“Thanks for your umbrella,” said Jaycee as she took out the umbrella from her sling bag.

“Err… It’s ok, you can keep it,” replied Amos who still was trying hard to recover from the shock.

“But I don’t even know you, how can I take your thing like that?” Jaycee retorted.

“But I know you. You’re the salesgirl from ‘This Fashion’ right?”

“Ya and I also know that you’ve been spying on me. Why har?”

“Err… I… I… want to be your friend.”

“Really? Ok lor, let's be friend. I’m Jaycee,” said Jaycee without hesitation.

“Huh? Oh! I’m Amos,” replied Amos who was caught off guard by Jaycee’s candidness.

After the shaky introduction, Amos suggested having a drink at a nearby coffee shop. Though their acquaintance was unusual, they hit it off quite readily and their relationship bloomed from there. Every evening he would be there to wait for her to knock off from work while on her days off, she would wait for him to finish class. They were in fact inseparable and would spend most of their free time together.

Jaycee was admiring the latest wear that she had just put on the mannequin. It was a low-cut polka dots satin dress. She liked the contrast of the colours and the feel of the material. She couldn’t wait to try it on to experience the silky texture on her body. Though it wasn’t cheap even after staff’s discount, she was prepared to pay for it if she looked good in it. The thought of owning it was enough to keep her spirits high throughout the day.

At the end of the day as Jaycee was preparing to leave, her supervisor, Corrine, called her into the office. Not suspecting anything, Jaycee stepped into the cubicle still in her good mood.

“It seemed that you like our latest collection a lot,” remarked Corrine.

Jaycee nodded.

“One of the dresses is unaccounted for. Do you happen to have it inside your sling bag?”

“Huh? Are you trying to say that I’ve taken the dress?” uttered Jaycee who couldn’t believe the accusation.

“Well, if you’ve not taken it, you won’t mind me searching your bag right?” asked Corrine.

Realising that it was fruitless to argue with her, Jaycee handed over her bag. Other than her personal stuff, there was no sign of the dress. Still not convinced of her innocence, Corrine demanded for a body search. Shocked by her unreasonable request, Jaycee was about to burst into a volley of expletives when one of the other salesgirls barged in.

“We have found the missing dress. It must have slid off the hanger and slipped under the display rack.”

Jaycee was relieved to hear that and just when she was expecting an apology from Corrine, she was told to leave. No apology. No remorse. No guilt feeling.

Jaycee was furious by what had happened. Though she was a school dropout, she didn’t deserve to be treated like a thief. She had thought of resigning but then it wasn’t her style to let Corrine off so lightly for her prejudice and humiliation. Just then, a sinister thought flashed across her mind. With her mind set, she walked briskly towards her usual rendezvous to meet her ‘dear’.