Chapter 1 The Stranger

CLARA'S POV

I stood before my boss, my heart beating in my chest. I had broken a valuable item at the convenience store, and I knew that my boss was damn furious.

"Clara, how could you be so careless?" My boss asked, his voice stern and unforgiving. "This was a very expensive item, and now it's broken. What am I going to do?"

"I'm so sorry, sir," I apologized, feeling the hot shame rising in her cheeks. "I didn't mean to break it. It was an accident."

"An accident?!" My boss shouted, his face turning red with anger.

I stood there, frozen in terror as my boss yelled at me. I felt the blood rushing to my face, and I knew that I must look like a tomato. I tried to speak, but my voice was shaky and weak.

"I didn't mean to, I really didn't," my voice barely above a whisper. "I'm so sorry, I'll do whatever it takes to fix it."

"It's unfixable, how do you expect yourself to fix it? This is the reason why I don't employ minor's, I can't even do anything about this because you are not even meant to work here." My boss sighed.

My boss seemed to take a deep breath, as if he was trying to calm himself down. "I need to think about this," he added, his voice still harsh. "You're lucky that this could be taken out of your monthly payment, because you would have paid for it before leaving here today."

In the midst of the chaos, a customer entered the store. I was so focused on my boss's anger that I barely noticed the person who had walked in. But as I turned to see who it was, I saw a kind-looking guy standing there.

"Hey, is everything okay?" the guy asked, concerned in his voice. "It seems like there's a bit of a commotion here."

My boss turned to the man, still clearly upset. "There's been a bit of an accident, and we're trying to figure out what to do."

"How about I pay for the broken item?" The customer pulled out his wallet and paid for the broken item, then he purchased a few other things. I watched as he paid for his items, and then he turned to leave.

"Thank you so much," I appreciated, my voice still weak but full of gratitude. "I really appreciate what you did."

The man turned and smiled at me. "You're welcome. It's no problem at all."

With that, he walked out of the store, leaving me feeling both relieved and a little bit amazed.

I sat down in the corner, trying to process everything that had just happened. I felt overwhelmed by my boss's outburst, and I couldn't stop thinking about how I had messed up. I felt like a failure, and I didn't know how to make things right. Even though the broken items have been paid for, my boss clearly seems no good.

I thought about my life, and how things had been difficult lately. I was struggling to make ends meet, and I felt like I was barely holding it together. I thought about my family, and how they were counting on me to be successful. I felt the weight of their expectations on my shoulders, and I didn't know how to live up to them.

My mother and I had always struggled to make ends meet. She was a housekeeper, and she cleaned people's homes to earn money. I worked part-time at the convenience store, trying to make enough money to help support her and my lazy uncle. We were barely scraping by, and I knew that I had to do better. I wanted to be able to give my mother a better life, and I felt like I was about failing her with my recent attitude.

I looked down at my hands, and I saw that they were shaking. I realized that I was trembling all over, and I couldn't control it. I tried to take deep breaths, but it didn't work so I took some calming pills.

"I wish I had a father." This thought occupied my mind.

I thought back to the day that my mother told me about my father's death. I was only a child, but I remember the sadness in her eyes as she told me the story.

"Your father was a hard worker," she had said, her voice breaking. "He worked at the gas station, and he was always so careful. But one day, there was an explosion. It was a terrible accident, and he didn't survive."

I had never met my father, but I had always felt a deep connection to him. I had always felt a bit of a void in my life, a space where he should have filled. Just as I was lost in my thoughts, the door opened and a customer walked in. I snapped out of my trance, and I greeted the customer with a smile. I helped them find what they were looking for, and then they left.

Finally, it was time to close up the store. I finished counting the cash register, and I locked the doors. I was finally alone, and I could take a moment to gather my thoughts. But as I tried to calm my racing mind, I realized that something didn't feel right.

I noticed a young guy standing at the end of the road. He was just standing there, staring at me. I felt a knot in my stomach, and I hurriedly walked home. I glanced back, and I saw that he was still there, watching me. My heart began to pound in my chest, and I started to feel afraid.

I quickened my pace, trying to get home as fast as I could. But no matter how fast I walked, I felt like I was being followed. My fear began to turn to panic, and I felt like I was about to lose control.

I turned down another lane, hoping to lose my pursuer. But as I turned the corner, he was there, waiting for me. He smiled at me, a cold, calculating smile that sent a chill down my spine.

"What do you want?" I asked, my voice shaking.

"I just want to talk to you," he replied, his voice low and dangerous. "Come with me."

I took a step back, afraid of taking over my body. "No," I replied, my voice firm. "I'm not going anywhere with you."