With a blank face, I looked at him, expecting answers. My head continued to revolve around all the possibilities of what I could have done to lead me to lose my job. Except for spilling alcohol on Mr. Wolfe, I didn't do anything wrong.
"Why am I fired?" I asked, without breaking my eye contact with the manager. "I don't think I've made any big mistake to lose my job."
I didn't want to cry or beg in silence. I wanted to know the answers. It was unfair to me.
"Is it because I spilled alcohol…"
He cut me off. "You didn't do anything?" He scoffed. "A person nearly died because of you."
I was taken aback. I was confused if he was talking to me and about me.
"Me?" I raised my eyebrows. "What did I do?"
I seriously had no idea why he kept blaming me for something I didn't even know.
"You misplaced the orders yesterday. Because of that, someone was admitted to the hospital, as he was allergic to eggs." He let out a frustrated sigh. "And the food you served him contained smashed egg."
I gulped in fear. I could not believe what I heard.
"No…" I shook my head, saddened.
My tear-filled eyes fell on the manager, hoping he was wrong, that it was not me but someone else.
"I don't think it was me." I tried to speak in my shivering tone. "I am sure it's not me."
"So, you think I am lying." He gritted his teeth and looked at me in fury.
He took me to the monitoring room and showed me the video of me holding two plates at the same time. The cameras were only fixed in the regular section. The VIP and strip sections had no cameras.
"Is this you, Ms. Yung?" He raised his eyebrow.
"Yes!" I nodded my head. After I served the VIP section last night, I took two final orders from the regular section and left. But I didn't misplace it. I clearly remembered it.
"I did not…" I bit my inner cheeks. But my mind started to convince me I had done wrong. I was not in my correct mood and was thinking about the incident that happened with Mr. Wolfe, so there was a possibility that I had made a mistake.
"Forgive me." I spoke. "I made a mistake."
"He called us a few minutes back. He said he got discharged and is going to sue us. After a lot of convincing and offering money, he accepted. Do you know what kind of a situation you've caused?"
I nodded. "I am really so sorry. Please give me one more chance."
He shook his head negatively. "We can't again give you this job and risk people's lives."
"Don't say that. Please." I didn't think twice to beg him with all my might. "I can't lose this job. I need it."
He glared at me and then started to walk away.
I held his hand, stopping him. Even though I hated someone looking at me with pitiful eyes, and I didn't want to say it, I spoke, "My sister is sick, and I really need a job to save her life. Please. Give me one last chance."
He looked at me for a moment, and the anger in his eyes started to fade. He stood rooted to the ground and kept silent for a minute before he said, "But I can't give you this job again. There are dancers wanted in the strip section. That's the only position we can offer."
My tears started to roll down my cheeks. I didn't expect my life to take such a drastic turn.
He continued, "If you want, you can work there. Else, you may leave."
My self-respect wanted me to walk away, but my life laughed at me. Pity? Everyone looked at me with that, but I was the one who ignored it.
Self-respect? I lost it many years ago, but I was in denial. And the reality check my manager gave me made me realize what the truth was.
"There is no force."
I took a deep breath before I nodded. "I'll work. I'll do any work."
"Good."
He then looked at the time on his watch and said, "The show starts in a few minutes. You need to get ready."
I simply nodded. He led me to the strip section, saying, "You don't have to think much about the dance. There's a main dancer, who everybody looks forward to. You have to attract few customers."
I didn't say anything. I only prayed nothing wrong would go there. As I reached the makeup room, the manager left. The worker there gave me the black stripper dress, which was almost see-through except for my private parts.
There were a lot of girls like me. A few were normal dancers, but the others were strippers who worked closely with the customers.
There was no sad look on any of them. It seemed they loved their job.
One of them sat beside me, saying while applying her red lipstick, "Just attract one person. Your life will change."
I looked at her nervously. And then asked, "They won't force me, right?"
I was frightened. I didn't want to become another victim who was used as a sex slave by the rich.
She shook her head, laughing. "No! Unless you irritate their dick."
Then she stood straight, saying, "I joined here just like you. A background dancer. But fate led me to become a stripper."
After she left, I fell into thoughts. According to what the manager said, I only had to dance. For other things, there were strippers separately. But, a part of me was still scared.
My thoughts were interrupted by the notification on my cellphone. It was from Matthew.
Matthew—Hey! What's up?
Even though his message made me so happy, I didn't reply. I always wanted to impress Matthew and be his friend or something more. And, I got the chance, but would he accept me if he knew I work at a strip section? Would he even look at me with the same adoration?
Sadness consumed me wholly. I didn't want to lose him, especially when fate gave me another chance to be close to him, so I chose to hide. Hide from my reality.
I texted, "Nothing! Just serving food. Will call you later."
Then, I stood straight and walked to the main hall along with all others. It was not just any hall; it screamed luxury. There were a lot of people sitting on the sofa while we all stood in the center under their lustful gazes. Especially on the main dancer. I understood she was a stripper as well.
And, as if to heighten my fear and nervousness, Mr. Wolfe entered. And, it started. My dance of shame.