Dark Princess | K. Jones

𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘯𝘦

hyperion heights, present

Courtney was sitting on the sofa, scrolling through job listings on her laptop. "God, this is hopeless. The only other place hiring is that creepy burlesque club" she sighed.

"Yeah, definitely not. But you know what you should do. Ask your father for help" one of her roommates Sabine said, as she stood in the kitchen making them both lunch.

"I'd rather just live in my car" Courtney mumbled. Although she currently had a job working as a bartender at Roni's, Roni was going to be selling her bar that night to local real estate developer and absolute monster, Victoria Belfrey. Which meant that after today, Courtney was officially out of a job.

"You're not gonna do that. Just talk to him, you know he can help you find something that's not working at some sleazy club" Sabine said.

Courtney grumbled to herself before she glanced at the clock, realizing her last shift was about to start. "I gotta go. Maybe I'll buy a scratcher ticket or something after work" she said.

Sabine just laughed, wishing her luck and secretly praying they did indeed find a winning ticket.

When she got to work, Roni introduced her to Henry. He was new in town only here to retrieve a laptop that Lucy, Jacinda - her other roomate's- daughter, stole after sneaking off to go see him. Lucy was apparently convinced that Henry was her father.

Hearing the door creak open, Roni looked up and smiled. "Oh, hey Jacinda. How's it going?"

"Great," Jacinda said as she headed over. "Lucy's stealing computers now, so that's new."

"She at least sellin' em?" Courtney asked.

Jacinda rolled her eyes at Courtney before turning to Henry. "Speaking of my little felon, you must be Henry. I'm so sorry about all this" she said giving him back his laptop. "I don't know what's gotten into her, but I promise you, it won't happen again."

Henry didn't say anything, only gazing at Jacinda as if he couldn't believe who he was looking at.

Jacinda glanced at Courtney and Roni before turning back to Henry. "What?"

"Oh, nothing. Nothing. I'm just, uh, relieved" he said. "You know I was starting to wonder if I really did have a kid but clearly I don't because meeting you, I would definitely remember."

Courtney laughed under her breath as she poured out two drinks.

"Here you go," she said, placing it in front of them. "Consider it an ice breaker."

─── · 。ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Courtney stood behind the bar, pretending to clean glasses as she watched Henry and Jacinda talk. It was easy to see that were both immedialty drawn to each other and as happy as Courtney was for them, she couldn't help but find herself growing jealous.

She had always been somewhat of a hopeless romantic. Always the bridesmaid but never the bride. Working at Roni's allowed her an inside look at the lives of everyone in town.

She overheard many conversations of first dates and bubbling romance to people sitting in the corner of the bar where it was quieter so they could focus on work.

Courtney felt like her whole life was standing on the sidelines, watching as people lived their lives all around her. And here she was, working at the only place that would hire her, living in a shitty overpriced apartment with Jacinda and Sabine.

Courtney had dreams of being a journalist but that didn't work out just as much as anything else ever did for her.

When the door flew open the woman who seemed to be at the start of everyone's problems sauntered in, heels clicking as she walked.