Mia

by Jessica Samuels

  I don’t know which one though. I have been hidden for six years as a retail worker, and it slowly kills me.

  God, I hate it there! I hate the stupid shitty customers assaulting my mind with impatience, anger, hatred, and fear. Their negative energy can make an awesome day into a bad one. I have a few good customers that make my day, and one asshole can ruin it all. Someone bitching that we are not able to work on their watch since it’s one that Kyle’s doesn’t carry. One guy made me want to punch him in the face since he was an asshole about it. Some even treated you like you were an idiot, like this one dumbass was treating me, like I didn’t know what a facial brush was when I don’t even work in the area. And another bitch was on her cell phone trying to get me to show her where the Under Armor was when I showed her twice that she was in front of it. The customers think we are idiots.

  Of course, I do have botanicals to combat their onslaught, a combination of lavender, sage, and dandelion helps me in keeping calm and soothes my anxiety.

  It leads me to think over the recent break up I’ve had since it was a bad breakup. I still have to see his stupid car around. It sucks I can’t blow him up. All the times Austin tormented me with every new girl he brought around to make me jealous. He was such an asshole and always criticized me for working retail. Then he acted like he was such a god’s gift to women. More like I feel sorry for whoever falls for his act. He treated me like shit and criticized me all the time, even made me cry on Valentine’s Day. And then made me feel bad since we didn’t get his car when he came back from his deployment. He wasted my time and cheated on me when I waited a year for his ass. I met him at Next Star and was brainwashed they were trying to control me. They needed me for something, and to this day I still don’t know what for. Sure, he was good looking, with dark hair to his shoulders, dark brown eyes, and tan, with a scorpion tattoo on his arm. He had a built body, but he was a cocky asshole who loved to hit on women and claimed to screw a lot and wasn’t very picky about the girls he had sex with. A douche to me. I loved the fact that he was a part of Next Stars soldiers who got supernaturals to the base. Until I realized I wasn’t special to him, and that I was a number on his belt. He is dead to me so he should just leave me alone already and stop stalking my place of work. He brings in some whores of which he ignores and tries to shove his relationship in my face.

  I am a cashier, apparel, shoes, and I answer the phones while helping in the fitting room and take the keys to the jewelry counter when needed. It changes from day to day depending on where the idiots need me. I just wish I had a better way of dealing with the people and their emotional states. I dried off after my shower and got dressed in a nightshirt and pants. I have to have this god-awful job. I hated it since I don’t get paid nearly enough to deal with their emotional crap. I say screw it and pour myself a drink. It at least calms me down and makes me forget about everything. It doesn’t help that the customers look at me like they feel sorry for me.

  Supernatural creatures came out of the closet years ago, and it was amazing when the first vampire appeared on television, fangs bared for the world to see. They came out of the closet since they needed humans in order to help keep their species of creatures going. It took place a few years ago, and there are even creatures living here in Crystal Crest some. There is actually a club so creatures and humans can mingle right near me. They don’t want to hurt us either, and they can even take on human lovers if they want. It’s been interesting since then since I’ve spotted some creatures here and there. It would be cool to see one up close and in person.

  I turned on the television to make time go by faster. My life was boringly human, and despite my abilities, I could pass for a normal person. Not hard either, just act like a sheep and bitch over things I can control.

  My favorite show was on called Hard Ass Pawn Shop, and the customers on this reality show were more outrageous than the idiots I have to deal with. I doubt I could handle the way they are yelled at. It made me weep for humanity. I watched the show for hours since a marathon is on and finally fell into a dreamless slumber. The quietness of sleep took me after I stopped worrying about dealing with idiots tomorrow, and the alcohol makes me fall asleep even faster. Too bad I drank too much.

  Or, I thought I had gone to sleep. I was now in a forest with green trees, and a cloudless sky. I looked around the place, and a white light appeared before me. It sparkled and changed shape into a guy. A very sexy guy with short, dark blond hair, spiked, and the prettiest blue eyes I have ever seen. Built too, but he was not an ordinary guy since cream-colored wings are sticking out of his back. It didn’t matter since the moment I saw him I forgot everything, and nothing really mattered except him. He is all I can think about. He is all I ever wanted, and I knew he was mine since I’ve never felt that way about anyone before. Weird. He was the sexiest guy I’ve ever seen and made me forget about my ex-douche.

