Ariel woke up to the warm rays of sunlight slipping through the hotel curtain. She stretched lazily, her bones aching slightly from the rough mattress. Glancing at the clock, she blinked. 10:00 AM.
"I still have some time before he arrives" she whispered to herself.
Dragging herself out of bed, she made her way to the bathroom and took a quick bath. The cold water jolted her awake, but she welcomed the sharp reminder that she was still alive, still fighting.
After drying off, she stood in front of the mirror and tied her hair neatly.
"Let me look for any shops that need help," she said firmly, determination creeping back into her voice.
She chose her outfit carefully, nothing too flashy, but polished enough to give off that "Hire her" energy.
Her stomach growled loudly, but she ignored it. No money left, no breakfast. She glanced at her small purse, empty as her hope.
"Who knew the prices of things would rise so much... and it started two years ago," she muttered bitterly as she closed the hotel door behind her.
With a deep breath, she stepped into the streets.
"Job, here I come!"
Ariel wandered from one shop to the next. A salon, a nail studio, a boutique, a small café, even a struggling restaurant, but the answers were all the same.
"We're not hiring."
"Come back next month."
"Sorry, no vacancies."
Each rejection was like a small slap. She kept her head high, smiled politely, and moved on to the next place.
Two hours passed.
The sun was higher now, unforgiving on her bare arms. Sweat trickled down her back as she sat briefly on a bench, defeated.
"No sign of me getting a job," she said aloud, her voice cracking slightly.
But still, she didn't cry. Not yet.
---
Just as she was about to give up, something caught her eye.
Across the street, a small boutique with pale pink curtains and elegant mannequins placed a wooden sign outside. The bold letters almost made her gasp:
"HELP WANTED – IMMEDIATE HIRE."
Her eyes lit up with hope.
She wanted to run, but instead, she walked with calm grace. Her happiness ran ahead of her, though. Her heart thudded wildly as if it already knew this was it.
She stepped into the boutique, the soft chime of the door announcing her entrance. The scent of expensive perfume and fresh fabric filled the air. A woman with sleek hair and a sharp fashion sense glanced up from behind the counter.
"Looking for the job?" she asked.
Ariel nodded quickly. "Yes, ma'am. I'd love the opportunity."
The woman eyed her thoughtfully. "Let's see what you've got, then."
What followed was a whirlwind. She was tested on her fashion sense, matching outfits, giving style suggestions to imaginary clients, even helping rearrange a section of the store. Ariel pushed through every second with a smile, her hunger forgotten in the rush of purpose.
Nearly an hour later, the woman crossed her arms and gave a slow, approving nod.
"You've got a good eye. And you're polite. You're hired."
For a second, Ariel just stood there, stunned.
Then her lips parted into the biggest smile she'd had in days.
"Thank you," she whispered, voice thick with emotion.
"Be here tomorrow. 8 AM sharp," the woman added before returning to her paperwork.
As Ariel stepped out of the boutique, the sun didn't feel so harsh anymore. The world was still hard, but she had a job now!, a step closer to surviving on her own.
A small victory, but it felt like a mountain moved.
She looked at her watch 1:30pm, "Let me go and get ready "