Chapter 1

**Alarm beeps**

"Oh! How I hate the alarm!" Beatrix sighed getting up from her bed. She hurriedly had a shower and searched her closets for clothes.

"Hmph" a happy sigh escaped her lips when she found her black skirt and pink dress lying on her couch.

"There you are" she hurriedly went over and put them on. Sitting in front of the mirror, she neatly brushed her long curly brown hair and styled it neatly into a ponytail.

"I'll be late again and there's nothing I can do about it" she nonchalantly said as she dropped her phone and peered into the mirror to take a last glance at herself, her deep blue eyes revealed innocence yet mystery. She picked up her bag, shut her door and she flagged down a taxi.

"Beatrix! You're late again!" Miss Lorena shouted giving her a stern look.

"I'm sorry ma'am. I just had....." one of the things she hated aside living an uncomfortable life was being scolded by miss Lorena

"Not your flimsy excuses" she shove her off waving her hands

"Get to work" she walked away.

Beatrix quickly locked her things up in her locker and putting on her apron, she went on to brew coffee.

"What took you so long girl?" Tyler asked, peering at her with his brown eyes which held nothing but concern. Tyler wore a white, shirt over a black pant, his short black hair was neatly groomed to the back giving him quite the natural look. Tyler had been her closest friend since college and they were lucky to meet again here in San Francisco.

"I overslept" she chose to keep her other life discreet.

"There's a long line of customers upfront waiting for coffee, I'll need some hands here"

"Sure" she arranged the cups close to brewing machine.

"You sure got scolded by miss Lorena"

"As always" she tied the rope of her apron.

"No discussions! The line has reduced, more hands aren't needed here anymore" miss Lorena said

"I'll help with the snacks" Tyler walked over to attend to customers in need of snacks.

The remaining hours of work weren't all that stressful for them because much people didn't troop in!

"Beatrix" Miss Lorena's annoying voice echoed and Beatrix looked at her with a forced smile. "Meet me in my office in two minutes" she added walking away.

"Is everything alright between you and miss Lorena?" Tyler seemed concerned

"Who knows? Well, I'll find out in two minutes" she shrugged as she dragged her feet to miss Lorena's office.

"You called for me" she peered into her office

"Yeah come in and have a seat" she gestured her into her office.

Taking her seat, she quietly looked around the office trying so hard not to be nervous. She wondered what miss Lorena had to say and she secretly hoped that it wasn't what she was thinking. A lot of times, she had been called into miss Lorena's office, it was to give her a warning for late coming and she feared this would be the last warning.

"I've been thinking for a while now how to handle your late coming and I've finally come up with a solution" her downturn lip curved into a smile but Beatrix wasn't returning the smile, her eyes widened as she waited impatiently for miss Lorena's solution to be said.

"You'll be taking the night shift" miss Lorena said and she heaved a sigh of relief. She didn't like the idea but she was glad she wasn't going to be fired.

"Miss Lorena..." She paused as she swallowed hard.

"I'm sorry for always showing up late for work, I'll fix that" she pleaded

"Huh? You're declining my offer?"

"Yes please" she tried to sound as polite as she could

"Sadly, that wasn't an offer but an order and you are to resume night shift tomorrow. End of discussion" she reached out for her locker

"Miss Lorena please listen to me"

"Our discussion ended few seconds ago. If you don't want to follow my order, you can as well, use the door and don't come back" she stood up to leave

"Just one more chance....." these words escaped from her mouth, she didn't mean to request for that but seeing miss Lorena pause to hear what she wanted to say, she had no choice but to go on

"If I show up late one more time, I'll resign"

"Interesting" miss Lorena turned to look at her. Her facial expression held a scornful look. "Deal! You said it, I hope you keep to it"

"I will" she wasn't so sure but she had to give it a shot. "Thanks alot...."

"That's enough" she walked away.

Beatrix was glad that miss Lorena agreed to give her another chance but she was worried that she might not be able to keep to her own part of the deal. Miss Lorena wouldn't hesitate to fire her if she shows up late again! The thought of that sent cold shivers down her spines.

A bright smile appeared on her face as she spotted Tyler outside the coffee shop waiting for her.

"How did your talk with Miss Lorena go?" he asked her, his gaze fixed to the untied lace of her sneakers

"you know how she is. I had to make a deal with her" she sighed, thinking about it really made her uncomfortable.

"what deal was that? hope you didn't say something that you're not likely to keep" he bent down and helped her tie her laces. "let's go" she felt his protective hands around her wrist and he pulled her away.

"I'm listening" he smiled, she thought he had forgotten about it and she wished he had but unfortunately, Tyler wasn't one to forget such easily as he really cared for her and looked out for her. He was like an older brother to her and she loved him.

"I told her that she could fire me if I showed up late again" she looked away, knowing fully well how he would react.

"what? how could you say such thing knowing fully well that you aren't in control of that! I don't know your reason for coming late but I'm pretty much sure that you'd come late again" he roared and she pouted

"I just had to say something Tyler, she was going to give me the night shift" she snapped "then you should have taken it" he was furious

"and not see you?" she stopped "look Bea, we can still see on weekends" if only he knew how occupied her weekends were "watch out" he grabbed her by her waist out of the way of a bicycle rider, her hands were on his chest and he looked down at her! she could hear her heart race, but why? Tyler had been her best friend and there were no strings attached, so what was she feeling? she suddenly pulled herself away and smiled faintly walking ahead of him.

"wait up Bea! we're not done talking!" Tyler ran after her "you look pale! is anything wrong? did that bicycle hit you by chance?" he took her hands in search of any scratch.

"I'm fine Tyler. We've gotten to your apartment" she said and Tyler frowned "since when?" Beatrix's apartment was some blocks away from Tyler's and whenever they were done from work, he'd always walk with her to her apartment and walk back alone but he was surprised that she didn't want him to do that today.

"it's been a hectic day and uhm, you should get some rest" she smiled hoping he wouldn't question her further, she was fortunate though "okay then, call me when you get home" he spread out his arms and she hugged him

"I will" she waved him and the she walked away. As she walked through the streets of San Francisco to her apartment, she took glances at her wristwatch to get a glimpse of time and she walked briskly on finding out that if she continued to count her steps, she wouldn't get a bit of rest before her other job.

"phew!" she opened her door and walked into her apartment, her apartment was on the third floor of the building and she lived alone, not minding her messed up room, she sunk in bed shoving the heap of clothes on her bed to the floor. She was so tired to get them to her closet and soon after, she fell asleep.

She woke up to her ringtone "what?" she opened her eyes in shock, it was 8pm! she was already one hour late and counting! "Fuck!!" she cursed noticing she didn't take off her clothes or even bath when she got back from the coffee shop. She hurriedly went into the bathroom and took a shower! Coming out of the shower, she looked around as she tried to recall where she had kept her lingerie "oh no!" she cried out looking at the pile of clothes on the floor, her lingerie must be among them and she was running late. She was lucky enough to see it laying on the bed and she quickly took it and put them on, a black bra with thin hands and crossed chains, a lace panties and a lace panty hose. She peered into the mirror accessing her looks and she smiled. Taking a look at the wall clock across the room, she doubled her speed as she quickly put on a long coat with zippers and taking her bag which contained whatever she needed, her shoes, clothes, make up, she walked briskly out of the building and flagged down a taxi.

"The cubicle" she said shutting the door behind her.