Chapter-1

The place was exquisite and brilliant to see and the people were here dancing their head-on. I could see everyone was drinking here! In the red cups, I was busy cleaning the floor. 

Busy because I work here and I don't have anything to do just to get the work done! Get their shit clean until it becomes all black

Dark was lowering the whole room into something else, this place has a mixture of emotions that I couldn't understand in my life.

Everybody was dancing here, swaying their body to the rhythm of the music until I felt a hand on my waist.

"Why so alone girl? Come with me?" 

"Here let me give a lead to you!" 

Their filthy hands were too close to touch my body and I, at the same time jerked them off! 

Jerked them off because I was afraid of what will they do to me! 

Then out of nowhere, one of them spilt the contents of the cup on my top.

It became all cold, the top must be got inked to my skin, I was not feeling good, my heart was hyperventilating too much then I collapsed on the ground.

***

"Ashley, open your eyes, damn it!"  I heard Serena's voice so close to my ear, she must be waiting for me to wake up for too long. I could feel the impatience in her voice.

However, when I tried to open my eyes, my head started aching too much, my whole body was burning like hell and nothing was feeling great.

"Are you okay, Ashley?" She asked me in her query voice. 

Despite getting almost molested, I am fine.

"Yes, I am good!" I looked away.

"You know you should resign from here!" She suggested to me by seeing my figure, my troubled figure. Woah! I must be looking like a ghost.

"How can I? Who will feed my family then tell me? You know I have no one!" 

Yes, I live with my sister and mother alone in the small rented cottage and don't ever ask me what happened to my dad? He just left us for another woman without thinking about what will happen to his wife or his daughters! Or how they will survive their life! 

"You can do work in the cafeteria, I have connections there!" She suggested, looking at me my fragile figure. I must be looking like an ape with no strings attached. 

My top was not clean it has stains of drink. My pants were dirty and my hair? They were ruffled as I am a madwoman.

When she saw my face, she pulled me into a tight embrace until I forgot how to breathe.

As I went to my home that was all covered up in dark only the little light was illuminating the house where we live.

My sister was in her college. She has not completed her studies yet, and my mother works in other people's homes she is a maid.

she was in the home at that time when I entered and when she saw my image she started crying, her eyes were full of human emotions that I couldn't explain. and what should I say to her? how did I end up like this?

I cannot even go back to study because if I did who will bear all the cost, so I wipe her tears that were flowing down to her almost dead skin. 

as it was midnight. I remembered the offer Serena suggested. Maybe I should go there to the cafeteria. it would be a great idea to work there. however, I know it's hard to get a job these days but I have to do it for my family and with determination, I, went back to sleep.

The next morning, when the weather was warm I woke up and gathered all my thoughts regarding my new job, I adjusted my clothes, I was wearing a blouse paired up with a skirt. after struggling with my reluctant thoughts I got ready on time and ran to find a bus. 

When people around me were driving all the lavish cars which I have never seen in my life, and here I was struggling to find a bus on time.

luckily, I got one. it landed me at my station in half an hour. New york city has always been buzzed like a tornado with so many voices. time can never stop here, it always runs ahead of us everything and if we would be lucky we will beat the cycle of time one day.

as I saw the cafeteria, it was well-established with its elegant vintage touch, I hope I could find a job here, and I prayed to god.

when I entered inside, the bell rang, alarming everyone that a person in human existence arrived there. so many girls were working wearing the same dresses. white shirt, black skirt with apparel on. I roamed my eyes into the interior. it was one of the rich interiors and I gulped at it, gulped at the thought if I could make it or not! gulped at the thought that what if I didn't how am I going to feed my family?

I was lost in my thoughts, completely stuck in my world when I heard someone call my name, "Ashley Brooke," and I shot up my hand in the air as a little girl.

there were two girls on another side of the table who looked at me and then made a face which tells that they were disgusted by my attire or existence whatever you call it.

until I felt a  hand on my shoulder, "here,  I am Amelia! Follow me,"

that girl didn't make fun of me and didn't look at me as was a piece of dirt, instead,  she directed me to follow her to the inside room where the owner of the cafeteria was situated carrying his bulging figure on the big sofa.

"so, you are Ashley, right?" his tone was loud almost make me jump on my spot but had no choice so I was glued to my spot.

"yes," I almost whispered, while fidgeting with my hands.

for a long moment, he looked at me, eye-to-eye. then he laughed with his big beard that was reaching to its stomach.

"relax! you are hired, Amelia will guide you about your job," he said and walked away to another room.

I couldn't understand what just happened? I was thinking he would ask some serious questions and might even take tests but he just said I am hired. I wanted to hug him and do a little dance with this utterness of happiness. however, I ceased that thought completely when I saw other girls are on their way to coming here.

and for the rest of the day, Amelia told me how to do the work here, when and how to take orders, always be polite even if someone tries to insult me because we are with no money and they have money so they can do everything with it. and at that moment I hated all the rich people of the city, or even of the world!

she also taught me how to make coffee, sandwiches and everything, it is not going to be my duty to make all the items but she taught me just in the case of emergency. she also warned me to stay away from those girls who were making fun of me and course, stay away from all the strangers who come here to find a girl for hookup. which made me disgusted by the thought of it!

then she told me about one of the girls who used to work here, how she got into the trap of a boy, a billionaire boy who took advantage of her and that girl is nowhere to be found anymore.

the thought of it made me shiver from head to toe, and at that moment I took the pledge of my life! I, Ashley Brooke never going to run into any Billionaire.