Lass of Lust #ProjectNigeria

Chapter 1

Fumn sat on her bed with arms crossed on her knees and her face looking downcast. She had been looking for a paying job since but her search proved fruitless. And she had peculiar charges and a few other minor fees to pay for in school.

She mentioned it to her dad when she went home for weekend that she needed money to foot the bill. He had looked at her speculatively and demanded to see a comprehensive school list.

But departmental charges wasn't included because it was to be paid in her faculty bank and not the corporate account. So, that ruled out the possibility of her getting the cash from her father.

Fumn was in a dilemma thinking of ways to get the sum of money which clearly didn't include her sleeping with men. Funmaya preferred having sex on her own terms and not for the reason of obtaining favor and what not.

Fumn's perturbed thoughts were disrupted by her overly cheerful and loud roommate, Kevwe who just got back from class.

"Babe, how far na?" She asked throwing Fumn a glance and dropping her bag on the floor. "This one when your face they like graveyard so, you sure say we dey safe?"

She was chewing a mint gum and blowing bubbles in the air. Fumn snuggled up to her blanket and scrunched her face in annoyance. She hated the grating sound of bubble gum.

"Kevwe, you don start o. You know I don't like that thing you are doing!"

Kevwe removed her wig from her head revealing her rough corn rows. "Which thing you dey talk about abeg?"

Fumnaya huffed. "I don't have strength to argue my dear, wetin dey sup?"

Kevwe smirked. "Why didn't you go to school today na, kilode?"

Fumn scratched her head. She hadn't told her roommate of the situation yet, reason being that Kevwe was known for her infamous opinions.

"Something came up," she lied but the unsure look that Kevwe gave her made her blurt out that she needed a job.

"Job ke? Do they sit at home and see work?"

Fumnaya sighed heavily. This was one of the reasons why she didn't like telling her roommate things. She would first complain before trying to see reason.

"Oya, leave it o. I don't know why I told you about it self," Fumn muttered.

Kevwe snorted and began rummaging through her cluttered handbag for her phone. "What kind of job are you looking for then?"

Fumn thought for a minute. She could do sales, she could teach, she could cook but she hadn't tried out being a waitress before.

"I don't know. Maybe a waitress?"

Kevwe's head jerked up. "Waitress you say? Whatever gave you that idea?"

Fumn shrugged. "Do you have a better option?"

"Duh," Kevwe said as she walked to the kitchen. "This is Portharcourt city oo, there are plenty options and job opportunities available online."

Kevwe uncovered the aluminum pot on the camp gas and blew out a breath when she discovered it was empty.

"Fumn, you didn't cook too?"

The corner of Fumn's lips turned down in irritation. Another thing she disliked about Kevwe was the fact that she always assumed everything to be on a platter of gold. It wasn't the first time she was expressing her displeasure about not seeing food the times Fumn decided she wasn't feeling up for school.

Kevwe collected some change from her purse and headed outside to get bread. Fumn fell on the bed and groaned in agony.

Later that evening when Kevwe was well rested, she helped Fumn in looking for a job online. Fumn was actually surprised that Kevwe offered her help, she didn't think she had that kindness in her. But then again, one could never know with a born and brought up warri girl.

They spent time searching Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter for any ads that might pop up but they came up with nothing. Fumn herself made a few calls to her coursemates asking if they had heard of any job opening.

She hung up after another disappointing answer and turned to Kevwe whose full concentration was on her screen.

"Tough luck?"

Fumn nodded tiredly and slumped on the floor. "My mind is going through places we haven't checked."

Kevwe placed a hand on her jaw as if deep in thought. "I think there is one more we haven't looked into."

"And that is?" Fumn enquired tiredly. A loud yawn escaped her lips as she stretched.

"Instagram," Kevwe replied clicking on the app and going straight to the Portharcourt specials page.

"Oooh please." Fumn waved it off.

Fumnaya wasn't expecting to have so many opportunities to choose from. She kept on swiping through various requirements on Kevwe's iPhone 7. Almost all needed a CV and an application letter and Fumn knew it was going to take a lot of will power to go through the registration process.

Since she was looking specifically for a waitress job, she had to narrow the list to clubs and hotels only. Fumn sighed as she went through the contacts enlisted. None of them needed a student or inexperienced staffs which meant she fitted into the wrong category.

"Kevwe, I don't think I have the strength to look any further." Fumnaya handed over her phone and closed the book she had been jotting numbers on. There were quite a few that had interesting prospects and one of them that caught her eye was Pentagon.

She couldn't explain why but the hotel name rang a bell. She dialed the managers number and waited for it ring. The call kept on ringing a couple times but no one picked up. She was about terminating it when it connected and a deep male voice boomed through the speaker.

"Hello, who is speaking?"

"Ummm, I am calling for a job offer I saw on your Instagram page. I don't know if it's still available."

"Well," the guy stalled. "Where do you stay?"

"Aluu," Fumnaya replied releasing the breath she didn't realize she had been holding. She really needed the extra position badly. That was if the pay was as good as they said it was.

A terse silence ensued followed by a loud cough.

"Do you have any qualifications?"

Fumn looked to Kevwe for help but she was already dozing off with spittle drooling on her chin.

"Not actually but I am willing to put in my best, is that enough?"

"No," he pointed. "But we'll see what happens."

"Are you saying I will get the job?" Fumn's hope was already soaring high.

"I didn't say so," the dude snorted in disapproval. "But you can come for an interview tomorrow by 9pm."

"What?" Fumn exclaimed. "That's so late please reconsider."

"Alright," he agreed after giving it a thought. "12 pm then."

Fumn profusely thanked him and penned down the location. After she terminated the call, she jumped up excitedly and yelled.

"I am gonna be a freaking waitress."