She quietly sat at her desk, trying not to nod off on the job. She slapped her cheeks then looked at the monitor, making sure nothing went unseen. She heard faint footsteps on the marble floor that eventually grew louder. Her coworker appeared, a snack in one hand and a water bottle in the other.

"What's up, cutie?" he said with a suggestive look.

"Eat shit." she replied with an innocent smile.

"Don't be like that, Corliss. Entertain a guy. It's boring 'round here." he said with a shake of his head.

"Isn't that a good thing? If you don't have anything important to tell me, leave." said Corliss, checking on the monitor.

Her coworker sighed then peeked at the monitor. Nothing was going on as usual. Corliss quietly used her phone, unaware of her coworker lurking close behind her. She dropped her phone as her coworker seized her hand and covered her mouth to prevent others from hearing. Corliss tried kicking her way free, only for him to easily dodge them.

"What's with this, huh? Wearing a long skirt. Why not keep it short like the other women?" he asked, not really expecting an answer.

Corliss glared daggers at him, still struggling to break free. If there was anything she hated most about this job, it was this man, Nakamoto Shinzo. Ever since day one he had been harassing her, even after being told off by their superior. She couldn't quit, otherwise she'd be up to her neck in unpaid bills and barely able to sustain a livelihood.

She turned her head as he moved in for a kiss. It was then she had an idea. She allowed him to come closer then hit him with a head butt. She ran to another security guard's station, knowing she'd be safe there.

"Hey, why are you so out of breath? Did you miss me?" he joked, giving her a tissue to wipe her sweat.

"I can't do this, Yuya. Nakamoto needs to be fired." said Corliss, holding her head. "He tried forcing me to kiss him... he held my wrists so tight... I couldn't scream..."

"Corliss..." Yuya whispered. "I'll go beat him up for you."

"No, just, let me stay here with you." said Corliss then remembered she left her phone. "I left my phone..."

"I'll get it for you. Stay here." he said before taking off.

Corliss sat against the wall, wrapping her arms around herself. What if's plagued her mind, wondering just how dangerous the situation could've gotten. She made a mental note to tell her superior in hopes of getting Nakamoto fired and not just suspended.

____

Corliss walked beside Yuya as they both were headed in the same direction. They would always part ways once they reached the train station.

"Hey, Liss." Yuya called out. Corliss looked at him. "Maybe you should ask to relocate."

Corliss looked at him with wide eyes.

"Are you trying to say I'm the problem? That everything that happens between him and I is my fault?" Corliss asked in disbelief.

"That's not-" he started.

"Whether you meant it like that or not, what you said still says that I, the victim, should have to leave to cater to him, the problem." said Corliss before briskly walking away.

"Liss, that's really not what I meant!" he shouted. "Liss!"

Corliss sat down on the farthest end of the platform then felt her mood darken. Even Yuya, who she had come to trust, was siding with the problem. She had long since started looking for a new job, but places either rejected her or never got back to her. The train sounded as it started to pull into the station. She boarded the train, uncaring if it was the right train or not.

Corliss fell asleep not too long after she had sat down. Her body had finally given in due to fatigue. Her head rested against a man's body. He looked at her, ready to complain until he saw the bags under her eyes. He kept quiet. It wasn't like she was doing anything harmful to him. The least he could do was allow her to sleep. He quietly used his phone, aware that his stop would be coming up and he'd have to wake her up.

Corliss jolted awake frantically looking around before yawning. It was then she registered that she was leaning against someone.

"I'm so sorry! I must have been an inconvenience... You could've woken me up or moved over..." she said, feeling guilt.

"I didn't really mind. You looked tired, so I decided to let you sleep." he said, looking at her.

"When you work as a security guard, you do end up doing long hours with minimal breaks." she said with forced laughter.

"Are you just getting off work?" he asked, a bit intrigued by the woman beside him.

"Yeah. I wish it ended off on a good note." Corliss replied softly.

They continued to talk, wanting to know more about the other. The man looked up, seeing his stop was next. Corliss still had two stops to go.

"So, you're getting off huh?" she asked, hoping she'd see him again.

"Yep. I guess you still have a ways to go?" he replied.

"Just a little. Will you be on this same train tomorrow?" she asked.

"No. I take it you want to meet again?" he said with a chuckle.

Corliss dug around in her bag just as the train started to slow to a stop in the station. She quickly wrote down an address and handed it to him.

"I work here during the day. I hope you stop by sometime." she said, beaming.

They said goodbye to each other and were soon separated by the cool metal doors. She sighed then looked herself over. What did men see when they first look at her anyway? Her blue eyes? Her slender legs? Her lipstick coated lips? If anything, she knew the men around her probably just wanted to take her to bed.

____

Corliss opened the door to her bathroom and stood in front of the mirror. She wiped off her makeup, revealing her bare face looking as disgusting as she remembered it. She touched her face, remembering her uncomfortable past.

"I'm happier this way..." she muttered, taking off her wig. "I won't live like that anymore."

Her natural blond hair peeked out from underneath the wig cap as if to remind her it still existed. She left the bathroom as she took off the cap, planning to do her usual wig care before knocking out for the night.