You Need The Money

All through the ride back to Ava's place, Mason didn't say a word to her; the only sound in the car was that coming from the radio; Ava was too preoccupied with her thoughts to bother herself with what was being said on the radio. In a different circumstance, maybe she would have enjoyed the radio program, but she was busy trying to figure out why Mason would choose her to be his personal assistant when he could get a more qualified person to be his personal assistant; why her?

When they arrived at her place, before she got the chance to open her door herself, Mason got down from the car and went around to open the door for her.

"Thanks," she murmured as she came down and walked up to her door.

"Should you change your mind, let me know," Mason said to her before he got into his car and waited for her to get inside before leaving.

When Ava opened the door to the apartment she shared with Maddie; she was shocked at what she saw. The whole place was disorganized, it looked like a tsunami had taken place right there in the living room, and their only couch was missing. Ava didn't need to think too much before she knew who did this, Robinson! She thought of Maddie. Where is she? Is she okay? Ava panicked.

"Maddie?" Ava called out in fear.

"In here," Maddie called out from their bedroom. Ava quickly ran to the bedroom and found Maddie seated on the bed, holding a block of ice wrapped in a towel to her right arm.

"Maddie, are you all right?" Ava ran to Maddie's side.

"Yeah, I'm good," Maddie replied with a nod.

"What happened?" Ava asked, referring to both the chaos in their living room and Maddie's arm.

"Robinson and his men came looking for you. When he saw that you weren't around, he decided to take the couch with him," Maddie said.

"Your arm?" Ava asked.

"I wouldn't allow them to take the couch with them, and one of his men hit me when I tried to stop them from taking it."

"Oh my God, Maddie, I'm so sorry," Ava sat down beside her friend; she took the ice from her and examined the bruise on her arm; she felt bad that Maddie had been hurt because of her. She knows how much Maddie loves that couch; they had both saved up their tips for a month before they got afford to buy that couch at a thrift store.

"I'm sorry, Maddie," she said in a broken voice, "it's all my fault," tears pooled in Ava's eyes; now, her friend was getting hurt because of her.

Maddie placed her hand on Ava's arm, giving a weak smile, "it's fine," she said in a calm voice. "We just need to find a way to pay Robinson back his money; he threatened to do unthinkable things to you should you not pay back anytime soon."

Ava held her head in her hands as she tried to come up with a way she was going to be able to pay Robinson back his money. She thought of several ways, and the only idea that kept coming to mind was for her to take the job that Mason was offering her. She placed her hand inside her bag and brought his card, which he had handed her. She held it in her hand, feeling it in between her fingers, contemplating whether or not she should take the job.

"Whose car is that?" Maddie asked her when she saw the card in Ava's hand.

"It's Mason's," Ava replied, her gaze fixed on the black and gold-colored card.

"Oh, how did your dinner with him go?" Maddie asked; she had forgotten Ava had dinner with Mason because of Robinson and his troubles.

"He offered me a job," Ava said in a low tone.

"Again?" Maddie asked, surprised.

"Yes, this time, he wants me to be his personal assistant."

"Okay…. you don't seem enthusiastic about the offer. May I ask why?"

Ava rolled her eyes at Maddie, "of course you know why."

"So you told him you weren't interested in the job?" Maddie asked, even if she already knew the answer.

Ava sighed, "yes, I did, but he gave me his card to call him in case I changed my mind."

"Ava, please take the job; you and I know that you need the money more than anything else." Without hesitation, Maddie grabbed the card from Ava and started to dial the number that was on it.

"What are you doing?" Ava asked her. She tried to take the card back from Maddie, but she moved it from her reach.

"Maddie!" Ava called in a warning tone, asking her to desist from whatever it was that she had in mind, but Maddie completely ignored her.

Maddie brought her phone to Ava's ear and said, "it's ringing."

"What do you want me to say?" Ava asked in confusion.

"Tell him you are going to take the job."

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Hello?"

Ava held her breath when she heard Mason's voice on the other end of the phone.

"Talk," Maddie whispered.

"Hi Mason," Ava said in a shaky voice.

"Ava?" Mason asked when he heard her voice.

"Yes, it's me," Ava said, her voice still shaky.

"Ava, are you all right?" Mason asked her when he heard her shaky voice.

"Tell him why you called," Maddie nudged Ava on the side, prompting Ava to give her a look that suggested she was about to kill her.

"Ava?"

"Um…" Ava cleared her throat. "I was wondering if your job offer still stands?"

"Yes, have you changed your mind?" Mason asked her.

"Yes.. yes," Ava replied, swallowing whatever was left of her pride.

"That's good. Come over to the office tomorrow morning by 9. The address is on the card that I gave you." With that said, Mason ended the call.

"We have an interview to prepare for!" Maddie screamed in delight, making Ava want to kill her right then and there.