The Truth

Ch.5: Newsflash!

Returning home after another grueling shift felt like a sick joke, a never-ending cycle of misery that I couldn't escape. The minute I turned the corner to my building, I saw them-Jason's men, all dressed in black like they were auditioning for the next Men in Black movie. Great, just what I needed after dealing with Mr. "What a Waste" at the diner.

They were waiting for me, again. My patience was hanging by a thread, and I could feel that thread fraying with every step I took toward them. I was exhausted, fed up, and just so damn ready to snap.

"Ma'am, our boss has been waiting for you," one of them said in that robotic tone they always used, like they were reading off a script.

I stared at him, my face deadpan, trying to decide if I should laugh, cry, or just throw myself on the ground and start rolling like a toddler having a meltdown. "Oh, has he now?" I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Well, isn't that just the highlight of my day."

The guy didn't even blink, which was impressive considering I was about two seconds away from losing it. "He'd like to speak with you now."

"Oh, really?" I continued, my voice getting louder and more exasperated with each word. "And let me guess, he's got another generous offer that's just too good to refuse, right? What's it this time? A lifetime supply of ramen noodles if I give him my liver?"

"Ma'am, we just need you to come with us."

"No, what you need is to back off," I snapped, finally letting the pent-up frustration spill over. "I've had it! I've been working crappy shifts at a job where the customers are more interested in my phone number than the food, I've been dodging creeps all day, and now I get to come home to the Debt Collector Duo? What, are you gonna drag me off in the dead of night? Should I start writing my 'Help, I'm being kidnapped' note now, or do you prefer I scream?"

The guy in front of me exchanged a glance with his partner, and for a split second, I thought I saw something resembling pity in his eyes. Or maybe it was fear. Hard to tell. Either way, I didn't care.

"Look, ma'am, if you'd just-"

"No!" I cut him off, my voice sharp enough to slice through steel. "No more polite, 'Oh sure, I'll just do whatever Jason wants because I'm a helpless little damsel!' newsflash, I'm not. I'm done. Done, done, done! Tell Jason if he wants to talk to me, he can send a damn carrier pigeon. Or better yet, maybe he should try standing outside my door like a creeper and see how he likes it!"

Silence. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, my breath coming out in quick, angry bursts. The guy blinked, clearly at a loss for words. That's right, buddy. I'm not just some push-over you can steamroll with a "ma'am" and a suit.

Finally, he cleared his throat, visibly shaken. "Ma'am, we're just trying to-"

"Yeah, yeah, trying to do your job, I get it. But guess what? I'm trying to live my life without being hounded by you people every five minutes! So here's what's gonna happen: you're gonna turn around, get back in your car, and drive away. And I'm gonna go upstairs, eat the leftovers I've been saving for three days, and maybe, just maybe, get a good night's sleep without being harassed."

The two men exchanged another glance, clearly unsure of what to do. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they slowly backed off, heading back to their car. I watched them go, my chest heaving with a mix of rage and triumph.

As they drove away, I let out a long, exasperated sigh, rubbing my temples. "What the hell is my life right now?" I muttered to myself, trudging up the steps to my apartment.

But as I unlocked my door and stepped inside, I couldn't help but feel a small sense of victory. I had stood up to them, finally, and it felt damn good. Sure, my life was still a hot mess, but at least I wasn't just rolling over and taking it anymore.

And as I collapsed onto my bed, fully clothed and too tired to care, I realized that maybe, just maybe, I could survive this after all. Even if I had to fight tooth and nail for every inch of ground.

At least I had my leftovers.

The next day, something I never thought possible actually happened. For the first time in what felt like forever, the universe threw me a bone. I got accepted to the job at the Caesar Mansion. That's right, me, Angelica Valdez, was going to be working in one of the most prestigious households in the country.

The call came in at 3 AM, a time that should be illegal for any kind of communication. When my phone rang, I was half a second away from throwing it across the room, but then I saw Chloe's name flash on the screen. My first instinct was to snap and tell her to let me sleep, but I managed to contain the urge long enough to listen.

And it was worth it. The sweet, sweet words that followed were enough to make me sit up, wide awake. "Congratulations, Angelica, you've been accepted."

I couldn't believe it. I almost pinched myself, thinking I might still be in some twisted dream, but no, this was real. I was actually going to leave my soul-crushing waitress job and start something new-something that didn't involve creepy customers or bald bosses yelling at me.

I hung up the phone, too stunned to even celebrate, and stared at the ceiling for a few minutes, letting the news sink in. Then, as soon as it did, I jumped out of bed, got dressed, and marched straight to the local restaurant where I'd been wasting away for the last few months.

There was no way I was letting another minute of my life be drained by that place.

As soon as I walked in, I saw my boss standing by the counter, looking as miserable as ever. Without a word, I pulled out the resignation letter I'd written in my head a hundred times, slapped it down right in front of him, and said the words I'd been dying to say for ages: "I'm leaving."

He blinked at me in disbelief, his face turning red as he fumbled for a response. "The contract didn't say that!" he finally sputtered, his voice rising like he actually thought he could stop me.

I smirked, feeling the most powerful I'd felt in months. "I didn't sign the contract, newsflash!" I shot back, enjoying the way his mouth dropped open in shock.

Before he could recover, I turned on my heel and walked out of there, feeling like I was floating on air. No more late-night shifts, no more leering customers, and no more being treated like garbage. I was done.

I stepped outside, taking a deep breath of the fresh morning air. For the first time in what felt like forever, I felt free. Sure, I was about to step into a whole new world at the Caesar Mansion, and who knew what kind of challenges awaited me there? But whatever it was, it had to be better than what I'd just left behind.

With a grin on my face and a spring in my step, I headed home to prepare for my new life. It was time for a change, and this time, it was a change on my terms.