Chapter 3 Disappointment

• Cecília
• I looked around the tiny room, sadness invading me once again. The walls were damp, and as it was raining heavily that night, I feared for my safety as it seemed the ceiling could collapse at any moment. I prayed for divine help again.
• There wasn't much else to do, after all. I couldn't concentrate on reading any of the books I had brought in the movie, which was entirely normal given my current situation.
• I had been fired from my job, and when I got home and told my family, my stepfather kicked me out of the house on the spot. I remembered Jean's words, and my chest hurt once more.
• "If you can't contribute to the household expenses, you won't stay under my roof either," he said with extreme coldness. "I can't support another mouth. I already have to support your mother and your siblings."
• I could have told him that my siblings were his children and that my mother was his wife, but in the current situation, I chose to try to talk to him, to explain that I had nowhere else to go. However, Jean didn't even listen to me. He stormed out, yelling and slamming the door, saying he didn't want to find me in his house when he returned from work the next morning.
• As usual, my mother didn't interfere. She continued watching TV as if nothing was happening right next to her. My siblings were still too young to understand anything. Jennifer is only five years old, Jefferson seven, and I love them like crazy, but there was nothing I could do after Jean had kicked me out of his house.
• I took advantage of the fact that it was still daylight, it was only 5 PM, and went in search of some guesthouse where I could rent a room for the lowest possible price. At the moment, I had very little money, but I had been informed by Laser Inc.'s HR that the next morning I could go in to sign my termination papers and receive any pending payments. However, considering that I had been working at the company for less than six months, the amount wouldn't be substantial.
• All I managed to find was a damp room, full of leaks, and very hot, with no windows. Still, I considered myself lucky, and with the money I received from Laser Inc. that morning, I was able to pay three months' rent, as the guesthouse owner demanded.
• Someone knocked on my room's door, which surprised and worried me.
• "Hi there, cutie," said a very muscular man covered in tattoos.
• "Yes?" I chose to speak curtly.
• I had no idea what he could want, after all, I had only seen him once before when I joined the other tenants for dinner that night. I hadn't even exchanged a word with him!
• "How about catching a movie tonight?" He surprised me with the invitation. "There are some cool movies playing."
• "Thank you, but I can't accept," I replied with maximum politeness.
• "Why not?" He persisted.
• I stared at him, surprised by the question, and for a few seconds, I tried to find an answer that wouldn't hurt his feelings. I hated hurting people.
• "I'm very tired today."
• "So, how about tomorrow?"
• "I already have plans for tomorrow."
• "We can schedule for Friday night, then," he stated this time.
• "I don't think it's a good idea," I didn't know what else to say. "I'm dealing with some problems and have no desire to go out. You understand... What's your name again?"
• "You can call me Bobby. That's what everyone calls me around here."
• That information caught me by surprise, and the way he spoke did too. Now, more than ever, I felt the need not to upset Mr. Bobby.
• "Maybe some other time, then, Bobby."
• "I'll hold you to that!"
• I smiled awkwardly and waited for him to walk down the long hallway before closing my door, using it as support for my body as I leaned against it.
• "Another problem?" I asked the cosmos.
• Of course, it didn't respond.
• I woke up early the next day, and after a very meager breakfast—a plain buttered roll and a cup of black coffee, which I discovered was what the guesthouse owner served every morning—I set out in search of a job. I have experience as a cleaner, and that has to count for something.
• I hated Liam Ricci with all my might when I returned in the evening after walking for hours and not finding anything. Sure, I had been nosy in suggesting he should seek help, but he didn't need to fire me just for that.
• Upon further reflection, I should hate myself as well. Liam was known for his arrogance and explosive temper. He walked the company's hallways with firm steps and a stern gaze, always ready to reprimand anyone who dared to cross his path. His intimidating demeanor was enough to make even the most experienced employees tremble with fear. I shouldn't have messed with him.
• I arrived in front of the rundown guesthouse where I was staying and sighed resignedly when I saw that some men were standing right in the middle of the path, in front of the entrance. There were at least five of them, and they looked quite intimidating with their rough expressions and dangerous appearance.
• "Look, a new chick in the area," one of them said when he noticed my approach.
• "Hmm, this chick looks delicious," another one said, making me nervous.
• I hesitated whether to continue towards the entrance or turn around and pretend I didn't intend to enter the guesthouse just yet. However, soon, a familiar voice brought me a bit more reassurance.
• "Let the chick be," Bobby warned with a firm voice. "You can go in, darling. I'll protect you from this bunch of vultures."
• I accepted Bobby's intervention and walked past the group, my body tense with unease and fear of those men but too tired to refuse Bobby's generous offer.
• "Thank you, Bobby," I said in an almost inaudible voice and entered the guesthouse.
• The guest house was quiet and poorly lit, with a characteristic musty smell in the air. I walked down the narrow hallway until I reached my modest room. It was small and simple, but it was my refuge in that difficult moment of my life.
• I lay down on the bed, reflecting on the circumstances that had brought me there. It was painful to admit, but I was feeling lost and helpless. As I replayed the events of the day in my mind, I remembered the arrogant Liam once again and felt a mixture of anger and another emotion I couldn't define at that moment. I dreamed about him when I finally managed to fall asleep.