[4] Modest Apartment

"Thank you, Mr Driver."

The taxi driver dropped the girl off at the pre-determined address. The girl got off and immediately rushed into the apartment building. The place was not very luxurious, just an old building that was renovated to be livable. It was enough for the girl to survive. Being too extravagant can be a deadly trap, especially living in a big city. She had to make sure her expenses were proportional to the income she earned on a daily basis.

"Ah, gosh. My coat got dirty because of that annoying guy," the girl grumbled.

She climbed the apartment stairs to the third floor. Then she walked through the hallway and stopped in front of her apartment door. While unlocking the door the girl met an old woman. She was the girl's neighbour.

"Tough day, huh?" greeted the old lady.

"Hm, meybe just like that. How was your day, Rose?" replied the girl. She tried to be friendly to her neighbour.

"Just as usual. I take care of myself and my orchids. They've grown big and are about to sprout," said the old woman, whose name was Rose.

"That's good. I'll go in first. Have a good night."

"You too, Jolie."

It turned out that the girl's name was Jolie. After that little conversation, she went inside and locked the door. When she arrived in the room, a dog greeted her cheerfully.

"Hello, Coki? Did you miss me? Let me get dinner for you."

The dog looked very happy to see his master come home. Tail wagging fast, he moved energetically as he followed Jolie into the kitchen. The girl quickly filled her pet's bowl with food and let the dog enjoy his dinner. Meanwhile, the girl could only eat two slices of bread covered in peanut butter.

Jolie walked into the living room with her simple dinner. She flopped onto the sofa feeling lethargic. For some reason she felt very tired. She had spent the whole day looking for jobs. She stopped by various shops and private offices. However, she had not yet find a single job. She checked her smartphone, hoping for an incoming message offering her a job. But it looked like she was expecting too much.

"Dear God, don't let me rot to death here. Sooner or later you have to give me a job," Jolie muttered to the air. Finding a job wasn't as easy as it had been when she first came to the city. Back then someone had given her a job and a place to live. Now all she could rely on was herself.

Jolie finished her bread lazily. Afterwards, she looked around. There was no one to talk to. All this time, only her dog was her constant companion. Coki was a place for her to pour her heart out. Even though Coki is just a dog, he never judges Jolie's every story like most people do. Sometimes animal behaviour is better than human behaviour that does not respect others.

Not long after, Coki approached Jolie in the living room. The dog immediately lay down next to Jolie. His head rested on the girl's thigh. Jolie did not hesitate to touched Coki's soft fur. This was always the best activity for the girl to relieve stress. The pressures of life that she experienced throughout the day were instantly dissipated by the presence of Coki the dog.

"Sometimes I think it might be better if I lived as a dog like you, Coki. You wouldn't have to think about finding a job, finding a nice place to live, or finding a mate. You could roam the streets, looking for scraps to eat. You can sleep on people's porches without disturbing anyone. You can mate with any female that catches your eye." Jolie paused for a moment, thinking back to what she had just said.

"Hm, no, no. I'd rather be human. I have reason and morals. I have a family to make happy in the village. I have dreams to fulfil. My hard work to become the best graduate should pay off soon. I must keep fighting. For my family, for you Coki, and for myself," Jolie told herself. She was actually an ambitious and intelligent girl. But sometimes living alone in the middle of a big city can be draining.

Jolie has a family in her village. There was her father, mother, and one grandmother. They manage a wheat farm to send Jolie to university. Sometimes being a farmer is taken for granted by many people because their lives are so simple. Working in the fields is not like working in an office. But Jolie will prove to the world that a farmer's daughter can change the world.

"You know, Coki? Sometimes I feel like I'm so naive. Can I achieve everything that I want?" Jolie asked. Coki barked loudly in reply.

"Well, you always have my back, Coki. By the way, today I just met an annoying man. He almost hit me in the middle of the road. Actually after thinking about it, it was my fault. I crossed the road carelessly and didn't pay attention to the situation. But instead of scolding him, I was in a frenzy because I hadn't found a single job yet. Now, I somehow feel guilty. If I had the chance to meet him again, maybe I would apologise and admit my mistake," Jolie explains.

She continued to talk to her dog even though she knew Coki wasn't smart enough to talk. At least he had a place to pour his heart out.

In the middle of the silence, Jolie's mobile phone suddenly rang. She looked at the phone, there was Samuel's name on the screen. That person was Jolie's old college friend. They also had an internship together. "How strange for this person to call me," she thought.

Without thinking Jolie picked up the phone and said, "Hello?"

"Hi, Jolie. Long time no see, how are you?" said Sam on the other end of the line.

"Pretty good." Jolie lied to herself.

"That's great. I hear you're looking for a new job. I have one for you. Would you be able to go to the Jeverson Property Limited Head Office tomorrow morning? I'll arrange a meeting for you with my boss," Sam explained.

Jolie was almost at a loss for words. "Is that true? You must be joking," she said stammeringly.

***