Winter Swan

The man smiled again, showing off his beautiful white teeth. He tucked his business card in her hand and walked away with his group.

Silje stared at them for a long time in confusion. She realized that this was the second time today that someone asked her the same question.

Greg the bartender and this black guy.

Model…

She was barely surviving with her current life, so how could she even consider something like that?

Silje shook her head.

'My photos on the wall? Where? My body needs to be celebrated?'

How ridiculous. He seemed like a scammer, so without looking at the card, she crushed it and put it into her legging pocket.

Bang, bang.

The loud music continued.

Coming to this place had unintentionally caused her consciousness to come back from the shock. Her mind and heart were frozen since that fateful day, but they were slowly thawing.

Then suddenly, Silje heard a loud argument.

It was Sien.

"The man who was talking with me promised to pay for my drinks! So why are you asking me for money? Hey! Answer me! Why are you changing your story? Why are you lying! Are you insane?"

Sien was arguing with the bartender at the counter, and Silje could guess what had happened.

Silje didn't want to deal with this messy situation, so she turned around to walk away. Unfortunately, Sien saw her, and she started to yell at her to make an even bigger scene.

"Silje! That's right! You are the one who asked to come here, so you should pay for it!"

With that, she walked towards Silje with the men who appeared to be thugs who worked for the club. Silje blinked silently. This was not what she wanted, but it was happening. Sien was dragging Silje back into the real world, the same world Silje wanted to escape from.

Sien was a coward and a sneak. She saw Silje as easy prey and was trying to use her.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going? You are the one who begged me to bring you here. You need to pay!"

The thugs grabbed Silje's hand roughly and she glared at them with cold eyes. She was fully awake and aware now.

"Let. Me. Go."

It was a threat.

Silje was still very quiet, but her eyes and voice were predatory. Sien stared in confusion as Silje continued, "You need to pay. You are the one who dragged me here, right?"

As Silje emphasized each word slowly, Sien hesitated. It was clear that Silje was no one's prey.

After a short, uncertain silence, Sien finally backed down.

"A-alright. I will pay."

Sien bit her lips and took out her small pink wallet.

Silje watched quietly as Sien reluctantly paid the guy.

***

"Silje, do you know what time it is? You didn't forget that you need to make deliveries today, right?"

When she returned home early in the morning, Aunt Skina glared at her accusingly. Silje ignored her and started to walk up the stairs.

Aunt Skina yelled angrily, "Silje!"

"Aunt Skina, I'm tired so I am going to go to bed now."

With that calm announcement, Silje went to her bedroom while Aunt Skina gaped in shock.

She returned to the grimy bedroom with the old curtains, a table, a chair, and a Virgin Mary statue.

Slam!

She closed the door behind her and collapsed on her bed and into a dreamless sleep.

After short but deep sleep, Silje woke up with the sunrise and came down to the shop for work. Aunt Skina raised her eyebrows as she saw her come down, but she didn't say a word.

And just like that, another normal day followed.

She arranged the shelves and helped the customers.

Feeling Aunt Skina's constant disapproving look, Silje worked mindlessly. When the workday was finally over, her back ached badly but she ignored it. She returned home and went to bed.

It was the same the next day, and the day after that.

Then one day, which started off the same as usual, Silje was taking out the garbage bags when someone approached her slowly.

At first she couldn't remember who it was, but when the man smiled at her familiarly, Silje finally remembered.

He was tall, had neat brown hair, and a muscular body.

It was the bartender.

Greg.

"Hey. You are Siena's friend, right? You came to the bar recently?"

He recognized her immediately and continued, "Do you live around here? I do. Do you see that street over there? I live in the apartment on that street."

When Silje nodded awkwardly, Greg laughed in amusement.

"You aren't still hanging around Siena, right? When you get a chance, come by the bar again. I will make you a nice cocktail."

Before she could answer, Greg walked away whistling. Silje watched from behind and saw that Greg was with someone. It was another man with similarly muscular body, and they were holding hands together as they walked.

Suddenly, Greg turned around and yelled, "Whenever you need to, come by my store. You look like a corpse. When I first came to New York, I was like you too. I am a good listener."

Did the bar need more customers? As Greg walked away with a friendly wave, Silje became confused. Why did he keep inviting her to the place?

She couldn't understand.

Was it because they lived in the same neighborhood?

And she looked like a corpse?

Silje smiled bitterly. Quickly, she forgot about Greg and went back to her life again.

The next weekend, Silje was closing up the store and was about to leave for home when she faced an unwanted figure.

"Shut up! Why would I take your stupid change? Stop accusing me. I'm so sick of your nagging, old woman! You are slowly turning into that veggie store owner."

Sien slammed the Chinese medicine shop door and ran out. She was panting and when she saw Silje, she stopped.

Silje didn't want to be associated with this girl, so she ignored her and continued to walk. Silje knew Sien was trouble.

"Silje!"

When she ignored her, Sien grabbed her hand. Silje turned around in obvious annoyance and Sien begged desperately.

"I have something to tell you."

"I don't understand. Something to tell me? Didn't you do enough damage last time you dragged me to that club? Did you forget what you did to me?"

Even though Silje treated her coldly, Sien still begged her. In her tight jeans, she looked nervous.

"I'm starving and I know a good rice noodle place around here. Let's go out for dinner together."

"I don't want to, so let's just go our separate ways."

When Silje started to walk away again, Sien reddened and screamed, "Fine! I'm sorry. I was wrong and I apologize. Now let's go to the noodle shop. I'm hungry!"

People stared as Sien screamed in the middle of the street, but she seemed oblivious. Sien continued to look only at Silje and after a long silence, Silje asked, "Inviting me to dinner… Is this your way of apologizing?"

"Yes."

Sien nodded with a blush and after a few seconds, Silje started to walk.

"Where are you going?"

When Sien yelled again, Silje looked back and replied, "You said you wanted to go the rice noodle store, didn't you?"