My walk home passed in a blur as I spent most of it thinking about the fact that I was now one hundred percent certain that Ramon had been checking me out. Something that both terrified and excited me, in equal measure. Because beyond the obvious lust in Ramon's gaze, there was something deeper, more possessive, like he would never let me go once he laid his hands on me, and even more frightening was the fact that I found myself excited by that notion.
'Tomorrow is going to break me,' I bemoaned my inability to resist temptation as I fished around in my pockets and pulled out my house key as I stepped onto the front steps.
I had only just managed to slot the key into the hole when the door flew open, startling me, and it didn't help to find my mother standing in the open doorway, glaring at me, "And just where the hell have you been?"
"Jesus Christ, Mom!" I cursed as I put a hand over my chest, "Did you have to scare me like that?!"
"I wouldn't have to scare you if you had answered any of my calls!" My mother replied as she thrust her phone into my face, showing me all the missed calls she had made, "Do you know how worried I was?"
I let out a groan as I pushed my mother's phone away. "I turned my phone off because I was working, and I told you I was going to be late, remember?!"
"Meg, it is nearly eleven, you said you would be late for dinner, not out for the entire night!"
"So what?!" I exclaimed, feeling my frustration grow with each passing second, "I'm twenty years old Mom, I can stay out as late as I want!"
"Not as long as you live under this roof, you can't!" My mother rebutted as she put her hands on her hips, "Now stop screaming at your mother, get inside, before you cause any more of a scene."
Before I could respond, the sound of a car coming down the street made me pause, and I looked over to see a police squadron pull up alongside the curve.
"Oh, this is just perfect," My mother muttered as she crossed her arms and watched as the passenger door of the car opened and her husband, my father, stumbled out of the car, his hair and clothes disheveled, "T-thanks for the r-ride, Joe, s-see y-you at the Clam tomorrow…"
"For god's sake!" My mother muttered angrily under her breath as she glared at my dad who, as usual, was blackout drunk after a night with his drinking buddies, "What did I say about you coming home like this, Peter!?"
"L-Loiss…iss that yoou?" My father slurred as he staggered up the walkway before stumbling and falling to the ground like the drunken slob he was.
My mother let out a long sigh before brushing past me to help my father up, "I hope you know you're sleeping on the couch tonight."
"Oh, come on d-don't be l-like that," My father hiccupped as she helped him to his feet and, "I-I was t-think t-that you and me c-could h-have some special alone t-time."
I couldn't help but recoil in disgust as I watched my dad's fat sausage fingers start groping at my mom's body, and his lips puckered as he leaned in for a kiss.
"Ugh, Peter, your breath stinks!" My mom protested as she fended off his advances, "Now get inside!"
Staring at the scene, I would have felt embarrassed at one point,t but now I couldn't help but feel disappointed and a bit, 'It's no wonder she's always angry.'
My parents' marriage had never made sense to me; my father was a fat, lazy, idiotic slob who made next to nothing. My mother, on the other hand, was the heiress of a massive fortune and could easily get any man she wanted, despite her being in her late forties.
Shaking my head, I left my parents on the front lawn and made my way upstairs into my room, shutting the door behind me and throwing myself onto my bed. For a moment,t I just buried my face in my sheets, 'I can't wait until I can afford my own place.'
Rolling over onto my back, I pulled out my phone and held it up to my ear as I called the one person I could trust. On the second ring, my call was picked up, and I smiled as a familiar voice came through, "Hey, girl, what's up?"
"Well, Patty, my dad just came home blackout drunk again," I muttered with a sigh, "And this was after my mom screamed at me for being home late even though I told her I was going to be out most of the night."
"I know I've said this before, but clearly your mother is using you as an emotional outlet for her own repressed feelings and dissatisfaction," Patty replied, confirming what I already knew. "Honestly, I see them divorcing once Chris graduates from high school."
"Thank you for the vote of confidence," I scoffed in mock offense, even as I smiled, "With any luck, I'll have my own place by then. Speaking of, have you managed to find a job?"
