THE INTERVIEW

"Hey, you don't have to cry. You can always come to stay with me. You are a friend and I won't see you live on the streets."

"I just want my life to make sense" She said amidst sobs. "Nothing makes sense at this point. I feel like I'm cursed or something."

"You are not. It is just a phase in life. Have you heard that the storm comes before the brightest day or whichever way they put it?"

"This storm has been hovering for too long, Jas. I just lost my job and now, I'm about losing my apartment. I have three month rent left to pay. I have no idea what to do" She said sobbing harder.

"I just said you can come to stay at mine. Besides, your apartment looks like a pig sty" Jasmine teased making Kathlyn scoff.

"Not all of us have millionaire boyfriends. Gosh! You are so lucky" She said blowing her nose. "You have your dream job, a millionaire boyfriend and a condominium. How are we friends?" Kathlyn asked suddenly feeling inferior.

"Stop the pity party. Go freshen up and eat something. I brought lasagna."

"I am not hungry" Kathlyn said defiantly. Jas rolled her eyes at her and pulled her up from the couch. Kathlyn groaned but allowed Jas pull her up. She was pushed up the stairs and she made her way into her room.

She stripped out of her clothes and got into the shower. She cursed under her breath when cold water splashed on her skin. Her landlord had threatened to send only cold water to her. She could not even use the light because she was trying to conserve electricity.

She thought about Jasmine's offer and how good it was. The only problem was, she could not. She was going to feel too much like a burden. Jasmine never failed to tell her how she should never consider herself a burden but she could not help it. She never grew up being dependent and she was not about to start now.

She hoped that she would get called for the interview and get the job. She needed this job more than anything else at the moment. Not only would it solve her problems but make her financially independent. She turned off the faucet and walked out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her lean body.

She dropped the towel on the bed and proceeded to apply moisturizer on her skin. She stared at her reflection in the mirror and scrunched her nose in disgust. Her eyes had become sunken from crying and lack of sleep. Her once clear skin was beginning to have patches of red on some parts. She rolled her eyes at the red patches and continued moisturizing her body. She stopped at her round, shapely bum and admired it. It was the only part of her body which she absolutely loved and admired. It gave her all the confidence the other parts of her body did not. When she was done, she straightened her curly hair and packed it into a bun. She threw a T-shirt on before making her way out of the room.

She descended the stairs and went directly to the kitchen. Her growling stomach reminded her of how hungry she was. She dished out a plate of lasagna and made her over to the couch. Jasmine was texting rapidly on her phone so she had no idea when Kathlyn walked in.

"Why are you texting so quickly?" She asked shoving a forkful of lasagna into her mouth.

"Jeremy is traveling. Can you believe that? He is just informing me."

"It was probably an emergency" Kathlyn said in a bid to make her feel better.

"No, it wasn't. He said it skipped his mind. Can you even believe that? Skipped his mind? I am his girlfriend" She said angrily.

"Just calm down, please. And stop texting" Kathlyn said irritated. Jasmine threw her phone to the ground angrily and placed her head in her hands. Kathlyn made to say something but her phone came on with a notification. She swiped up and her eyes almost popped out of their socket at the sight.

"I got a notification from Dreams. I have been invited for an interview" She informed. She was feeling a mix of excitement and disbelief all at once. Jasmine looked at her with a genuine smile plastered on her face.

"That is great news. When is the interview?"

"Next Wednesday, my birthday" She replied cheerfully.

"We have to go shopping before then" Jasmine said feeling Kathlyn's excitement rubbing off on her. She wiped her face clean and sucked in a breath.

"Is that necessary?"

"Duh, it is. You have nothing fitting of the standard of Dreams. We need to go shopping so you'll get something nice. And before you give the excuse of not having any money, I am the one offering to take you out" Jasmine said cutting her short when Kathlyn attempted to interrupt her.

Kathlyn raised her hands in mock surrender. She went back to eating her meal while scrolling through her phone. The rush of excitement she felt at the news was unmatched and she really hoped that she would get the job. She was positive about it.

The girls went shopping during the weekend. Jasmine's boyfriend sent her some extra cash as an apology for his forgetfulness. She took Kathlyn into different stores, making sure to buy only the best things for her. They got back home pretty late that night after stopping at a restaurant to have dinner. Jasmine dropped at her place while Kathlyn continued the journey alone. She was amazed to find another notice on her door when she got home.

She looked around the environment but saw nobody. She tore out the notice and squeezed it. She got into her apartment and dropped the shopping bags on the table before going back to lock the door.

"As soon as I get a high paying job, I will leave this stupid neighborhood and go to a place where tenants are valued" She mumbled angrily feeling insulted by the notice from her landlord. She walked up to her room and took off her clothes before hitting the shower. She let her brunette hair fall to her back and threw on a short and a big comfortable shirt.