I waste time in my room, napping, reading, doodling, or just sitting on my bed with my thoughts. My dad isn't home, and I don't know where he is. I don't really mind, though. Since we had to move into the trailer, I see him even less and less. I know he feels guilt when he sees me now. But a simple sorry wont fix the events that happened before we lost my mother. Sasha walks into my room and purrs while she rubs her head on my leg. I let her be and fall backwards on my bed. I feel the sudden release of tension from my back disappear. I stare at the ceiling.

I feel my phone in my pocket vibrate. I take it out and glance at it. It was a text from papa. "Sorry Maka, I'm working over night again today. I left money on the counter for you to buy pizza or Chinese. Love you"

I grumble. I get up and walk into the kitchen. I find a twenty dollar bill on the kitchen counter like he said. I grab the money and shove it into my pocket. I quickly refilled Sasha's water bowl and leave the trailer, I make sure to lock the door behind me.

I'm trying really hard, I really am. But lately, it's getting to the point where it hurts to get up and see what's happened to what was a happy family. It's six o'clock. I walk past the other multiple trailers. I see my neighbor walk outside at the same time. I try to walk faster but she sees me.

"Maka!" I hear her purr from behind me, "Why are you walking so fast, don't you have a little time to spar and walk with me?"

I smile while I reply with an, "Oh, of course Blair."

"Great!" She claps her hands together. "I'm walking to work right now actually. How about you?"

"Just walking in general. I really don't do much after school rather than go to the library."

"Ah? Why don't you come to work with me? I think it'll get you out of your shell!"

"Target?"

"Ahaha, I wish. I have three jobs A.T.M.. But how about making this job a surprise?"

"Uh, sure..."

"Great! You know Maka, you and me are a lot a like."

I grimace. God I hope not, "Really?"

"Of course, we both do all we can to support ourselves. No matter what we have to do, we do it"

"I'm not following..."

Blair just laughs at my comment. "I'm saying, you don't let anyone get in your way. It's a good trait. You just need to embrace it more. Face it Maka, you hate asking for anything' any more." I look away from her.

"You know what you're father's been doing to make ends meet, don't you." Blairs happy go lucky voice is gone, she suddenly got serious with me. "You hate spending his money, because you know it has blood on it."

"Stop it Blair, I don't want to get into this right now." I say with a voice I didn't know I had. It was a strong tone.

"Right, right! Sorry, geez!" Blair put her arm around me with a cheshire grin, "Well, come on, I'll pay for your bus ticket."

I suddenly become aware of my surroundings. She's right. We stand right in front of the bus. I follow behind her and get in. The sun is just now going down. Orange fills the sky. Blair used to be Soul's girlfriend, but they broke it off for reasons I don't know. She graduated from school last year. Now she's kind of...always there?

We continue our small talk on the bus ride. Her arm stayed around me the whole time, I didn't mind however. It felt safe, and I think she knew that I really need some sort of comforting touch. I ended up resting my head on her shoulder while she kept talking. Her skin is soft and smells like vanilla. Some of her purple hair falls on my face, but I don't care enough to move it. Soon, she stops talking. I look up at her.

"We're here, let's go, girly" I look out the window and I hope that we're we want to go is a few blocks down and not here. I follow her out of the bus and that simply was not the case. We went around to the back. You could hear loud music from outside and smoke filled your nose miles away. She holds open the door for me with her signature grin. "Welcome to the best place on earth...Well, this half of it."

I was confused. This is a...strip club. "I think I should, uh-"

"Hold up, you're fine, you'll just stay here in the dressing room. You're going to meet some great people, okay? Trust me." She giggles and she goes in front of a mirror to what I'm assuming is to fix her make-up. I stand in a corner awkwardly and out of place. I'm wearing baggy jeans, a size too big t-shirt, and pigtails. That is not what you see on girls at strip clubs. I check my phone, no messages. Before I even look up, a puff of smoke gets sent into my face. I immediately coughed. I come face to face with another girl.

"Who are you?"

A girl with pink hair stared me down, she holds a cigarette in her hand. Her green eyes are more vibrant than my own. I immediately feel inadequate.

"I'm with Blair-"

"Did I ask who you're with? Who are you?"

"Maka"

"Maka-sounds cheap"

"What?!"

"Aha, watch yourself. I take it you're not here to work."

"No, Blair dragged me here."

"Tch. You might as well make use of yourself while you're here. Meme is sick today and we need someone to run drinks-got it?"

"I don't-"

"First things first...fuck-I'm not a fashion person or anything but damn. Just take out your pigtails, change into this tank top and shorts and throw on Meme's name tag."

"Wha-"

"Well get to it, time is money." She turns away from me, "Once you get read go to the bar and tell you're filling in for Meme. He hands you a drink and tells you a table number. That's it."

The pink hair girl walks away and I stand there holding the clothing she handed me. "Don't mind Kim at all. She's always like that." I look over and see another girl.

"I'm Jackie. I'm her girlfriend. I'm waiting till her shift is over." She smiles at me. "You should do what she says, she is serious when it comes to money."

I nodded and look around for a changing room-surely a place like this would-

"And no, there is no changing rooms. Just strip here. Everyone else does." I turn red in the face. No way I'll ever do that. I'll just take a bus home and-

"Geez, Hey Blair! Before you go to stage, make sure pigtails back there changes!" I hear Kim yell almost on cue.