  He smiled at me and said, "We will meet again my angel..." Then he disappeared. Damn it come back….

  I woke up the next morning disappointed it was just a dream, and all I wanted to do was go back to sleep and see the cute angel again. The angel who is my other half and knew me better than anyone else. I felt drawn to him. If only it were real instead of a dream. I knew he was someone special in my life, but reality brings me back to the fact that I’m alone and in a dead-end retail job where the only way up is to ass-kiss. And to the ex-Austin who put his new bitches in my face, and he had actually ignored one of them. At the time, he was smiling at his phone, so he was probably cheating on her with another. He wasn’t a good catch since he was a loud mouth douche with baby mama drama. His family was the worst by giving me hope when there wasn’t any.

  I had to go into work though anyway to earn a paycheck, as shitty pay as it was. At least until I didn’t feel like hiding anymore. Or, I didn’t feel like taking Salem, my stupidvisor’s shit.

  I got up to shower and dress in my slave uniform. And I took Tylenol for my headache since hangovers are the worst.

  Black pants and a red shirt with a stupid name tag. Angeline was my full name, but I put Angel for short, so they didn't have to say my full name. I even put on makeup and accessories. My shift started in a few hours leaving me time to ponder. 12:00-9:00 today! Before I did anything, I put on my crystal quartz and program it to block the signals of the brains of the many customers that walked through the doors of Kyle's General Store. Even block it from the other employees’ brains. I knew how they felt. I got it from the resident witch Ginger Stone, and she gave it to me in order to help me block the emotions of people and keep it from overwhelming me. She was the one who told me I was a witch in the first place. I showed up to her shop after I first discovered my abilities. She taught me how to control it some.

  I didn't go to the grocery side till the 2:00 shape up. It was off Surrey road in a rich part of town, and the customers could be snobby.

  I got a move on to go there, dreading driving on Surrey road, the main one in Crystal Crest which is run by psychics. They needed people who could help in case the realms went to war with one another, and some people didn’t trust them either. Humans needed help against a supernatural enemy in case there was one, and they even had psychics in the military and police. Music blared from my stereo, drowning out the annoying noises of cars and trucks with drivers too big for their britches.

  I could feel people in their cars like pulsing mounds of energy with emotions buzzing like bees. People were angry, sad, mad, and happy while driving their cars to wherever. I grabbed my opal ring on the black, rough dashboard and put it on the metal making their energy even duller so I couldn’t feel shit. I hated feeling people anyway, and I had been dealing with this since high school.

  These stones I was wearing would give me the energy I needed to block the crowds on Black Friday. It’s November the 25th, and since I didn’t have anyone to celebrate with, I didn’t mind working since it would help me take my mind off things.

  Today was one of the busiest
days in retail besides the day before Christmas, with people itching to get their hands on the latest gadget, television, tablet, and deals they would not normally have every day. I got to the parking lot amidst the crazy drivers, parked my Karcano, and turned off the car. I sat there in silence and closed my eyes, shielding the emotions to block it all out.

  I imagined my body’s aura around me and surrounded my whole body with metal like a tower blocking everything out. I imagined a rock around my body, and it enabled me to fully block out everything. Nothing could get through except for my own thoughts in my head. I didn’t want to feel anything for the next few hours from people. I could read minds as well as feel their feelings.

  Fully prepared, I walked through the door of the crowded store. I saw the front-end registers already busy with customers shopping with carts full of goods. People checking out, and the beeps of ringing up the items as they were being passed across the register scanner.

  “Hey, Angel, you finally made it didn’t you?”

  I smiled when I heard that voice since I knew who it belonged to all too well.

  Kalisa Stryker, my light at the end of this retail tunnel. She was also my best friend, and one I could vent to at a bar at the end of a long, workday full of assholes.

