Midnight Memories

You're fired (chp 1)

"So, what you're saying is..."

"You're... Fired." Mr. Busio, my ex-boss announced sadly to his already clear glasses that he was currently cleaning with a cream colored cloth. As he set them back on the bridge of his large red nose, he added once again, "We just can't afford your services any more. We were looking at the budget... And we just don't have the money..." He rubbed his bald head and let out a sigh. "I'm sorry, Ms. Kiana."

"Are you sure that there's no money left? It's just that--,"

Mr. Busio raised his plump white hand and said, "I'm sorry." My jaw dropped as he continued. "You can collect your things. I expect you to be on your way by 4:00 this afternoon." He sighed once more. "I'm so sorry, Ms. Kiana."

His assistant, Hellen, opened the oak door in an attempt to politely tell me to leave. I stood up onto shaky legs and walked over the dark wood floors toward the door.

In my mind I imagined what would happen if I were to make a huge scene out of it all; what would happen if I were to flip a table or scream profanities as I left.

I decided not to. It wasn't going to accomplish anything anyway; just a waste of energy.

I could see the dirty glance from Hellen that I was receiving. Her over applied red lipstick smeared over the tip of her pointy nose as she made an "eww" face. Since I was never going to see this bitch ever again, I decided to go ahead and get this off my chest.

I turned to Hellen and made an equally ugly face and said, "You need to go back to the corner of the street where you belong. I would just call you a slut or a whore, but that would be a disgrace to all of the sluts and whores out there." I stuck my tongue out at the black haired, saggy skinned, red lipstick wearing, 30 year old as I strutted out of the door.

That felt good.

The bitch slammed the door behind me, leaving me by myself in the thin hallway.

I searched the hallway back and forth before walking on to my tiny office.

My office didn't even look like mine anymore. Everything was still the way I had left it, but it just didn't feel like mine.

Oh wait.

It wasn't.

As I fought back tears, I filled a cardboard box with my name tag, a collage of photos that I had taken myself, and a few knickknacks that my best friend had gotten me. Once I had taped the box closed with some packaging tape, I heaved it up into my arms and slowly walked out; one foot in front of the other. The cream tiles clicked with the sound of my heels as I made my way past every office. It seemed like all of the workers stopped what they were doing to watch me leave. They all knew that I needed this job.

I had not really talked to many of them for long, since we all had jobs to do. But a man, around the age of 40, with a touch of grey hair on the sides of his head stopped me in the hall. I could see into his office. It was small, like mine. He had a picture of a beautiful woman. She had dark curly hair and smooth chocolate skin, not to mention a huge white smile that seemed to radiate through the picture. A smile full of pure happiness. A smile that I wouldn't have for a while.

"Where are you going young lady?" He asked sweetly. "What do you have that box for?"

He had kind brown eyes. I decided to look at them as I spoke. "I was just fired." His eyes seemed to ask why so I continued. "Mr. Busio said that there wasn't enough money in the budget to let me stay." I let the tears fall at this point. I couldn't hold them in any longer.

"Young lady, please don't cry. I'll help ya' carry this out if ya' want." I nodded.

He took the box from my grasp and I wiped away my tears. The other workers seemed to go back to their work to avoid eye contact with the crying 21 year old that had just been fired.

I led him out to my grey-blue car and opened the trunk. He set the box inside and turned to me and said, "I hope you feel better... And thank you for your services."

The nice man walked back to the front door of my ex-job and watched me get inside behind the wheel. Just before he walked back inside, he waved to me.

I backed out and drove home.

••••••••••

Laying on my leather couch, staring at the ceiling, I thought about other jobs that were available in the area.

Janitor

Prostitute

Bartender

Dumpster cleaner

Dog walker

I put one of the several pillows from my couch over my face and let out a scream of frustration.

I pulled the green pillow off of my face and looked at the clock on the opposite wall.

9:46

That was it. I was done.

My ringtone went off. I blindly searched for my phone, which was laying on the coffee table behind me. I picked it up and looked at the caller id before answering. It was my best friend.

"Hey Jenna," I murmured.

"Kiana! Why do you sound so down?" She asked, concerned.

"I was fired today."

"WHAT?!" She screeched.

"Mr. Busio said that there wasn't enough in the budget to keep me." I let out a sigh and started crying.

"Kiana..." She whispered. "Are you going to be okay?"

I sniffled. "Yeah..."

"I'll be looking for jobs for you! Just remember that you can call me for anything! I would come over tonight, but I get the vibe that you want to be alone right now... Am I right?"

I smirked. "You know me too well, Jenna. It's a bit scary."

"I know you wouldn't really do this, but I just want to share some good advice that my mom gave me. You ready?"

"Yes." I said sarcastically.

"Don't go to a bar or any clubs." She blurted.

I laughed. "What?!"

"You're emotionally unstable!" She laughed. "I told you that you probably wouldn't do it anyway! Just don't do it... You'll end up drunk and doing something stupid that you'll regret... I'm just looking out for you, Kiki."

I smiled. She knew I hated the nickname Kiki. "Thanks, Jennifer." She hated that nickname too.

"Just looking out for you," she repeated.

"Talk to you later," I said.

"Bye," she said.

I was always the rule breaker in between the two of us.

I knew what I was doing tonight.