Chapter 1 - Flipping Burgers

If I were a murderer, I wouldn't let the cops find the bodies of those bastards. I turned, my hair falling over my shoulder. They weren't in sight, and I started to slow down, catching my breath.

My legs felt weak from running all morning, and I sighed, my hand reaching for the nearest wall on the street. I leaned, my hand coming to my chest. I was exhausted, but who wouldn't be? I have just spent half a day of my life running away from those thugs. And congrats to me, I could no longer go back home since they somehow tracked me down. Bastards.

I had just started to squat when I heard the unmistakable voice of James, the loan shark leader.

Fuck.

Dragging all the exhausted, barely moving body parts that comprised of me, I started to run, my lips parting. These people had no chill, I swear.

"Pay up, you little twat! Or put one of your kidneys to use. Goddammit!"

I accelerated, ignoring the loose strands of my hair that kept falling in front of my face. I could hear him catching up, and I started to frantically look for other options. I couldn't keep running around Vegas because of a debt that wasn't even mine, for goodness sake. Of all things to inherit, it had to be a pricking debt.

I continued to run, James and the other two keeping me running with how close their heavy footsteps were behind me. They can't catch me. I still have band-aids from the last time they did.

I pushed myself to run when my eyes caught the friendly sign of the new burger place. Hell. They needed to accommodate me because...

I turned around. James was hot on my heels. I turned back, and with a final stretch of my muscles, I reached for the door and swung it open.

James' nails clawed at the base of my neck and held on to my shirt, pulling me back.

I yelped, then pulled the baggy shirt over my head. He didn't anticipate it, and he stumbled back, his eyes wide. Now left with only a vest dampened by sweat, I ran inside the restaurant.

I closed the door, then went to the floor, my hair falling in front of my face, my body completely stretched and exhausted. I sighed, my hand coming to my face, my body weak.

Hell, I couldn't live like this anymore. I couldn't do this anymore.

I closed my eyes, my body lightly trembling. Why did Dad have to borrow money from James? Of all people, that bastard, James.

I sighed, then turned. They seemed to have given up, at least for today. I knew they would come back. They always did. The debt had grown larger and larger over the years, and even though I had managed to pay up the initial money with the stuff I had picked around, it still wasn't near enough.

"Are you... here for the job?"

I looked up, my eyes wide. A man was standing above me, his brows drawn curiously.

"What?"

His eyes squinted as he slowly pointed at a sign right on the door. "We are looking for a waiter who's also good at flipping burgers if needed."

I swallowed, then turned to the sign. Waiter needed. Flip burgers, six hours a day. No work on Mondays and Fridays. Eighty dollars an hour.

My eyes widened as I saw the pay. Eighty dollars an hour?

I straightened up, my fatigue immediately deserting me.

"Where do I apply?"

He took my appearance in, then gave a small smile. I was used to being looked at like that, but I didn't get out of being the accused so many times by being easily shamed.

"Well, you can go in. You are the tenth applicant."

I swallowed. "Is there going to be an interview? Do I need-"

"No," he said. "You only need to answer a few questions."

I nodded, pushing my hair away. "I am ready."

He nodded. "Great. Come with me."

I followed behind him, my hands tucked into the pockets of my large pair of joggers. We got to the door, and he opened it. There were two men all dressed in black suits sitting, their eyes fixed on me. I immediately felt small, my chest tightening around my heart.

But that pay, damn. I couldn't back out.

I slowly walked in, then greeted, my hair falling again.

"Have a seat. Close the door, Dan."

The door closed, and I saw myself to the seat facing them. There was another door to my right, and it was only half closed. I could see the shadow of a person, and I swallowed, then looked away.

"Name?" the man to the right asked. His voice was dark and so deep, like he had hit puberty at five.

I swallowed. "Uhm... Annalise Jones."

They gave a small sigh, before the first one continued to speak. "If I told you my name, who would you tell it to?"

My brows furrowed. "What?"

"Let's say I tell you my name. Who would you tell my name to?"

Wass this some sort of joke? What did it have to do with burgers?

"No one."

"Why? Are you not worried about your safety?"

I shrugged. "Quite honestly, for that pay, I would zip it even if my dad sold the house and ran away with my best friend. Safety second, money first. This is a capitalist economy, and I don't even want to know your name."

They fell silent, and I heard a small chuckle from the inner room. I turned, just as a man passed by, then closed the door. I didn't see his face, but I only got to see the black inner jacket over a crisp white shirt. His hand spurted a wine glass and a massive gold watch.

Hell, that would solve all my problems.

I swallowed hard as my compulsive stealing habits kicked in. I cleared my throat, then shook my head. First this job. Then that watch. I can pay for it gradually, right? As long as I don't have to be chased around like a thief.

I sighed. How ironic.

The men turned to each other, and I saw one pull out his phone. He read something, then looked up to me.

"Congratulations. You are hired."

My eyes widened. "Wait, are you for real? You didn't ask me if I could flip burgers."

"You want us to interview another client then?"

I immediately stood up, shaking my head. Fuck burgers.

"Thank you so much. I will do my very best!"

He nodded nonchalantly, like my best was the least of his concerns. "Dan will tell you everything you need to know, and you can start whenever."

I immediately nodded, then walked out, my excitement bubbling inside me. Dan was outside, and he smiled.

"So we are taking the sign down am I right?"

I broke into a smile. "Yes! Definitely. Please."

He smiled at my enthusiasm, then turned to the door. I watched him slowly remove it, then put it in the trash can.

"What do I need to do?"

He shrugged, then led me to the kitchen. "Everything is brought in early in the morning. You only need to serve."

I nodded. Eighty dollars an hour to just serve? Hell.

"Serve and go home. Anything else isn't your business. That part is important."

His smile took on a darker undertone, and I nodded, realizing it. Something was up with this restaurant. Guess who would try to find it?

Definitely not me.

"When do I start?"

"You can start whenever. You will calculate your pay, and I will give you cash by the end of the day. I hope that is fine with you."

"Thank you. I will start immediately."

Dan patted my shoulder, then slowly turned away, leaving me there.