CHAPTER 4

Kimberly walked down the street feeling so exhausted and still kinda hungry. Her day was nothing to write home about. 

She could think of nothing but one thing. Going home and not coming back to Mystic falls in search of a job again, since Landon Hernandez seems to own the whole city, the chances of her Working is 2%.

She noticed the taxi wasn't stopping to give her a lift, even after waving them down severally.

"Is Landon behind this too?" She thought immediately feeling so frustrated.

"Madam, are you okay?" A man asked after watching her for some while and noticed she was losing her mind already.

"I am not! The taxi won't stop to give me a ride!" She said in rage.

"Ma'am they can't stop here. You have to get to the Park first." He said and Kim calmed down a little when she realized it wasn't only her.

"Oh. Thank you, I didn't know about that." She replied the man and he nodded smiling.

"I knew you didn't know, and that's why I decided to tell you. You must be new here, so you don't know how things are done in Mystic falls." He Stated and she nodded getting tired of hearing that particular statement 'you must be new here'.

"Thank you. But please can you tell me where the park Is?" Kim asked and he nodded.

"I can walk you there. I am less busy anyways." He said and Kimberly furrowed her brows looking at him and nodding at the same time.

"Why is he acting so nice?" She asked herself as they both walked down the street again.

"I am Raymond, and you?" He started a conversation.

"Kimberly." She responded she wasn't not really in the mood to start a chat with a total stranger who is acting so nice. 

"So why are you in Mystic falls?" Raymond further asked and Kim tried all her best not to act rude to him too.

"I am here in search of a job." She replied and he nodded Smiling.

"So have you gotten any? There are lots of companies that would want you in Mystic falls." He said and she scoffed.

"I don't think so." She replied holding her bag firmly.

"Really? Have you tried Fibre way? They employ people like you almost every time." He stated and she looked at him.

"I have been there and I wasn't offered any Job. I was told there Is no Vacancy." She said.

"That will change when you meet the owner of the Company, Landon Hernandez. He is the nicest man I have ever met." He said and Kim got frustrated.

"I think I can see the Park from here. I will help myself from here, thank you so much." She said with a fake smile on her face.

"Won't you give me some money before I go? I helped you out." He said and Kimberly rolled her eyes.

"I knew he wanted something." She mumbled.

"I am sorry Raymond, but I don't have extra money with me. The only money left with me is what will take me back home. I am sorry, maybe next time." She said in a sorry manner.

"Proof to me. Most of you say that, but then you have more you can spare." He said and Kim sighed.

"Fine. I would show you what I have left." She said dipping her hand inside the bag and searching for the last $25USD that should be with her.

After noticing she wasn't feeling any money, she looked inside the bag as she searched, and Raymond just stared at her.

"Oh no. This can't be happening." She said trying not to burst into tears when she saw her last USD 25 wasn't in her bag anymore.

"You know what, you can go. You don't have to pretend you have no money now." Raymond said angrily walking away. 

Tears formed in Kim's eyes as she knew this time she was done for. How would she get back home??

I shut her eyes trying to remember how she spent the money, and how she must have misplaced it, but nothing made sense to her.

Raymond stood at a corner and watched her act like she was going crazy. He picked up his phone and made a call across to Landon.

Landon picked up as soon as the call got to his phone.

"Tell me." He commanded.

"She has realized she lost the money, and I think she trying to get how she misplaced it," Raymond said and Landon smirked.

"You did great Raymond. You can come back now, I would take it from here." He said and Raymond hung up.

***

Kimberly sat on the bench very close to the road sobbing quietly. She couldn't think straight and she was so down.

"How do I get home? How do I eat?" She questioned herself still searching the bag, hoping to find her last USD 25, but she saw nothing.

Landon having watched her for some minutes decided to walk up to her. 

"Hey." He said and Kimberly kept her face down. She wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone.

"Go away." She mumbled cleaning her teary eyes with her palm.

"Are you sure you want me to go?" Landon asked mockingly drawing out her USD 25 from his pocket.

"Go!" She yelled and when she looked up and saw it was Landon she became more furious that she didn't notice the money in his hands.

"What is wrong with you! Must you always frustrate me?" She yelled angrily. 

"Frustrate you? How?" He asked pretending not to understand what she was saying.

"Just leave okay?" She stated standing up and picking her bag in anger.

"If you leave, I bet you would have to trek back to your home. Good luck doing that." He said and turned to walk away.

"Wait! Stop. How did you know?" She asked immediately and he grinned wickedly before looking at her.

"This." He said raising the money with him.

"Oh My God. Is that mine? USD 25?" She asked in awe and he smiled.

"It dropped from your bag when you were storming out of the restaurant." He said and she quickly reached for it, but then he moved his hand away.

"Let me have it." She said and Landon scoffed.

"Seriously? Do you think I would just hand it over to you? That's not possible." He said and Kimberly breathed out trying to stay calm.

"Okay, thank you for picking it up for me and bringing it to me. Can I please have it?" She asked more politely making Landon laugh.

"Wow. I can't believe you just said that, it sounds very funny coming from you." He mocked and Kim got angrier.

"Are you giving it to me or not?" She asked with a frown on her face.

"Before I answer that, you have to follow me to my office. Let's talk business." He said walking to where he parked his car.

"Business? What is he talking about?" Kim asked herself but followed thus. 

All she wanted is to get her money back and go to her house.