11- Job Search
Asahd’s POV:
I woke up very early the next morning because I’d slept uncomfortably. The bed was so spaceless and the mattress was stiff. The nightmare wasn’t over. Yet, what was happening to me, wasn’t a dream. This was all real.
I got out of bed and the room. I went to the little kitchen where I found an electric boiler. The joy! I immediately boiled some water and put in a bucket I found in the bathroom. Shower my ass. I wasn’t going to use that shower until the hot water supply was fixed. If it ever got fixed.
I mixed the hot water with some cold water and eventually took a bath.
′I’ve hit the bottom. I, Prince Asahd, bathing with a bucket instead of relaxing in my jacuzzi or huge tub. I am so miserable right now.′
After showering, a lump in my throat, I dried off and wore my sleeping clothes. I grabbed my towel and things before leaving the bathroom. On opening, Saïda was on the other side. Seems she was about to open and get in to shower, herself.
“Good morning, Asahd,” she said with a bright smile. A satisfactory one. The pest was having the time of her life, calling me by my name and saying whatever she wanted to me. No royal obligations now. The lump in my throat grew bigger.
“How did you sleep? Comfortably right? My mattress is quite soft. Luckily,” she added, clearly provoking me.
′Slap her hard.′
I thought. But then I remembered she was still Djafar’s daughter. Ugh!
“Are you provoking me?” I asked, slowly.
She smiled even more.
“Me?? No,” she said as innocently as possible. “I’m just happy with a this new life. I’m happy we are living it. You are living it. That you have no choice but to live it. It’s amazing right?” she said proudly, folding her arms.
’Breathe.′
I stared at her.
“You have something nasty in your hair,” I said slowly and her smile faded a little.
“What? Where??”
“Here.”
Before she could guess my intentions, I grabbed a hand full of the hair at the back of her head and pulled on it. I pulled hard enough to make her head fall back and make her scream.
“Aah! Asahd! Asahd you’re hurting me!” she squealed, helplessly hitting my chest and trying to break free.
“Oh, I am?” I asked, looking down at her short self. “And now?”
I pulled even more and she squeaked.
“Aah! Asahd!” she screamed, her voice cracking like she would cry. I chuckled, savoring the moment.
“Stupid. Less mouthy, huh?” I mused. “I don’t like your bratty ass. The more you try me, the more I’ll ignore the fact that you’re Djafar’s daughter.”
“Ow! I’m serious! It hurts!” she yelped.
I eventually let her go and she stepped away with a frown and red cheeks. I smiled, satisfied that I’d hurt her.
“Let’s see if you survive a week,” she scoffed. “Start thinking of a way to find yourself a little job, else you’ll be eating nothing but canned beans.”
Saïda behaved like that very annoying and bossy little sister you wanted to lock up and slap when bored. Even when in Zagreh, we would argue like cat and dog, but she would mind the things that she said because I was a Prince. Now that we were in New York, I was in for more nonsense and I wasn’t going to take it.
“Come closer and say it to my face,” I stated, stepping closer. She backed away immediately.
“Never,” she retorted, folding her arms.
“You are a witch.”
“Don’t call me that, Asahd,” she said with a little frown. Being quite the religious type, Saïda hated being called some names.
“You’re an omen. A really bad one.” I walked up to my door’s room and got in.
~~~~
Later that morning, I wore some of the common clothes. I felt terrible. I looked terrible! I wasn’t used to this! I wore sneakers! Sneeaaakers! A T-shirt and a Jersey! I realised that not all the trousers in the bags, were jeans. But still, they were cheap material!
--
After that, I joined Djafar and Saïda at the little table for breakfast. Pathetic breakfast. Toast, butter, jam and milk. And that was it.
“I think you look okay in those clothes, Asahd,” Djafar said, after he’d said good morning but got no reply.
“Don’t even talk about the clothes. I’m pissed enough,” I retorted, staring at the toast.
“Dad, he has to go looking for a job, right?” Saïda said and I stared at her.
“Right. I’d told you about it yesterday. So, you know that you have only till the end of this week to find one. Else, less food for you. Because you have to contribute to pay the bills, Asahd. You have no choice. And if you still refuse to take this seriously, mark my words, you are getting nothing to eat. At all,” he ended.
I flinched. I knew Djafar and at that moment, he was dead serious. There was no joke there.
“You’re gonna starve me??” I couldn’t believe my ears. My parents had finished me!
“If you don’t find a job, yes.”
“How am I going to find one?! I don’t have my CV, certificates or whatsoever, here!”
“It’s not a serious or permanent job that I want you to find. Something little but efficient. Like a babysitter, cleaner.”
“Clea– what??” my eyes grew wide. “Nooooo. Read my lips and hear the words that leave it. No.”
“That’s it or nothing. I’ve warned you. If you don’t want to starve, go out and find something to do,” he ended, as firm as ever. My eyes remained wide in shock.
The nightmare was on and on.
“I will give you a bit of money. For your transport. You’ll go to town today, search for available jobs and then you return when you think you’ve searched enough. Make sure you really do. You already know the consequences, if you don’t.”
I was speechless.
After breakfast, having no choice at all and believing in Djafar’s threats, I left the apartment.
I walked down the corridor and towards the elevator, a frown permanently on my face. I was nervous, angry, anxious! What was I going to do? That city was a scary place for me. Especially because I had no money and was a nobody. Anything could happen to me. Good and most especially, bad.
Writer’s POV:
Asahd left the building and started walking down the street, staring ahead and avoiding eye contact with neighbors and whosoever he crossed path with. For the first time, he was shy and really nervous. He didn’t know how he was going to approach people. He’d lost all self confidence.
He walked his way to the busy town. The streets were full, traffic here and there, noise and a lot of movement. He could get lost in that busy crowd. He actually started panicking on the inside but kept his cool on the outside.
′Uou can do this Asahd,′ he thought to himself.
Asahd’s POV:
My heart was racing and I found it hard to breathe straight. I stood in the middle of the sidewalk while crowds of people walked up and down, nonstop. More than ten people hit me as the walked and others even stopped and turned to insult me for blocking their way, while others apologised for hitting me.
I wasn’t used to this. I felt like I was a child that had gotten lost in that huge city. The feeling was terrible. My eyes prickled as I didn’t no what to do, exactly where to go or even where to start.
′Help me.′
“Move it, will ya!” a grumpy man said, hitting my shoulder as he walked past me and snapping me out of my thoughts.
“Sorry,” I muttered but he’d disappeared in the crowd.
Getting a grip of myself, I looked around and noticed there was a bookshop on my right. I made my way to the door and got in.
There were people in, some searching through the bookshelves and others reading some books. I looked for the owner and spotted him behind the counter. I went to him.
“G– good morning, Sir,” I started.
“Good morning. How can I help you? A book you need?” he asked.
“Um no. I’m looking for a little job. Do you need an assistant or someone that will help you clean the books and shelves?” I asked, my stomach turning.
“Nope. Got all I need.”
“Oh, okay. Thank you,” I replied and left.
-
I tried a few more shops and I had the same answers. Some of the shop owners were quite rude or openly racist, that is, they made it evident that they didn’t want me because of my skin color and accent. It wasn’t going to be easy at all.
“This day is going to be a long one,” I muttered after stepping out of one more shop. “I’m gonna sweat my balls off until I find something.”
~~~~~~
•AN: Start getting used to it, Asahd! 😂•