Chapter 6
- DAMON
- With a bitter smile on my lips, I decided it would be better to park my car in the open parking lot. Parking in the basement car park would call undue attention to me and the employees I see every day would have more reason to taunt me as they have been doing.
- Once the parking was taken care of, I got out of the car and prepared myself mentally for the long day ahead.
- I entered the administration building whose outside walls were painted pink and white and headed straight for Linda's office to get my costume and trays of sweets.
- Yes, that torturous activity is not over.
- As I ignored the snickering and intentional backbiting that trailed me as I walked, I wondered if my bear-dancing situation would come to an end soon.
- Mr. Hands did not indicate when it would end.
- At that point, I didn't mind the desk job which I always dreaded because of the people I was working with.
- Soon, my mind still raided with thoughts, I entered Linda's office.
- "Hey, you. " Linda's voice dragged me out of my many thoughts and I faced one of the people that actually cared about me.
- "Hey, Lin. How was your night?"
- I walked through the stairs and took a seat.
- A wide smile was instantly planted on her lips. It was so wide, it was almost creepy and I feared her lips would have a little tear.
- I know... That's an exaggerated thought.
- "What's with the extreme smile?"
- She clasped her hand, placed her elbows on her desk, rested her chin upon her knuckles, and said, "I might have gotten the best orgasm yesterday night." She looked like a baby as she said those words.
- "I see you finally got it done with that man."
- "It was so fucking amazing. His lips worked on me last night. The way he sucked on my..."
- "Linda!" I sounded like I was close to tears.
- "I am saying this and you are going to listen. Because you are a virgin doesn't mean your mind or ears are."
- Her point was valid. But I couldn't help but feel weird.
- Linda continued her excited talk.
- "When he first worked on my titties, I was like, I am having this dude's dick tonight."
- I fake-coughed in response and she ignored me.
- "When we kissed, I felt so high. He made me feel so good that I could barely take control."
- I rolled my eyes and stylishly looked around for my work suit. I found it behind her seat with about ten trays of sweets in a cart and a money jar to go.
- Do I love my job or what?
- "He fucked me so good that I even injured myself. See..." She showed me a portion of her right that looked scratched with red patches.
- Note to self.
- Don't do intercourse that would cause you undue pain
- "Does it hurt?" I asked as I got up to get my work things.
- "It doesn't hurt. I hardly felt the pain yesterday. It was that good. Hey, how was the interview?" She suddenly derailed the path of her talk. As she stared at me expectantly, I found myself wishing she had just continued babbling about having sex with a stranger.
- There was nothing much to say anyway.
- "I had my niece's drawings instead of my documents."
- Linda's eyes darted towards the ground as she wore pity all over her face. That sympathetic look is one thing I have grown to hate.
- "Sheez, that must have been terrible." She rubbed her arm as awkward silence gradually found its way into the room. I watched her with a blank look on my face as I began to contemplate whether to put on the costume in that room. "So, I am guessing they didn't grant you the interview?" she asked further.
- I shook my head.
- "I am sure you'll get another interview," she said assuredly and I nodded while strongly resisting the temptation to tell her about Miss Selena.
- "I should get going now." She hummed as I grabbed my stuff and left for my temporary office. I mean, my spot, which is outside and extremely exposed.
- As I got outside, I walked towards a small corner to put on the costume. With my sharp sight, I guarded the trays of sweets that were hidden in another corner.
- Once I successfully wore the mascot's body, I got out of the corner, grabbed the trays, and uncomfortably tucked the head under my armpit
- Thankfully, the sun wasn't using me as an experiment, so my chances of dying while dancing in a bear suit were minimal.
- Soon, I got to work. My sight was now limited as I used the netted eye holes to maneuver my steps and the money jar was hanging around my neck like I was a merchant that jumped out of a cartoon.
- So, there I was, dancing ridiculously.
- Maybe I should have accepted yesterday's offer. Because the more I wave my hands and jerk my knees in the name of dancing, I find my situation more and more humiliating.
- While I bit back the urge to cry although no one would see my tears, two girls came to my front.
- I could barely see their faces as they reached for some sweets but I heard their talks over the speaker that was playing some light, feel-good music.
- "This is such a ridiculous costume," one said.
- "I know right?" A high-pitched voice that sounded too excited about life responded. "Why would anyone want to be dressed in something like this? It's so hideous. I can never be caught near this ugly thing."
- After they dropped their money, the first one said, "I wonder why they chose an ugly costume. Maybe the person inside is as ugly as the mascot."
- "I know, right?" The second girl giggled. "An ugly person for an ugly costume."
- Their conversation took another turn but their words lingered in my mind.
- They didn't make my heart ache, instead, their words annoyed me.
- My movements which slowed down because of their words soon picked up and I resumed my dance.
- As I admonished myself not to angrily take off the bear's head and smash it in their direction before they walk further away, a voice said to me, '
- There are some things you have to do, humiliating or not, to get to where you want to be.'
- That little voice reminded me of the offer I rejected. The juicy offer the Dangerous Dame presented to me. The offer that came with a lot of bad energy.
- Quickly, I dismissed the part of me that was about to consider taking Miss Selena's offer.
- As I trained my focus on what I was doing at that moment, two men in suits came over to me, took a whole tray of sweets, dropped some money into the jar, and dragged me.
- Wait, what?
- "What are you guys doing?" I quickly asked the men who played deaf ears as they dragged me to a black car.
- What kind of stupid question was I asking? I wondered.
- They were clearly kidnapping me.
- Well, isn't my life wonderful?
- I was being kidnapped in broad daylight and no one could do anything about it. Well, they actually can't because things like this happen a lot here.
- It is a freaking normal thing.
- One can be going about his normal life, then boom! He is being bundled into the trunk of a car.
- I felt my jaws clench as I reasoned that that woman was responsible for my kidnap. As soon as the men settled me inside the car, they drove off.
- "Remove that hideous thing." A deep voice ordered and I felt cool air bless my face as soon as it was removed.
- A deep frown on my face, I darted my sight furiously, stealing a look at every man in the car whose angry looks sort of intimidated me.
- "Where are you guys taking me to? Do you work for The Dangerous Dame?" I asked despite the growing fear inside me.
- Surprisingly, one of them laughed. It was a short ugly laugh.
- "Just shut up
- !
- "
- "You better shut up if you love your life. Don't be too inquisitive either." One of the men beside said, his warning voice sending more fright down my bone.
- I gulped and slumped my shoulders, already accepting my fate.
- Maybe I would become a mafia photographer after all.