I QUIT

KARLA

"What's the matter with her, doctor?" I asked with a slight crease of my brow, my gaze fixed on the physician. Ana, sitting beside me, gently squeezed my hand, offering silent reassurance.

The doctor held my gaze for a moment before speaking. "Is there a father or elder I can speak with?" she inquired.  

"I'm twenty, and I'm the only family she has," I replied, suppressing the urge to roll my eyes. Despite my age, I appeared thin and smaller, a consequence of the immense stress I had gone through while taking care of myself and my mom.

     The doctor let out a deep sigh. "I hope you can handle this news. We've discovered a significant presence of alcohol and drugs in your mother's system, and she needs rehabilitation to get clean. Unfortunately, she has also been diagnosed with type two diabetes, though it's in the early stages. We have no choice but to admit her, detoxify her system, and closely monitor her blood sugar levels."

"What?" I blinked back tears that threatened to spill from my eyes. While my relationship with my mother hadn't always been smooth, she was still my mother, and I wasn't prepared to lose her. Plus, this meant shouldering the burden of mounting hospital bills.

      Ana placed a comforting hand on my shoulder as I fought to hold back tears in front of the doctor.

~~~

Ana and I remained at the hospital until darkness enveloped the sky. To get home quicker, we opted for the bushy, desolate path. My shoulders slumped for multiple reasons. Nate didn't care about what happened at home. Missing a day at work meant a deduction from my already meagre salary, and he had already threatened to fire me if I arrived late again.

"I'm so sorry, K," Ana offered sympathetically as if she knew what was going on in my mind.

"Why me?" I began, my frustration welling up. I glanced upward as if searching for answers from the moon goddess. "Why is it always me? Why do you hate me so much? Why me?"

"Hey, K, that's enough," Ana cautioned.

"No, it's not!" I barked, causing Ana to flinch. A foreign rage was simmering within me, unlike anything I had experienced before, and my body was reacting strangely. A scream escaped my lips as pain coursed through my joints.

"Are you alright?" Ana inquired, looking perplexed.

In that moment, an extraordinary transformation overtook me. My body expanded, the sound of tearing clothes punctuating the air. My hands, now outstretched and aching, were covered in fur, ending in sharp claws.

"Oh, my God, you're wolfing out!" Ana exclaimed, her voice a mixture of panic and excitement.

The sound of bones cracking filled the air, each moment of transformation accompanied by excruciating pain. My face elongated into a snout, and my fangs protruded. I collapsed onto all fours, now a colossal blonde wolf, baring my fangs menacingly at Ana. Her eyes held a mix of astonishment and fear. With a thunderous howl, I dashed into the nearby woods. I needed to release my newfound euphoria and freedom. I was finally a full-blown wolf, and no one could taunt me for it ever again.

After a period of exhausting myself, I succumbed to the ground, slowly reverting to my human form. Naked and drained, I lay in the thicket. It wasn't long before a thick blanket enveloped me and when I looked up, Ana stood there, wearing a comforting smile as she helped me to my feet.

"Thank you so much, Ana," I whispered.

"What are friends for?" she replied.

"If not for the inconvenience?" we chimed in unison and burst into giggles.

~*~

"Just quit that job, K," Ana urged as I prepared for work the following morning. She had stayed over, offering comfort and support.

"But where will I find the money to take care of my mother, pay the bills, and clear the debts?" I slid my arms into a long-sleeved blouse.

"Even the money from that job won't cover all these expenses," she retorted.

Buttoning up my jacket, I responded, "I know. That is why I want to apply for another job. I'll work at Nate Diners during the day and another job at night. I don't have much choice, Ana. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, or so they say."

"Didn't you apply to the Cabellos' mansion in the Blue Moon pack? They were looking for a housekeeper last month, and the pay was substantial."

I sighed heavily. "If Cabellos wanted my services, they would have contacted me by now. I'm pretty sure I included my mobile number and email address."

"This is ridiculous. I hate Nate, and I wish I could pluck his eyes out. That stupid son-of-a-bitch," Ana cursed.

"I'll be fine," I assured Ana, trying to muster a sense of optimism as I set off for work.

Despite my mother's hospitalization, I felt a flicker of excitement that morning because of my newfound identity. I hoped no one would dampen my spirit. I was only truly free around Ana; with others, I felt like a timid chicken, but a strange kind of energy was surging through me already. Nate was already waiting for me when I arrived, and a quick glance at the clock told me I was ten minutes late. I was sure he had heard about my mother's situation. The entire pack probably knew by now.

"What did I tell you about coming late again?" he inquired, fixing me with a stern glare.

