Crumbling Cakes

Part V

Come morning my mood had not improved in the slightest. My dreams were muddled with memories of my past. Dark rooms and the smell of booze lingered on my mind as I robotically got up, gargled some mouthwash, and packed my bag to the YMCA. Only stopping my quick pace to grab a granola to munch on for my walk.

I've become a pro at slipping in and out of my unit without being noticed. A quick look around the area proved that it was just as deserted as it was every other day. You won't be finding many locals milling about the East End. Not unless they wanted to get mugged and/or shanked. Only the best quarters for this gal, no?

My height worked to my advantage in making me camouflage with the background. My lean build was from walking around everywhere and from the natural workouts the world had to offer—that would be scaling walls and jumping fences, you know a five-star gym membership. I never did anything illegal just sometimes you needed to quickly get away from some of the natives.

Disappearing into tight spaces and launching myself over barriers was a skill of mine. One I had to hone in from a life on the streets and running away from the Red-haired one. My build was also due to my poor diet. I wasn't exaggerating when I stated Ramen and granola bars as my only meals. Better days indicated that had I been able to afford regular nutritious meals, I'd have curves and some meat to spare. Things I envied and wished to achieve. Never say that I didn't appreciate the simple things.

I kept my hair in a bob for pure convenience. My hair was thick and wavy, making it a nightmare to deal with if it was too long. It's also cheaper to wash when you have less of it, that's the reality of it all. I can't thin it out so I shorten it. 

How do I afford to maintain such a lovely do? Youtube and cheap shears that I bought. I spent an entire afternoon watching it at the library, memorizing and taking notes. That night I put all of my hard studying to practice.

The angled bob was as an accident that I've somehow managed to replicate over and over again. Just another mystery of the world. Combine it all together, with my loose clothes and always tucked into my hoodie, I pretty much resembled a little boy. So blend I did.

There was nothing glamorous about my existence, I was purely moving to survive. But part of me was free. Free from some of the expectations placed on others, like being a slave to all the things I owned or my job. I let out a frustrated groan. Well, I was partly a slave now.

One day I hoped to have a real roof over my head, I had a plan in place. It's what I had been saving for, now it would be pushed back. This wasn't a warm thought but at least it's not forever. Or that's what I kept reminding myself.

At the YMCA I showered and dressed quickly; turns out Paris was a bitch to wash out if left in overnight, I don't recommend it. I brushed my teeth and towel-dried my hair the best I could. On cold days I would use the one working hand dryer to get the dampness out, amazing right? Everything I did at the center was fast, it never even mattered because I had nowhere to rush off too. My membership was free because I had more than enough proof that my financial situation was shit.

Seeing that this was not one of the centers in the nicest of areas they didn't even bat an eye that my address didn't make sense. Sometimes it's a good thing that so many people walked around blind to what was in front of them. It allowed me to do what needed to be done without questions being raised.

My only stop for the day was the library, which is where I ended up 30 minutes later. I picked out a couple of books to borrow then plopped my derriere in front of a computer and started to research. At first, it was just random things that I'd been meaning to look into. Followed by a barrage of job applications.

I needed a second job desperately, especially after last night. Going through my belongings this morning made me nervous with the realization that my savings may not last as long as the couple of months I originally thought. I'm certain it wasn't legal for Sebastian to keep 50% of my pay but what I did cost his business a shit ton of money. Even if he hadn't decided to keep part of my pay, I'd end up giving him that much anyway.