it off. The people that gave them the money were known for their manipulation. It wasn't the first case. I decided that I will take this matter. It was one of the most intense trials I've ever had in my life. It was tough but I managed to win it. The success gave me even more popularity. It wasn't only my victory, it was theirs too. After that case, I was still keeping in contact with the family. Especially with their daughter. My dear wife. She was a walking angel. Always so kind, caring, helpful. Always so understanding, thoughtful, and respectful. She had no flaws. Everyone adored her." - he paused there, clearly thinking about something. Soon he continued. - "And her beauty. For me, it was never about her physical presence. It was all about her soul. The day we got married was the happiest day of my life. I remember every detail. She wore a modest, white dress and long veil. Her blonde hair was up in a bun and she was holding a bucket of yellow roses. I wish you could see her." - Mr. Ashton glared at [ Y / N ], but shifted his eyes quickly. - "We bought this house soon after. See I was one of the best lawyers in Toronto at that time and after the won matter her family got a huge amount of money. That's the reason we could afford all of this. My wife loved styling our house. She knew what to put together to make it look fabulous. A year after we settled here she got pregnant with our first son, Michael. Two years after we got Alice and David. They were lovely kids. But unfortunately [ Y / N ] we made one terrible mistake in raising them." - he signed deeply and sadly. - "Do you know what we did?"

[ Y / N ] didn't know. She shooked her head slowly from left to right, to left. The man continued his speech.

"We spoiled them too much. They've always gotten what they craved. One day I realized that it was wrong and told my wife about it. And since we've been married it was our first serious fight. Here is the dilemma. We both grew up in poor families. Never having any money and going to sleep with an empty stomach was ordinary for us. Every parent wants the best for their kids. We didn't want them to live a life that we had. That's why we spoiled them. At that point, it's gotten too much. After I realized that they've never been grateful for what they had I immediately shared this information with my wife telling her that we have to stop doing this to them. I've never seen her so angry like that day. Hah, I still remember her saying "Edward, how can you insult our kids like that?! Don't you remember our childhoods? How miserable they were! Do you want them to go through the same? We're privileged to live with this amount of money! Let them have some of it!" and so on." - Mr. Ashton paused again, however, this time for a longer. He nervously licked his lips and proceed to speak again. But his voice was different, quieter. - "She couldn't say no to them. She's never could say no to anyone. She was too good for this world. But I wasn't like my wife. I started to limit my generosity to my kids. All three of them were gifted with incredible intelligence. A blessing and a curse. They became aware that their father not so easy to manipulate anymore and distanced themselves from me. But I was too sure of myself to notice that. They grew in the assurance that I hate them since I wasn't allowing them for as much as before. But they could still control their mother. My kids got older believing that my wife is a TPTG, which means The Person That Gives. They loved and worshiped her because she gave them what they wanted. When they were moving to America I haven't gotten a single goodbye. After they left, me and my wife could at least live a peaceful life." At that point, his voice became a whisper. [ Y / N ] saw how it costed him to talk. How he was slowly breaking inside, damaging himself with his own words. - "It was all ruined when she got diagnosed with breast cancer. Oh, she was so brave. Never giving up. Always motivated to wake up every day. Only once she had a breakdown. It was after she started taking chemo and most of her hair fell out. She stood in front of a mirror and cried. She cried long after I comforted her. Yes, she had pretty, long, golden hair, but for me, she was still a gorgeous, glorious, stunning, and wonderful woman I've ever laid my eyes on. She was perfect. From the day she was born to the day she died. Always." - Mr. Ashton finished his words and rested his face in his palms. He was rubbing his face like he was trying to clear all those memorize. There were sweet but also extremely painful.

[ Y / N ] couldn't bring herself to say anything. She was sitting there wiping off tears that trickled down her cheeks. She felt so tired just by listening to that man's tragedy. For the first time, she saw his face as the face of an exhausted, weak, destroyed by life human that doesn't see the point anymore. He was one, alone in his enormous house, filled with things that constantly remained him of his beloved wife, hated by his children that haven't grown to understand their pride and selfishness. Now she understood why he always left his door open. He didn't have enough courage to end himself so he waited for someone who would do it for him.

