2- JOBLESS

          "Yes to you, and no to you. Next!"

          "No to the three of you. Next!"

          "No, and no. How many do we still have?"

          "You three, out. It's a no for me."

          "You gotta be kidding me. Nope."

          "Yes to you and you. Now, out."

          "Okay, we're done."

          After the interview, Toni left the room and went to the other room where the applicants she accepted were, including Zion who was sitting in the middle. She then stood in front of them all confidently and gave them a serious look one by one.

          "To all of you, welcome to Tri-Way Company. I will not stay long so, listen very carefully to what I have to say because if you don't consider yourself fired. I don't like repeating myself so, whoever asks what to do or anything to others, please find the exit immediately. I don't need someone like you here in my company. However, the contract that my secretary gave you is the job description that you have to obey or you will be terminated. One mistake and you're done here. Is that clear? And one more thing, if you have any questions regarding the contract you can ask my secretary and she will explain it to you. You only have 2 hours to read your contract, you can take pictures of it but you cannot post it in public or you will pay a fine for confidentiality. And the fine? You will only pay 500,000 dollars that is," she reminded them all.

          While everyone in the room got surprised when they hear the fine, they immediately got scared of her and become serious.

          "My only rule here is...everything you see and know here MUST stay here. Or, we will see you in court. Alright? I am paying you for the work and not to gossip or play around here, got it? Plus, if you see anything that you think is the wrong report it immediately to HR and they will be the ones to fix it. I don't tolerate tardiness and misconduct here so, I hope that's clear to everyone. And just like I said a while ago, you only have two hours to read the contract. It's whether you sign it or not, it's your choice. I don't care. There is no force here. After two hours my secretary will tour you around so, tomorrow you will gonna start working. Got me? Do you have any questions?" she added more to let them know that she controls her company and no one else.

          Everyone nodded their heads as they agreed with her except for the man who is not-so-old looking and raised his right hand. Toni's one eyebrow rose at his gesture which makes everyone turn and their eyes diverted to the old man.

          "Question. Do you give starting salary?" the old man questioned with a smile.

          "Read the contract and you'll know. Now, I have to go and I have so much to do. Welcome again here," she replied coldly and she walked out of the room.

          "She's scary," Zion whispered inside his head when he stared at her while she was talking.

          — — —

          Zion went home and told his sister the good news that happened to him and because of that he bought half a piece of meat and they grilled it together with rice like it was a celebration.

          The next day Zion came in and left his sister at the daycare center so she could learn to socialize with other people. His day started at work, at first he was smiling while working but when he started lifting the heavy things needed for the building project they were building, he was already sweating. He and the rest of his colleagues only rested at lunchtime, but after that, they continued to work, while Toni stopped by to see the progress of the project she is trying to build. Until the sun went down and all the employees went to bed, except for Toni who was still inside her office and was busy with papers.

          She is quietly working alone when suddenly her phone rang which was just on the side of the table and so, she get it and she gasped when she saw that it was her mother calling.  She answers it anyways.

          "Toni, where are you? Didn't you look at my messages? You missed your blind dates!"  Her mother preached stressfully.

          Toni closed her eyes in response and held on to her common sense as she is trying to relax and not give in to it. "Mom, I told you I am not interested. How many times do I have to tell you that I don't have time for those blind dates?" she contradicted in a calm tone of her voice.

          "Hey, Toni, maybe you're forgetting how old you are? You're not a girl anymore! You are becoming old! And you'll grow old without children or even a husband! Come on, Toni, why don't you just try even for once? And after the day and you didn't really like any of the men you dated then, I will let you be. It's up to you and I will never interfere with your life. I won't get in between you anymore," pleaded her mother because she really wants to have a grandchild.

          Toni sighed as her mother pleaded. "Fine. I will clear my schedule this coming Friday and I will attend the blind dates you are talking about. But just like you said when I don't like any of them you will stop pushing me. Okay?" she replied giving her mother permission just for her to stop from setting her up.

          "You make me happy tonight, sweety. Thank you for doing this for me. Do not worry because you rest assured that you will like all the men you will meet on Friday, and you will be confused as to which of them you will choose," her mother happily responded as she is happy because her daughter finally agreed to what she wanted to happen.

          "It better be or I will walk away. I gotta go now. Good night, Mom. Bye," Toni responded briefly and quickly hung up the phone, and immediately returned to her work.

           TONY

          For my mother's peace, and so that she won't disturb me, I agreed even against my will. I will just sit down on Friday anyways and do nothing.

          But my thoughts vanished when my phone rang again and when I looked at the caller, my face became serious. It's the Construction Manager so, I answered it.

          THIRD'S

          "Hello, Ms. Wayman?" prefaced the woman on the other line as if something bad had happened.

          "Yes, speaking. Why did you call tonight, Linda? Did something happen?" Toni asked immediately with a feeling of dread in her chest because she didn't like her tone as if something happened.

