"This is terrible." The customer crinkled her nose in disgust, shoving the plate of sirloin steak, steamed broccoli, and mashed potatoes away.

I wanted to roll my eyes and possibly strangle the overly picky woman, because this is the forth plate she's asked to be sent back.

At first, when she complained about the steak being too bloody I apologized and gladly took it back to be fixed. But then she complained about the broccoli being too cold, which was also fixed. Then it was the mashed potatoes being too mashed, which of course was fixed.

And now, she's complaining about there being too many skins in the mashed potatoes and wants me to pick them out by hand. I told her that that was impossible as the mashed potatoes were made from scratch and would take a while to be cooked.

She shook her head. Annoyed, I smiled through my teeth and kept my composure. "Would you like us to make you something else instead?"

"No!" She shouted, drawing the attention of other customers in the restaurant. "What I would like is for you to get the hell out of my face and bring me the manager."

She's so lucky I need this job, because I would have punched her right in her face. She's been nothing but rude to me all night. She's addressed me as "girl" on several occasions, snapping her fingers and rudely interrupting me while I'm trying to take another table's order.

I've tried everything in an attempt to please this woman, but all she's done is spit insults in my face and look down upon me as if I were some lowly peasant.

Feeling embarrassed, I pushed my anger aside and rushed to the back to grab my manager Matt.

When we returned, he calmed the woman down immediately, charming him with his good looks and offering her a refund. She didn't give him any issues, which pissed me off.

When he was finally done speaking with her, I followed him back to his office. I explained how rude she had been even though I did everything right as a waiter, but he didn't want to hear it.

"I'm sorry Laurel, but you're fired. I can't have you upsetting my customers."

"Are you kidding me!? This was supposed to be my day off! I only came in because you asked me to!"

He shrugged as if all the times I've worked overtime, brought in customers, and disregarded his continuous sexual advances towards me meant nothing.

I could've reported him to his Boss for every inappropriate comment he's ever made towards me and my co-workers, but I didn't.

Which I now regret.

I should have known something was off when he refused to hire anyone other than young women, the fucking pervert.

"Please Matt," I begged. "I need this job."

Despite the fact that this job has done nothing but cause me absolute hell, I needed this job in order to pay off my student loans, pay for the rent in my apartment, and help pay for my Grandmother's living expenses.

His eyes raked over my body as he licked his lips. Crinkling my nose in disgust, I watched as he took a step forward and caressed the side of my face. I turned the other cheek, uncomfortable with how close he was to me.

"I'll let you keep your job... but only if you do something for me." His hand brushed down the side of my face and over my chest.

I swatted his hand away. "What the hell are you doing?"

Frowning, the seductiveness in his voice was replaced by anger as he aggressively pinned me to the door with his body. I struggled against him as he leaned in to try and kiss me with his mustache covered lips.

"Get off of me!" I fought against him, kneeing him in his balls and gifting him with a right hook to the jaw.

He collapsed on to the floor and curled up into the fetal position, a pained groan leaving his lips as he clutched his injured groin.

"Fucking bitch," he ground out. "You're never getting your job back now. Get the hell out of my restaurant!"

"Gladly."

Ripping off the apron and tossing it onto the floor, I stormed out of the restaurant and headed home. No job was worth losing my dignity over. Especially over a worthless boy like Matt.

When I made it to my apartment on the third floor, I tossed my purse and keys onto the kitchen counter and hopped into the shower. I scrubbed my face especially hard, wanting to erase the feeling of Matt's grimy fingers off my skin.

Standing under the shower head, I ran my fingers through my hair, sighing with content at the warm feeling of the water cascading down my bare body.

When I was feeling less gross about my encounter with Matt, I stepped out of the shower and dried myself off with my towel.

After blow drying my shoulder length auburn brown hair, I used my pink scrunchie to tie my hair up into a high ponytail.

Walking out of the bathroom and into my bedroom, I rummaged around my drawer and pulled out a plain white tank top and a pair of pajama shorts with Bugs Bunny on them.

My phone began to ring on my dresser as I slipped into my clothes, the face of my bestfriend Ivy popping up onto my screen. Snatching the device off my dresser, I sat down on the edge of my bed and answered it.

Ivy noticed the frown on my face instantly. "What's wrong?"

I huffed, rolling my eyes. "I got fired."

"What? Why?" I filled her in on everything that happened and she shook her head in disbelief. "Fuck Matt and fuck that job. You don't need them."

But the thing was, I did need them. How else am I going to pay off these student loans now that I'm unemployed and thousands of dollars in debt. I can barely afford rent.

Sighing heavily, I fell backwards, feeling the back of my head hit the comfort of my pillow.

I received a bachelor's degree in elementary education hoping to teach young children in the school system.

But shortly after I graduated and received my teaching license in the beautiful state of California, my grandmother had a heart attack and was sent to a nursing home that's far too expensive for my parents to pay alone.

They don't live here. They moved after I graduated and have been living in Texas for almost two years now.

They send money every now and again to help pay to keep my grandmother in the home, but not much. So I was stuck paying for most of it, which I didn't mind at first because my grandmother is my bestfriend.

But now, after having to put my dreams on hold for some time, the regret is starting to catch up to me. And I feel terrible about it.

I'm broke, now unemployed, and having to pay for rent, my student loans, and my grandmother's housing plan.

So it's difficult not to become a little envious of Ivy, who's currently living the dream as a doctor, and is engaged to her college boyfriend Beau.

"Do you have any suggestions about how I can make quick money without partaking in anything illegal, or becoming a stripper?"

I may have the body and ability to walk in heels, but my lack of strength and flexibility puts me at a disadvantage. My body just refuses to bend that way. And if I were to even attempt half the stuff they do, I'd surely snap like a twig.

"Marry into the Mafia," Ivy suggests. "Get one of them fine ass Italians and you'd be set for life."

Even though she was laughing, I knew deep down she was being very serious.

She stopped laughing when she saw the defeated look on my face. "It's okay, Laurel. You're a smart woman. I'm sure you'll find something." She gave me a small smile. "I have to go, but I'll let you know if I find anything."

"Okay."

After saying our goodbyes, I turned in for the night. Exhausted, I yawned and closed my eyes, hoping to wake up from this nightmare.

Because at this point, I really am considering becoming a stripper. And with my stiff body and godawful dancing skills, that won't be good for anybody.