Summer Job
Endings
It was a peaceful Friday evening. Most of the students had already gone home for the semester, which meant that the campus was extremely quiet. The usual hustle and bustle of student life was nonexistent at this time of the year. Jessica Green was lounging on her bed, talking with her friend and flatmate Cory Fox. It was late May and the end of the academic year.
For most students, the thought of the summer holidays was fantastic as it meant not having to do assignments and exams, instead relaxing at home with their family. However, the thoughts of returning home to her family in the Bronx in New York was egregious for Jessica Green. Her family was dysfunctional and a constant source of stress for Jessica. Her mother was unemployed and a narcissist, and her father was an alcoholic who was never around, not to mention her drug-addicted older sister.
Jessica's top grades earned her a scholarship to a Los Angeles university, which delighted her as she could escape the chaos of her family. Jessica was studying psychology in LA and was thoroughly enjoying the course. She suspected that had more to do with being away from her family than the actual course content, but regardless, she had never been happier than she had been the past year.
She was excelling both academically and socially. Her grades were fantastic, and she was enjoying the LA dating scene. She had a date every few days, but she was highly selective about who she would date. Jessica was a beautiful nineteen-year-old woman. She was of average height with a thin body. She had shoulder length black hair and deep brown eyes that drove men crazy.
"I'm so fucked!" said Jessica aloud as she stared up at the ceiling of her dorm room. Wooden floors, white walls, and two single beds simply decorated the room. There was one window from which the Los Angeles skyline could be seen.
"It'll be okay, Jessica," said Cory from the opposite bed. "We will figure something out. There must be a way you can get a job for the summer." Cory's parents were rich lawyers who had funded her accommodation for the Summer as her parents were away in Europe working a high-profile legal case.
"There are no summer jobs available," said Jessica dejectedly. "I've tried restaurants, hotels and call centers, but no one will take on a sociology student for the summer. I would do literally anything for work. I just can't return home to my family." There were a few minutes of silence before Cory finally spoke.
"There could be something," Cory said as she sat up in the bed. Cory was a tall, blonde-haired woman, twenty years old and was also studying in LA. "I was out at a party last week, and one of my friends said that there was a famous Hollywood director's agent out scouting for a woman to work at his house for the summer."
"Why didn't you say this before?" asked Jessica incredulously as she sat up in her bed. "I said I'd take any work that I can get. Why were you holding out on me, girl?" asked Jessica teasingly.
"To be honest, it doesn't sound real. Apparently, the director wants to hire a woman to dress up as a mermaid for the summer and lounge around in his pool. I mean, first, that is some kinky ass shit, and second, no way that is legit," laughed Cory.
"Do you have a contact number for the job?" asked Jessica. This could be the perfect opportunity for her. The director would surely pay well, and the job would allow her to remain in LA for the entire summer holidays until next semester started.
"Girl, did you not listen to a word I just said?" asked Cory in disbelief. "This could be some sick, weird Hollywood bullshit. I don't want you getting involved in it. Just forget I said anything."
"Cory, please, I'm begging you!" pleaded Jessica as she jumped up off her bed and ran over to her friend. "I need this job more than you could ever know. I can't go home to my family. You do not know how toxic they are!" Cory studied Jessica carefully before reaching into her bedside locker and fishing out a business card.
"Okay Jessica, just promise me you will be careful," said Cory with concern in her voice. "You're my best friend and I want nothing bad to happen to you, especially if it's my fault." Jessica accepted the card and hugged her friend tightly.
"Thank you Cory, I'll take care of myself. Don't worry, I'm a big girl," Jessica said. She got off Cory's bed and studied the business card. It listed a Mr. Calvin Burton and a phone number. "I'll be back in a few minutes. I'm just going to give the number on the card a call."
"Good luck, girl," wished Cory to her friend as Jessica left the dorm room and went into the cramped kitchen they shared. The kitchen was extremely clean. Both women were very neat and tidy and liked to keep the apartment that way, too.
Jessica dialed the number and waited patient for the call to connect. Eventually, she heard a voice at the other end of the phone.
"Hi, this is Calvin. How can I help you today?" asked the pleasant voice on the phone.
"Hey there, my name is Jessica. I'm ringing about the, eh, mermaid opportunity? My friend gave me your business card and told me you were looking for someone for a summer job," said Jessica, realizing how ridiculous she sounded on the phone.