          "Ms. Wayman, the entrance door fell," Linda brought up in a sad tone of her voice.

          "What?!" Toni exclaimed in shock as she stood up from her seat. "What happened? Who was the person assigned to build that? Tell me," she asked angrily demanding.

          "Two new men were assigned to build it. It was Zion Rilo and Drew Kano," Linda answered with disappointment but at the back of it, she smiled because the truth is that she was the one responsible for why the entrance door was damaged.

          "You gotta be kidding me! I'm coming there now!" Toni's reaction was furious and she hung up the phone, and quickly left her office to see what happened to the project she was building.

          Meanwhile, not far from the building there was a black car and inside it was Mr. Ray and his daughter whom Toni didn't accept in the job interview a day ago. Linda approached the window and it went down, they smiled at each other evilly.

          "Good job, Linda. Now, here's your pay for what you've done," Mr. Ray said happily and handed the brown envelope to her.

          "Thank you so much for this, Mr. Ray. My job here is done," Linda happily responded and peeked at the contents of the brown envelope. Her smile widened when she saw that it was full of bills and from there she walked away from the car and hid the envelope in the bag she secretly carried.

          "Let's go," announced Mr. Ray to the driver and the car started.

          "That is what she gets for not hiring me, instead of those peasants," said Sasha angrily because she was not accepted and then, she smiles because she succeeded in taking revenge even if it was just small.

          In the morning, Zion went to work with a smile on his face because he was happy with what he is doing when Linda approached him.

          "Mr. Rilo, come with me and Ms. Wayman wants to talk with you," she said flatly and turned away from him like she is judging him already because she knows that he didn't graduate.

          Zion followed her even though he had no idea what would happen next. Eventually, Linda guided him to go to Toni's office.

          "Come in," answered Toni at the back of the door and she stopped what she was doing to face the newly hired construction man that she assigned to do the entrance door.

          Zion followed Linda again and stood in front of Toni, while Linda left the office leaving the two alone. The two stared at each other when they were left inside the office.

          "G-Good morning, Ms. Wayman," Zion greeted his boss smiling but hesitantly. He was actually wondering why she was in her office.

          "Good morning? Really, good morning? My morning is not good, Mr. Rilo, do you know that?" Toni mentioned with a raised eyebrow and she stood up at her desk, she walked closer to him, around him while she was speaking. "Tell me, do you know how to build?" she asked strictly without taking her eyes off him.

          "I—uh...yes, I do know," Zion answered innocently.

          "Then, can you explain to me why the entrance of the building collapsed? You're the one assigned there, aren't you?" Toni asked directly and she stopped by his side to give him a death stare.

          "W-What?" Zion said in shock, and he turned to his left where she is standing and they looked at each other closely.  "It collapsed? B-But how?"

          "I should be the one asking you that. Tell me, what did you do and it fell like that? Are you conning me? I know you don't have any degree but you told me you have skills and experience when it comes to this business. What happened there now?" Toni said frankly that there is no doubt since she has the upper hand.

          "I-I don't know. I don't know what happened. I mixed all the ingredients well with the right measurements and all. It's impossible that I miscalculated it. I never mistake when it comes to my expertise e-even I didn't graduate. I am sure that everything I do is perfect," Zion defended himself as per his knowledge.

          "Well, you have made a huge mistake this time and I am not tolerating what you did," Toni replied seriously and walked to her desk, and sat down. "Here's your last paycheck. Please, leave my building peacefully since I am being nice to you, or I will charge you for destroying my property," she added with so much control in her voice even though she wanted him to take responsibility for what happened, but because he is poor she is going to spare him.

          "B-But—" Zion appealed but he stopped speaking when they stared at each other, and that is when he came to his senses, and just breathed in. "Okay. I apologize for what happened. I'm leaving now. Thank you for giving me an experience although it is quite short," he just mentioned and took the white envelope containing the money and quietly left her office.

          And as he exits, he clenched his jaw because he couldn't even defend himself or find out what really happened and why the entrance door he built collapsed.

          Afterward, Zion got home to his younger sister who he found watching television in the living room he went straight to their small kitchen and where he immediately put the plastic on the table.

          "Sarah, let's eat. I bought fried chicken for you," Zion called with a smile while preparing the dining table and not letting his younger sister know that something bad had happened to him.

          Sarah turned off the TV and walked towards her brother who she also helped by putting two plastic cups with water on them, and then she sat down at the table.  Zion also sat down and they both prayed.

          "Thank you very much for the food in front of us today. We only get to eat it once in a blue moon so we are very grateful. Amen," Zion prayed and opened his eyes again.

          Meanwhile, Sarah slowly opened her eyes and immediately looked at her older brother as if she knew something was wrong. "Zion, is everything okay? Or, did you lose your job again?" she asked in an unhappy voice.