"I'm sorry, Nate, I—" I began.

"You're sorry? Will that serve the customers or pay your salary?" I shook my head. "Exactly. I'm glad you realize that your apologies won't benefit this establishment."

"My mother is sick and, in the hospital, tried to explain, hoping for a shred of understanding.

      "And does your sick mother contribute to your salary?" Nate retorted coldly. His lack of empathy stunned me into silence. "That's what I thought," he said after I remained silent for a while. "And you have the nerve to talk back to me? Go home."

     "What?" I looked at him, utterly bewildered.

      "I'm suspending you, Karla. It seems you would rather be with your mother in the hospital. But remember, you won't be receiving any salary from me during this time," Nate declared with a dismissive air.

       "Nate, please, I need this job..." 

      "I'm done here, Karla," he said curtly, turning his back on me and striding towards the kitchen.

     At that moment, quitting this job seemed like the only sane option. I had reached my breaking point with Nate and the constant mistreatment I endured. I yearned to confront him, to scream how disgusting he was to his face, but I lacked the courage. I swallowed my frustration and turned to leave. On my way home, I texted Ana, telling her everything that had happened. By the time I arrived, she was in a fit of rage.

     "Did you tell him you wanted to quit? Please say you told him exactly how awful he is," Ana inquired as we entered our apartment.

I collapsed onto the couch, heaving a deep sigh. "I just need to find another job."

     "No, no, not on my watch. I won't allow you to do that," Ana protested, pulling me up from the couch with a firm grip on my arm.

     "What are you doing?" I asked, my brows furrowing in confusion.

     "Taking you back to that jerk, Nate. He needs to hear your rage."

     "No..."

     My protests fell on deaf ears as Ana dragged me out of the door and down the street. I continued to resist, but she was resolute. She stormed into Nate's restaurant and found him engrossed in his sales records. When he looked up and saw me, relief crossed his face.

     "Ah, Karla, thank goodness you spared me the stress. I noticed some irregularities in the sales. Do you care to explain?"

     Anastasia nudged me, urging me to speak up. "I don't know anything about that," I replied, my voice steady.

His gaze shifted to Ana. "And why did you bring this... girl with you? There are no job openings..."

       "I would rather trek to hell and burn to ashes than work in this hellhole," Ana retorted as she stepped forward. "How dare you say those terrible things to her? You're not even fit to wipe her shoes. You're a filthy, arrogant pig..."

     "Ana, please," I pleaded.

       But Ana was relentless. "No, he needs to feel the sting of his own cruelty. This douchebag here is loyal to no one but himself. And if it weren't for his affair with Julia..."

I swiftly covered Ana's mouth with my palm, cutting off the rest of her statement. I had told her about Nate and Julia in one of our gossip moments.

      "What the hell?!" Nate bellowed, his voice echoing through the restaurant.

By now, the attention of most patrons in the restaurant had turned toward us, but Ana, fueled by righteous anger, continued to release her pent-up anger.

     "What the hell is that she's leaving, Nate! She is quitting your miserable job!" Ana proclaimed loudly.

Nate's gaze, filled with confusion and surprise, turned to me. "You're quitting?"

      I hesitated, uncertain, until Ana's encouraging nudge prompted me. Nodding, I affirmed my decision.

        "Because I suggested you take a break to be with your mom?" Nate asked, trying to mask his contempt with concern.

     "No, because you're a scumbag!" I exploded, the frustration that had been building up inside me now finding an outlet in newfound boldness. How dare he act as if he had merely suggested I spend time with my mother? Nate stared at me in disbelief, unable to comprehend my outburst. "I quit! You despicable, scumbag! How dare you treat me like trash? Do you think you own the entire world because you manage this dump? Your food is mediocre at best, you arrogant, bald-headed buffoon, you fat buttermilk-pancake-face scumbag. I quit. And for the record, Julia wouldn't even sleep with you. I quit. I don't know why I ever worked for you, you rude cigar-smoking maggot."

     "C'est fini," Ana declared, raising an eyebrow at Nate, daring him to respond. However, Nate was too dumbfounded to utter a word. After giving Nate a piece of my mind, Ana grabbed my hand, and we made our exit from the restaurant.

      As we stepped outside, a deep, liberating breath escaped me. The release of speaking my mind was unexpectedly exhilarating.

~~~~~~~~~

  Lol, you guys, I'm torn about Karla's confrontation with Nate. On one hand, I wonder if she went overboard in giving him a piece of her mind, but on the other, in that moment, her fiery outburst felt so cathartic, and honestly, the harsh words still seemed insufficient. What do you think? Was it too much, or did Nate deserve every bit of it? Share your thoughts in the comments section and don't forget to vote.