Fuck.

I almost pass out on the table. It's three a.m. and the bouncers and pushing all the drunks out. Blair comes over and pats me on the back.

"You know, I didn't mean for you to be working. You working in a strip club is unheard of. But you got it done, it got your mind of off whatever was bothering you."

"Huh? Nothing was bothering me, I was just out of it today."

"Sureeeee," She laughs at me."Come on, let's go change. Ragnarok is giving us a ride home."

"Who?"

"He was the bartender, you know, the guy handing you all the drinks to hand out?"

"Oh..." I know who she was talking about. It was hard to see anyone with the tinted lights, but that guys definitely leaves an impression.

His car was old and run down. Blair sat in the passenger seat while I sat in the back.

"Maka-that's your name right?" He asks me while he throws his cigarette out the window.

"Y-yes."

"You gonna be working at the club now?"

"No way, she's what, sixteen?"Blair says mid yawn.

"It would surprise me. Medusa has been gettin' younger and younger people working. That Anya chick is only fifteen."

"Really? I don't think Maka would even be interested in it."

"The pay is good compared to most jobs teens work. But of course she would have to lose some weight."

Lose some weight? I'm perfectly healthy!

"But, after seeing you in the light, Medusa might want to see you for her self. You might get somewhere. Not some where big, but like a-"

"Ragnarok, shut up. You know she's in high school. And she's smart too. She could be a scientist or something'" Ragnarok and Blair start fighting in the car. It was kind of scary seeing how he talks with his hands. He lets go of the steering wheel a couple times.

But It makes me start to think that I really do need to get a job. College is expensive, and now without my mom being here to work...

I decided not to say anything and start counting.

A couple weeks later, however, I find him with my mind made up. He was by the Seven Eleven and I asked if I could still get a job. He grins and takes me to Medusa.

"So the dog wasn't lying about you being a cute girl."

I didn't expect to have such a business like room meeting her. She sits behind a dark oak desk. I sit across from her in a comfy chair. Her eyes look sly, every movement she does looks almost seductive, and it doesn't feel like she's even trying to make it that way, either.

"I was talking about having a errand girl for a while now. Not sluts like at the club. A smart girl. What's are your grade in school, Mrs. Albarn?"

"Straight A's miss."

She grins at me. "Are you free all hours of the day?"

"Aside from school, yes." I answer.

"Good. Can you start Monday?"

"Yes Ma'am."

School goes by without a problem. But the stress about my first day of work in a few days makes my legs shake. I can't eat a bite without a huge stomach ache. I thanked Ragnarok a thousand times yesterday. He gave me some advice and told me to invest is a bus card. I made note of it.

I sit outside at the school's patio. The wind is strong today, and it makes my hair fly everywhere, even though it's it pony tails. I drink my water as I stare into the parking lot, as always. I'm going to English today, I have no reason to skip. The outside air smells good. I should be outside more often.

I smile.

I'm excited.

My first job? I expected it to be at a fast food place or something. And I'm more than happy that it's not exactly at the strip club. An assistant! I can belive I landed this job! I can put this on my resume and everything. This is going to be an amazing experience, I can feel it. My mama would be proud of me.

Wait, now that I think about it, what am I supposed to wear? This isn't a baggy jeans kind of job. Maybe I should go to the career center? It's right next to the office...Yea! That's what I'll do. After I get some advice, I can head to the Good Will down the street.

I leave the patio and head straight to the Career center. I knock on the door and I'm greeted by Marie. I talked with her alot earlier in the year. But I felt like It was weird to be spending lunch there everyday so I eventually stopped.

"Maka! It's been a while. What can I help you with?"

I feel like I should explain what the Career center actually is. It's a room slightly smaller than a regular classroom. Usually there is a few people in the back on the computers. The ring leader of the whole thing is Miss Marie. She can help people apply for colleges, jobs and almost everything that has to do with filling out papers.

"I actually have a question, I got a job last week and I don't know what I'm supposed to wear."

"Take a seat then, I just have to go get a few papers-You know I have to document everything job wise to make sure It's safe for a student and all."

"Of course."

I sit across from her desk. Only a few second later another student walks in.

"Sorry, Miss Marie had to go-" In the door frame is someone I never actually saw before. Which is odd, because I can at least remember all the faces in the school vaguely. "-Get papers. She should be back in a second. I'm sorry to ask, by the way, but are you new here?"

"Yes, actually, I am. I'm Kid, nice to meet you." He reaches out for a handshake, which is...oddly polite. It matches the odd name.

"Maka Albarn" I say with a slight smile. "Is today your first day? I don't remember hearing anything about a new student."

"I start school next week, but I had to stop by and get a few papers. The main office directed me here."

"Well, I'm sure you'll love it here. Where-"

I hear to door click and Marie walks in. "Sorry I took so long, Maka, the printer was being finicky again." She sees Kid, "Oh are you the new student? I hope you don't mind waiting a few minutes for the papers, You heard me mention the printer?"

"Ah, yes. Not a problem." He take a seat by the computers and puts in his ear phones. Something about him is kind of weird.

"So Maka, what about that job again?"

The next chapter is when Maka really starts having a problem.