"That's fantastic!" replied Calvin. "Now, there is just one little thing that I have to take care of before we begin. I gave out quite a few of those cards to women I thought might be suitable candidates for the job. You mentioned you got your card from a friend. I hate to sound insensitive, but I will require a photo to see what you look like. Appearances are very important in my business. I'm sure you can oblige. If you wouldn't mind just sending me selfie now while we are on the call together, I'll let you know if you are suitable."
"Yeah, okay. I can do that now," said Jessica as she placed her phone in front of her and selected her camera app. She supposed it was important that the agent knew what she looked like before he would offer her the role. She supposed he was screening her, like any job interview.
Jessica made the cutest face she knew how to, saved the photo and sent it to the agent. She was slightly nervous as she waited for his reply. Jessica knew she was objectively a beautiful woman, but beauty was in the beholder's eye she knew.
"You are stunning," said Calvin after a minute. "You are one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen, and that is saying something as I'm a Hollywood agent, and some actresses I represent are solid tens. Let me guess, you are an aspiring actress yourself?" asked Calvin.
"No, no," replied Jessica quickly. "I'm a sociology student studying here in LA. I'm originally from New York, but I don't want to go back there for personal reasons."
"Sociology, well that's different to the profile of the people I usually work with," laughed Calvin. "You must be intelligent to study that," Calvin said, complimenting her.
"I try," laughed Jessica. "So, this job. What exactly does it entail?"
"To be honest with you, Jessica, I have little more information than what you have already heard. A famous movie director, whom you'll meet soon, tasked me with recruiting a woman for a summer job. The job in question involves, from what he said to me over the phone, being a mermaid. I assume you will have to dress up some mermaid prosthetics for the summer and lounge around his pool in the Hollywood Hills. Doesn't sound too bad, eh?" said Calvin.
"It sounds too good to be true," replied Jessica. "Unfortunately, I really need this job, so if you are happy to recommend me to the director, I will certainly take the job."
"Excellent, Jessica. I'm happy to choose you as the candidate for the job," said Calvin. "Excellent, Jessica. Minimum wage is the salary for this job, and the director requires you to live at his house for the contract period."
"Money is not an issue to me," said Jessica. "I'm more interested in having somewhere to stay for the summer, so this is perfect for me. When can I meet with the director?" asked Jessica.
"Let me just check his calendar, one second," said Calvin. "Okay, would tomorrow morning be okay for you? I know it's short notice, but the director is keen to get this in motion as soon as possible."
"That's fine with me," said Jessica. "Just text me the time and place and I'll be there," promised Jessica.
"Okay," said Calvin. "That concludes our business then. My part of the job is done, so I won't be seeing you again. I've messaged the director and told him you are coming to visit him tomorrow. Hopefully, he will hire you. I've given you a glowing recommendation. Good luck, Jessica!"
"Thank you, Calvin," said Jessica as she ended the call. She hugged the phone to her chest for a moment as she felt relief wash over her. She was so close to getting a job for the summer, and that meant that she wouldn't have to suffer alone in her parent's house for months.
"How did it go?" asked Cory as she entered the kitchen. "I heard you stop speaking on the phone, so I knew it was safe to come out," she said.
"Fantastic!" replied Jessica. "I really vibed with the agent, and he was so nice. I have an interview tomorrow at the director's house. If the director is happy to hire me, then I'm in business!" laughed Jessica.
"That's great, Jess," said Cory. "I'm sure you'll do fine tomorrow. Just remember, if you feel uncomfortable with this director, please just call me and I'll come and collect you in my car." Cory was the only woman in the house who had a driver's license. Jessica couldn't afford to pay for lessons, let alone a car.
"Thanks, girl," replied Jessica as she sat down at the kitchen table. "I will live at the director's house as well for the summer. Will you promise you will call up to see me every week?"
"Jess, you're going to be wearing a mermaid's tail and a sea shell bikini in some rich Hollywood types's garden. You will look utterly ridiculous, and I wouldn't miss the opportunity to give you shit over it for the world," said Cory jokingly.
"Thanks for the encouragement," said Jessica sarcastically as she smiled at her friend. "The job should be simple, but it is really going to fuck up my dating life if I have to live with the director. I won't get laid all summer," Jessica joked.
"Well, at least you won't have to deal with your batshit parents," said Cory. "I'm glad you are staying here over the summer. Truth be told, I would have missed you terrible if you had gone home."