  “Yep, I did, though I wish I hadn’t since a nice customer went and messed up my hard work…”

  Kalisa had wild auburn curls, yellowish-green, catlike eyes, and green eyeshadow with a poison ivy leaf at the end of her corners. She even had cherry plump lips that made guys fall to their knees. She was pale like the full moon shining brightly in the sky. She did not take shit from anyone and she loved people. She always had a smile for me and any man dumb enough to fall for it.

  I had been friends with her since elementary school, and I really loved the fact that she was not a mindless Kyle-kissing drone. I swear some of the employees must have sucked his dick to get the promotions they got. Or, Salem did, to get to be promoted to stupidvisor. The dipshit.

  “Good. We need to stick together in this retail hell,” she said.

  Her eyes widened when she saw the mess the customers left. “Fuck me. The messy customers are out more today than any other day. That is the sixth fucked up pile of clothes I’ve seen today.”

  I smiled sadly. “It won’t be the last on this hellish day.”

  We began picking up the wreckage of clothes the customers left and tore through like a lion through a gazelle.

  After I was done, the supervisor Emma found me amidst all the craziness. She wore the uniform that curved to her body versus fought it like mine always did. She had an earpiece in her ears connected to the walkie to listen in on idiot managers. She was actually one of the good managers who loved her job, unlike some of them who sat there and bitched. Some didn’t do jack shit to help their sales associates. She smiled at me, and it was one that told me that one of my worst nightmares was coming true. “Since you’re done with that task, I would like to have you man the jewelry counter with Dreama since she needs help while Jasmine is on her lunch.” She gave me the keys, and I took them from her. The little metal keys opened the cases, and it meant showing the zombies the merchandise. I mean, customers...

  I smiled at her even though I wanted to kill her. I hated the counter as much as I hated the register. Kyle always hung around the front and hollered when there was no one at the counter.

  “No problem, only an hour, right? How bad can it be?” I said, using fake enthusiasm. I made my way there only to see it was already busy with non-stop humans. At least they found all the items since they did not have it earlier. Great! Thanks, bitch, for making me face the firing squad and endure being stared at like a zoo animal. Dreama spotted me, her blue eyes sparkling like I saved her from dying. Her long black hair hung in a ponytail, curled to her back, and she was tan from the beach. The uniform was perfectly molded to her body like a second skin making her curves stand out.

  I headed behind the counter to tag team with Dreama to thin the lines down. I serviced a few people by showing them pieces and ringing them up when they were satisfied. It was not too bad.

  Chapter 10

  Ember Chapter 1:

  I hadn’t been happy in a while. And all I could do was sit there, thinking of my next move in the bathroom while I broke down. My life had amounted to nothing. My recent relationship came to an end. Before it was said and done, he tore my heart out and left me to pick up the pieces. He managed to convince me that we just needed time apart. Next thing I knew, his stuff was gone. I was alone once again. Tonight, my ex had the balls to walk into the bar, and he wasn’t alone either. I snapped back to reality and began my pre-work ritual; I donned my Rockie’s Blood uniform, name tag and all. I wanted to just run away, somewhere nobody knew my name. It still weighed on my mind that I could be so easily replaced. My old coven threw me out since the dark witches took over and killed my mom for my book. My life had been thrown into shit, which is why I'm hiding and taking this job in the first place. Let’s just say that my life was never dull. In fact, it’d been pretty stop and go without a break for me to unwind and relax from.

  I’d been there for maybe close to a year, and despite the fact I majored in conjuring and potions, I still struggled to keep a roof over my head. Rockie’s Blood was a Tavern for all kinds of creatures. Some of the regular vamps there preferred fine china to random necks. I assumed they kept the biting thing for their lovers instead of their prey. Werewolves could order raw meat to satiate their four-legged friend’s appetite, and there was even a menu for witches to order food--actual burgers, fries, steak, you name it and we got it. Rockie’s was also a popular place for high level baddies like vampires, and werewolves. Rockie’s was even a popular place for witch covens. Working there could be a drag at times, especially when table 75 ordered blood and complained it wasn’t as hot as it could be.

