#64.2 Charity
Muse: Astrid Peth
Word Count: 586
Prompt: Charity @ oncoming_storms
"C'moooon Astrid, it'll be fun. Let your hair down for once. You never come out with us after work."
"I can't afford it." She shrugged, but as usual there was no regret to her refusal, in fact she smiled to herself. All her friends were going out to a club to dance and drink their wages away, and she was sure she'd have a great time if she went with them. But she was looking for something more than that; the bigger picture, a whole universe out there just waiting for her. And for that she needed to save, not fritter.
"For Vot's sake, you could if you'd stop banking all your credits for your stupid dream, how long have you been saving now? It feels like forever." Velma huffed with a sarcastic roll of her eyes.
"It's never gonna happen you know, you're just making yourself miserable. Life's passing you by Astrid, we're all out having fun and you're living on a prayer."
"I'm not miserable Velma, I'm quite happy thank you, and I'm almost there actually. If the next few weeks tip as well those brokers did last weekend, I'll have enough. Ticket to anywhere I feel like going. And anyway, I'm on the early shift in the morning, some sleep would be good first."
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The breakfast shift at the Space Port Diner was slow, always was on the weekend. The business shuttles were practically non-existent, and the tourist shuttle passengers never spent much, either saving their credits for their destination or they were returning and had already spent up. Still, there was a constant flow of customers, enough to keep her busy and not bored to tears watching the ships fly out and wishing she was on them.
A few hours into her shift, Velma arrived. She looked worse for wear, must have been a heavy night, Astrid thought, as the puffy eyed brunette strode in. As she neared the table Astrid was clearing though, it was obvious there was more to it than too much to drink and too little sleep.
"Are you alright Velma?"
That was apparently enough to make Velma burst into tears, and not for the first time that morning, judging by her tear stained cheeks and bloodshot eyes.
"I'm being evicted, unless I can pay six months of back rent by the end of the week, I'm being evicted Astrid and the e-note threatened legal action, and I haven't got a credit to my name. What am I gonna do?"
Astrid gently guided her towards a seat, putting her arm around her shoulders in an attempt to console her, rubbing her arm tenderly.
"Maybe you can get a loan?"
"Not officially, my credit score's so far in the red, no-one'll lend me anything. I have to find the money somehow though. Maybe I should vone one of those high-rate lenders?"
"No way!" Astrid stopped her before she could continue. "They're not just high-rate Velma, they're high-risk too. Like your kneecaps, high-risk."
Astrid sat down in the seat opposite, screw the diner and the cheap-skate tutting at the till waiting for her, this was more important.
"Isn't there anybody who can help you out? What about your Dad?"
Velma just shook her head, she was desperate, distraught and had nobody to turn to.
Astrid looked out of the window with a sigh, there was a shuttle leaving, off to somewhere new and exciting. Then she turned back to her friend with a smile.
"I can give you the credits."
Word Count: 586
Prompt: Charity @ oncoming_storms
"C'moooon Astrid, it'll be fun. Let your hair down for once. You never come out with us after work."
"I can't afford it." She shrugged, but as usual there was no regret to her refusal, in fact she smiled to herself. All her friends were going out to a club to dance and drink their wages away, and she was sure she'd have a great time if she went with them. But she was looking for something more than that; the bigger picture, a whole universe out there just waiting for her. And for that she needed to save, not fritter.
"For Vot's sake, you could if you'd stop banking all your credits for your stupid dream, how long have you been saving now? It feels like forever." Velma huffed with a sarcastic roll of her eyes.
"It's never gonna happen you know, you're just making yourself miserable. Life's passing you by Astrid, we're all out having fun and you're living on a prayer."
"I'm not miserable Velma, I'm quite happy thank you, and I'm almost there actually. If the next few weeks tip as well those brokers did last weekend, I'll have enough. Ticket to anywhere I feel like going. And anyway, I'm on the early shift in the morning, some sleep would be good first."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The breakfast shift at the Space Port Diner was slow, always was on the weekend. The business shuttles were practically non-existent, and the tourist shuttle passengers never spent much, either saving their credits for their destination or they were returning and had already spent up. Still, there was a constant flow of customers, enough to keep her busy and not bored to tears watching the ships fly out and wishing she was on them.
A few hours into her shift, Velma arrived. She looked worse for wear, must have been a heavy night, Astrid thought, as the puffy eyed brunette strode in. As she neared the table Astrid was clearing though, it was obvious there was more to it than too much to drink and too little sleep.
"Are you alright Velma?"
That was apparently enough to make Velma burst into tears, and not for the first time that morning, judging by her tear stained cheeks and bloodshot eyes.
"I'm being evicted, unless I can pay six months of back rent by the end of the week, I'm being evicted Astrid and the e-note threatened legal action, and I haven't got a credit to my name. What am I gonna do?"
Astrid gently guided her towards a seat, putting her arm around her shoulders in an attempt to console her, rubbing her arm tenderly.
"Maybe you can get a loan?"
"Not officially, my credit score's so far in the red, no-one'll lend me anything. I have to find the money somehow though. Maybe I should vone one of those high-rate lenders?"
"No way!" Astrid stopped her before she could continue. "They're not just high-rate Velma, they're high-risk too. Like your kneecaps, high-risk."
Astrid sat down in the seat opposite, screw the diner and the cheap-skate tutting at the till waiting for her, this was more important.
"Isn't there anybody who can help you out? What about your Dad?"
Velma just shook her head, she was desperate, distraught and had nobody to turn to.
Astrid looked out of the window with a sigh, there was a shuttle leaving, off to somewhere new and exciting. Then she turned back to her friend with a smile.
"I can give you the credits."