Chapter 5

• Vienna arrived back home at midnight after searching for a job all day. She entered the house, but no one was home.
• She collapsed onto one of the two chairs in the room. She had only been able to get one job that day, and the pay was minimal.
• She removed her jacket and picked up her phone to call Vanessa, but her call was rejected.
• She wanted to redial, but then she heard the door open, and Vanessa entered with Nisan following closely behind her.
• “Where have you been? We thought something had happened, so we went to look for you,” Vanessa said.
• “What do you mean, where was I? I told you I was going to look for a job,” Vienna replied.
• Vanessa hissed and sat down on the second chair.
• “So, was there any success?” Nisan asked.
• “Yes, I was able to get one, but the pay isn’t much,” Vienna answered.
• “That’s good. Have you eaten anything yet? There’s a little food in the kitchen,” Nisan said.
• “What type of job did you find? Where is the place?” Vanessa interrogated instead.
• “Why are you asking? A job is a job,” Vienna replied neutrally.
• “You’re hiding something. If it’s somewhere decent, then you would have already started talking about it,” Vanessa said, not giving up.
• Nisan also looked at her suspiciously.
• “Okay, fine. It’s a club, but it’s a pretty decent one,” Vienna confessed.
• “I knew it. You can’t work there,” Vanessa objected.
• “I also think you shouldn’t work there. Remember what happened the last time you worked at a clubhouse?” Nisan added.
• “Nothing like that is going to happen here. It’s really a decent place, and I really need the money,” Vienna assured them, but Vanessa refused to agree.
• “I am against it, and that’s final. If anything happens to you, then what will happen to our family? You can work anywhere but not there.”
• “If you insist that I shouldn’t work there, then where do you want me to get money for you and Mom? We have only a few days left, but we don’t even have a quarter of the money we need for Mom, let alone for you. And you want me to quit a job that will actually bring in money for us. Then what do you want me to do?” Vienna yelled, frustrated.
• “Is that why you want to sell your body for money? Do you think Mom will be happy when she finds out about it?” Vanessa retorted, also raising her voice.
• Vienna glared at her angrily, then stormed out of the room and slammed the door shut, leaving Nisan with Vanessa.
• Nisan moved closer to Vanessa and placed his hand on her shoulder.
• “You shouldn’t have talked to her like that; she’s already stressed about everything.”
• “And I’m not?” Vanessa snapped, snatching his hand away.
• “Do you both think I’m not stressed? You shouldn’t speak up for her in front of me,” she said, turning to leave the house.
• “Where are you going so late?” he asked, holding her back.
• “I want to get something from the convenience store nearby,” she said, shaking off his hand before heading out.
• Nisan sighed and turned to go meet Vienna inside. Vienna sprang to her feet when she noticed someone coming in, but a look of disappointment crossed her face when she saw that it was Nisan and not her sister.
• “I thought you were angry with her. Why are you expecting her to come meet you?” he asked as he sat down on the bed next to her.
• “Where did the two of you go today? I know it’s a lie that you went out to look for me,” Vienna asked.
• “It’s not entirely a lie,” he answered.
• “Did something happen?” Vienna asked suspiciously.
• “Then do you really intend to sell your body for money?” he questioned.
• “What nonsense are you saying? She just assumed that. But maybe… the thought crossed my mind,” she answered grumpily.
• “So Vanessa is right,” Nisan said and stood up.
• “Where is she?” Vienna asked.
• “She went to get something from the store,” he replied before leaving.
• Shortly after, Vanessa entered the room, and Vienna pretended to be asleep. She felt Vanessa move closer and sit down at the edge of the bed. Vanessa took one of her legs in her arm and placed a small bowl with hot water beside her to massage her legs gently.
• “You don’t have to pretend. I know you’re not sleeping,” Vanessa said.
• “I told you not to walk everywhere all the time and to take the bus once in a while, but you wouldn’t listen. If anything happens to you, then how will you be able to work later?” She finished massaging and applied some pain reliever cream on Vienna’s legs.
• Vienna suddenly sat up and grabbed the cream from her hand.
• “You should also apply some on your legs,” she said, bending down to reach them.
• “What are you doing?” Vanessa asked, moving her legs away, but Vienna pulled them back.
• “Do you think I don’t know that you walk to and from school every day? How do you expect me, as your elder sister, to take a bus while you walk?” Vienna said as she closed the lid of the cream and looked at her seriously.
• “Listen, you are my responsibility. I know you don’t like it, but it’s my duty to take care of you, and I will.”
• “I am not like you; I am quite strong,” Vanessa replied stubbornly.
• “I know you want to help, but you should focus on your studies,” Vienna persuaded.
• “I am eighteen, I can take care of myself,” she cut in.
• “Yes, but until you get admitted into university, you are still a teenager to me. And I promise you, I will make sure we get the money needed for you to write your final exams and for Mom’s operation.”
• “You’re not going to sell yourself, are you?”
• “No, idiot, I would never do that,” she said and hugged her.
• “Don’t hug me like a child. I need to sleep now so I can leave early tomorrow,” Vanessa said, pushing her off before lying down quietly.
• Vienna smiled, then lay down beside her and hugged her to sleep.