  I adjusted my shirt, making my boobs pop for extra tips. I needed the extra money, after all. I took a deep breath in the bathroom. I redid my makeup since it ran down my face because my dumb ass forgot waterproof makeup. All I wanted to do was drink alcohol till I passed out and eat awful TV dinners, while crying to cheesy romance movies. I put on a brave face anyway, since I was a kick ass witch. I was also done with letting someone win. Not to mention he knew I worked there, so he deliberately came just to shove his flings in my face. Like I cared about anything but hiding. He was a loser, nothing more, and I had more important things to be concerned with like staying hidden to care right now. I wish I didn’t, but it still twinged when I looked back on what we had.

  My ex, Derrick, was sexy for sure--soulful blue eyes, dark blonde hair, and tattoos. Like, my god, everything I thought I ever wanted in someone. We got along for the most part, and he was a vampire which meant he could take my blood and power, which was addicting. Very addicting when mixed with love and sex. I was on a high while I was with him, and there was nothing that could stop it. He was a vampire warrior, and I loved the uniform. Now he was kissing and smiling, and hugging someone else, someone ugly though. A vampire groupie, judging by the marks on her slender neck.

  The tears came faster, threatening to fall all over. So much for redoing my makeup. It was hard seeing him smile at someone else and holding them like they would break at any moment. My facade tore to shreds again. Me, with my bad habit of letting everything get to me like I usually do. Luckily, he wasn’t in my area to watch, and I didn’t have to ask him if he needed a thing of hay for his pig or his new chew toy. Not even the most powerful spells could help with this heartbreak. I didn’t feel like cursing her and ruining my rep. Not even poisoning her drink would make me happy. I was a good witch. Hell, if I was that bad, I might as well show up to the witch's doorstep.

  I fought through the agony threatening to consume me. It was the worst, and my eyes turned red from all the crying. Not sleeping didn’t help. I also felt sick. Like, it was awful. Someone kill me, please. Witches hurt me? Anything? No? Can someone save me from this torment?
r />   I did the grown-up thing and pushed it all down, far away to the back of my mind. I thought about the good memories of me serving blood to a few nice vamps. Helping creatures in the cold, anything to get my mind to not hurt in the first place. I couldn’t afford to have another breakdown at work. The last thing I wanted was to explain why I was crying over table threes blood when it had nothing to do with work. And these customers never bothered me anyway. I ignored their attitudes for the most part.

  I just had to get through this shift and I was free to drink oodles of wine and pass out while binge watching sappy romance movies with TV dinners up the ass. No cooking for me. I couldn’t cook. The microwave was my best friend.

  I walked out of the women's restroom to get back to my job and save my sanity by throwing myself into work.

  The restaurant was pretty nice, with black walls and a red ceiling with pictures of creatures on it. It was created to be a fun place to hang out and spend time with friends and family. There were even strategically placed televisions with various sports. The vinyl booths were nicer than the usual ones, and you could tell the owner spent more on them than the average restaurant. I was determined to finish this shift today since it was all I had going for me, and all I had left was this job. After all, my life had been hell warmed over. And crispy with extra hot, spicy sauce. It was busy enough to help me keep my mind off of stuff. I just couldn’t look over at him.

  There was a war going on between the covens. The Poison Apple Coven, who were bad witches versus the Fire Dragons, who were my people, the good guys and had dragons to call. My mom was caught in the crossfire and killed by the leader of them--Ivy, one of the baddest witches out there. I still remembered how my mom’s green eyes always smiled up at me like we both shared a big secret, and she wore it while she cooked dinner in the witch apron I got her. Her long, red hair was tied back. She loved making stuff with me, and we would have fun, especially with the asshole that tried to use me. She was a witch who conjured up revenge spells. She loved getting even with the people who truly deserved it. She was a good witch who used her magic only when she was truly wronged. She had an amazing gift and was taken out too early. I wanted to cry again, but I didn’t want to do it at work. That was the last thing I needed. We sent a curse to his house and set it on fire, making it look like an accident. Best day ever doing revenge spells with my mom.