Aria POV 

This doesn't look like an ordinary threat, I can't fucking go to that school today. I tried going back inside the house but then I remember that my mother and Mr Francis are inside. They'll definitely ask for the reason why I choose not to go to school. 

Where should I go now? 

At that moment, I recalled that while I was jogging, I had come across a bar with a sign indicating they needed a bartender.

I think I need to go apply for the job, if I get it, soon enough, I would be able to save up some money I'll use to leave this place. Even if I can't leave this place but I know the job would be an opportunity for me to avoid seeing Ethan.

With that, I decided to walk down to the place. 

When I arrived, I entered the bar and approached the counter where a girl was sitting. 

"Hi,'' I started. 

''How can I help you?'' she asked. 

''Can I speak with the manager?" I requested. 

''Do you have an appointment with him, or are you his sister?'' she inquired. 

I found the sister question odd. 

"No, I don't have an appointment, and I'm not his sister,'' I replied, pausing before asking, ''Why did you ask if I'm his sister?''

"You two look a bit alike,'' she said with a smile. I appreciated her friendly demeanor.

"Okay, so where is he?" I asked. 

''Over there,'' she said, pointing to her right.

 Following her direction, I saw a middle-aged man sitting in a chair, with white hair flecked with gold. He was handsome, too. 

"That guy?' I asked, pointing at him. 

''Yes,'' she confirmed. 

"Okay, thanks,'' I said before walking over to him.

As I approached him, he looked up and gazed at me. After a moment, he asked, ''Can I help you?'' His voice was polite, and I thought working with him would be great. 

''I saw the sign that you're looking for a bartender,'' I replied casually. 

''Are you here to apply?'' he asked. 

''Yes, I am,'' I said, nodding for emphasis.

"'Sorry, we need a guy, not a lady,'' he told me. 

"Please, sir, I really need the job,'' I said. 

"We already have many ladies working here, so we don't need another one,'' he explained. 

"But please, I really need it," I insisted.

" Why do you need the job?" He asked me.

" Because I don't wanna be idle," I said. The truth is, I really don't want to see Ethan or my mother.

"Because you don't want to be idle?" He chuckled.

"Yes sir," I said.

"Then I guess you don't need the job." He told me.

"Why?" I asked.

He sighed. "The job is for people who wants to work to get paid not people who just feel like being busy.." he told me.

"But I'm here to work to get paid," I told him.

"I don't think so," he shrugged his shoulders.

"Of course yes." I told him.

"What's your name?" He asked me.

"I'm Aria," I told him.

"Aria you can't have this job...you ain't supposed to be here." He told me.

"It's not bad if I'm here and it's not like anybody is forcing me to be here." I told him.

"Hope you know what it means to work in a bar?" He asked me and I was taken aback.

What does he mean?

"Meaning?" I asked him.

"You need to be ready to take some kind of bullshit," he said with a smirk.

Fuck!

Does it means that I'll be facing some kind of bullshits? I'm running from Ethan and it looks like I'm going to see some other ones here.

But at least, I'll just try to be on my own.

"Okay. No problem," I told him.

"You mean you need the job?" He asked me.

"Yes I really need the job. I need some funds." I told him.

"But I asked you why you needed the job and you said because you don't want to be idle and you didn't even mentioned that you need money." He told me.

"I was a bit confused." I told him.

"You'll start today and your night shift starts by 7:00 pm to 1:00 am in the morning." He told me.

"I thought you said you weren't going to employ ladies." I said hesitantly.

"Ain't you happy I changed my mind?" He asked me.

Then I smiled. "Yeah I'm happy."

"So let's talk about the pay." He told me.

***

As I opened the door and stepped inside, my mother thundered, ''Where on earth have you been?'' I had tried to be stealthy, hoping to avoid detection, but apparently, I wasn't quiet enough. My mother, Mr. Francis, and Ethan were all seated in the living room, their piercing gazes fixed on me. I wondered what Ethan had told them about me.

I wasn't in school today because immediately I left the bar, I'd headed to the woods.

Should I lie to her that I'm coming back from school? What if Ethan has disclosed to them that I skipped school today? What of he hadn't told them yet?

"From school.." I lied. 

"From school?" My mother asked raising her eyebrows. I guess Ethan had disclosed to them that I wasn't in school today.

"Okay everybody, I didn't went to school today." I said.

" Why?!" My mother asked fuming.

"Yeah I went somewhere," I told her.

"And where did you went to?" She asked me.

"To meet a friend." I lied again.

"To meet a friend? You?" She asked in disbelieve. She knows I'm an introvert. I've been caught. "When did you suddenly became an extrovert?" 

" Thank goodness you said suddenly, I've become one now.." I said.

" So you didn't went to school today?" She asked me.

"Yeah I didn't.." I accepted.

"I can't believe my dad is wasting his money on this useless girl,'' Ethan muttered under his breath. Mr. Francis seemed to catch the remark and turned to Ethan. 

''Ethan, what's that supposed to mean?'' he asked. Before Ethan could respond, I interjected, but Mr. Francis cut in, ''They didn't ask for your opinion.''

Ethan stood up from the chair, his anger palpable. ''You're lucky you didn't come to school today,'' he whispered to me before turning and walking upstairs.