Ten

"Ouch!” Camila cried. 

The pain in the omega's lower back was excruciating. She got up from the couch, aching. Fuck. She needed a painkiller.

She wouldn't be able to go to work, if she kept this up, but she couldn't afford to miss, now more than before she needed the money, she wouldn't sell out again.

He went to the kitchen where he looked for a pain pill, he took it at the right moment when he saw his mom out of the corner of his eye, while she was standing in the door frame. 

Mer scrutinized her daughter with her eyes. She looked annoyed.

"What time did you get in last night, young lady?" Mer asked. Camilla bit her finger, thoughtfully.

"About four o'clock in the morning" Camila said. Mer was indignantly surprised. "But I have an explanation, there was an event at de Lort's and Claudy hired me as a waitress. I couldn't tell her no when we needed the money” She lied. 

She walked away when her mother tried to approach her. Camilla was afraid she smelled the scent of an alpha on her body.

Mer's expression softened for a moment, but then she frowned, not a good sign, then walked toward her daughter. 

For a second, Camilla thought her mother did notice the alpha scent, but she didn't. Mer put a bottle of medicine on the table.

"Where did you get the money for this... And don't tell me you took up the rent because Mrs. Colin's came and informed me that you paid it to her" 

Camila rolled her eyes in annoyance. It had to be her nosy landlady. Always getting ideas into her mom's head.

"Now, what did she tell you, that I stole to pay him?”  The blonde took an annoyed stance, she was tired of Mrs. Colin's always making up gossip about her.

"No, he told me she saw you leaving Merch's club late at night"

Shit. Now that was a problem, everybody knew what kind of people frequented that place. And there were two kinds of people who did, hookers and johns.

"Well, yes, I was there" Her mother's disappointed expression sent the omega to the floor.  God, if only she knew the truth. "But it's not what you think, they were asking for someone to do the cleaning"

"What, no Camilla, that sleazy place is the worst job you could have" Mer grabbed her arm, worried.

The blonde smiled in denial. She had to lie to him, it was for both their makes.

"I was told the position was already filled, don't worry, I'll get another one" Camila stroked her mother's cheek tenderly. 

The blonde loved her so much that she would do anything for her. The truth is that she would leave Merch's behind, she would no longer have anything to do with that place, after last night, Camila didn't even feel like serving drinks there.

"I don't want you to be on the wrong side of the tracks. Those people find it easy to fool naive young girls like you” Mer said.

Camila frowned, thinking to herself that she wasn't naive. Her mom thought she was still a child, but no, she was already twenty-two. She wanted to object, but didn't, it was better not to argue.

"Don't worry mom, that won't happen” Camila kissed her on the forehead and looked at her watch. "It's so late, I'll be late for coffee” She walked to the bathroom as fast as the pain would allow her.

She had to pretend, so she tried not to walk funny when she felt her mom's curious look behind her back, definitely the size had been a problem. Maybe a good bath would help with the discomfort.

The morning went by as usual at the café, frequent customers came by for their frequent breakfasts, the omega was about to take an order when the little bell on the door alerted her that new customers had arrived. Their laughter was uproarious and made the whole place fill with it.

Camila turned around and stood still when she noticed the three people in front of her, they were girls who worked at the Merch's. 

Camila felt a tightness in her chest and averted her gaze to Claudy, she knew her mother very well, and if she noticed that any of the girls came to greet her, everything could be misinterpreted. 

Camila recognized the omegas, they were the same ones from last night. 

And of course, they recognized the blonde. They looked at her surprised, it was obvious they didn't expect to find her working as a waitress.

"Hi, Ca...!" Natalie was about to greet her when....

"Do you know them?” Claudy asked her.

Camila's whole body shuddered. Her boss couldn't possibly know that she knew them. 

Not to offend them, but from the way they dressed she could tell from a distance what they did for a living. Claudy would jump to a conclusion if Camila told her that she did know them. 

“No" she said quickly. 

The girls looked at her, stunned and disappointed. Claudy found herself incredulous, it could be that she already suspected she was lying. Please don't! The omega begged with all her might.

