"I'm going to see Kirk today since he introduced me to Gordon. Maybe he could help me beg him to give me some more time. You know how this thing works between guys." Phoebe had said the next morning.
"That's my girl! Make Kirk understand that it isn't your fault. Loukas was just being a jerk." Zen scrunched her face when she mentioned his name.
Trust Zen to be protective of Phoebe.
"Won't you go to work?" Zen suddenly remembered that Phoebe had made an excuse yesterday.
"No, I don't think so. I should do one before the other. I'll just call in sick." Phoebe shook her head. She wanted to sort this out before going.
"What if you go see Kirk after work? That way, you won't give that monster the chance to find any fault" Zen said rationally, referring to Rob.
"I just feel so tired. I wish I didn't have to go but I have to agree with you. Rob would be looking for a way to sack me. I will go." She succumbed to Zen's suggestion.
Rob had been asking her out for months. She had refused him blatantly. She also told him that she had a boyfriend and she couldn't two-time him. However, Rob had remained adamant and kept on pestering her to accept his proposal.
She remembered that night vividly when he had waited for everyone to leave before he came up behind her. He had purposely kept her behind by giving her so many chores to do.
Phoebe didn't understand what was going on until she turned around to meet him, giving her bawdy looks. Then he kissed her. She had bitten his lip and slapped him for doing such before she realised what she had done.
Immediately, one of the workers rushed inside to get something she had forgotten. However, the look on her face had said it all. She had seen what had transpired.
Rob was pissed off. Especially when he heard the news filter in the restaurant. He thought she was the one who did it whereas it was Vivian the gossip. She was the one who had seen them so she told the story to whoever wanted to hear.
Rob couldn't sack Phoebe because those at the office would link it to what had happened so he resolved to frustrate her with bad comments.
"I'm out Phoebe. Make sure you eat before going to work." Zen pointed to the breakfast on the small table by the wall.
"I will. Bye, dear." Phoebe managed a smile for her.
"Oh Zen, what would I do without you?" Phoebe moaned as she stood up from the bed.
Her best friend was more than she ever asked. Zen was the sister she never had.
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"I heard that you didn't pass the audition, Phoebe. Don't feel bad. Something else would come."
"Thank you." Phoebe said curtly before packing her bag.
She had finished the day's job and was preparing to leave. She knew better than to say more than that. It was because of Vivian she had been facing uncouth remarks from Rob.
If only the blonde had chosen to keep her mouth shut, maybe no one would have heard about it.
"Goodnight." Phoebe excused herself from Vivian's sight.
She had to quickly get to Kirk's place to give him the news. Phoebe hoped he would be able to help her. Kirk had been supportive of her dream to be a model.
He had been more supportive when he heard that she needed some money to pay for Loukas's audition. That name alone had made him convince the street kingpin to borrow Phoebe the money.
Her mind was filled with thoughts as she strolled down Kirk's street. How would she pay off five thousand dollars with her meager salary?
Even if she decided not to spend a dime out of it, it wouldn't still reach half of the amount.
Did this mean she would have to move back to her parent's house to gather enough money? No! she wouldn't. Phoebe repulsed at the thought. She wanted to be free from them forever.
The day she packed out, she had vowed never to come back to live under the same roof with them.
Their quarrels still traumatized her. If she ever got married, it wouldn't be to a man like her father.
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"What the hell! Look, I can't help you this time around. You gotta fix this yourself It's…" Kirk said when he unlatched the door. He hadn't even welcomed her in.
She was surprised at the way he behaved.
Phoebe gasped at what Kirk just said. What was he saying? She had managed to get through the day without crying but she couldn't keep them anymore.
The floodgates opened. She turned around and went home.
"I hate you, Loukas Hamilton! I hate you so much." Phoebe screamed as she yanked pictures of him away from her dresser. She deleted all his pictures from her phone but it wasn't enough.
The urge to do something else tugged at her as she clawed at his other pictures on her bedpost.
"Why did you have to ruin my life? Why!?" Phoebe shrieked
"What is it, Phoebe?" Zen panicked as soon as she entered the house.
Phoebe's shouts had hastened her footsteps into the house.
"What the hell is going on here? Is this world war four or what?" Zen tiptoed inside to see Phoebe sobbing on her bed when she saw the whole house in disarray.
"Aw, what is it again baby?" Zen threw her bag to the bed and hurried to Phoebe's side on the mattress.
"They all u..sed me for the…ir pur…poses. Now th…at I'm down. They've left me" Phoebe stuttered to Zen's confusion.
Who had used Phoebe? What happened? "Baby, calm down. What exactly happened?" Zen sat by her side on the bed.
"Kir-Kirk bro-broke up with me."
"That bastard!" Zen groaned.