Jobless Level Unlocked
It’s been eight years since high school graduation and everyone else seems to be making it really, well except for Kailin Spock. After high school graduation, Kailin had to forego all her aspirations of furthering her career and becoming a lawyer as their simply was no funds for it and with her father suddenly abandoning them for some hot young Mexican, things became much more harder for them financially and being the eldest she had to look for work to help support her mom and her five siblings.
***
Kailin trudged up the first flight of stairs in their old apartment building, her legs reluctant and heavy, her shoulders slumped with the burden of one bearing sad news. Soon she was on the third flight of stairs and despite how slow she moved she still got closer than she would have liked to their apartment door on the first floor.
At the door, Kailin paused, her eyes heavy with unshed tears as she looked around her, despite their neighbors being fellow low-income earners, their apartment seemed the shabbiest, their door worn down, the outer wood breaking off at the edges.
She knocked once, then again. Every other resident should be at home now as she usually comes back the latest.
Her mother answered the door.
“Hey, honey” her mother answered, her smile warm and welcoming, “welcome”
She gave a weak smile in return, or that’s what she thought she did in her head.
As Kailin got into their rundown two bedroom apartment located in the slums of New York, she saw her youngest siblings, 16year old Nick and soon to be 18 year old Jen arguing heatedly about something; 20year old Oliver seriously studying by the side while trying to ignore his noisy siblings, 24year old Dakota looking for her boots under the living room couch as she prepared to go out for her night work at some nightclub in a better neighborhood not far from theirs, 22 year old Max lying lazily on the couch seriously tapping away on his phone; while their mother, 44year old Heather Spock was preparing dinner in their small tight cooking space that is more of a kitchenette than an actual kitchen, her blonde hair in a messy bun as she tries to stop the younger ones from arguing and answering Dakota’s questions about the whereabouts of her glittering boots at the same time.
Kailin sighs, her first thought as she dropped her bag by the door and pulled of her shoes was; this space is getting too small for them, then her second thought was; how would she break the news to them that she just lost her job today? How could she when she and her mom are the active breadwinners of the family.
Dakota is believed to make sizable money from the nightclub gig but she barely brings any home rather its new shiny items every next day (Kailin had advised her to leave the job countless of times as it is really of no benefit and is unnecessary risk, sometimes fights break out in the club or there is a police raid, there is always something), Max would rather spend hours on his phone than go look for actual work, finding new get rich quick avenues everyday that never work for him and if anyone talks too much he would say that he is a trader (like he has made even a dollar in forex trading), the other sibling who is trying is Oliver though he only works part time at least he contributes to the family and being the smart one in the family he has saved them his college tuition by getting an actual scholarship (though it’s partial). He is already in his third year and is set to be the first university graduate from their family. The younger ones are here/there, Jen would be concluding high school this month and Kailin would actually like for her to go to university, she is good in sports so maybe she can get a sports scholarship.
“Kailin!” Oliver said as he looked up from his book, being the first to notice her presence, “Welcome, how was your day?”
“It was good, thank you” she sighed as she plodded down on one of the dining chairs, Oliver moving his books to make space for her.
“Are you sure all is good?” He asked, “You look pretty exhausted”
“I am fine” she tried feigning a smile but once again she wasn’t sure it came out as expected, Oliver bought it anyway and went back to his books.
“Dinner is ready!” Mum announced, causing all to head towards the dining table as Oliver cleared his books and readied for dinner. Max jumped over the couch to get to the table. The only one who didn’t rush the dining table was Dakota.
“Dakota, won’t you have dinner before you leave?” Heather asked her second daughter as she sat down to dinner. Max, Jen and Nick didn’t care if their sister ate or not as they had already began filling their plates.
“Nah, I will just have something later” Dakota said as she zipped her now-found impossibly high glittering bright blue boots that matched her glittering blue short top she wore over long skintight leather pants. Kailin watched her as she finished with her boots and went to the mirror by the door to fluff out her blonde hair like their mother’s (as well as Kailin and Nick).
“We both know the night club doesn’t serve food” Kailin highlighted, “Have dinner before you go”
“You don’t want to go drinking on an empty stomach” Nick muttered as he began to eat.
“Shut up” Dakota said to the kid as she walked over to the table to at least have something in her stomach before she gets to work tonight. Max snickered with his mouth full, “Thought you said you weren’t going to eat, I was ready to have your share”
“Shut it, Max!” Both Dakota and Kailin said at the same time.
