Just Pucking Money [COMPLETED]

Chapter 31 - The roommates overreact

Lily

I spend Sunday working and counting every dollar I get in tips. But it's a slow day and no matter how many times I try to figure out my finances, I always come to the same conclusion.

I'm fucked.

After classes on Monday, I'm back at Lucky's.

"Sil?" I knock on her open office door.

"Lily, what's up?"

Slowly entering the room, I remind myself I have no choice. "I was hoping to get some more work."

She raises an eyebrow. "If you want more shifts, you can ask the other servers."

"I will, but I need more. Anything you have. I'm a hard worker and I can do more than just serve. I can clean and do inventory. Whatever you need."

She leans back in her chair, and I stop my hands from fidgeting.

"Is UNI more expensive than you thought?"

"Something like that." I swallow.

There's compassion in her eyes as she studies me for a while. Then she takes a breath.

"I don't have a lot, but I've been thinking about reorganizing the storage, and there's some deep cleaning that needs doing."

"I'll take it."

She pauses. "As for the pay..."

I hold my breath. Sil looks to the corner of the room. "Since it's not customer service, it would be hourly." She blinks a few times. "I can offer fifteen per hour."

I nod. It's not a lot, but at this point, I'm desperate.

"Ok." Relief at having a plan and doing something makes it possible to breathe again.

"You should try to get as many serving shifts as possible." Sil brings up something on her computer. "I think Kelly has an exam coming up, so she might be willing to give you some of hers. And Gina never wants to work weekends if she can help it. The other work can be done around the shifts."

"Thank you." This is perfect. But as she looks up at me, expecting me to leave, my stomach churns. There's one more thing I have to ignore my pride for. I clear my throat. "Is there... Is there any chance I could get an advance?"

Sil's shoulders sink. "I'm sorry."

Disappointment tears through me. "Oh."

"If it was up to me, I would. I know you're a hard worker. You've never missed a shift or slacked off. I see that. But unfortunately, we've had some unpleasant experiences in the past with people taking an advance and then just ghosting us. So there's a hard and fast rule in place that we're not allowed to do that. However, I can pay you at the end of every day when you've done the extra work."

"I understand." I hate it, but I do. Sil has already been more than accommodating, and I know I'm lucky to have her as my boss. She looks at me with sad eyes, so I smile. "It's no big deal." I try to sound chipper, even though I feel like I'm free-falling into darkness.

Tuesday morning, I'm already sick to my stomach when I wake up. I know it's coming, but when there's a knock on my door, my heart still jumps into my throat.

"Yes?" I open the door.

"You're late with the rent," Fiona says. "It was supposed to be in my account yesterday."

There's no kindness in her face.

"Yes," I clear my throat. "I know. I'm really sorry about that, but something came up. If you'll just give me some time, I can have the money to you by the end of the week."