Project Servile : Defect [Book #1] ✔ Complete!

➽ F o u r : Worker

"Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky."  
- Rabindranath Tagore

When Becca knocked on my door that morning, I was struggling with a garment I found buried in my closet. I never put on more than a simple cloth gown before and it seemed that I decided to try on an outfit that was overly complicated. I answered the door knowing it was her, with the fabric around my ankles and a frustrated huff. She looked like she was trying not to laugh in my face with how her cheeks reddened and how wide her eyes bulged. I looked down at my failure, back at her, and felt tears beginning to form. I couldn't believe I was going to be undone by a common article of clothing.

Her amusement faltered after looking at my expression. She stepped inside my room and shut the door. "First tip, the shirt should go on before these pants. They are high waisted and will look better with the blouse tucked in. You picked a good combination." She reassured me, with a smile.

She held up the red top that was going to hang off one of my shoulders with a small ruffle around the neckline, the rest of it was soft and smooth. Becca walked over to me and placed it over my head. Then she crouched down on her knees to pull the trousers over the tight hem. "Now, there are four buttons. This small plastic one gets anchored first, on the inside. Then these three metal ones just make the waist tighter if you want."

I watched Becca handle them with ease and I couldn't squash the slight feeling of envy. She made it look so simple however I was struggling a lot longer than I wanted to admit to figure it out. She then grabbed the belt that was hanging limply to the side. "This kind of accessory attaches to the side, it's more for show than realistic function."

With a small grunt and a smile at the sound of it clicking into place, Becca stood up to tower over me again. I smiled at her, the motion unfamiliar on my face. Everything felt unfamiliar. I could feel the twitching nervousness my body was giving off, like an electric shock. I was so used to being beaten and abused, I think I was going through some kind of withdrawal. Going from being seen as a useless scum of life who had no rights to a person was a shock to my system.

There was no mistaking that Becca noticed my face slip into a frown at the same moment I felt it. She put her arm on my shoulder as light as she could. "Let's go get something to eat. I have a feeling you might really love this. You have to be so hungry."

I wasn't. I was only allowed to eat once a week and I ate the day before the Auction. My body adjusted after so many years of the same schedule. I found myself nodding anyway, I didn't want to bring up all the things my life used to be. The look she gave me in Nan's office yesterday was burned into my mind, I understood instantly that she too had a horrifying history. If she could be like this now after all that, I'm sure my body would adjust the same as it did before. I just had to let it.

She grabbed my hand to pull me towards the door. "Evan is like a super genius when it comes to food! I've eaten things I never would have thought to willingly try."