"What about them, do they know Camila?” The beta questioned them and Natalie denied, crestfallen.

"Of course not” Hani walked past her, ignoring her completely, occupying the table behind her.

Samantha twisted her gesture, pulling the paddle out of her mouth, looked Camila up and down, she was annoyed and nudged her with her shoulder as she passed.

The blonde walked quickly towards the kitchen, she felt bad hiding them, but that was too much. She never thought they would come here, they never had before.

"What a pain in the ass, aren't they?" Claudy said as she delivered the three's order to the kitchen. 

The omega shrugged her shoulders, downplaying it, she didn't want her to think she cared. The beta let out a sigh, not quite buying it.

"Do you know they work at Merch?” Claudy continued. Camila denied. "Mmm... So, how's your mom doing? I stopped by your building yesterday, but I didn't have time to go see her" She changed the conversation drastically, it was better. 

“Fine" Camila replied and prayed that her boss would accept her blunt, monosyllabic answer and stop questioning her.

"Wow, that sums it all up pretty Okay" Claudy looked sideways at Camila, still unconvinced of what she was saying. 

It didn't matter any more anyway, Camila would no longer be working at Merch's. She went on with her chores for the day when the bell rang again. 

Lory, her friend from school, arrived as she did every day. She always seemed very busy, with a lot on her plate. Camila thought that day would be like any other, that Lory would order her latte and leave, but that was not the case.

She occupied one of the tables for the first time, put aside her folders, and sighed for a second. Camila brought the letter to her, receiving it with a cordial greeting and a smile. 

"Good morning, Lory"

"Hello, Camila. Just starting the day, and I'm exhausted" Lory replied with a crooked smile. The blonde nodded in agreement, it seemed to be true.

"A lot of work?"

"You don't say... My boss is abusing me, his assistant quit because he moved cities, now I'll have to wait for them to hire someone else” Lory snorted looking at the letter. Now all I want is to at least have a decent breakfast. 

"Order the house specialty" Camila suggested. 

"Okay, surprise me" The jet-haired girl settled back in her chair and finally smiled wider. 

Camila nodded and took her order to take it to the kitchen. She waited a few minutes, while she kept thinking about what Lory had said, about a vacancy where she was working, she didn't want to be reckless, but now that she was out of the Merch's job she had to find another one. At least he wouldn't be left without the doubt. 

When he returned with Lory's breakfast, he plucked up the courage to ask. 

"Hey Lory" Camilla began to speak. 

The jet omega looked at her dish with enamored eyes, she didn't wait long before she tried some. 

"It's delicious” Lory let out a groan of satisfaction. "Excuse me Camila, how can I help you?” The blonde laughed nervously, wiping her hands on the apron of her uniform.

"You mentioned that your boss is looking for an assistant, and I was wondering if I….."

"Really? That would be great. Look, the pay is good, but I don't know what you'll do with your job at the café, the hours at the law firm are pretty much all day, do you think it would suit you?” Lory said. 

Camila bit her lip, she hadn't thought about it that way. 

"May I ask how much you are paying?” Camila asked. 

Lory opened her briefcase and held out one of her payslips.

"This was what I was paid last month"

Camila smiled, the pay was good, very good in fact. 

"You'll see if it suits you” Lory said.

It definitely suited Camila, but she also didn't want to leave Claudy's job when they had been so good to her. 

"I guess I'll have to go make an appointment to be interviewed" Camila mused.

She was thinking about the possibility of working out a compromise regarding scheduling. She could talk to Lory's boss, at least she would try. 

"Yes, I'll talk to him, but, still, you should go fill out your application. Trust me, you'll see if you get the job" Lory exclaimed with a broad smile. Camila smiled more enthusiastically.

"Thank you, Lory, please enjoy your breakfast” Camila thanked her. She didn't want to bother her anymore, and let her eat to her heart's content.

After Lory said goodbye and the Merch girls left, at last Camila's shift at the café was over, she retired until she reached the clinic of Doctor Owen, a cinnamon-scented alpha. He was looking at some files when Camila entered his office.