The Trillionaires High School Dropout

"I'm sorry but there is no more job for any of you here."

My heart raced and a thousand thoughts flew into my mind but none were making sense right that minute. I licked my dry, trembling lips and turned to stare at Lexie. She was quiet. Too quiet.

"If I may ask, what's the reason, Mrs. Chevali?" The third worker asked the woman who was our manager. Or about to be ex-manager.

"Business is not doing well, Samantha."

Oh God! Where would I start from? What do I do? I had no idea where to go from here? My life had been full of ups and downs — mostly downs. Now that I had this little job, life would not let me have it.

I struggled to hold back tears. I was squatting with Lexie. Without her, I would still be homeless. It was not going to be hard for her to get a job. But me? Not a chance. Who was willing to employ a high school dropout?

Who would even listen to my predicament and give me a job? Unfortunately for me, predicament did not give jobs, degrees did.

Lexie rubbed my back comfortingly, I raised my head from its somber state to look at her, that was when I noticed two other pairs of eyes were on me. Mrs. Chevali and Samantha, the third salesperson.

"I'm... I'm sorry." I wiped my eyes with the hem of my shirt and sniffled.

Mrs. Chevali stared in pity. She was a nice woman but I guess this was out of her hands. "I'm sorry it had to come to this, Riana. The business has not been doing well in the past few months. I can not keep running it. How will I pay you three?"

I nodded. "I understand Mrs. Chevali."

But it was a lie. I did not understand anything. I did not understand why my life was always on the wrong track. I did not understand why I could not be allowed to remain on the 'okay' zone. I was not asking for much. I was not asking to be superbly wealthy. I just wanted to be fine. To have food in my belly and a roof I could pay for.

Being homeless was not a life I wanted to go back to. I had been there, done that and it was the worst time of my life. If I had no job, I would not be able to pay my part of the bill and if I could not, I would be out on the streets before I knew it.

"I'm really sorry. Let's just pack up and go." Mrs. Chevali concluded.

I silently walked out of her office and went to the counter where I usually dropped the small leather purse, the only leather purse I had, and strapped it on.

"Riana, wait." Lexie was calling after me.

But I did not stop. I did not want her to see that I was crying again. I could not help it. Her hand came on my shoulder to halt my progress out of the thrift store I used to work. Used to. Barely a month and my fate was back to... nothing.

My life was back to zero. I had nothing. No job. No life. Nothing! Not even a degree to get a job! I was practically screaming in my head. Screaming in desolation.

"What is it, Lexie?" I clutched the strap of my bag. Sniffling and blinking my eyes, I turned on my heel to face her.

"I'm sorry. We'll get another job, I promise." She sympathized with me.

"Where? How? Lexie, I'm not going to get another job elsewhere. Mrs. Chevali was nice enough to give me this job. Not because I merited it but because she took pity on me. Now, it's all gone." My voice broke.

She pulled me closer into a hug. "I'm sorry, I..."