          "Yeah. That's why we have to save money because I got my last paycheck," Zion answered sadly and started spooning rice on his plate.

          "What happened?" Sarah asked again, curious as to what happened to her older brother. "I thought everything was perfect. You said that you got a nice offer. What happened there?" she inquired more.

          "Well, unfortunately, the entrance door that I built myself collapsed. My boss fired me because she blamed me for why it fell even though I calculated everything. I really don't know what happened. I really don't have any idea," he explained while he was putting food on his plate.

          "I see. Don't worry you will find another job, Zion. I am cheering for you," she encouraged him with a hopeful smile.

          Because of what she said, Zion came to life and smiled back at her.

           — — —

          At Nightfall, Zion quietly leaves the house while his younger sister is sleeping, he is walking down the subway while thinking, and as he walks he arrives at the building he was working on right before he lost his job. He walked closer to it and he looked around when he noticed that there were traces on each piece of rock that collapsed as if someone really intended to destroy it.

          "What is this? Did someone try to destroy my work?" he deduced and stood up to investigate more only to find out that someone had left behind a wrecking crowbar that is used to loosen block walls.

          He gaped because of what he saw and what he discovered so, he took the wrecking crowbar and quickly ran to the building where Toni was still awake and working quietly.

          "No, you have to let me in! I need to see her! Please, Sir, I have to explain myself to her! I need a job!" Zion pleaded with the security guard while holding the wrecking crowbar.

          "No, Sir. I'm sorry, but I am not going to let you in. It's too late now. Why don't you try later when it's bright? And when you're calm? Please, put that thing away,"  the security guard responded by pushing him away because he can sense something is going to happen when he lets him in.

          Zion was silent because of what he said and looked at the wrecking crowbar he was holding and then, he looked at the guard again. "You got it wrong. I had no intention of harming her. Okay? I came here in peace and to settle things. I just need to voice out because I found out something," he reasoned that he would not allow himself not to defend himself from accusations released by his boss.

          "Yeah, right.  Come on, back off," the guard said unconvinced and held a gun on his waist as he was triggered by his actions.

          Immediately, Zion steps backward as he is threatened at him but he is desperate to get his job back and so, without any hesitation, he runs inside. The guard was surprised by what he did but even so, he followed him that they took the escalator to the 10th floor where Toni's office is. However, Zion did not show any tiredness or panting when he finally reached the office of Toni and without any warning, he opened the door. Toni anyways stopped what she is doing when she heard her door open and she is surprised to see the man whom she just fired which is the reason why her eyes sharpened.

          "What are you doing here in my office?" Toni asked boldly without taking her eyes off him.

          When all of a sudden the guard also entered Toni's office and he stood in front of her, together with Zion. He is panting because of running too fast. "I apologize for the interruption, Ms. Wayman but, this guy forced himself to get inside even though I stopped him already," he explained to defend himself.

          "Listen to me, Ma'am, I discovered something," Zion quickly defended and he showed her the wrecking crowbar.

          Toni's eyes sharpened towards Zion because of what he said like she is analyzing what he is going to do next. "And what's that for?" she asked out of curiosity.

          "This is a wrecking crow—" But Zion stopped speaking when she talks.

          "I know what's that thing. I'm not stupid," she mentioned in a menacing tone of hers and she raised an eyebrow at him to question his purpose and why he was in her office.

          "I'm sorry. But anyway, I found this thing at the entrance while I was walking a while ago. All I am saying is, that someone really destroyed the entrance that I've been working for and it's not me. Someone intentionally wrecked the entrance," Zion fully explained what he found and what he deduced.

          "What did you say? Someone intentionally destroyed the entrance? And who could that be?" she confusingly asked that her eyebrows creasing in the middle as she is thinking.

          "I don't know. But I saw this thing. It could be someone. I swear, it's not me," Zion said emphatically just to clear his name and what happened.

          "If you are here to accuse then, you must know who to point out because honestly, I don't have time for this. I already fired you and my decision is final. Get out of my office," she demanded with a death stare.

          "I'm so sorry, Ma'am, for the interruption," the guard said apologetically again and pulled Zion out of her office. Until they reached the exit, he shoved Zion out of the door. "You just wasted our time! And for the record, Ms.  Wayman never believes in someone without solid proof. So if I were you, go and look for concrete evidence because no matter what you show or do her decision will never change until you've proven yourself right. Now, leave before I call the police," he advised Zion angrily and closed the door so, no one will enter again.

          Whilst, Zion tightened his grip on the wrecking crowbar in his left hand, and then he gritted his teeth as he is in rage because she didn't even listen to him or give him the benefit of the doubt. Because of that he left quietly and just went home.

          Toni, however, is silently staring at the paper in front of her while she is thinking. "Someone intentionally ruined my project? That's unbelievable," she said, unable to believe what she heard from her ex-employee.

          To be continued...