Chapter One

“You thief!” A sharp female voice filled with anger yelled, he stopped at a spot unable to take another step. He faced back, looking scared and confused. It was Audrey, his college mate.

“What do you mean?” He questioned rhetorically, then he followed the lady’s eyes until it landed on the phone in his hand.

“No. I think it’s a misunderstanding, madam. I was cleaning here and found this phone - -” His statement was left incomplete as she hastily interrupted him.

“That’s my phone in your hand! How come it’s with you if you haven't stolen it?” She questioned in annoyance, impatiently drawing to a conclusion. He shook his head.

“It’s not what you think. I saw the phone on the floor and wanted to hand it over to the director. I didn’t steal it.” He explained to her rashly but she let out a dirty laugh.

“Don’t lie to me, you thief! Do you think I will believe you?” She snarled with a loud voice. They are not on good terms after Jamal has refused to help her with a course assignment. She had always wanted to pay him back because she repeated the course and this was the right time to unleash her wrath.

“I know poor guys like you are always stealing things from rich people but I’m sorry to tell you that you have bitten the wrong bait.” She said arrogantly.

“Ma’am, I - -” He was given no room to redeem himself.

“Give me back my phone or I will call your boss.” She yelled.

Her statement didn’t last for a minute when footsteps could be heard approaching them from the stairs and Harrison, his boss, came upstairs.

“What’s going on here? You are disturbing the customers downstairs.” Harrison looked at them in disgust. He hated it when scenes were being made because it kind of made some customers uncomfortable.

“You didn’t tell me that you have started hiring thieves in this restaurant.” Audrey lashed at him, curtly. He was a bit taken aback by her statement as his gaze fell on Jamal.

“Boss, it’s not what you think.” He rebuked, shaking his head continuously.

“I need an explanation!” Harrison gritted his teeth in anger.

“He stole my phone and I caught him red-handed yet he is denying it!” She explained abruptly.

“Stole?” Harrison faced Jamal.” How dare you?!” A hot slap rested on Jamal’s cheek as he trembled, finding it hard to save himself.

“Boss, I didn’t do it. I wanted to return it to you.” He said seriously, with his hand supporting his aching cheek.

“Liar! I have known you from the beginning. You are a thief and you have just shown yourself here.” Audrey stuck her tongue out, mocking him.

“Useless man! I should have known from the start that you are no good.” Harrison yelled at him.

“I’m not going easy on this idiot. I’m calling the police.” Audrey refused to go easy on him, batting her lashes. She looked no different from a she-devil.

“Please, don’t call the police. I’m being framed. I didn’t intend to steal it.” He tried to defend himself.

“Give her back her phone this instant and get lost!” Harrison growled in exasperation after a minute of silence.

“Fool.” Audrey snatched it from him. “I’m calling the police.” She added.

“Boss, please. I didn’t do it. Believe me, I’m innocent.” He said insistently. He felt horrible that no one believed him.

“Innocent? No, I think you are a fag and foolish man. I regret the day I accepted you in this restaurant. Right from the beginning, I knew I was taking problems into my own hands.” Harrison snorted, pushing his hands away.

“Please, I need this job. I’m sorry please.” He accepted defeat, begging Audrey and Harrison. He tried to reach Harrison again but he shoved his hands away.

“Get out of here while I’m still being cool.” Harrison urged disgustingly and he was left in disbelief.

“Thief.” Audrey patted his cheek, trying to make gest of him. “Since your boss has satisfied me with your rejection, I will go easy on you this one time.” She hissed, laughing heartily.

Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, he was breathing heavily as he faced his boss.

“Boss, please don’t do this. I can’t get fired. Please, I’m innocent.” His voice was filled with hurt and desperation. He needed the money and a job. His name was being tainted as a thief even when he didn’t do it. He pleaded but another slap rested on his face, it was from Audrey.

“You are fired! Get out!” Harrison said seriously, as they locked their gaze. Jamal staggered backward in dismay.

Tossing at each side of his bed, Jamal couldn’t catch his sleep. He was sweating profusely and confused. He was hurt and didn’t know what else to do. His girlfriend’s birthday was today and he doesn’t have a gift to show off, neither does he have any money to prove to her how much he loves her.

He got off from his bed with a deep sigh and walked over to where he had dropped his trousers, he searched through his pockets and brought out some dollar notes.

“$150?” He hissed, inwardly wondering what he could do with such an amount. The last time he priced the ring, it was over $800 plus and the money he had wasn’t even enough to purchase the case.

Suddenly, there was a hard knock on his door disrupting him from his thought. He dropped the trousers on the bed and walked over to the door, as soon as he opened the door, someone pushed him and entered his tiny one-room apartment.

“Sir…!” He looked surprised when he saw his landlord. He swallowed hard.

“You must know the reason why I’m here, right?” His landlord sprouted in annoyance.

“I thought we have already discussed about - -” He hadn’t finished his statement when his landlord shunned him.

“Hey you clodpole, I’m not running a charity organization. It’s been four months and you have been procrastinating on paying your rent!” The landlord yelled in his face. “I’m no longer comfortable in keeping a wretched man in my apartment. If you can’t pay now, I’m chasing you out.” The landlord threatened him.

“Sir, I’m expecting my salary before the end of this month. I promise.” He shook his head. “No, trust me, I will make full payment after I get my paycheck.” He assured his landlord seriously. The landlord shot him an irritating look.

“I mourn the day I accepted you into my apartment. I regret it. What was I thinking?” The landlord spat on him. “Ordinary $100 you can’t afford to pay, I wonder what you can ever do with your miserable life.” The landlord continued, shaking his head in disgust.

“Please, I will pay you.” He continued lamenting. He didn’t press on because he knew he was only making an excuse, he had no job and wasn’t expecting money from anywhere.

“I give you three days! Just three days! If you don’t pay me, I will personally throw all your dirty belongings out of my apartment.” The landlord informed him curtly with a voice filled with pressure. The landlord gave him a long look before leaving his apartment. He made sure to bang the door.

"Useless man." That was his landlord's last statement which filtered in the air.

Jamal sat on his bed and placed his hands on his head, he almost forgot that he owed his rent.

He was in between choosing his rent over his girlfriend’s birthday but it would be awful if he went there without anything.

He took up his small button phone from the table and went on to check his account balance which reads:

“[Available current balance: $0.05.]”

“Three days?” He mumbled, wondering how he could raise his rent when he was jobless.