All Chapters of Their Chance : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Ahana After a couple hours of uneventful sleep, my eyes open. My heart crashes as I remember the events of the previous night; witnessing Darien’s sex show with his girlfriend… right before giving them one of my own. I sigh and swallow back yet another lump that wants to form in my throat. No, there will be no more crying. This is the situation, and it’s either I swim in it… or sink. And I refuse to sink. Getting off the bed, I walk to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I look at the unspectacular woman staring back at me. With small breasts and a stomach more rounded than it should be, my wide hips almost help to salvage the situation. Almost. With skin coloured the same brown as a cut apple left standing for too long, an odd brown that is neither classified fair nor dark skinned, a forehead a good inch or two wider than it needs to be, and a ridiculously wide gap between my two front teeth, I know Amanda and the very many people puzzled by our coupling, are right. Aput can do a whole

ChrisMonday evening, as I walk Muna home from the bus stop, I realise I am back to square one. With two back-to-back route Au pair disaster, I don't want to go through that route again. But if not that, then what?It’s a little past 5pm, so I fix Muna a peanut butter and jam sandwich for her tea. As she eats, I contemplate what to order in for dinner, Chinese or a good old pizza, the only kind of Italian delicacy I like. Before I can decide, my phone rings. I frown when I see Ada’s name on the display. I am tempted to ignore it like I used to, but I decide to put us both out of our misery and end this nonsense once and for all.“What do you want?”“Chris, I’m so sorry about how I behaved yesterday. I don't know what got over me,” comes her voice, sounding breathier than normal. “I was so disappointed not to spend more time with you, but it’s no excuse to have acted like a spoiled brat. I’m so sorry.”That she makes no reference to Muna is even more of a red flag. “Listen, Ada, You’re

AhanaIf she does, she doesn't show it. “I’m going to have to rush off. I have an appointment I’m already running late for but was just waiting for you to get here.” She smiles at Aput, “We’ll have to have that beer another time, I’m afraid.” Then turning to me, she throws me a bunch of keys. “We can talk later tonight when I get back. In the meantime, get comfortable and make yourself at home.”When she is gone, Aput let out a scornful laugh. “And you somehow think this is better than staying with me?”I sit with a plop on the couch. “Even if for the mere reason it’s closer to my school, yes, it is.”He sits beside me on the couch and, like me, his eyes rove the apartment.“Aha, I knew it. She’s with an English man,” he remarks, as if that is supposed to explain things somehow. “I’m disappointed.” only offering the place until November. And no, she doesn’t want anything from me.”I try not to roll my eyes, understanding with even more clarity why my old friend has decided to try som

AhanaSo, George and I have a few ground rules for the flat,” Josephine says as we sit on the couch later that evening, eating takeout fish and chips. “No cooking after 7pm. We want to stay healthy, and so dinner should be before 7pm. And only use the dinning table.” I nod, trying to digest this piece of information, pun intended. No cooking. While that will be hard seeing as I eat late sometimes it’s not something I can’t live without. and although I love the comfort of a bed or sofa bed as I find myself, I will have to make do.“You also need to be out of the flat between the hours of 8am and 5pm. I work from home and need the privacy,” she shrugs. “Today was an exception because of my meeting.”I nod again, reminding myself to stay calm as I do. That also isn’t something that can’t be done. On the days I don't have early classes, I could always go to the library or something.“George is very wary of having strangers here. I had to do a whole lot of convincing for him to be comfort

AhanaI take the sheet handed to me and frown as I read it. Worcestershire Glazing. I am tempted to ask Gigs how to pronounce it but quickly decide against it, thinking that will be enough reason for him to throw us out. I glance at Camilla who is smiling as she reads the material. If she’s even a little confused, she doesn’t show it.“It’s a starting 10% commission, rising to 15% and even 20% as your sales increase,” Gigs says, leading us past rows of operators, to vacant seats on the far side of the room.While 10% isn’t exactly what I’d hoped for, it’s a better start than nothing.“Is there any other salary? Like an hourly wage?” Camilla asks.Gigs looks at her with a raised brow, and that is all the answer we get. So then, no, there will be no hourly wage. But with a 10% commission, I can live with that.“This here is Kyle,” Gigs taps a guy on a chair next to mine. “He’ll help put you through today.” Pointing at another guy sitting across Camila. “And that’s Jack. He’ll be with yo