The boss was looking down at me. His expression of anger and disappointment made me feel troubled. I tried to recall what did I do wrong this time, but nothing came to my mind. The fact that he asked me to come to his office was already a bad thing in its own, because all the employees that went there were never been seen coming at work the second day. But what reason had he to scold me out of the blue, or worse, to fire me? As a waitress at the hotels' restaurant, I did my job exemplary in those two years since I worked there. No one complained about me... as far as I know.
"Milica," said the boss checking some papers, and constantly frowning at them. "Two months ago you put your word for a friend that was getting married, and I accepted to organize their wedding at my restaurant at half price, because of you. Does that ring a bell?"
It rang lots of bells, especially since I never saw that friend again since then. That night was a nightmare. I had so much work to do, because the grooms invited more than three hundred guests, and I had to help in the kitchen too, and the next day there were two other weddings. It was like a never ending nightmare. I truly believed that I was going to die from exhaustion. Besides, I wasn't payed enough because of the friend I helped. Sure, I managed to get them the most beautiful hall of the restaurant, but the boss took his toll on me. So the only one that was at loss back then was me.
"I'm not sure what you mean by that, sir".
"It means you vouched for that couple, and they still haven't paid for the services. I tried to contact them, but they never replied, and I doubt they'll do so. Do you know something about your friend?"
"Unfortunately not, sir. We didn't keep in touch after the wedding. I could give her a call maybe..."
"Please do so. You can even take off the rest of the day. Visit her, and solve the problem, or else you are fired".
It wasn't fair to give me an ultimatum. I always worked over program, and he hasn't paid me for those hours yet.
"Sir, about my overtime hours... maybe you forgot about me, since you have so many employees..."
"I didn't, Milica," said the boss in a harsh voice. "That offer of half price for your friend included your overtime, otherwise I would be at loss here. I have a business to run!"
His words were infuriating. I struggled to keep my cool, but it was impossible at that moment.
"It was your decision to listen to me, sir. You never said anything about taking my salary for that offer of half price. I demand you to pay me, or else..."
"Or else what?" the boss provoked me.
"I will sue you!"
"Go ahead, if you have the nerve, and money," he smirked. "Meanwhile, you are fired. Good luck finding a lawyer brave enough to go against me. I suggest you to be a wise girl, and learn your place, Milica. It was generous of me to not ask you to pay the money your friend owes me. Be grateful".
His cruel words made me feel like an useless bug. I couldn't say anything. The thoughts were pilling up in my head but my lips were sealed, mostly because I was struggling to keep my decent composure without bursting into tears.
"Sir, I quit," I said calmly. "Good luck with the wedding season. I suggest you to find people for those seventeen weddings that you accepted for this week only. Tomorrow you will have three weddings, and more than three thousand guests. Keep the luck for yourself. You'll need it!"
I was hurt, so I wanted to hurt him too, verbally. Before he had a chance to say something I left his office in a hurry, running straight to the locker rooms. I've thrown the uniform, and those stupid high-heels in a corner. I've put on my T-shirt, shorts, and trainers, then went to the bus station.
Feeling so down in the dumps, I didn't notice the bus on time, and I had to run 'till the next station to catch it. The bus was so crowded that I almost fainted from the heat, and the smell of garlic. I couldn't resist more than three stations.
I stopped in the closest park, buying an ice cream, and hoping to calm myself. But the only thing that crossed my mind over and over again was that I had no job.
"Maybe I overreacted... Should I apologize to that shitty boss? What for? It's not like I will get paid too soon, or paid at all. I'm late with the rent, and that crappy lady already warned me she'll kick me out if I don't pay her by the end of the week. What can I do? I can only think of her to help me..."
I called Anne, my only friend, the one that never called me back since her wedding. She answered after the fifth ring.
"Hello, Anne! I hope you came from your honeymoon..."
"What do you want?" she interrupted me, so I stopped in dismay. Her voice had nothing friendly.
"How do you feel, Anne? Are you upset?"
"Look, Milica, I'm a married woman now. I don't have time, or interest, to chit-chat with you. I am very busy, you should have noticed that in these two months, after not replying you a single call. Don't you get the idea?"
"What's wrong with you, Anne? Have you forgot everything I did for you? For your wedding..."
Anne hang up, leaving me in tears. She now had the same rude attitude like her husband. Truth to be told, I never saw her as a true friend, and the feeling was mutual apparently.
The only wise thing to do was to start looking for a new job as soon as possible.
"But not today," I said to myself. "I need to rest, and cry. Cry a lot".
I went to my apartment, intending to take a shower, and sleep. No luck. After three minutes the landlady knocked at my door.
"Good evening..."
"Where is my rent, Milica? The rent for these past two months".
"Could you wait a few more days please? I have to..."
"You either pay everything by tonight al 12:00, or consider leaving by tomorrow. I can't wait any longer".
I forgot about shower, and checked on my savings. It was enough to pay the rent, but after that I had to live on a shoestring budget. I was still hoping to manage somehow to get a new job quickly, so I decided to go pay the landlady.
The landlady checked the money twice, just in case, then smiled with pity at me.
"Thank you, Milica. Now, I give you time to find a new place by the end of the next month".
"What? But why? I paid you!" I yelled.
"I have my niece coming soon in the country, and she'll be staying there. She's paying me double your currently rent. I can't say no to her. We all need money".
She closed the door, meaning it had nothing to say anymore, and her decision was already made.
What choices did I have? My uncle cut all the connections with me after he supported my university fees, and that because he was my tutor after the death of my parents. He used a little part of the fortune left from my parents to send me to college, and with the rest he built a villa for his son. I had to work really hard to get a scholarship to strive, while I was doing. After I graduated, my uncle didn't even want to hear of me, calling me names with every occasion, and considering me an 'ungrateful creature'.
It's been five months since my graduation, but I couldn't find a job as a teacher. I didn't have enough money to buy a teacher post in my town, so I had to wait until autumn to fill a temporary position... if there was any available.
I returned to my apartment, but it was so depressing that I decided to go for a walk. I strolled near a burger shop, resisting temptation to buy one, although my stomach was growling angerly. I started to walk toward the ruins of the castle on the hill. It was a fortress that the mayor wanted to rebuild for years, but people weren't willing to invest in tourism, so the renovations stopped.
The path through the forest was quiet, and full with mosquitos. I thought it would be better to go back, but a scary scream petrified me for a few seconds. It was coming from a side of the road. I listened.
"Maybe it was my imagination..."
But I wasn't imagining things. The air felt static, and I heard the scream once more. I run towards that place.
"I should go back," my guts warned me. "I'm no hero, why do I even run there? I should run away..."
I could see a faint light through the trees, and the air was full with electricity.
"That's this? Some kind of storm? It's unnatural".
At the end of the road a family of three was screaming in a circle of orange lightnings. The parents were trying to help the little boy trapped inside. He was too afraid to move.
From that moment on, I've let my instinct guide me. I watched carefully a pattern in the movement of the lightnings circle, and when I saw a breach I jumped without hesitation inside. I took the boy in my arms, but realized that we were too heavy, and too slow. Waiting again for a breach, I successfully thrown the kid into his parents arms. While I was intending to do the same, the circle became more bright and the lightnings covered it entirely. I couldn't see anything except that light that was hurting my eyes. My ears could only hear the beating of my heart synchronizing with the low thunders. I covered my head to protect myself, waiting for the dream to be over.