Chapter Three

Eliana Brown

~•~

I wasn’t at fault. I was the one who stopped a crime but as I stood in my manager’s office with Karen and Newbie, it felt like everyone was against me.

She had twisted the story to make it look like she accidentally put the products in her bag and I ambushed her without saying anything first.

“Anna,” James started. “I know you’ve had a rough morning, but–“

“I don’t care if she had a rough morning or a rough life. Projecting it onto me just says a lot about her professional ethics!” Karen emphasized.

My mouth fell open. “How is this my fault when you’re the one that stole?”

“Anna–“

Karen cut him off with a scoff and brought out her phone. She walked outside the room to make the call, then came back in with a smug look on her face. “I’ve informed your boss about the situation, so if you do not want this to escalate, you might as well apologize and get it over with.”

“Anna, just apologize and let it go.”

“But she stole!”

“And she’s a customer we can’t afford to lose.” Newbie gave her two cents like anybody asked. “So do what she’s telling you before it gets worse.”

Frustration clawed at my chest, threatening to break through. I couldn’t recall if I’d done anything bad recently but today must be my karma. There was no way all these bad things were happening to me in one day. Somehow, I was at fault for stopping a theft. If I didn’t, I was likely to not get paid.

“There are cameras…” I trailed off.

“Except you want to turn in your uniform and never come back, you’re at fault and you’ll take responsibility for it.”

My eyes cut across to Newbie. I was still mad at her for taking my spot. Unlike James, she wasn’t even trying to be understanding. She was licking the *ss of a thief. I didn’t understand them. I didn’t understand this job. I didn’t understand why I still worked here.

Every day, I had to deal with rich snobby people who couldn’t just shop without creating a scene. Now I had to apologize for someone else’s crime. I couldn’t make it make sense.

The door suddenly opened and our general manager burst in. From his fast breathing, it seemed like he had been rushing to get here. His eyes traveled from me to Karen to Newbie and then, to James. He took a deep breath to calm himself down before he spoke. “What’s going on? I got a call from the boss telling me an employee is harassing her friend.”

I closed my eyes briefly. No wonder she was so audacious.

“Is this her?” He asked Karen, pointing to me.

She nodded.

“I’m sorry about the inconvenience, Miss March. You’re fired.”

My eyes widened. Fired? Just like that? For being a good employee? Was someone up there playing tricks on me?

“Oh, no. You don’t need to go that far. She just has to apologize and she’s all good.” She sounded patronizing. I was certain she thought she held my life in her hand at that moment.

James nudged me. “Anna.” He gritted out, sounding like he was pleading with me. He felt bad for me and I knew it, but this was out of his control as well.

“I’m sorry.” I forced the words out.

The general manager scoffed, having more attitude than the Karen in front of us. “Apologize properly and thank her for being able to keep your job.”

They had to be kidding me. I’d been working for them for years and they were going to fire me just because of a petty thief? If she had so many connections then, why did she steal? Was this a rich person's problem or was she just problematic? The cameras clearly caught her stealing but somehow I was in the wrong.

I wasn’t normally a violent person but I had the strongest urge to break something. However, I swallowed the last bit of dignity I had. “I’m sorry, ma’am. And thank you for letting me keep my job.”

“Don’t people usually go down on their knees when they are begging for forgiveness?”

I stared at Karen or Miss March, whatever her name was and she stared right back at me looking smug, knowing she held all the power at the moment.

My gaze traveled between the Newbie, James, and our general manager. They were all waiting for me to get down on my knees and get it over with. How many more of this was I going to deal with if I continued to stay here? Would I ever get promoted? They were going to use the excuse that I was young to snatch everything from me.

I was young and that was a good enough reason to be reckless. I had more years ahead of me. I could start a new life.

“What are you doing?” The GM asked. “Get on your knees and apologize.”

“No.” I spat out. I may have been desperate to get a job but I wasn’t that desperate to kneel and beg for it. If I was at fault, that would have been different. I wouldn’t have hesitated to apologize but I did no wrong. I knew the world had no place for the poor but I still had some pride left in me. I was a hard worker. Any store would be happy to have me. I wasn’t going to give myself up just because this was one of the biggest department stores in New York.

“No?” He was confused.

“No,” I repeated. “F*ck you and f*ck your boss. I quit.” I hated cursing but I just couldn’t help it.

“Anna–“

“I’m done here. The uniform will be in my locker.”

I would hit Karen if it wouldn’t get me arrested, which was why I didn’t wait for anybody’s response before I turned on my heels and left the office, slamming the door harder than necessary. My coworkers standing in front of the door seemed taken aback when I came out and all of them watched me, gauging my reaction but I didn’t look at any of them.

I went to the locker room, got changed, and left the building with my belongings.

When I was outside, I was finally able to breathe again but that just reminded me of the shitty day I had. It started with getting cheated on, finding out my fiancé wanted to scam me of my little savings, not getting the promotion I deserved, and then getting scolded for what wasn’t my fault.

I found a nearby coffee shop and got some coffee, hoping to feel better after it. The side of the road was less busy so I decided to take a walk instead of waiting for the bus. I was jobless now so I couldn’t afford a taxi.

It was a bad day and I didn’t think it could get any worse. Apparently, I spoke too soon because, in the next second, I ran into a wall that was over six feet. My nose hit his chest and everything fell from my hand.

I stepped back, ready to mutter an apology, and was absolutely mortified to see that my coffee was everywhere on his white shirt and my phone was lying face down on the ground. I picked it up immediately and from the day I was already having, I wasn’t surprised to see that the screen was destroyed and it couldn’t turn on anymore.

I stared at the man, then at my phone, and back at the man. I felt my bottom lip wobble.

“You spilled your coffee on me.” He pointed out, standing as still as a rock as though the cold coffee running down his shirt didn’t affect him much. “How come you’re the one about to cry?”

I didn’t know what it was about his question that triggered me but the next thing I knew, uncontrollable tears were rolling down my face.