"I wish," Patty answered with a disappointed sigh, "No one in town is hiring."
I grinned, "Not anymore, a new restaurant just opened up in town and I happened to run into the owner, who offered me a job. I just finished up with my first shift and made over two hundred dollars in tips!"
"Ugh, you lucky bitch!" Patty exclaimed with a jealous groan, making me laugh, "Please tell me there's an opening!"
"The restaurant's small, so there's only one," I answered, making Patty sigh before continuing, "But the owner said I could offer it to one of my friends so we could split the tips fifty-fifty."
Patty was silent for a moment before replying, "Have I ever told you what a great friend you are?"
"Yes, but one more time shouldn't hurt," I responded with a laugh.
"How the hell did you convince him to let you do this? Did you suck his dick or something?" Patty mockingly accused.
I rolled my eyes, "I wish."
"Megan?!" Patty exclaimed, and I could hear her sheets rustle as she sat up in shock, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?!"
"It means that if he asked, I would get down on my knees and let him use me like a sex toy," I answered truthfully as I flipped over onto my stomach and kicked my feet up into the air.
"I did not need to hear that," Patty muttered, "Either you're seriously pent up or this owner guy is the hottest man on the planet."
"Two things can be true at once," I replied with a coyish smile, "Just know that I had my eyes on him first."
"Oh come on, he can't be that good looking," Patty argued, only for me to let out a knowing chuckle, "His name is Ramon, and he's at least six four, covered in muscle, with cobalt blue eyes. I'm telling you, Patty, he had to be a model at some point!"
"Meg, you better not be lying to me," Patty swore.
"Cross my heart," I responded without pause, "And the best part is, I've caught him checking my ass out twice! I think he might like me."
"Meg, you can't sleep with your boss! Also, just how old is he?" Patty asked, and even though she would deny it, I could hear the intrigue in her voice.
"Not much older than us, maybe five or six years, but that's hardly a deal breaker!" I argued, sensing the judgment through the phone, "Besides, it's not like any boys our age will pay us attention. I shouldn't be shamed for going after a guy who shows interest in me."
"Whatever floats your boat, I guess," Patty muttered, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes, "Yeah, we'll see how long you keep up that attitude, once you see him in person."
"If you say so," Patty said sarcastically, "Though just to be real for a second, thanks for getting me this job."
"Of course, I know you would do the same," I replied, "The restaurant is where Smitty's used to be, shift starts at four and goes to ten, but since it's your first time, make sure you get there at three for training and so I can introduce you to Ramon."
"Smitty's at three, got it," Patty repeated, before saying her goodbye and ending the call.
'Tomorrow is going to be interesting," I muttered to myself before standing up ready to take a shower and go to bed.
---
[Day 2 Report]
Simlife
Profits: +10,428$
Cost: -8,853$
Modifiers: Fortune I [+5%]
Income: +1,654$
Total: 5,204$
DateLife
Energy Spent: 0
Energy Gained: 0
Tantric Reserves: 5/5
Lust: +10
Total: 20/100
Looking over the report, I couldn't help but feel proud seeing the numbers, 'A fifteen percent profit margin isn't bad for the first day, and it should be even better if Megan's friend joins. Turns out that upsell is the chance that someone will order a side in addition to their entree.'
Staring at the order tickets arranged before me from tonight's service, I confirmed the math once more, 'Every person at a table or booth orders at least one dish, plus each person has a percentage chance to order a side, with the chance being the upsell bonus from waitstaff. Today, that was only five percent, but should hopefully double to ten tomorrow with Megan's friend.'
A slew of numbers floated around in my mind as I calculated how to maximize my profits, 'Even adding on the extra 250 maintenance from hiring another waiter I'm still on track to break even, if I give myself a five day period of saving all the profits. Meaning it's time to look at some investment opportunities.'
With a grin, I opened the appliances and got to searching for the best bonuses and modifiers I could find.