"I'm so, so sorry Mr. Ashton. There are no words that can describe my grief for your loss." - the man glared at her with empty, soulless eyes.

"At least now you understand why I can't bring myself to say thank you. It was a heroic act, but I can't be grateful for it. You know that I'd much likely never wake up again."

"Yes, I understand you, Mr. Ashton. I understand you completely."

The two sat there quietly for some time before the girl broke the silence.

"Have you ever tried going to therapy, Mr. Ashton?" - the man nodded.

"Yes, of course, I tried. But it always ended up on me getting drunk again. I've gotten many pills from many psychiatrists, but they are too weak for my fucked up brain."

It was the first time [ Y / N ] has ever heard him cuss, but she didn't pay attention to it. Only later at night when she was reliving the whole day in her head realized that pointless fact.

"But maybe, somewhere there, are stronger pills than the ones Mister had already taken. There has to be another way!" - the girl explained desperately, her voice shaking. To her surprise, Mr. Ashton smiled.

"You have a kind heart [ Y / N ], but unfortunately you can't help me. The problem isn't in pills' intensity. The problem is in me. I didn't want the therapy. I went there because society forces us, suicidal people, to change. We are bombarded with slogans and inspiring mottos that after therapy your whole life will change. But we all know that if you don't want to change, your life won't become better. And that's our motto." - after a moment, the man added - "You're a great human [ Y / N ]. For a while, you were my only reason to get out of bed on Saturdays and Sundays."

[ Y / N ] was fully crying and gasping for a shattered breath. As much as she wanted she couldn't keep herself together, in front of that man. She just couldn't. However, a question came to her mind. She wiped her tears away and said:

"Can I ask you a question, Mr. Ashton?"

"You just did, but yes, go with it."

"What was your wife's name?" The man's eyes softened.

"Lilith. Her name was Lilith."

"That's an extraordinary name. A very unheard-of one, may I add." - the girl smiled genuinely.

"Well, if you think about it, she was a one for billions. You'll never meet anyone like her."

Mr. Ashton looked at the silver clock that hanged on a kitchen wall. It was almost five. He moved his eyes to the girl.

"I think you should get going. It'd be bad for you if you stated any longer in this building." - the man announced simply, getting up from his chair.

The girl also got up and opened her purse, searching for a mirror. She quickly fixed herself and raised her head to see Mr. Ashton standing.

"I'll give you advice from an old prick to a young human. If you ever going to have kids [ Y / N ], make sure you don't raise ungrateful brats." - and with that being said he left a kitchen.

When [ Y / N ] entered her flat that day she was completely helpless. She had absolutely no energy to even say hello to her housemates. Bianca noticed that and was unable to hold her laugh.

"Tiring day, huh?"

There was a silence between them before [ Y / N ] gave her an answer.

"Yea, you can describe it like that."

[ Y / N ] got a phone call next week after that whole situation had happened. The man on the phone happened to be Mr. Ashton's oldest son, Micheal Ashton. He announced his father's death. He explained how he's found a letter saying to contact his maid, [ Y / N ], and...give her some of his money.

When [ Y / N ] was picking them up, packed in a black suitcase the only emotion she felt was guilt. Micheal Ashton didn't greet her, just straight up asked if she is [ Y / N ] [ Y / L / N ] and when she confirmed, he handed her a suitcase and told her to leave his poverty.

'I'm sure Mr. Ashton hasn't given him his house. But his son will act like he had.' She thought to herself while going back home. 'What a fucking brat!'

Thanks to the money she had gotten, [ Y / N ] was able to afford her trip to Croatia. She didn't want to admit it but deep down she wasn't regretting spending that money on vacation. Mr. Ashton gave it to her and she was extremely grateful for the gift, no matter what was the real purpose.

The girl realized that she hasn't said anything in a long time. She looked at Naomi that was still patiently waiting for her answer. [ Y / N ] cleared her throat.

"The man that I worked for was super weird. It made me uncomfortable to go there after some time. So I dropped it."

