Unlikely Knight

Chapter Two

Gwen ducked out of the store and caught the next bus back to the apartment she was renting with a few friends from College. They'd been her family away from home, and it was sometimes hard to think their time together was ending. All of them were planning their next moves. Gwen was still unsure that anything good would come her way. Luck hadn't always been on her side. The internship that practically her entire graduating class was competing for was her most exciting option. After that, there were a few other companies she would be okay to work for, and if that didn't happen, it would be a full-time gig at the pet store and living under Elizabeth's tyrannical thumb. The thought drove her every day to try a little harder, work a little more, and stress over every detail at college to make sure that didn't happen.

She stopped in the kitchen to make a cup of coffee. She liked it strong and without milk. Perfect for late-night assignments. With provisions in hand, Gwen shut herself in her room for the rest of the night focusing on her soap assignment. When she was finally satisfied, Gwen took the daring move of tearing around the rest of the paper to create a jagged edge, then took a paintbrush and dipped it into her coffee and painted over the assignment giving it an aged look. She smiled at the end result, thinking that should do it. Happy with how it had all turned out, she crawled into bed dreaming of a new Elizabeth-free life.

***
Instead of her alarm buzzing, waking her up the next morning, it was a call from the pet store and Elizabeth's voice pressuring her through the phone. "I need you to come in today. We had someone call in sick."

Gwen rubbed her eyes and stretched out her back. Blinking, she checked the time. She had class in an hour and needed to hand in her assignment then, but the rest of her day was technically free, although she was hoping to get a head on a few other things.

"We're desperate," continued her boss, using her best, guilt-riddled tone.

Gwen's first thought was to tell her to stuff it but then reconsidered it. Maybe this was another attempt from fate to stuff a few more dollars into her measly bank account. She was going to get this internship; she knew it. Besides, she had worked so hard on this assignment; she totally deserved it.

"Maybe..., but only if...," Gwen slowly let out.

"Good, we'll see you at one. I assume you can stay until nine, right?"

"Fine, whatever."Gwen hung up the phone and realized she had forgotten to say goodbye. It served Elizabeth right. 

She dragged herself out of bed and into the shower, staying in a little longer than she should have to feel the hot water drain down her back before getting out and dressed. She took the bus to the college and walked into the classroom where there was a buzz of energy as people showed each other their assignments before placing them on the prof's desk. Gwen didn't join in. Elizabeth had managed to put her in a bad mood again. She needed to learn to stand up to this woman, not that she thought she had any power in the relationship. Elizabeth was her boss, and even if she said something, she doubted it would change things. It might even make Gwen's working life harder if she did. She needed to get out of there. When she first started at the beginning of the school year, the idea of working with the animals sounded like so much fun and had imagined playing with the kittens after long hours of grueling homework. As it turned out, Gwen longed for the hours of homework instead, even though it did keep her so busy that she didn't have time to even think about looking for another job. In the end, it meant that Gwen hoped that life at work would improve, or Elizabeth might get hit by a bus or something convenient.

She closed her eyes, and mentally willed some extra charisma into her assignment like that would help. Desperation makes you do all kinds of things. Besides, it didn't hurt. Gwen left her assignment along with the others on the Prof's desk and then found her seat. The rest of the class was a blur of notes and wishful thinking. Afterward, it didn't make any sense to go home, so she went to the library and caught up on some of her reading before heading off to work.