Act 1: The Setup

It was 8:30 am and Devyn Reilly was late for work again.

“Fuck!!” she yelled to no one in particular, rushing out of her apartment. Taking the stairs two at a time, she reached the parking garage in record time and sprinted to her car. Her boss had warned her about her tardiness, and she had a feeling that today would be her last warning.

She parked her car around the corner from the bar and combed her fingers through her unruly red hair. Satisfied, she raced inside. Morris looked up as she entered the bar and shook his head. He was a short Italian man with a bald spot no one dared to mention. He also had a penchant for being handsy with the waitresses. They knew he had ties to some very bad people, so they kept their distance and let him do as he pleased.

She ran up to him, apologizing profusely. “I am so sorry, Morris. This is my last time, I swear!” She said as she put on her apron, but he made a move to stop her. Gripping her wrist, he shook his head again, “Enough Dev. This will indeed be your last time. You can leave because I don’t have time for this anymore. There are plenty of women who are looking for work and who would not waste my time.” He said firmly, removing the apron from around her waist.

Did she just get fired?

“Are you firing me?” she asked him incredulously. Morris had always warned her, but he never acted on it. He must truly be pissed off with her. He sighed. “Yes, I am. Leave, Dev.” He answered her curtly and turned around, walking away from her.

She knew there was no point in begging him. Once his mind was made up about you, that was it. So she glances around the room, then keeps her eyes downcast as she walks towards the door.

What now?

When she arrived at her car, the gravity of what just happened hit her. She didn’t have a job anymore.

Laying her head on the car door, her cell phone buzzed, and she took it out of her back pocket.

When she read the message received, her shoulders drooped.

It was her landlord reminding her of the rent due. Another blow to her already bruised ego. When it rained, it poured.

She got inside the car and exhaled. If it wasn’t one thing, it was something else. Sometimes she felt as if she was cursed with this bad luck. 

Before she could start up her car, she called Nathan, her boyfriend. He would be the only one that could cheer her up when she was down, so she pressed the call button.

“Babe,” he answered on the third ring. “I’m about to enter a meeting. Can we meet up for lunch?” He asked her and she smiled sadly. Not exactly what she had in mind, but it would help right now.

“I’d love to, babe. The usual?” she asked, knowing the answer.

“Yeah, pick you up at 1.” He answered then killed the call without bothering with a goodbye.

That was Corporate Nathan for you.

She starts up her car and drives towards her apartment, wondering what she would do for work now. Every time she would get a job, she would lose it within weeks. It was always the same things. Being late, the boss being too touchy-feely, female customers complaining about her because they took her kindness for flirting.

She always thought it was because of the way she looked.

When she was 15, Devyn’s chest size was already bigger than her classmates'. The popular girl labeled her a slut because her boyfriend only had eyes for Devyn. The rumor spread and she had to change schools because she never kept her mouth shut for anyone.

That was just the first time.

At age 22, her red hair framed her olive skin in curls, coupled with her big green eyes and curvaceous body, Devyn always had eyes on her. Unwanted eyes and attention.

Her mother had said that her looks would get her places, but it got her to all the wrong places.

“Can’t I please get a break for once?” She thought to herself. “Just once…” 

All through her life, all people saw her as was a piece of ass. She never got a chance to prove herself because they would always let her go or push her to quit.

Driving past a dive bar, she contemplated going in. Singing was her first love, and lately her dream seemed to be going nowhere. She was in between jobs and singing gigs but all they did was left her exhausted. Should she risk it this one time and go inside?

Deciding against another possibility of disappointment, she drove away with tears prickling her eyes. She hated feeling like this, but for her, this was a never-ending cycle. 

Sighing, she pulled up at her apartment's underground parking and parked her car.