I'm sorry Mr. Ashton, but I'm not ready to tell her the truth she thought bitterly to herself.

Naomi nodded before she sighed.

"You and your luck...You've always had numerous, strange experiences with men...Maybe you could use it somehow."

"What do you mean?" - she asked curiously.

"Have you ever considered becoming a stripper?"

The girl laughed dramatically. Her humor changed from awful to a good one for the first time in days.

"Hey, don't laugh at me! It is a normal job, a well-paid one too!"

"I know...hah, I know." - she wiped her small tears of laughter. It would be a big lie if she said that she's never considered it. But she always brushed that thought off before she got into it more. - "I just don't think I'd be a good one."

"Why? Oh, no I don't want to hear shit like "I'm too ugly". Looks don't matter [ Y / N ]. It's all about confidence." - Naomi explained enthusiastically. The girl thought about it for a moment, before shaking her head for a no.

"I think that I've got a lack of it." - she answered.

"But they make a bank!" - the Japanese girl kept her side.

"Oh, I'm aware of it. They deserve it all, by the way."

For the rest of that day, the two chatted about how amazing their life would be as a club dancer. Naomi understood how important was it to find her friend a stable job. What she hasn't told her was that, while she was heading back home from an art shop, she noticed the ad attached to a glass window. It said that they need someone to work full-time for them. Naomi smiled and took it with herself.

Well, no that job wasn't a stripper one, but the Japanese girl knew that [ Y / N ] would be the happiest person alive if she'd only tell her that she found her new work.

And so she did.

___________________________________

"NAOMI THANK YOU SO SO MUCH, YOU'RE THE BEST!" - [ Y / N ] screamed while hugging the smaller girl.

Naomi just announced that she found her a possible work and showed her the ad that she ripped no so long ago. [ Y / N ] felt so delighted and energetic that she could have run to the moon and back.

"Girl, we're all very happy for you, but you still need to call them to make sure they haven't accepted anyone yet." - Lakeshia pointed out.

Oh yea...right.

"I'm sure they haven't. You will get it, just don't stress out." - Naomi encouraged her.

[ Y / N ] took a glare at the paper. The person that made it has written the basic information. The shop's logo was named "Symphony" and had a dark blue and neon yellow note on one another. On the lower, there was a contact and the local number. The girl picked her phone and pressed the numbers. The excitement and worry were floating through her body.

"I'm scared." - she admired.

"Hey, everything will be fine!" - Naomi rested her hand on her shoulder. - "Listen, even if it's taken you will find something, I promise. Just try to be optimistic about it."

Naomi's words calmed [ Y / N ] a bit. She took a deep breath before pressing "CALL".

The girl bit her lip while waiting for someone to pick it up. After a few seconds, she heard a man's voice.

"It's the "Symphony" record store's manager. How may I help you?"

Ok, don't mess it up [ Y / N ]

"Good morning sir. I saw your advert about working in a store. I'm interested in it, so I'd like to know is it still actual?"

Please be...I'm begging, please be!

"Yes, it is."

Fuck yes! the girl made a thumbs-up sign to the girls that were sitting across the room.

"So um, when can I meet with you, sir?"

"The store's open from 9 to 8 o'clock, so try around that time."

"Ok, I'll be there tomorrow."

"Tomorrow then. Anything else?" - the man asked.

"No, thank you. Have a nice day."

"You too." said the man, before he hung off.

Looked at her friends with a big grin on her face. Bianca started clapping.

"You did it, girl!"

"Make sure to take your CV." - Lakeshia reminded.

[ Y / N ] nodded. She didn't have one so she spent her day making one. She was so excited, but a little nervous about tomorrow's day. She wanted everything to go well.

___________________________________

The girl was walking through the streets, heading to the record's shop. With every step, she took her stomach dropped. [ Y / N ] was stressed but tried to stay optimistic just as Naomi told her. All of the girls wished her good luck. They knew how much she wanted that job and cheered her up to motivate her.

Within minutes she found herself at the right address. Looking up, there was a store's logo. [ Y / N ] breath in and out before pressing the doorknob.

