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“Shit. I’m so late,” I grumble as I pull into the parking lot. I hope that Travis will understand why.
He isn’t exactly a good guy. My boss can be a creep. Always staring at me and finding little ways to touch me.
Mila, one of my good friends, who also works at the store, sees me walking in and calls me over.
“Bella, where have you been?”
I sigh. “Everything has gone wrong this morning, Mila. Long story. I’ll tell you at lunch.”
Mila chews her lip before informing me, “Listen. Travis is looking for you. He said if we see you, tell you to head straight to his office.”
“Thanks, I’ll catch up with you later.”
Standing outside his office door, I’m about to knock when Travis comes barging out almost knocking me to the floor.
“Ah, so you finally decided to show up,” he sneers at me.
“Travis, I’m sorry. I had some family stuff come up and I got a flat on the way here too.”
Putting his hand up, he cuts me off. “Bella, if you don’t mind, I’m about to break for a smoke, step outside with me and we will discuss this.”
I follow Travis through the door that leads to the alleyway between the grocery store and the bakery, preparing myself for a lecture.
He lights up his cigarette and blows the smoke out, “I can’t have you being late, Bella. You’ve been working here for over a year now and you’ve been late many times.”
“Travis, I can explain—”
Interrupting me again, he says, “I don’t need to hear another excuse. You’re replaceable Bella, just like the rest of them in there.”
“Please Travis. I need this job. I promise not to be late again.”
Blowing smoke in my direction before dropping the cigarette to the ground, Travis reaches forward and places his hands on my shoulders. When he touches me, I instantly feel uneasy.
“I can overlook this and not write you up if we can come to some sort of...arrangement to help you keep your job.” He smiles, as his clammy hands run down my arm, completely catching me off guard.
“What!”
His grip tightens a little. “Come on. Put that pretty mouth to use and you can keep your job.”
I jerk from his hold, “Don’t touch me! I’m not putting my mouth anywhere on you!”
He grabs at my wrist as I try to pull away from him again.
“What the fuck is going on back here?” A deep voice booms from behind us, causing Travis to release his grip on me.
I turn towards the man walking our direction. He’s huge. Easily over six feet tall.
“You okay, sweetheart?” he asks me, not taking his eyes off Travis who has backed up a few feet behind me.
Coward.
My boss speaks up. “Everything is fine here. I was just firing an employee.” The tone of his voice giving away how nervous he is.
“Didn’t sound like you were firing her.” The stranger accuses then turns to me, his eyes go soft for a moment.
I realize I’m crying as I feel the tear run down my face.
“Sweetheart, go on inside.”
