FALLON
That day started as the perfect late spring day, pretty warm and so unusually sunny for London. But as is often the case in life, surprises do happen.
Only ten minutes after I walked out of the small flat I've been sharing with my two roommates, Erica and Wendy, the clear sky above got snitched by gloomy clouds, and a few short showers came pouring down on me.
Since I'm a young girl with a pair of perfectly healthy legs, I prefer to put them to use, walking and talking to myself. Taking the train, unfortunately, costs money. And my job is only 35 minutes by foot from our rental apartment. Life is no cheap, nevertheless free of charge. And London is well, London, offering better things to spend my hard-earned money at than on bloody tube.
I had no jacket or an umbrella. Of course, I hate carrying an umbrella as I prefer running between the raindrops and dodging them. Yes, I'm that smart and agile.
And it looked too hot for anything other than a short-sleeved t-shirt when I hit the streets.
"There you are, finally. I was about to call you to see if you are coming," Wendy yells at me, seeing my hair wet and my clothes soaked as I enter the small Chinese diner in Edgware, where we both serve the tables for peanuts.
I was almost late, almost.
Taking a good look around, I find the place fully crammed with all tables and the last of the seats taken. Bloody Mary! It means more work for me. And more tips.
"I was painting some canvases and lost track of time. But I ran, knowing you have a date," I sheepishly smile at my coworker and my roommate, who also happens to be one of my two best friends. I notice I still have some paints over my hands. And so does Wendy, rubbing my fingers off one by one with baby tissue wipes.
"Thanks, mom," I gratefully say to her.
We grew up together, right here in Edgware. And we rarely went further away.
But tonight, we plan to party thoroughly, after her date and my afternoon shift, both ending around 10 pm. Erica is home as she works only morning shifts at some fancy boutique. She had luck landing at that job, earning the highest hour wage among us three, barely a quid and ten above the minimum.
"Painting again, dear? And where should we store all your paintings, Da Vinci? Where are your clothes for tonight? You won't be celebrating your birthday in that, Fallon!" I shrug her off for mentioning my art. I can never stop painting because it's who I am.
She finally agreed to that one date with Tom, nagging her about giving him a chance, but nothing would happen between the two. Wendy is all into that bad rich fuckboy, Gabriel, that we met less than a month ago.
He approached us, saying I look exactly like his sister, Hope. We have yet to meet Hope someday and prove him right.
Wendy fell immediately for him, jumping at his every booty call. And now, she is trying to make him jealous by going out with Tom. I feel sorry for her as Gabriel has other chicks aside too. She could do way better than Gabriel. I am still cheering for Tom hopelessly.
"There? Happy?" Reaching for my backpack, I pull out a little black dress, heels, and make-up on display for her, my birthday party outfit.
Gabriel is handsome, but not my type. Too pretty, too rich, and I will never get what that kind of man was doing that night in Edgware.
I never fell in love, though I liked a few guys in the past and kissed even fewer. No luck in love, I guess. But my friends call that being picky. I call it self-preservation, avoiding falling for someone like him. I am no Wendy or Erica as I am too clingy. Yeah, I can't disjoin sex and love in my over-romantic head. Or maybe I should blame it on my heart.
"Good! Take this! You can't serve tables with your nipples sticking out like that!" She points at my tits while tossing me her backup t-shirt from the duffel bag. This girl hates backpacks. Then she throws a bra at me, the piece of clothing I still refuse to wear sometimes.
But my wet t-shirt is now completely see-through, my tiny buds protruding nicely through the soaked material.
"This is a bit too big for my boobs," I respond to Wendy, seeing Mei Wu looking angry at me, lifting spring rolls with her hands, instructing me to hurry up and help her deep-fry some. I better, before that old bat, Mike Zhang, does the same. Mei is the cook, but Zhang is the owner, and this job, no matter how bad it is, I need desperately.
I have no parents or siblings to help me with paying the rent or lending me some cash. Wendy and Erica would offer their help if they weren't in the same boat as me, all three being poor as church mice and parentless.
We met as children, living in the same foster family, with an older couple who was nice to us, but unfortunately, dead now.
"Find a guy to massage them into the B cups..., how about Seb?" Wendy laughs at my twin girls, indecisive between A and B bra cups. I barely touched them myself, being the complete virgin still. Wendy and Erica are trying to hook me up with Sebastian, Gabriel's friend. They think I should get rid of my v-card, and they believe he is the ideal candidate. The sooner, the better, they often say. That Sebastian guy told them he liked me, expressing a desire to pop up my cherry, having this stupid fetish of fucking virgins.
I hate when my friends flash my virginity to guys, like pimping me out.
"I think I'll pass that offer, Wendy!" I'm not sure how I feel about that. It sounds like he would do me a favor, and I hate people doing me favors. It ends in my feeling of owing them something else.
But I know they will try again tonight, with my 19th birthday and stuff. I feel no pressure to lose my virginity, but society around me, so obviously, does, acting like the girl can't wait for true love. I'm so romantically and desperately stubborn.
Most of the guests coming here at Zhang's diner for lunch and dinner are families with children, so it usually gets noisy. But I don't mind, often getting lost within my imagination and thoughts.
I dream about becoming a painter, earning a living from my art.
And like with any other occupation in life, it's hard when you are only a high school graduate. If I only had the money for some painting or art course, I would be pleased since I abandoned dreams about enrolling at University long ago. Everything comes down to the money in the end, and a bit of luck in life, two things I don't have and never had.
After running around and between small round tables for two and four, taking orders, packing boxes for take-out, and helping Mei deep fry spring rolls, tempura shrimps, and all those tempura veggies, I got out of my work at 10.10 pm.
I spent a few minutes in the bathroom, with Mei banging at my door while I tried to put my make-up on. I ignored her, making myself look pretty.
With my feet tired but ready to land at some nice place with loud music to dance my birthday night off, plus sixty pounds of ten days tips in my pocket, I met with Erica and Wendy outside of the diner.
"Wow, babe! You're hot!" Erica exclaims, seeing me coming out of that pagoda alike red place. I wonder where my friends are taking me as they promised to organize everything for me tonight.
"Let's go! We have to catch the Thameslink! I hope I don't smell like Chinese. Wendy, sniff me!" I was preparing myself to spend something on that fucking tube and reach central London. It's still cheaper than a taxi, and sometimes faster. I slip my hand inside my purse, searching for the contactless card to pay a fare. Wendy brings up her nose to my neck, inhaling sharply.
"Can I do that?" The male voice asks, and I turn around, seeing Sebastian and Gabriel coming out of some posh black car. Oh, shit!
"Be my guest, Seb! I approve! You can do more if she let you!" Wendy stretches her hand with a grin, tactically allowing Sebastian to sniff me.
Then she walks over to Gabriel, snaking her hand around his waist. He pulls her up closer, with his arm around her hips, but then he lowers it, placing it on her ass with a squeeze. She giggles at that.
I wish I am like my friends, sometimes. But I am not, and I hate to pretend.
"You smell nice," Sebastian stares at my eyes with his dark brown, dilated irises. I frown, sensing his knuckles brushing against my cheek as he tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear. I feel goosebumps popping all over my skin, but not the pleasant kind.
There is something creepy about Gabriel and his friends. I take a few steps away from Seb.