As soon as she stepped into the shop her face was hit with a warm, yellow light. The place was filled with albums on shelves and posters of brilliant musicians tapped on the walls. The room was filled with climatic jazz music. In the corners, there were some colorful guitars in various sizes. A few people were searching for albums, others were looking at books that were placed on her right. [ Y / N ] was amazed. She walked to the counter and waited for a cashier, that came soon.

"Hello, how can I help you?"

"Good morning. I am interested in working here and suppose to talk with a manager."

"Oh, yes, well you found him." - the man smiled. - "Let's go to storage."

[ Y / N ] nodded and followed him. The storage was small and cold, nothing like the room before. There were boxes of CDs and vinyl, placed everywhere around the desk, and a single chair.

"So let's get to know each other a bit. I'm Mark" - the man held his hand out.

"[ Y/ N ]." - she took and shook it.

Mark could be around 43 years. He had long, braided grey hair and glasses with strings on its sides. He was wearing a green flannel and some worn-out trousers. On his feet, there were heavy, leather boots. He also had many leather wrist bands, some of them with spikes. He wore metal rings on his fingers. Overall, the man looked like a typical rock band player.

"So [ Y / N ]," - the man settled down. - "do you have your CV?" - she nodded and gave him the paper.

Mark eyed it carefully, making her nervous.

Is something wrong with it?

The manager finally put it down and spoke:

"I can see that you've worked in many jobs before, some of them with better income than you could get here."

[ Y / N ] started fidgeting her fingers nervously. She quietly prayed that he won't demand her to explain why she dropped all of them.

"But it's not my place to ask you about it."

God, thank you.

"However there are a few stuff that I want to inform you with. First and most important, your pay. I offer you 14,50$ for start." - [ Y / N ] nodded, but she knew it was very little. Still, she needed this job. - "Second thing is working hours. The shop opens from Monday to Saturday, from 9 to 8 o'clock. I read that you're studying at university. Since it's still August I'm guessing that it won't be a problem. However, how are you planning to manage your studies and work?"

The girl thought for a moment. She's heard many opinions that studying fashion isn't time-consuming or hard. They were all false of course. Studying fashion was challenging. But for 3 years she managed to survive and do good at it. In a matter of a month, it's going to be her 4th year there. She was aware of all of the work and material, but her determination was surely stronger.

"I can change my plan to a weekend one." - Mark nodded.

"Well in that case we're coming to a third thing with are basic tasks for you to complete. As you can see there're boxes with numerous albums, vinyl, CDs, and even books. All of it needs to be taken out of them and placed on the right shelves in alphabet order. Some of the clients are less polite than others and leave things in the wrong places, so you have to check everything. "Symphony" isn't just a record store, but a music one too. If a client wants to check some guitars or pedals, they've got every right to do so. There is a special room for testing only. You have to make sure that after they play they're giving the stuff back. At the end of the day, you check everything and clean the store and testing room. By cleaning I meant putting stuff in their place. Is that all understandable?"

"Yes, it is." - [ Y / N ] wasn't going to lie. It was a lot. It was comparable to the times when she worked as a waitress or a barmaid. This time she had to make sure everything is in its place. But she was up for a challenge.

"I'm glad. So I think there's no need to make this any longer. You're employed."

[ Y / N ] felt so ecstatic, she wanted to jump, scream in pure happiness, and tightly hug Mark. She couldn't, obviously. No, wait. She could, but probably she'd have to say goodbye to the job after 5 seconds of having it.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Mark."

"Oh, don't call me Mister. It's just Mark" - the man did a dismissing hand gesture.

"So, when can I start?" - her excitement was clearly visible.

"Tomorrow. Since we have to pack off all this stuff be here at 8 o'clock, ok?

"Ok, will be here" - [ Y / N ] nodded again, grabbed her CV, said her goodbye, and proceed to walk out of a store.

[ Y / N ] couldn't believe her luck. After weeks of searching, she finally got what she needed. She was proud of herself and optimistic about tomorrow. The fact that she has to wake up at 7 didn't matter. The girl couldn't wait to start her brand new job.