Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 59287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 296(@200wpm)___ 237(@250wpm)___ 198(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 296(@200wpm)___ 237(@250wpm)___ 198(@300wpm)
I stared at her.
“What the hell are you looking at, lady?” She leaned closer to the window. “My special smiley cake isn’t in here. It’s in there!”
“Thank you for choosing Happy Burger.” I kept my voice firm. “There are other hungry customers in line behind you, so can you pull forward so I can assist them?”
“No.” She scoffed. “Not until I get my smiley cake. Hurry up and get it so you can worry about everyone else.”
“You’ll have to come inside and talk to the manager about getting that.” I was seconds away from losing my shit. “I can’t give you an eight-dollar cake for free.”
“We’ll see about that!” She rummaged through her purse. “Stay right there until I get out my phone.”
“For what?”
“I’m going to record your rudeness for everyone on social media to see, and then you’ll lose your little job and think twice about talking back or—”
“Fuck you, lady.” I hissed, and she sucked in a breath.
“It’s not my fault you feel entitled to throw a bitch fit about a cake you don’t deserve.” I snatched off my Happy Hat. “And you couldn’t have been that good of a customer—ever—because that loyalty program ended five freakin’ years ago.”
She blinked.
“And you don’t have to worry about shaming me over my ‘little job,’” I said. “Dealing with assholes like you have made it perfectly clear that I need to quit.”
“No, no, no, Miss Spencer!” The manager gasped from behind me. “That is not how we talk to our beloved customers.”
“I know.” I tore off my nametag. “It’s how I talk to entitled cunts, though.”
She gasped. “Apologize to her and me. Right now.”
“I’m sorry I ever started working here,” I said. “I’ll call about my check, and I wish you all the best.”
I stormed out of the restaurant without looking back, without thinking about just how much bill money I was leaving on the table.
When I made it back to my apartment, I stripped out of my uniform and headed to the shower.
The quicker I washed this day away, the quicker I could start looking for another job.
Before I could turn on the water, my phone sounded with an unknown number.
“I’m not coming back and I’m not apologizing,” I answered. “I refuse to be treated like shit by rude customers.”
“Well, I know exactly how that feels, Miss Spencer…” an unfamiliar voice responded. “The customers aren’t always right.”
Oh my god. Who is this?
“Did I catch you at a bad time?” she asked.
“Um, I’m not sure.” I cleared my throat. “Who is this?”
“I’m Mara Banks from New York City’s Court System,” she said. “I’m calling to see if you’re still interested in the civil service job you applied for a few weeks ago?”
“Absolutely,” I said. “I’ve done four phone interviews, so is this another one?”
“No, this is the offer one.” There was a smile in her voice. “But I’m afraid it comes with a few non-negotiable conditions, and I’ll need an answer right now.”
“What are the conditions?”
“You have to agree to start on Monday.”
“That’s…tomorrow.”
“You also have to sign a binding, six-month promise.”
“A what?”
“A contract that says you will not quit this position for at least six months—no matter what happens and no matter who the boss is.”
“That sounds illegal.”
“You will be required to work at least sixty hours a week and attend any judicial proceedings that your boss deems necessary.”
“Um…Is this for the law clerk position or the legal secretary one?”
“In exchange for accepting these conditions, you’ll get paid seventy-five dollars an hour.”
“Where do I sign the promise?”
The following morning
I smoothed my blouse before walking up the courthouse steps at the crack of dawn.
Just as I’d been instructed, I signed in with security and headed straight for the grand staircase.
“Are you Miss Spencer, by chance?” A pretty brunette in a gray pantsuit smiled as I approached.
“Yes, that’s me.”
“Thank you for getting here twenty minutes early,” she said. “The court truly appreciates people who show up on time.”
“Good to know.” I wasn’t sure what else to say, and I was still in disbelief about the hourly pay I’d been promised.
“Here’s your copy of the digital contract.” She handed me a stapled sheet. “Later today, Human Resources will pay you a visit for more paperwork and fingerprinting. Do you have any questions before we head to where you’ll be working?”
“Hundreds…”
“Well…” She tapped her chin. “Save them for later and follow me. Try to pay close attention, okay?”
I nodded, and she hurried off on her heels.
“You’re a law clerk, which means you’ll be responsible for handling all types of errands, and you’ll need to know this building inside and out,” she said. “I highly recommend you take the tourist tour every weekend for your first month here.”
She spoke at the speed of light—pointing out the names of every office, the security exits, the different courtrooms.
It only took me seven minutes to realize that “Do you understand what I’m saying?” wasn’t a question. It just meant we were moving on to the next stop.