Chapter 8
Kassia cried uncontrollably after the incident with Mr. Cain. He had berated her harshly, and she hadn't meant for his phone to get damaged. She didn't even know how she had slipped. It had all happened so fast.
Mr. Gabriel, who had witnessed the incident, approached her kindly and offered her his handkerchief.
"Hey, please stop crying," he said gently.
"I really didn't mean to slip and destroy Mr. Cain's phone," Kassia explained, her voice trembling with worry. "Please, I don't want to lose my job. If he reports this to the manager, I'll definitely be fired. I need this job to take care of my sister."
"What's your name?" Mr. Gabriel asked.
"Kassia," she replied softly.
"Kassia, calm down. Nobody's losing their job, okay?" he reassured her with a firm but kind tone. "When was your shift supposed to end?"
"My shift was supposed to end at 11 p.m."
"It's already past 11," he noted. "Go ahead and change into your clothes. I'll drive you home, alright?"
She nodded gratefully and made her way to the staff room, where her younger sister, Chicago, was already asleep. Kassia quickly changed out of her uniform and gently woke her.
"Kassia, is it time to go home now?" Chicago asked, rubbing her eyes.
"Yes, baby, it's time to go home."
"Why are your eyes red? Were you crying?" Chicago asked with concern.
"I wasn't crying, baby. Something just got into my eyes," Kassia said, forcing a smile.
"Come on, let's go home."
Outside, they couldn't find Katherine to explain what had happened, but Kassia made a mental note to call her later.
Mr. Gabriel was waiting for them in the parking garage. As soon as he saw the little girl, he smiled warmly.
"And who is this princess?" he asked, directing his attention to Chicago.
"This is my sister, Chicago," Kassia introduced.
"Hi, Princess. My name is Gabriel."
"Hi, Uncle Gabriel," Chicago replied with a shy smile, making Mr. Gabriel chuckle.
After Mr. Gabriel drove them home, Kassia settled Chicago inside. Chicago fell asleep almost immediately, so Kassia bathed her and prepared a quick meal.
Later, Kassia sat down to work on a few assignments, determined to use the quiet evening to her advantage. After several hours of studying, sleep still eluded her. Restless and frustrated, she decided to call her friend Christy.
On the line, Kassia greeted warmly, "Christy, how are you doing? I've missed you, girl."
"I know," Christy replied. "I've been busy."
"Busy doing what?" Kassia inquired, curiosity mixed with concern.
"Trying to catch William's attention," Christy admitted hesitantly.
"I don't understand, Christy. I've given it my best, but I guess I'm just not his type," she added, a hint of resignation in her voice.
Christy sighed and recalled a recent party. They had been enjoying each other's company until, out of the blue, William pulled away. "We were bonding, and then he withdrew," Christy lamented bitterly, struggling to retrace her steps and pinpoint what had gone wrong.
"Honestly, Christy, I don't see what you see in William," Kassia remarked. "He's rude and egotistic—at least he's better than Caleb."
"Ah, Kassia, you wouldn't understand what it means to love someone deeply," Christy countered. "You learn that you love them despite their flaws when you truly fall in love."
Kassia's tone softened as she spoke about the one person who meant everything to her. "I love my sister. She means the world to me."
"That's not what I meant," Christy quickly replied. "You know what? Never mind."
Realizing her words might have hurt her friend, Kassia apologized, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."
"It's okay," Christy consoled, though her tone hinted at lingering frustration. "I'm heading out anyway—William's at a birthday party."
After the conversation, the long day finally caught up with Kassia. Exhausted, she climbed into bed and drifted off to sleep almost immediately.
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Chapter 8, guys
I know this one is way shorter—the next chapter will definitely be better! What do you think of Christy's character? I'd really love to know your thoughts.
Xoxo,
Cc