But what the hell was his problem? It wasn't a crime to press the dick of a high school boy, was it?
Oh, maybe it was. I hope he wasn't planning on sending me to prison or cutting my throat while I slept at night.
Right, I was merely exaggerating again. Dramatic should be my middle name.
[The deadline for the bonus task is 4:00 PM tomorrow!]
The system interrupted my thoughts.
"Oh, really? You are going to set a deadline after giving me the most difficult task of the year you dickhead!" I hollered at it.
[The host made a foul language!]
[Cost for foul language = 1 point]
"Bully! I know the cost already!"
[Available points in stash = 1 point]
[Deducting 1 point – the cost of coarse language made]
[Available points = 0]
"What do you mean zero? I just won myself 10 points!" I queried.
]Rewards only take effect overnight when the host is asleep.]
[Rewards for the second round are yet to be granted]
Pheew!
I got panic-stricken for a while there.
The system was a bully, a big one.
I would make sure not to exhaust my ten points this time. I need to purchase aspects and couldn't wait to have them at all!
I was about to set the mask on my face again when my eyes darted to the boy and yet! I found him staring at me still.
What in the seven holy hells?!
He couldn't have fallen for me now, could he?
Nah – not with how I looked at the moment.
Maybe by tomorrow, after losing fifty pounds and slimming down, someone would.
But — certainly not now.
.
It took us about four more hours to finally call it a day and get off work. We all soon enough changed into our casual attires.
The fun fair was close to empty now and it was also dark. My stomach was already grumbling hard.
"Finally, good to be out of this damn costume." One of my colleagues – a girl obviously younger than me commented.
She was twisting her neck as though it was stiff, but I could relate to her troubles.
Having to dance for hours under those godforsaken costumes was hell. But, Sally's pay was good.
It was the other reason why most of us remained and better, It was a daily wage thingy.
We could take a day off to attend to an urgent job and our job with Sally would remain.
However, no matter how nice a person was, there would be limits. So, we never told Sally we went on other jobs except to cook up lies for her.
Just as I had done five days ago.
Sally paid us all one after the other and gave us two packs of corn dogs each for the extra sales we made today.
After expressing our gratitude, we all made to leave. I hadn't taken two steps, stuffing my corn dog bonus into my cross bag – wondering if that wouldn't lead rats to create holes in it later when Sally called me.
"Wait up, Cosima." She said.
I froze. To sin and chasteness, my entire vitals froze.
Did Sally find out the truth that I had lied and exploited her?
Uneasy lies the head that lied.
I turned, tightening my grip on the handle of the bag.
"Sally?" I gave a fake clueless grin.
Sally, who was turning the last lock on the stand's door, said; "A sec, Cosima."
It was when she was done fumbling with the door that she lifted the grocery bag she kept on the floor.
I watched her take it up and scatter its contents a bit before finally bringing up whatever it was she was finding out.
"Here." She extended something wrapped in a foil to me.
I was skeptical and lost. Did Sally wrap poison inside a foil to give to me?
"It's cake. I had my engagement when you were away and kept your share of the cake in the refrigerator." She said, sensing my hesitation.
My face glimmered and color returned to it. So, Sally wasn't mad at me nor had she found out about my lie.
"Thank you, Sally." I warmly smiled at her.
What was I thinking?
That this beautiful soul could be cunning and mad at me?
Definitely not.
She was just a free-spirited, hardworking girl. I was glad she got engaged. I hoped it was the right man too.
I was safe and so was my lie. After all, it was Sally and she is credulous.
.
I walked with Sally out of the funfair. She took a taxi home, and since we weren't going on the same route, I strolled alone to the public bus station.
My earphones were on and I loved the serene voice of the musician who was singing slow soul music.
It was really kind of soothing to ease the soul some of the burdens of the day. It was sinfully dark now, and all I wanted was to get home, retire to bed, and call it a day.
However, I was in doubt as to if I would be able to sleep at all.
I knew for sure that excitement wouldn't allow me to sleep. Yet, the instruction from the system was that the reward would take effect overnight while I was asleep.
So, this wasn't a subject that concerned gauging choices. I needed to sleep – excitement or not.
The bus came quickly. The journey back home was also quick. Since it was late now, the road was free of traffic of cars.
The bus driver drove at a reasonable speed and it did not take long for me to get to my destination.
I alighted the bus, feeling the serenity of the music encompassing my soul while snacking on Sally's cake.
It was heaven, the feeling – I tell you.
Some stalls and stores were still open and the street lights were on blaring their vibrancy on the lonely street.
Noises from cars and trucks on the highway were booming from a distance and so was the scolding of the woman reprimanding her child while walking in front of me.
None of those concerned me. I only wanted to get home, eat Sally's Corn dogs, and go to bed. Or maybe I was anticipating what would happen when I was in bed too!