Friday felt different from the start. The store lights seemed harsher and the floor felt sticky under her shoes and none of that bothered Lily the way it usually did. She had her resignation letter folded four times in the pocket of her jacket. She touched it every few minutes just to feel its shape. Her shift did not start until ten but she came in early because she knew if she waited any longer she might lose her nerve

Russ was behind the counter doing inventory with a pen in his mouth and a bored look on his face. He did not notice her at first. She stood there for a second watching him and felt a strange pull in her chest. He had hired her when she was new and scared and broke. He had given her more hours when she needed rent. He had told her she was reliable and that word had felt like safety back then. Reliable. Steady. Dependable. Now it felt like a chain

When he finally looked up he blinked. You’re early he said

Yeah I know she said. I needed to talk to you

His eyebrows lifted. Talk like I did something wrong or talk like you want more hours

Neither she said. Her throat felt tight. She pulled out the paper and slid it across the counter toward him. Her hands were not steady but she tried to keep her voice calm. This is my notice

He stared at the folded paper without touching it. Notice like You’re quitting

Yes

There was a long pause. Russ leaned back a little and exhaled. Wow he said. Did another store offer better pay because I can try to match it

It is not another store

So what then

Lily almost laughed at how unreal it sounded when she said it out loud. I am going to try modeling

Russ blinked twice. Like clothes modeling he asked. Like pictures

Yes

Another pause. One of the drink coolers hummed louder and somewhere in the back a box shifted. The store felt too quiet. Russ rubbed his forehead. You’re serious

Yes she said. I have to try

Russ let out a low breath and for a moment his face softened in a way she had not seen before. You were my best closer he said. You never called out. You never complained. You fixed the scanner when it froze. You calmed down drunk guys without starting drama. You kept this place smooth and you want to leave me here with Jay on weekends. You are going to make my life harder

Sorry she said

He nodded. But then he smiled a little. You know what. Good. You should go try something before you get stuck here forever. People blink and they look up and they are still here and ten years are gone. I am not mad at you for wanting to escape that

His words surprised her. She felt her eyes burn a little and she looked down fast. Thank you she said

He waved a hand. I am not saying it will work. I am saying if you do not try you are going to hate me and this store and yourself. When is your last day

Tonight she said. The audition is tomorrow. I need tomorrow

He whistled. Fast exit. All right. I will sign the paper later for paperwork but you can consider it done. Just do me one favor

What

Do not forget us little people when you are famous he said with a smirk

Lily laughed. I am not going to be famous

You never know he said. Also if a camera crew ever asks for early footage of you I am selling the security tapes

Please do not she said

He grinned. We will see

Her shift started like always and that almost hurt more. The same register drawer. The same soda spill near aisle three that never truly went away. The same flickering light above the snack display. The same regulars. The man with heavy boots came in and bought his usual six pack. The old woman with coins bought her scratch card and told Lily to wish her luck. The high school kids came in and argued about candy brands and left fingerprints all over the freezer door. It felt like the store wanted to pretend nothing had changed

But everything had changed because this was the last time. Every small detail pressed itself into her memory. The way the bell on the door stuck for half a second before ringing. The way the counter still had a little dent from where someone dropped a canned drink last summer. The way the uniform sleeves always rode up a little on her wrists. She had always told herself she hated those things. Now she did not hate them. Now they felt like pieces of a version of herself she was about to step out of

Around midnight she stepped outside for her break. The parking lot was empty except for a single car idling near the far corner. The night air felt cool and quiet. She leaned against the brick wall and tilted her head back to look at the sky. The city glow made it hard to see real stars but there were faint points of light if she focused. Her heart was beating fast and steady. Not scared. Alive

Her phone buzzed and she checked the new message from Maya. You ready for tomorrow. Clothes laid out. Alarm set. Do not be late. Do not freak out. You are allowed to want more

Lily smiled at the screen. Maya had helped her pick an outfit for the audition earlier that day. Simple black jeans. Plain white tank. Light denim jacket. Clean sneakers. Nothing loud. Nothing that looked like pretending. Maya had said they probably wanted to see her face anyway. Her real face not a version of someone else

She touched her cheek without thinking. She had always thought her face was fine but nothing special. Her eyes were a little too soft. Her jaw not sharp. Her nose not dramatic. No one ever stopped her on the street. No one ever said you should model. The world never handed her that. She was going to walk in and ask for it anyway

When her break ended she went back inside. Russ was counting cigarettes behind the counter. He looked up and said I sent in your last hours already. You are free after four. You sure you are good

Yeah she said. I just feel weird

Weird is normal he said. Scared is normal. If you did not feel anything I would think you were a robot

I am scared she admitted

Good he said. Means it matters

The last hours of the shift moved slow and fast at the same time. She helped stock the cooler one last time and her hands got cold and numb. She cleaned the coffee station one last time and wiped away stains that were not even hers. She swept the floor one last time and thought about all the conversations that had happened over that tile in the middle of the night. Tired people. Sad people. Drunk people. Lonely people. People who only felt visible under fluorescent light

At three forty six a.m. she rang up her last customer. A trucker with red eyes bought jerky and gas and told her to have a safe night. She told him you too. When the door closed behind him silence filled the store. Russ looked at her and raised his eyebrows like this is it

Lily took off her name tag. She had worn that little plastic tag so long the pin on the back was bent and dull. She placed it on the counter and felt her throat tighten again. She did not cry. She let the moment sit

So Russ said. Tomorrow is day one of model life. How does it feel

Like a cliff she said

He nodded. Jump then

She smiled at him. Thank you for everything

He waved his hand again like it was nothing but he did not meet her eyes. Get out of here he said. Go sleep. Go chase your fancy future. And if anyone in that fancy future treats you stupid you tell me and I will come yell at them in this vest

She laughed. Deal

She grabbed her bag and walked to the door. Her hand hovered over the handle for a second. She turned and looked at the aisles. The candy wall. The drink coolers. The register light still glowing green. The floor with the same dull shine. It was not beautiful. But it had been home

Then she pushed the door open. The bell chimed one last time

The air outside felt different even though it was the same street as always. The wind carried a faint smell of gasoline and wet concrete. Dawn was still far away and the sky was a heavy dark blue. Lily pulled her jacket tighter around herself and started walking

Her chest felt light and shaky and wide open. She had no paycheck lined up. No promise. No plan past tomorrow morning at eleven thirty. She should have felt panic. Instead she felt heat in her blood like electricity

She was really doing it

She whispered into the quiet street

Tomorrow I walk in

Tomorrow I say my name

Tomorrow I let them see me

And for the first time in her life the future did not feel like something that would happen to her. It felt like something she was walking toward