April was woken by Kathy's endless pounding on her bedroom door.
"Hey, April, you lazy head! Wake up, now! You have to tell Mrs. Reese that you will be paying the rent later in the week!"
Kathy's urgent words definitely jolted her awake.
Therefore, April quickly opened her bedroom door to come face to face with her stepsister.
"What the hell are you talking about? I just gave the money for the rent to your Mom last night, remember?"
April asked in confusion.
"Well, yeah, she left it with me early this morning. She had to go early to work at the restaurant for a double shift today. You see, I told her I needed the money to buy some new sets of clothes and for salon services for my makeup and hairstyling. I have an audition later. I have to look good so I can get the part."
Kathy explained as a matter of factly, without even an ounce of shame in her tone.
April stared at her stepsister from head to foot. She felt like throwing up right at Kathy's face. She couldn't believe how shallow and petty this stepsister of hers was.
Kathy was already all dressed up, ready to leave and waste away April's hard-earned money. She was not even sorry for April. She thought and felt that everyone owe her to have a good, comfortable life.
"You're such a selfish bitch! I earned that money so we could pay for the late rent! How can you just shamelessly put your selfish ambition in first priority?"
April shouted, truly enraged by Kathy's behavior.
"Well, I told Mom about it this morning and she agreed that I can use the money. She said, she will just borrow some money from her manager at the restaurant to replace the money for the rent later. So, you better quit lecturing me this early or you might jinx my audition and then I won't get the part again!"
Kathy reasoned out, with her hands over her hips now, really annoyed with April too.
"Are you crazy? Your Mom will borrow money? Eventually, I will end up paying for that borrowed money later on as well!"
April shouted back at her, feeling so incredulous at how Sally had always allowed this daughter of hers in her stupid acting career that was really pointless.
"Whatever... I am leaving now!"
Kathy dismissed April, as she walked towards the door.
"You don't get any part because you're hopeless!"
April hollered towards Kathy before she slammed her bedroom door shut in anger. She didn't care if Kathy heard what she just said.
Now, fully awake, she slumped on her bed in frustration.
Is this going to be her life again and again?
She thought exhaustedly, taking a deep breath to calm herself.
To remove the tension in her body that had already started from her spat with Kathy, April took a quick shower.
Afterward, she made herself a mug of coffee. Now, she felt a bit better.
Soon, she was descending the stairs to get to their landlady's apartment on the ground floor of the building.
"Mrs. Reese? It's April!"
She said as she knocked at the landlady's apartment door.
"Oh, April dear, good morning."
A smiling old lady opened the door to greet her.
"I am so sorry to bother you this early. It's just that, I promised to pay the rent today, but Kathy..."
April explained to the nice old lady, truly embarrassed.
"Oh dearie, I know how you're stepfamily are. Poor you. I understand."
Mrs. Reese cut her off with another smile for her.
"Thank you for understanding, Mrs. Reese. I will see what I can do later."
April replied with a hug for their landlady.
"I have to go now. Bye, Mrs. Reese."
April added, as she waved goodbye and headed out.
April went straight to Washington Media House. This company was where she worked part-time.
She sat in her cubicle to check her emails. However, her boss Bess called for her in her office.
"What is it, Bess? I sent the photo to you last night already."
April said, without even a greeting of pleasantries to this woman.
Bess had always been her boss, though everyone knew she didn't deserve to be. She's the kind of person who got to her position for taking credit from others without any remorse. Everybody here hated her but they couldn't do anything because she was so manipulative.
"What photo are you talking about? I didn't receive anything from you? It was my scoop!"
Bess replied looking smug.
"What? That is so typical of you, taking credit for everything."
April snapped back in anger.
"Oh, really? By the way, you're fired!"
Bess suddenly declared in a loud voice. The whole building could have heard her.
"You are such a manipulative bitch! Yeah, go on, take the credit for everything and fire me. If Vincent found out that he had been photographed he would definitely teach you a lesson."
April blurted out confidently.
"You're just making that up. You don't know anything. Besides, if that happens, I will point the blame on you."
Bess declared with so much arrogance and air.
"Oh yeah, I am pretty sure your name is all over that news fiasco! You are so good at taking credit for everything, there wouldn't be any hint of my credentials anywhere near that!"
April argued back.
"Hah! I am not scared!"
Bess retorted back full of pride.
Suddenly, Ryan, one of the other news writers, popped in.
"Um, excuse me, Bess, there's someone here looking for you."
Ryan announced.
"Who is it?"
Bess inquired in an annoyed tone, for being interrupted in her argument with April.
"It's Mr. Vincent Johnson, the CEO of Johnson Enterprises."
Ryan replied.
Bess narrowed her eyes while staring at April, full of loathing.
"Well, he was looking for you..."
April pointed out the obvious, as she moved to exit Bess' office.
She was surprised herself at the timing of Vincent's arrival here. How could he have known she was sending his photo at all? But then again, this would teach Bess a big valuable lesson, so, she had no complaints about that.
When she stepped out of Bess' office, she came face-to-face with Vincent.
He was looking all handsome in his business suit with a smug smile on his face.
April just stared back at him with a forced smile of her own but she didn't say a word. She just returned to her cubicle, ready to pack up her stuff.
Somehow, losing this job was alright. She had always disliked her leech of a boss.
In the back of her mind, she wished Vincent would really scare Bess out of her wits.
She smiled at that thought, as she picked up her personal stuff in her cubicle.
However, she had to make new plans. She had to find a new job. There were bills to pay.