Bound To Be Marked

Note: this is unedited, I may have duplicate scenes, grammar error, lots of typos but will edit them eventually after, thoroughly! _ "That's only your job and you can't even do that properly!" the voice of the manager echoed inside the kitchen, startling almost everyone and the poor guy she's yelling at to shrink on his shoulders. Jay trembles in his place, his hands sweating as his heart hammering inside his chest; about to jump out of his body anytime. "I-I'm really--" "God! We don’t need an employee as dumb are you-- get out!" she screamed, ears and nose producing an imaginary smoke out of anger. His eyes widened because no, he can't have her fired him. This is the only job and restaurant accepts him with the education he reached. "Please--" "I said get out! You're fired!" She faced her back, massaging her temples. The other employees just watching, doesn’t want to involve themselves though they wanna help. It's risky and losing a job at times like this is gonna be a pain in the ass. "Ma'am.." Jay still wants to push the rejection but stops himself midway as he doesn’t want to involve others and drag them with him. He removed his apron silently, uncovering his black shirt with stains from the food he spilled. He was about to untag the pin on his left chest but a hand stopped him from doing so, he looked up and his eyes landed on a guy with concerned looks. "No--" Jay shook his head and mumbled a silent "I'll just call you later." He left with an eerily silence that stopped immediately as he stormed out of the kitchen, the whispering sounds of customers, gossiping ringing through his ears. The cold breeze touched his skin as soon as he stepped outside the glass door, the sunlight giving enough heat for him not to shiver in the cold. The weather's been unusual, there was a sun but the night's incredibly cold. "Now what I'm gonna do.." he helplessly groaned, watching as his small feet shrink on little water, wetting his socks a little. "Life's so sht. Why do you hate me that much?" he asks in the air, blowing a smoke because of the weather. He made his way back to his apartment, the firing scene isn't even clear on his mind. It happened so suddenly but he's also tired, too tired. Unfortunately, it wasn't really his fault the tray slipped off his hands and fell on one of their regular customers. He just happened to be walking in his direction, ready to serve the food the customer had ordered, but one of his co-workers accidentally hit him. He was the one who stopped him from removing the pin where his name was engraved, Jay can tell the truth but he didn’t. It's the matter of who really needs the job, and in his guess, it wasn't himself. "Oh hey," the voice of an old lady came from his right and saw the landlady. "You got off from work early? Are you sick?" He shook his head, heart jumping a little as a jolt of happiness strikes his heart from simple questions and concerns. "Ah, no. I quit my job," he told her, she was confused at first before a sad yet knowing smile appears on her face. "You know you're not a good liar," she spoke. Jay couldn't be more embarrassed of being caught. His ears turned red and his face felt warm. "Sorry.. Don’t worry, I'll try to find a job so I can still--" he was cut to feel a warm hand on his shoulders, slightly squeezing it. "Don’t worry about that. You go to your unit and rest, the day's still long. I'll knock on your door later to give you the soup I'm gonna cook," she said gently. He was taken aback, not expecting this kind of response. Because for him, this is the worst day he has experienced of living alone so far. "Do you want me to accompany you?" he asks, accepting the offer indirectly and offering help. "If you don’t mind why not?" Her voice echoed in the hallway. Jay excused himself to at least change his clothes. The smell of smoke, food stains and different perfumes from customers mixed up on his shirt. Disgusting... The landlady's not that old, but he can guess she's already forty years old. What's confusing him is he never saw anyone visiting her nor her supposed to be grandchilds if she has already. "I'm sorry for waiting! Let's go grandma!" he cheered up, flashing a smile and his eyes turning into crescent. "I told you not to call me grandma! I'm still not old!" she complained. ___ "Can you go to the vegetable section?" "Sure!" Jay made sure he brought with him the heavy items and left the lightest ones on her baskets before leaving. He's chanting the ingredients on his mind in order not to forget them. "Cabbage, carrots , potatoes.." he whispered in a small voice, eyes hawking around to find the ingredients he needed. "Gotcha!" he said in victory. He immediately put two of the said vegetables and quickly looked for the potatoes on the other section. Is potatoes vegetables? he thought. His short limbs stretched as he tried to reach the potatoes. Choosing the package containing larger ones, it's the way he calls practical. He was about to leave the vegetable section when he noticed a man, 182cm in height, standing frozen in front of the price check machine. Didn’t he know how to use that? he curiously asks in his mind. The man holding two bags of chips on his hand, holding them one hand. His eyes were staring at the machine as if he could command it to do its job itself. Weirdo, he said and faced his back but didn’t leave as he was told himself. "Uh, this will be the last I'm gonna mind others business." he grunted before turning around and walking on him. The guy seems not to notice his presence even if his steps are soundly. Jay stops not too far, irritated to see how small he is standing close to him. I hate everyone. He sighs before opening his mouth. "You need to put the code imprinted on bags of chips and place it correctly for the machine to read the price." he instructed. The man startled a little, but was too stiff. His eyes landed on him, looking down. Minutes later and he's still staring. "Uh, did you hear me?" Jay asks again, moving his head. "Hey?" The man didn’t budge and stare at him instead. Okay, he's starting to creep me out. "Fine, I'll show you. Where are you from, this is the technology nowadays." he said, grabbing his hand holding the chips and lifting it.