Illusion Of Paradise

1. Los Angeles

Los Angeles, one of the most famous cities in the United States of America, was a place I had no choice on whether or not I could move out. One of those bad decisions situations where you buy an expensive apartment that ended up being worse than what they advertised. In essence I was stuck here working a terrible job to make ends meet. In a world like this I can't be so gullible anymore, especially since I've been so easily swayed in the past.

"Y/n, are you almost done yet? We're on a time crunch."

My friend Connie snapped me out of my stooper, reminding me that we were in a modern style café. My drink had gotten cold, guess I'll finish it anyway.
"Sorry Connie, I've just had a lot on my mind." I drank the last drop and gazed out the window, watching as the sun shone between the buildings and showering the city in light. "Is it about Joanna?"
That name sounds so bitter, it belonged to the woman who married my dad after my mom passed away. That all happened when I was 6, and it was a terrible reality to live as a child. I'm 24 right now, so I had to live with that evil step mother for just shy of 18 years. I dealt with it because my dad said it was a good thing to grow up with a motherly figure, but she was far from that.
"I can't really say. I can't even remember what I was thinking about."

Connie sighed and picked up our cups, taking them to the cashier and sitting back down. "You've been working too hard these days Y/n, you've got dark circles under your eyes." "Well, it isn't easy living in the city of lights and glamour. Connie, you ready to head out?" She nodded and stood up, grabbing her bag and coat as she did.
We stepped out into the cold nipping fall air and walked through the streets of Los Angeles, arms linked of course. The sky was a dusty blue despite the sun being very visible, but that filled the city with a mystical Autumn kingdom feel. I wrap my scarf further around my neck as a cold breeze blew through the city buildings, making me shiver. "Yeah, let's hurry. The temperature is supposed to drop soon."
"Wait, What's that place?" I look at the building Connie pointed out, it was big and extravagant. It looks like a club. Or is it a casino? "I̺͆l̺͆l̺͆u̺͆s̺͆i̺͆o̺͆n̺͆ O̺͆f̺͆ P̺͆a̺͆r̺͆a̺͆d̺͆i̺͆s̺͆e̺͆? What even is that place?" We looked at each other with confusion very evident. "It gives me college party get drunk vibes." Connie laughed in agreement, pulling me along on our path to our destination.

We got to where our jobs are, an office. Yup, I have a boring office job with a vicious boss. "Another day, another headache." My friend scoffed as she opened the door, "You could say that again."
The good thing is that some of my coworkers are actually decent, they were very welcoming when Connie and I first moved into the job. However I ended up as the secretary for my division's head, who is a horny pain in my side and to all the girls in this division. So for the past 2 months I've been one of his many targets, victim to harassment multiple times a week. That and the boss has so many cleaning chemicals sprayed and wiped before work begins and after work ends, which is bad for me since I'm sensitive to the stuff used in them.

"Well, good luck today Y/n."
Connie and I wave goodbye to each other as we went seperate ways. I sat at my desk and toss another vulgar note from my boss, he really doesn't know when to quit.
I honestly wish I used my dance lessons as leverage to be a dance instructor, because this job sucks. The pile of work on my desk is testament to that, might as well get as much if it done as I can.

The day passed as slow as a snail, long and arduous like always. To my surprise my boss didn't talk to me much unless he needed something work related. I'm not going to think much about it, it probably won't happen again tomorrow.