Chapter Ten

After having a night full of fun we went home and took our shower and then slept.

Laurie had a free day and so Jean and I went to work on the best day. I was not going alone and it felt so nice.

There was no difficulty getting to the bookshop. We even walked down there, it was shorter and I didn't need to wake up so early and the best part of it was I didn't have to do any chores this morning.

Thinking about it, leaving the orphanage was a very good decision and I am really happy I took it.

We cleaned the house from time to time, and we shared it equally. The apartment was big enough for the three of us with our own beds and bed spaces, a comfortable bathroom, and a kitchen all with modern facilities, some I hadn't seen before. But Jean helped me through with them.

On our way to work, Jean and I stopped at a coffee shop. We met along the queue and so we joined in but luckily for us, the owner of the place knew Jean and called her over to the front. And within minutes she was walking back to me with two cups of coffee.

I took a sip from it and it tasted really nice. Everything I have tasted outside the orphanage seems to taste better, the burgers out here were so tasteful, not to talk of the steaks.

"The coffee is great"

"That's where I always get my coffee and lunch from"

"How did you get to know the owner"

"Well that's a long story, but he is a nice man"

"Hmmm.... sounds interesting"

"There's nothing between us really"

"I never said that Jean, don't let your conscience rope you in young lady"

And we laughed. After trekking for a while we got to the shop. Jean turned the tag to open.

We both settled in before the boss stepped in.

He had been giving me a lot of hateful glances since our last encounter and I did not think that was going to stop anytime soon.

I only hoped that it would not affect my job in any way, because I could not afford to be without a job now. Even though Laurie and Jean might not complain about me not bringing money, I didn't want to be a burden to anyone.

They had done enough for me already.

Customers had already started coming in to purchase books, some came to hire while the rest came to return books they hired in the past days.

The mid-day came quickly and the customers were still flocking in.

Today was one of those days where we had to attend to a lot of people. Some nice ones left tips for me.

I tried my best to make sure they always got what they wanted.

While I was busy attending to some customers, I saw a man walk into the bookshop.

He was not a regular customer and he didn't come to my table to ask any questions, he walked right to the shelf area and I followed him with my eyes.

It was creepy, but what got me scared was that he kept his eyes on me the whole time. I didn't know this man and hadn't seen him from anywhere. He spent a couple of minutes there.

Whenever he noticed I was looking at him, he would pretend to be searching for a book. I wanted to go to him and ask if he needed any assistance, but before I made a move to reach him he walked past my table still looking at me, and walked out of the bookshop.

I think Jean noticed what happened and rushed over to me to speak to me.

"What just happened?"

"Did you notice it?"

"Yes, I did. He had his eyes on you right from the moment he stepped into the shop"

"That is really scary"

"Yeah... but do you know him?"

"No I do not know him and I have never seen him before"

Jean noticed the boss coming and scurried back to her work. He gave me a hateful glance as usual and walked out of the shop.

"Was there a link between the boss and the man that came in?" I asked myself

I had to be very careful.

The day's work came to an end and I was getting ready to leave when the boss came in and called me in. I thought of so many reasons why he could be calling me in.

"Was he going to fire me? Was he going to try what he did last time?"

We were not alone so he wouldn't. I just went to find out why he was calling me.

"Good evening Sir"

"Arya you would no longer work for 5 hours, it has been extended to 8 Hours"

"But sir..."

"No buts... it is either you take it or you go find a job somewhere else"

"Okay sir I'll take it"

"You may leave now"

He held no emotions on his face. It was just plain and unreadable. This man was out to frustrate me and everything I stand to represent.

I left to go back to the shop and Jean noticed I wasn't looking so happy and she rushed over to me.

"Why did that happen? What did Mr. Edwards say?"

"He increased my working hours to 8 hours"

"Why?"

"I have no idea. That man just hates me"

"You can leave, I'll come home later"

"What am I risking home for? I'll wait for you besides we are going to the bar again. They have been asking about you and they want you to sing again"

"No way... I'm not doing that"

"Please, you could make money from this and take it as a payment for waiting up for you"

Jean had me there, I knew I was going to pay for her waiting up for me even though she was the one that suggested it. It was a price that I could pay anyways.

And the truth was that I wanted to sing at the bar again. The next three hours passed in a blur and then we closed and left for the bar.