CHAPTER ONE — LIFE ISN'T FAIR.

Chapter 01.

LIFE ISN'T FAIR.

Clary's POV.

“Clary? Are you in?” — a knock came at the door. “Open the door, I need to see you right now.”

I exhaled sharply and ran a jerky hand through my hair. I'd barely sat down with my book to read. Even if it was just a few lines, I knew that I had to memorize something else I would end up with an 'F' in the test tomorrow just like I did some weeks back.

Nonetheless, I knew that I couldn't keep her waiting. So, I righted myself from the chair which I tucked it into the table and closed my book. Then I proceeded towards the door.

“Clary? Are you—”

I opened the door just as she was about to knock again.

“Good evening, Mrs Williams.” I said, with a brief smile on my lips as I stepped out of my room and closed the door behind me. “I am sorry, I didn't hear you earlier. However, is there a problem?”

“Are you kidding me right now?” she asked, with an edge to her voice. “You promised to pay up the balance last week. However, you didn't, and you're asking if there's any problem. Of course, there's a problem; I want my money.”

“Mrs Williams things aren't really—”

“You have been saying that for quite a long time now, and I've been patient with you enough.” she said, cutting me off with a stern look on her face. “When will things begin to go smoothly with you? Besides, how long do you expect me to wait? This is my only source of livelihood. However, if you don't pay, how in the world am I going to survive, huh?”

“Just give me some time, please.” I said, in a soft voice. “I promise to pay the outstanding debt and even for the coming months. Just give me some more time, please.”

“You really want me to believe that?” she asked, letting out a laughing scoff. “Since you moved in here, you've never paid me upfront. All you do accumulate debts, and I'm sick and tired of it. I've lost count of the months you're owing me for. I'm sorry Clary, but I can't keep doing this anymore.”

“Like I said, I just need some more time Mrs Williams.” I said, trying to quell the sob rising in my throat. “All I'm asking for is sometime, and I'll pay everything that I'm owing you.”

“I can't keep doing this, Clary.” she said, shaking her head with a soft gaze. “I also have needs that I have to meet. If you keep telling me that you'll pay up when we both know that you have no idea when you're going to do so, how then am I going to survive?”

“This time will be different.” I said, blinking back tears as I tried to steady my voice with hopes that she would take pity on me. “I promise you this time would be different; you said you lost count of the months I am owing, right?”

“I am too old to keep such things in mind.” she said, using a measured tone. “But as far as I can recall, it seems you haven't paid for the past six months. I need my money, Clary. This will be the last time I come here talking to you about this. The next time I come here, you won't like what I'll do.”

“Thank you, Mrs Williams.” I said, with a meaningful look in my eyes. “I promise not to disappoint you.”

“I really want to believe that you won't disappoint me.” she said, looking me straight in the eyes. “The only reason I'm giving you some more time is because I have kids your age else, I wouldn't hesitate to throw you out immediately.”

“Thank you.” I said, heaving a sigh. “I promise to pay up before the end of the week.”

“I will be here again on Saturday.” she said, with a note of firmness in her voice. “I don't want you to tell me something different. When I come, all I need you to do is pay me my money, understood?”

“Yes ma'am.” I said, with a subtle nod of my head. “I will definitely give you your money when you come on Saturday.”

She stared at me for a moment, as if trying to know if there was any truth in my word before leaving. On the other hand, I stood on the porch until she was out of sight before going back in.

The fact that she was aging seemed like a good thing for me because if I should go by my calculations, then I hadn't paid for over nine months. Perhaps, she should age faster. And if possible, forget that she even rented out an apartment to me. But what good would that be?

I returned in, but as I closed the door, I leaned my back against it for a moment.

“For how long Clary?” I muttered under my breath, hitting the back of my head softly against the door as my eyes suddenly became moist with tears.

After doing that for a few seconds, I returned to my room. However, as I settled on the chair and glanced at the time on my cellphone, my skin crawled as I realized that it was 6pm.

“Damn.” I said, barely breathing the words as I righted myself from the chair.

I'd scheduled myself to read for only ten minutes before leaving for work. However, Mrs Williams deciding to show up at the door some minutes ago just ruined it all.

I opened my wardrobe and then picked a black knee-length skirt and white blouse which I slipped into immediately. After changing into that, I picked up my cellphone and my satchel bag and exited the house.

About an hour later, I arrived at work. I walked straight to the bar deck, lowered my knees as I opened the cupboard and took out my apron. As I fastened the straps behind me, while walking towards the counter to check in, I felt a hand squeeze my butt.

“Damn! It's so soft.” — the man whom I supposed did that remarked as he let out a bark of laughter.

Before long, the other men who sat round the table with him joined in laughing. Meanwhile, I stood there, rooted to the spot. However, I formed my hands into a fist, closed my eyes and drew in a deep, calming breath.

“Can you kindly take your hands off my butt, sir?” I asked, turning to face him with a brief smile on my lips. “I have things to do.”

“And what if I don't?” he asked, even squeezing it harder. “What would you do?”

“You are harassing me, sir.” I said, as tears began to form in my eyes. “You know what happens if I decide to report you to the cops, right?”

“You want to do that?” he asked, his gaze hard. “Go ahead. If you knew quite well that you want to remain a decent girl, then you shouldn't have come to work in a place like this.”

“Is this how you treat your daughters at home, sir?” I asked, trying to steady my voice as I shot a long pained look to him with tears in my eyes. “Or better still, how would you feel if someone else were you touch your daughter's butt?”

“How dare you bring my daughter into this?” he asked, the words clenched angrily around his teeth. “Am I to be blamed for your misfortune? If you don't think you can handle such, then why work here? Leave!”

“Hey man, that's enough.” — one of the men seated with him said, holding him back from coming any close to me. “She isn't worth it.”

“Clary?” — the firm voice called from behind. “I need to see you right now.”

Of course, I was expecting that. If anything, I knew that it was only a matter of time before he would come out to exercise his authority. And guess what? He never seems to disappoint. I turned around and walked straight to meet with him in his office.

“What do you think you're doing?” Russell asked, with a raised brow.

“I was only trying to defend myself sir.” I said, in a soft voice.

“Defend yourself from what exactly!” he yelled, pounding a fist on the desk. “How many times have I told you not to react when such things happen? If you can't continue with the job then leave! It's as simple as that.”

“I came here to work sir and not to allow some old men lay their hands on me.” I said, using a measured tone.

“Can you listen to yourself right now?” he asked, letting out a laughing scoff. “Have you forgotten so soon that they're the very reason why this bar is still running? If they don't come, how else do you else do you expect to be paid? The least you can do to appreciate them is to let it slide when they touch you.”

“But sir—”

“Speaking of which,” he said, pulling out a drawer from his desk as he held out a hand towards me with some dollar notes in his grip. “That is your pay for the month.”

“Thank you, sir.” I said, receiving it from him.

However, just by touching it, I could tell that there was something wrong. To be sure, I counted it and realized that it was short of fifty dollars. My heart sank.

“Sir, this isn't what we agreed on.” I said, lifting my gaze to him. “It is short of fifty dollars.”

“That's the price you pay for insulting a customer.” he said, with ice in his voice. “I am sure that should be enough to teach you a lesson and to do better next time.”

“This isn't right sir.” I said, staring at the notes in my grip as I blinked back tears. “I worked for it.”

“What are you going to do?” he asked, raising a brow. “Call the cops to arrest me, huh? You should be grateful that I decided to pay you something.”

“This is the third time you're doing this to me, sir.” I said, as my throat tightened with tears. “Even though it's not easy, I try to arrive early and get my job done.”

“Would you take that money, or would you have me fire you?”