More Than A Game

Chapter 24

Home sweet home, Rosalina thought as she woke up from her alarm to start getting ready for her shift at Lacy Doll. While they were gone, it appears the cult had calmed down. Then again, things aren't always as they appear, Rosalina thought to herself as she looked over a news article as she waited for her straightening iron to heat up. The article talked about how the protestors were no longer standing outside clubs and such due to a restriction the mayor put into place. The restriction stated that people were not allowed to protest on privately owned properties. Not all businesses they were protesting at fell into that, like the mall, since it housed many different businesses and such, but Vance's club and Lacy Doll was privately owned so they were unable to protest in front of it. However, the park across from Lacy Doll wasn't privately owned so they're protesting across the street. Rosalina was comfortable with that distance. 

As she was working on her hair Ricardo went in and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Good morning," Ricardo said before yawning. "Good morning," she said with a smile. He then read to article over her shoulder. "I bet Vance is pleased with the restriction," Ricardo said before stepping away so she could begin working on her hair. "I hope it gives him some relief," Rosalina agreed. Ricardo leaned in the doorway as he watched her. "Will you be okay at Lacy Doll," he asked her. "They're most likely protesting in the park across the street so I should be fine," she told him. "As long as they're not throwing paint." She was wearing one of the new outfits they bought her and she really didn't want it to get ruined. 

"If they throw paint on you again, I don't want you working there anymore," Zack said as he came in rubbing his eye. "I'm not just going to quit my job," Rosalina said as she finished her hair. "You have two jobs, and you don't have to pay bills really, so it's not gonna hurt you," Zack pointed out to her. "You're right, I don't have bills because you two refuse to let me pay for anything," she pointed out slightly annoyed. "So I'm letting my money stack so I can get my own car," she said to him. "If I quit Lacy Doll, then that makes that goal further from happening." "They keep cutting your shifts anyways," Zack pointed out. "I think it's best you find something else, that doesn't have protestors threatening to throw paint." "If you haven't realized, there have been protestors everywhere until lately," she said to him. "While we were gone the mayor put a restriction that states they can't protest on private properties such as Vance's club and Lacy Doll." "Okay, but there is no public property around Vance's club they can protest on like there is at Lacy Doll," he threw in. "Why don't you see if you can work as one of Vance's bartenders? I've seen the tips his bartenders make, and you're good at making drinks." She rolled her eyes, "I'm not going to make money from a friend. Bad enough I'm having to earn money from you. Before you assume, I am not saying I hate working for you, I'm just saying that it doesn't feel like I'm entirely earning what I make given our relationship and that you gave me this job because I had been fired from the restaurant." "You can't really complain about that since you haven't been looking for another job," he pointed out. She looked at him, "Oh really?" She showed him her phone, "I'm constantly putting in applications for things that make decent money, but they don't want me because I only have a high school level of education." He saw the numerous rejection emails. 

"And again, I'm not looking for another job because I don't like working for you, I was doing it as a just in case," she told him. "Can't make it very far on ten an hour at one place and eight an hour at another." "In case of what," Ricardo asked her. "In case it doesn't work out with us," she said softly. "And before you get all pissed off, I only mean that in a way of, I can't see the future and I hate not having a back up plan. I had no plan when my parents died, and look what happened. I had no plan when my last dom left me and I almost fell into a relapse when I was staying at one of those government shelters for homeless women. After I was actually able to get on my feet I was independent for three years. I was all I had, and I can't let that mindset go no matter how hard I try because I've only ever crashed and burned when I haven't had that mindset."