Prologue #2
Shit like this seems to happen every month. Every department asks Mr. Massey for help, and each time it’s dumped on me.
While Suzy is fucking scary, I’m more scared of losing this damn job.
The rest of the day flies by, and I leave with my job intact.
I need to begin looking for another as soon as possible, because I can see the writing on the wall.
I’ve long passed the ninety day mark as a receptionist, and if they want to fire me, Mr. Massey will need to find a better reason than what he currently has.
I not only do my job, but those of others, and I still manage to answer my calls. His reasoning for coming to my desk is bullshit. If I hung up on someone, he’d complain about that too.
Sometimes, there’s no pleasing people.
My bus ride home is almost always delayed with detours, and it takes me forty minutes to arrive at my apartment building.
The place is run down and I never leave my little rented room after the sun sets because the crime is so high here.
I live in this three bedroom apartment with three other people, and I’m the only one with their own room due to my designation.
I hide less behind all the blockers my father used to make me take, but I faithfully buy my heat blockers every month from my supplier. One day I’ll be able to afford to go to the heat clinic, however I don’t have two hundred dollars to spare on that.
I’ve heard other cities offer safe places for omegas to have a heat for free, but the City of Angels is not that altruistic.
Instead, everyone is one bad mental space away from stabbing each other.
The entertainment industries are even worse, and I’ve witnessed band members yelling and fighting as they leave Mr. Massey’s office.
It always ends in fines, and sometimes the dissolution of contracts. If I was lucky enough to catch a break and had any talent at all, I swear I would never squander it. Not ever.
I’m exhausted as I almost fall down the bus stairs and hurry the four blocks toward my apartment building.
I live on the third floor, and the last four steps to get to my apartment are exceptionally difficult as I groan.
Fuck, I’m so tired, and I have to be up at five in the morning to do this all again. Wonderful.
I’ve been able to buy two suits from the thrift stores, a pair of pajamas, and some clothes to hang out in. I’ve worked my ass off to get these things, which means finding it piled up on the living room floor as I walk into the apartment incenses me.
Glancing to the right, I find my bedroom door open and the room is stripped.
“What the fuck is going on?” I ask, stumbling inside as I slam the door closed. Since it’s clear I’m about to be kicked out, I don’t much care about playing nice.
“You don’t contribute enough.” Joey is waiting on the couch, his arms stretched out as he gazes at me dispassionately.
I unfortunately live with four alphas who run me ragged for the privilege of paying them rent. It takes a large amount of money from my checks, leaving me with just enough for food and toiletries. I do the dishes, make meals, clean the apartment, and do all the laundry in the house.
What do you mean I don’t fucking contribute enough?
“I don’t understand,” I ask numbly. “What else do you want?”
“Your mouth would be nice,” Fredrick grins, leaning out of one of the bedroom doors. “Or maybe you could strip down and get on all fours so we can all take turns at both ends?”
“Well fuck,” Jamie groans, walking out of what was my bedroom with my blanket around his shoulders. Ew. I don’t want it anymore. He can keep it. “If I knew we were gonna fuck Arlo, I wouldn’t have invited the girl.”
“What…girl?” I bite out the words, not responding to anything else Jamie said.
I have my backpack slung over my shoulder, which is thankfully pretty empty.
I can get all of my belongings inside of it and get the fuck out, but I don’t want to feel responsible for not helping the next poor soul who might walk through the door behind me.
There’s a reason my bedroom door is always locked. I can see they unscrewed the handle completely to get inside, which evaporates any illusion of safety I may have had. None of them have spoken this openly about fucking me, and I suppose the grace period is over.
Or maybe, this is a ploy to get me to beg for my room so they can run me through together before they kick me out.
No, thanks. I have enough money to stay in a hostel for a few days to figure out my next move.
“She’s so pretty,” Joey gushes. “Paula is looking for a room to stay in, so I gave her yours. I bet her cunt is wet and tight. We’re going to fuck her holes to welcome her to the apartment.”
“How charming,” I drawl, pulling off my backpack to drop down and pack my shit. I can faintly smell the scent of burger, paint chips, and pickles, on my clothing. These alpha went through my shit, which means I am going to need to go by a laundry mat to wash everything.
It may not be expensive to run a load of laundry, but it’s time and money I don’t have to waste.
I’m not getting paid again until next week, and I just fucking paid rent here.
I won’t fight with them about this because it’s clear to me that it’s time to get the fuck out of dodge, however I am really pissed off this couldn’t have happened before I paid rent.
This is a really big problem. I can’t go back to sleeping on the streets. My job could find out and then I’ll be fired from there, thereby losing fucking everything!
I steady my breaths and curl my toes in my shoes until they cramp up to keep myself from zoning out.
I just need one more minute and then I’ll get the fuck out.
I’m not even going to check the room. There’s too much of a possibility that one of them will follow me in and take what I won’t offer them.
I’ve been through a lot of shit in my life, but I haven’t been sexually assaulted. I’d like to continue to be able to say that.
“Enjoy your new roommate,” I grunt finally, zipping up my full backpack and standing.
“I wouldn’t mind a blowie for old time’s sake!” Joey yells, laughing as I slam out of the apartment.
I wouldn’t lick his dick with someone else’s tongue, much less my own. Gross.
I have the fumes of anger chasing me as I jog down the stairs with more energy than I walked up them just a few minutes ago, but slow down as I see a girl I don’t recognize with pretty blonde hair.
“This is going to sound odd, but is your name Paula?” I ask, glancing over my shoulder as if my ex-roommates are going to chase after me.
“I…it is actually. Are you alright? You look really flushed,” she murmurs.
Righteous anger tends to make me appear as if I’m blushing. I fucking hate it. Flicking my hair out of my face, I gaze at her to see past what others might.
Paula has a backpack over her shoulder and nothing else. There are shadows in her eyes, and I immediately recognize the desperation surrounding her. My ex-roommates are fucking predators. It’s not difficult to spot someone down on their luck if you know what to look for.
“I heard you met my ex-roommates. They’re nightmares and just kicked me out after telling me they plan to fuck rent from you. I wouldn’t suggest you stay here,” I explain.
“They said I could find a job before I began paying rent. They said it was handled this month,” she says slowly. “Shit. That’s what I get for trusting them.”
“I’m walking up to a hostel three blocks down from here. I’ll cover you for a night and then you can figure out your next move.”
Can I afford the twenty dollars to help her out? Not really, but I promised myself I wouldn’t look away from someone who needed help. This is how I want to atone for my family’s sins because I’m stained with them. I’ll skip a meal if I have to.
I have to do this, though.
“What do you want?” Paula asks softly.
“Company for the walk,” I grunt, already continuing my descent down the stairs. I won’t beg her to come with me. There’s only so much I’m willing to do, and my need to keep moving is riding me hard.
“Okay.” Paula hurries after me as my longer legs outpace her.
I begin to make a list of things to do, one of which includes looking for new jobs that include boarding. I’ll cook, clean, and do everything short of being someone’s fuck toy if it means better money and less stress.
Now, to hope something like that even exists.