Love can be really sick and twisted. Especially when viewed from a position of religious intolerance. Especially if you're a masochist. Especially when your sadist is your childhood friend turned enemy. And especially when the masochist is the real...
"Make sure you put everything back into the dressing room."
"Okay." I say.
"Don't forget to sweep and mop the back rooms too."
"Alright." I dismiss.
"Oh, and remember to use the employee entrance when you leave, not the front door because you'll set off the alarm that way."
I sigh. "I understand, Raimi. I can handle closing up on my own."
"Alright, fine." Raimi sases with a little head swivel. "See you tomorrow, Mini-Van." He waves flamboyantly before strutting out the employee exit.
I sigh again. He has to know that I hate that nickname by now. Raimi was unfortunately my new coworker...or rather, I was his. Without John around to lift part of the financial burden, between bills, amenities, transportation and food...I just couldn't do it anymore. I had to leave the apartment and had to quit working at Gomorrah. I bid farewell to all of my friends before using the last of my money to travel down to Independence; the city with...the lowest property value in Kansas. I tried looking for an honest job at first but that was hard to do without any of my government information on hand...so I ended up working under the table at yet another club called The Castle. Tony had mentioned this place to me a while back. I managed to rent a small 1 bed 1 bath house on this less than savory part of town but it was better than nothing.
Working at The Castle was kind of a pain though. My boss, Mr. White was barely around and when he was, he hardly managed anything. He just came to collect his money and distribute the scraps to his slav-I mean-employees. Most were on drugs or just had too vicious of a criminal record to get legitimate work over the table. Raimi was an exception but that didn't make him better. Raimi, though not a drug addict or felon, was an extream pick me type. He was often selfish or bitchy, petty, lazy, and downright ignorant which was only enhanced by his ability to remain blissfully unaware of his flaws. The anti-thesis to Khalil in nearly every way.
I finish cleaning up everything for the night so I put away the rest of the cleaning equipment and head out, starting on my way back home.
Home...
I never actually returned home to see my family. I thought I was so ready to go up to them as my unapologetic self and show them how happy I was...show them that my life of sin was worth more than they said it'd be...but...John was gone now. The life I wanted to show them had shattered and crumbled away. And now...I just didn't have the strength to face them. Not without John.
I'm shaken from my thoughts by someone abruptly walking into my personal space. He looked like a young hispanic kid, roughly my age, somewhat shorter than I was.
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"E-e-excuse me." He stammers out. "I'm kinda hungry, haven't eaten in a while. Could you spare me a few bucks, please?" He had a bit of an accent but not one that was hard to understand.
