He made his way to the now familiar road leading to the café to get breakfast. He didn't know where to start from but breakfast was a very good start.
He walked into the café and this time, it wasn't as crowded as the last. He walked straight to the barista and she still very much looked like a doll, while chewing her signature gum.
"Look who it is. I almost didn't recognize you. You look bad" she said and he mentally rolled his eyes but stopped.
"What do you mean I look bad?" He asked, feeling a tinge of sadness. That was literally the best outfit in that wardrobe and if the lady who had zero fashion sense said it looked bad, then he could only wonder what other people would think.
"Well," she started, waving her manicured fingers in his general direction. "You looked horrible the other time so today, you just look bad," she finished and laughed at her own joke.
"Whatever. I'll have a large chicken burger with fries. I'd prefer the chicken undercooked with extra mustard and a large cup of latte with whip," he said and was surprised when she finished the order with him in a bored tone.
He glared at her and she glared back harder, both of them daring each other to look away.
He finally looked away because he wouldn't be caught in some childish staring contest when he had more pressing matters to attend to.
He waited for a while and soon, his order was ready. He carried the tray and sat in a booth at the far end of the café.
He ate silently as he opened the newspaper that sat on the table and went to the ads section.
He circled 5 jobs that matched well with Theo's qualifications.
He rushed up his food and as he was about to leave, he realized that the locations were distances away from each other and he didn't have money to commute.
He looked back at the girl as she scrolled lazily through her phone.
She was his only hope.
"Uhmm hi" he started but she kept scrolling through her phone and in that moment, he realized he didn't even know her name.
"Hello," he tried again, waving his palm in front of her face.
"What?!" She gritted her teeth.
"You see…I need your help," he started and she looked at him with the same bored expression.
"Well hurry up, I have a lot of customers to attend to," she said and he looked behind him but he was the only one on the queue.
He cleared his throat again. He already felt very embarrassed before the words even came out.
"Uhm I wanted to ask if you could help me with $80. I will return it you as soon as possible".
Her eyes widened and she gasped. "I knew it. I knew there was something sneaky about you. I know your type. You would come to a place and make them feel you are trustworthy then do away with their money. What you have spent here this past two days isn't even up to what you are asking for. How dare you?!" She spat all in one breath and her loud voice had drawn the attention of some of the patrons and they began to whisper.
He'd never been so embarrassed in his life. In his whole existence, never did he think that Chase Andersons would be begging for $80. But you know? life always has its ways.
He hung his head in shame as he turned to leave with slumped shoulders.
"Hey!" She called and he looked back back.
She beckoned to him and he retraced his steps.
"Here" she slapped a $100 bill on the counter, not looking at him.
"What made you change your mind?" He asked silently.
"A thief or scammer would have said something back in their defense." She said and he stared blankly at her. "Take it before I change my mind." She glared at him.
He immediately grabbed the money and thanked her profusely.
He left and opted for a bus instead of taxi, to save cost. He had never commuted before and he didn't know he had to hold the railing while he stood, as all the seats were taken.
It took him a nasty fall in the bus and people laughing and making mockery of him to make him realize that the people that held unto the rail didn't do so because they were bored.
Soon, we got to the bustop of the first place. He looked around and this place was far different from the slum Theo lived in. It was more like the city he was from. Tall buildings and people all over the streets going about their busy days.
He looked up at the tall building and the words 'Ace-Cee' were written in gold letters.
He got in and walked to the reception and greeted the lady behind the counter.
Her sharp blue eyes pierced into his soul as she sized me up. If he wasn't once a successful businessman, he would have flinched at her cold scrutiny.
"We don't give alms here," was the first thing she said and he felt a jab in his chest. Her tongue was obviously sharper than her eyes.
"I'm here for the interview for sales auditor" he said, ignoring her harsh comment.
She laughed, throwing her head back and clapping her hands. He stood there as she guffawed.
When she was calm from her fit, she wiped away tears from her eyes. "Ohh that was so funny." She said, still giggling.
He stood there with a hard expression on his face.
"Wait, you weren't joking?" She asked seriously and when he didn't respond, she went back to her hard tone. "Well sorry, you don't qualify." She said and started typing away on her laptop.
"Excuse me? I haven't even showed my credentials. I haven't even been tried." He tried to reason. This was unfair.
"There's nothing to be tried. You are obviously a beggar and you don't stand a chance here."
He was about to argue when he got interrupted by a male voice.
"Hi Gorgeous" he said and the woman looked up at him in his Armani tux. From a distance, Chase could tell it was fake because even the glitters from the suit rubbed off on his wrists.
"How may I help you sir?" She asked smiling sweetly at him.
"I'm here for the interview for the position of sales auditor" he said and sent her a wink.
"Right. Take the elevator to the 25th floor and you'll see a lady that will take you from there" she said and he thanked her and left.
"What the fuck just happened?" He thought to himself.
"Are you still here?" She turned to him again. "Leave before I call the cops on you" she said and from her tone, there was no argument that she would make do with her threat.
He quietly turned to leave, still trying to process what was going on.
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