"The interview for cleaners is over there."

"He offered you what?" Cloey said over the phone in disbelief.

Yesterday I ran into my ex, Charlie. Apparently, he's getting married to some guy named Simon; I guess things didn't work out between him and Josh.

Anyway, he offered me a job. He wants me to plan his wedding, of course, I declined his offer but then he made an offer that I would be insane if I refused.

Cloey shouted, "$10000 USD just to plan a wedding, that's just insane, Simon must be loaded and Charlie must seriously want to get on your good side ."

I slowly nodded venturing in my thoughts as she babbled away in my ear. If things don't work out at the interview, he might be my only option to help my grandmother with the bills, she looks worse and worse each day.

Hopefully, the interview goes well. Karma please back off for today, I'm desperate this time.

"Katie? Katie?!"

I shook my head, "Yea, I kind of zoned out a while ago."

Cloey scoffed, "How rude. Anyway, as I was saying, Jerry took me to this beautiful underwater lagoon restaurant. They serve the best-curried lobster in the entire universe."

"How would you know it's the best in the universe when you haven't tasted the curried lobster prepared by the aliens?" I questioned.

She sighed, "Katie, not this again, I'm talking about real stuff."

"And I'm not? I'm very much convinced that aliens are real Cloey, don't act like you didn't see the spaceship too when we were kids," I retorted.

"It was a plane, Katie," she argued.

"Maybe that's what they want you to think."

Cloey spoke up, "I'm getting tired of having this conversation with you over and over again, you need to gro-"

She suddenly stopped talking and the air conditioning stopped. I groaned, "Great, the power is out."

Maybe the power will be back by the time I finish showering.

Okay, I've finished showering and I'm still without power. I stared at the crushed clothes on my bed, "What the fuck am I supposed to do now, I can't wear it like this."

The dress Cloey chose for me to wear to the interview looked like crumpled paper. I contemplated wearing it but then I saw a vision: fingers pointing and people laughing.

Jeans and a top it is.

I turned in the mirror, "Not even me would hire me in this outfit." I slipped on my old, tired, black converses and took up my handbag to leave.

Grandma looked at me as I came down the stairs, "Hey sweetie, I thought you were going to an interview today?"

"I am going to an interview."

She looked me up and down, "Oh, well...good luck."

I smiled, "Thanks."

I pulled on the edge of my washed-out red blouse, "I know I look like crap, you don't have to look at me like that. These were the only clothes I could find that didn't need to be ironed."

*

I was seated in a taxi in traffic for over an hour and I was losing patience by the second, "Aren't there any shortcuts or something you could take to make us reach faster?"

"There's only one lane going to Hanson district ma'am so I suggest you be patient," the driver responded.

Be patient?

At this rate, I won't make it to the interview at all. Where's Jason Statham when you need him.

I've been staring at Apple's Bakery for the past half hour. I checked my watch, "Oh shit, time is seriously not working with me."

The interview is in 20 minutes, think Katie think.

I got it!

"Sir, I'll be coming off here."

Faux Towers isn't that far from here, I'm sure if I run I'll make it on time. I was preparing to open the door when the driver spoke, "Ma'am the fare please."

I nodded, "Sure, hold on."

I rummaged through my bag and...no purse. I threw out all the contents of my bag on the seat and still...no purse.

I ran my hands through my hair, what am I going to do now?

I closed my eyes visualizing the purse I left on my bed, hoping that it would somehow teleport from memory to my bag.

I sighed, I guess I'll have to go with the old Plan Z.

I took a piece of paper from my bag and tapped the driver's shoulder, "Here you go, thanks a lot."

I dashed out of the vehicle before he could register what was going on. I heard him shout out a little while later behind me, "Hey wait!"

I dared not look back as he chased me along the streets. I'm being chased too much these days.

Pedestrians quickly moved out of the way as they saw us coming and gave us weird stares.

I took a peek behind me, he was large but he wasn't a slouch. If I slow down he'll definitely catch me.

Did he seriously leave his car in the middle of the road just to chase me for two bucks?

Talk about desperate.

"I got you," I heard him yell and I gathered all my strength in my arms and swung my bag as hard as I could in his crotch. I watched him crouch over in pain before taking off again.

I checked my watch, 10 minutes left. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me through traffic, buildings, and even houses.

5 minutes left.

I was sure it was closer than this.

"Hey kid, lend me your bicycle!"

The little boy looked me up and down, "Fifty bucks lady."

Fifty bucks? What's an eight-year-old doing with fifty bucks?

I stooped to his level, "Lend me your bicycle and I'll buy you a lot of candy when I come back, deal?"

He searched my face with his eyes, "Give me those earrings."

I touched my ears, my mother's pearls?

"Anything but that," I pleaded.

"Mo-," he suddenly began to shout. I quickly clasped my hand over his mouth, "Fine, you can have the earrings."

He innocently smiled and stretched out his hand.

Little devil.

I'm so sorry mom.

I rode as fast as I could, the wind styling my hair to its liking. I checked my watch as I jumped off the bicycle.

2 minutes.

I ran to the neatly dressed lady at the front desk breathing as hard as a dog that just ran a marathon.

"I'm not too late am I?" I worriedly questioned.

Her judging eyes looked me up and down.

Why does everyone keep doing that?

I was suddenly conscious of my appearance. My red hair stuck to my face and stood in multiple directions and my clothes were drenched in sweat.

Her red lips formed into a vicious smile and her manicured nails pointed to a group of cleaners in a corner, "The interview for cleaners is over there."

I clenched my fists and stood my ground, "I'm here for the assistant interview."

She returned her attention to her computer, "I'm sorry ma'am but the interviewer is no longer accepting candidates."

What? All that for nothing?

"Katherine?" I heard someone say from behind me.