Obsession

3. Saved

"Sheharzaad, please take this order to table number 5," her coworker requested, passing her the tray. She gave her a nod and delivered the tray before coming back again on the counter.

It's been almost a week. No company called her and she was jobless. She used to work in a cafe as a waitress before but given her friend's health condition, she had taken a break. And during those break days, she got the offer from Syed Enterprises, due to which she didn't go back to the cafe, thinking she would lock the offer at that company. But sadly, she didn't. When she was back at the cafe, they already had hired someone else at her place. Stressed and tensed, she went to every lengths to acquire a job so atleast she could get grocery for the house. And atlast after numerous efforts, she got one but they paid less. At the same day, she also got a job offer from another place as well and they were paying good as well but the thing that caused hesitation in her was that she would have to work at night instead of day. She didn't trust the society and men around her, so she declined it and only continued working in the new cafe on a morning shift.

They were making her work 24/7. They were short of staff so the work load was too much and given the hard work she was putting in, she deserved more pay than what they were giving her.

"Sheharzaad, go take the table order from table no. 7!" Alina, her co-worker, brought her out of reverie and she instantly rushed to take the order.

She was tired. It was already 5 . It was a 9 to 6 job and monthly they were paying just 7500, that weren't enough as Amna's medicines were expensive and she also had to get food for the house. She was living hand to mouth.

"Now, I'm thinking of considering that job, Alina," she said to Alina, while giving the order chit to Jameel, who stood on the counter as well.

Jameel took the chit and went in the kitchen as Sheharzaad once again retarded onto the stool beside the counter.

"What job?" Alina asked.

"Umm..... I don't know what it is. But it's of night... like night shift. From 11 p.m to 4 in the morning,"

"Where?"

"It's some hotel. The blue....something, I don't remember it's name,"

"How much do they pay?"

"Unbelievable and too good to be true, literally 30,000 a month. But I was hesitating to go for it as it was of night,"

"Why not? You should go for it. They are paying good. Atleast you should give it a shot," Alina advised, while writing something on the register.

"I feel it's fishy,"

"It's Lahore, Sheharzaad. Lahore doesn't sleep, believe me. And if there would be something fishy then turn the offer down but not before going there,"

"Hmm.. cool. I'll go tonight there and check the status of the job. If it fits, I'll join,"

"Yeah, absolutely. Until you won't step in, you won't know. We need to take risks,"

"Got you. I will give it a try,"

.....

That night, at the given address, she reached the location which that man had told her. It was one of the customers at the new cafe who had given her the job offer.

She could feel her heart beating a mile a minute as she felt afraid. The sky was dark and the area wasn't too rushy and crowdy. Quiet abandoned. Yet the exterior of the building was posh and opulent. Not wanting to waste too much of a time, she went inside and headed towards the reception.

"Assalam alaikum, I'm here for the... the job," She informed to the receptionist, who was busy applying more make up on her already caked face. She looked extravagant. Too extravagant for her liking. It wasn't that she was judging but she knew how receptionists dressed and she was too much dressed up for the job. And her clothes were tight and revealed every curve of her. Her shirt had a deep neckline and it was too weird for her to see a receptionist dolled up like that. And she wasn't even wearing a uniform like most would do.