Leap

Chapter Three

Waking up the next morning was one of the hardest things that Alana had to do and it wasn't because she had a hangover. She felt as though something wasn't right, except she wasn't sure what exactly it was. After taking a shower, Alana made my way to Bobby's room, glad that his date had left and that he was more than boxers. His blue covers lay in a messy pile on the floor while both legs hung on the edges of his bed. Rolling her eyes, Alana made her way over to him holding her towel firmly around herself before slapping him awake.

"What was stolen? I'm awake." A stunned Bobby exclaimed, holding his cheek as his hazy eyes landed on her.

"Get up Bob. It's seven o'clock." Alana stated, already heading towards the door.

"You didn't have to flipping slap me!" He yelled after her. Closing the door, a smile formed on her lips when realising that she was finally rubbing off on him, considering that he didn't swear.

Walking back into her room, Alana noticed the picture frame which sat on her bedside table. With her slim fingers, Alana picked it up and stared at it. The picture was taken when she was ten years old, being held on her brother's shoulders with her mother cradling her teddy bear in her hands. Alana's hair was the same milky brown colour that now framed her oval face and she had been grinning brightly. She would always remember that day at the carnival since it was most probably the last time that she saw her mother smile that widely, her dark brown eyes mirroring her own.

Placing the picture back onto her table, whilst getting ready for work, Alana noticed the yellow circles of sore skin which covered one side of her ribs. They were slowly turning purple and her left cheek was also slightly colouring since she had smacked it on the floor when she was attacked the night before.

Upon walking into the office, Alana's heart sank into my stomach when she spotted a cardboard box sitting on her desk. Glancing around, hoping that it had been placed there by accident, her hope soon sizzled when she also noticed the sympathetic looks that the other workers were giving her. Oh no...

"Oh, you're early Alana-May. Would you follow me to my office so that we can speak a little more privately?" Veronica asked as she walked past, towards her office. Stalking slowly behind her, Alana began to silently pray that the sick, strange feeling that she had experienced that morning, wasn't because of what she thought was going to happen. Trying to think positively was rather hard, considering what had happened and so all Alana could do, was wait. Both her forehead and palms began to sweat and Alana found herself cursing in her mind at the fact that she had worn foundation.

Veronica did not bother telling her to sit down, so Alana continued to stand awkwardly, whilst she took a seat in her usual swirled leather chair behind her laptop.

"About yesterday...You're behaviour was unacceptable and it will not be tolerated at Perfect Events. I'm letting you go," Veronica sighed, pretending to show sadness as she sorted through papers which rested on her wooden desk.

That was it.

There was no build up or second chances.

It was a simple 'get lost' scenario.

Alana was being fired.

Closing her eyes, as though to block out what had happened, Alana felt her lips lose all moisture as she failed to defend herself. Everything that she had worked towards so far in her life, came crumbling down around her, like the twin towers, of course not as bad. She couldn't blame anyone else other than herself. She had been stupid, just like Veronica had said at the station. It could have all been avoided but since everything happened the way it did and there were repercussions, Alana knew that she simply had to face them. Except this time she would not allow Veronica the satisfaction of seeing her cry.