Child

"Lock up when you're done cleaning" a deep male voice echos and shuts the door.

"Sure boss" Phoenix replies sheepishly wiping the counter of the doughnut shop she works at, her ginger red hair is in a messy bun and she's wearing the shop's employee uniform, a royal blue tshirt with 'Jason's doughnut shop' boldly printed on it and beige pants. She removes the white apron on her neck so she can clean efficiently.

She picks up the mop after she finishes wiping the counter and dips the dry mop in the bucket of soap and water, she starts mopping the floor and gets water all over her black crocs. "Fuck" she mutters under her breath shaking the water off her crocs.

She zones out as she mops the floor, thinking about her whole life in and out of foster care and how she's going to take care of this month's rent for her tiny studio apartment a few blocks away from the doughnut shop.

"I can't believe I'm paying $600 a month for that piece of shit" she says out loud.

"All because I'm a minor" she sighs

She finishes moping and takes the mop and bucket to the closet at the back of the shop,she hears the sound of the door opening and shouts "We're closed"

She hears footsteps as they enter the shop anyway and the sound metal screeching of metal chair as the person pulls a seat, angrily she walks back to the front and sees a man staring at his phone, he's in his early 20s sitting on the metal chair at the right corner. He's wearing a dark blue Brioni single-breasted two-piece suit and a pair of black John Lobb skye lace-Up leather ankle Boots, his has his black hair slicked back and he has a slightly muscular build.

"Excuse me sir, we're closed" she says trying to hide the annoyance in her voice

"Yes I could see the sign" The man says still staring at his phone not bothering to look up at her. Hearing his reply makes her even more furious causing deep furrows in her brow. Just as she's about to say something he speaks again " Ill have a Boston cream doughnut, hurry up please I have somewhere to be" He looks up at her face this time and sees how angry she is, he smiles.

What the fuck, she thinks to herself. She stays in that same position and repeats herself with more anger in her voice "We're closed"

"I'll give you 500 dollars" he stares at her blankly and this time she sees his face properly, he has very thick long eyebrows, pale smooth skin,a small,slightly turned-up nose,big brown almond shaped eyes,pink heart shaped lips and a soft jawline. She almost refuses but that's more than enough to cover the rest of her rent this month.

He looks rich, let me rip him off, she says in her head.

"Make it 700" He complies and hands her 700 dollars.

"One Boston cream doughnut, coming up"

She runs to the back where the leftover doughnuts from earlier in the day were left off, she grabs a plate and napkin for that man and she puts the doughnut on it, she serves it to him and he shoves the whole thing in his mouth, she looks at him disgustedly while waiting for him to finish up.

He cleans his mouth with the napkin "That was delicious, thank you" he smiles

"You're welcome" He stands up heading for the door when another man enters. He's wearing the exact same suit but his is black instead and they have similar features but he had tan skin and he looks older, they're brothers she assumes. He's also in his early 20s

"We're closed, as you can see on the sign" She tells the man. He doesn't even acknowledge her existence, he turns to the other man "Let's go, it's late"

"Thank you" The first man says to me again.

"A tip would be nice too"

'Oh' he mouths and grabs 200 dollars from his pocket and gives it to her.

As they're leaving the second guy trips on one of the chairs making him fall to the ground, Phoenix rushes to him to help him up while his younger brother laughs. He looks at her this time and he's shocked, like he just saw a ghost, he gets up hurriedly and his brother stops laughing,suddenly everywhere's quiet and the lights randomly go off as he stares at her face. "Out, now" He tells his brother and he obeys.

He still has a shocked expression on his face as he stares at Phoenix. "Why are you staring at her like that?" His brother asks peeping his head from the door. He looks at Phoenix one last time and walks hurriedly out the door. The two brothers walk away and enter their car which is parked across the street. She looks closely and it's a red 2022 Mercedes-Maybach S-Class making her think she should have charged them them for more.