Chapter 6: Public Humiliation 

Outside the diner, Amelia could barely hold herself straight as her stomach churned, with the overwhelming urge to puke.

She squatted on the stone pavement near the diner, she was fired.

Watching the many feet that walked past her, her mind zoned out with the world being out of place to her. Where would she go from here?

They hadn’t even paid her a week's worth of salary, and her only means to provide for her and her sister was gone.

What does she do about tonight's dinner?

Was It not enough to have everything crumble around her?

Her lips trembled and soon tears fell off her cheeks to the stone pavements.

It felt like the world was waiting for her to fall apart, and honestly, she’d reached her limit.

More tears flowed from her as her state became evident to most who walked by, with the way her shoulder trembled.

A man's shoes came into her view, and Amelia wiped off her tears to check if she saw clearly, and yes, a man's shoes stood before her.

She gazed up to see who it was, and the person brought no happiness as her cheek bloomed with embarrassment.

“Why are you still following me?”

She stood up and gazed at David the guard. Watching as his gaze shifted among the crowd, Amelia became aware she’d been crying in front of the diner that just fired her. How pathetic.

“You got fired, didn’t you?” the guard's gaze settled back at her.

“It’s none of your business” Amelia snapped.

She couldn’t stand the look on his face so she walked away. The guard followed beside her keeping pace with her, which only served to infuriate her more.

“I’m afraid it is now. Order from the chairwoman. You have three days to make up your mind, and I’m to guard you every step of the way whichever contract you choose I’ll be here to follow up”

Her step faltered and she turned to the side, locking gazes with the guard.

“Are you threatening me?” her tone bewildered.

The guard gave nothing away, his gaze blank. She couldn’t read him at all.

“Think whatever you like Miss.” His tone was bland and nonthreatening.

Amelia resumed her walk, and the guard followed.

She ground her teeth and gripped her bag tightly, those damn contracts were still with her, and they weighed a ton in her hands.

Soon... very soon, she’d give them an answer. Just not yet.

Her grip on the bag tightened.

She had to find a way first; she knew she would. Her circumstances will not define her life, she wouldn’t let it.

…

Amelia’s walk back to her place was covered in silence as the guard trailed after, from a few steps behind.

Coming to the steps of her apartment, she climbed up paying him no heed, not until she heard the sounds of another climbing the stairs behind her.

Was he going to see her at the door?

Amelia saw the shadow getting closer, and her curiosity was shortly answered when she felt a sudden stinging pain up her scalp, and she cried out from it.

A hand had grabbed her hair, going for the roots. The person tightened their grip as they pulled her hair, dragging her down the stairs.

She flailed on her knees nearly hitting the ground, as her eyes watered with tears filling them with the intent to spill.

“Where is My money…” The person's tone was sharp.

That voice sounded familiar. Who was it?

Amelia reached up to her hair pulling it back in place and in a way easing the tension, but the person’s grip tightened giving her no relief whatsoever from the pain.

Instead, her hair was pulled backward, and her face was lifted. Now she could clearly see who it was doing this to her… her building owner.

The woman's gaze was fierce as she looked at her with malice, and Amelia’s gaze was filled with dread.

This woman was not to be trifled with.

She bit back a groan as the hand tightened its hold reinforcing the agony she felt as her scalp was being clawed at deeply.

“You!” the woman leaned close, her gaze violent “Your mother and your sister… you’ve been living in my house for free, it’s almost a year now when do you intend to pay rent?”

Amelia felt her head splitting as her hair was dragged harder for emphasis. She felt a sense of revulsion as her stomach churned and her vision doubled.

The pain kept her on edge, intensifying with each second that passed.

“I’ll get you the money” Amelia croaked holding back her vomit, her gaze turning pale.

“When is that going to be? You and your mother have been saying the same thing for over a year now so tell me when?”

“Answer me!” The woman pulled her hair harder, not showing even an ounce of mercy.

“A week,” Amelia's voice sounded hoarse, tracing her gaze back to the building owners.

“Give me a week and I’ll pay back the money”

“It's not just for this month, you’ll pay the entire years’ worth of rent you owe me”

“Yes—I will,” she muttered, her voice low and submissive.

The woman released her grip Standing up straight, Amelia fell to the ground in a messy heap with her hair all over the place.

“Oh no I broke a nail because of you, tsk!” The woman’s voice sounded pleasant as though it wasn’t just her pulling people's hair off their shoulders.

“Oh well it’s what I have to do to get my money back” Her gaze narrowed wickedly wanting to do more than just grab a fist full of Amelia's hair.

“You said it yourself, better pay the money back or get out of my house.” The landlady walked away.

From the corner of her eyes, she saw the guard standing not too far from where she was watching as everything unfolded, not lifting a finger to help.

Amelia’s cheeks heated up, as her eyes glazed with tears that spilled from them. Noticing the onlooker; her neighbors and other pedestrians watching her.

Her heart ruptured in pain and agony, battling the feel of her misery, trying to hold back her tears, but it wasn’t working.

It was like a dam broken and that could not be stopped.

This was a public humiliation—her own humiliation.

Haven had enough Amelia moved backward supporting herself on the handle of the stairs, wincing at the pain she felt on her scalp, her entire body shuddering with it.

She stood back up not looking behind her at the people observing her, she dragged herself up the stairs.

Tired, she was so tired of everything.

Amelia’s heart was hollowed out as an empty feeling of numbness invaded her.

Was there even a need to fight so hard? Preserving a dignity made so low in public?

Amelia wiped her tears, pausing at the entrance of her apartment she looked down the stairs, sighting the guard who still stood there watching her closely.

What was it she fought for anyway?

Amelia turned her gaze unlocking her door. She didn’t think she could handle this—not anymore. She slammed the door softly.

“Finally, you are back”

Amelia turned away from the door, she saw the excited gaze of her sister filled with relief.

“What happened to your hair, and are you… bleeding?”

Tiana walked towards her holding her cheek up and Amelia smacked her hand away from her walking into the apartment that was mostly empty.

“Are you still mad at me?”

Amelia paused looking back at her sister, whose gaze was down and her tone filled with guilt.

She took note of the pristine uniform that still looked clean and recently ironed.

“You didn’t go to school?” Amelia locked gazes with her sister.

“How could I? When those men took you away” Tiana’s voice was hoarse.

Amelia noticed the red tint below her sister’s gaze and looked away, not saying a more word as she left for her room.

Tiana reached for her “Wait—sister!—” Amelia smacked the hands once again gazing at her sister with indifference.

Tiana gazed at her shocked, her hands trembling beside her and Amelia noticed this, but her stance didn’t change.

Amelia sighed, turning away from her sister.

“I’m tired Tiana” her voice cracked “I’ll be in my room do not disturb me,”

Amelia walked to her room leaving her sister watching behind.

“And by the way” she commented as an afterthought already at the entrance of her room “there’s a bowl of yesterday’s noodles on the counter you are welcome to eat it.”

Amelia clicked the door of her room shut, locking herself in.