An Original Story by Cadence Jasiel Page

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Introduction

Ever been to Manhattan? The strobing lights of the city can truly hypnotize you. It’s a bustling place, full of modern buildings and important people. One of the newest buildings, only a few years old, is Ritz Manor. It’s a gorgeous 50 story structure that holds apartments, work offices, a gym, a bar, a restaurant, and even a rooftop pool. Many of the city’s top businesses rent out the offices in Ritz Manor for their employees. Johnny Ritz, the business mogul that erected this building lives proudly at the top penthouse, overseeing the city and all of the activity in the manor. His favorite activity to watch, perhaps, is all of the commotion going on in the downunder.

As you probably imagined, living in Ritz Manor is very expensive, and only well to do business men and women who work there are allowed to live in one of its many condos. However, there was one big clause the city mandated onto Johnny when building the Ritz. In order to minimize the effects of gentrification, Johnny had to offer a portion of his apartments to low income families. And he did, but not in the way you may have expected.

The Ritz wasn’t always the Ritz. It used to be a plain 10 story apartment complex with a back courtyard. It was a really old, filthy and grimy structure. The living conditions weren’t the best, by any means. There were roaches, rats, cracking ceilings and lifting floors. But, it was super cheap to live in; giving a home to those that were just trying to get by in this expensive city. It was also crowded, like… super crowded, and, you guessed it, filled with crime. Drug dealers, gangs, and the city’s outcasts infested it’s apartments. Cityside Courtyard, what it was called then, would often make an appearance on your local news, and it wasn’t pretty.

You might be wondering what this all has to do with Johnny and the Ritz. Remember when I said he had to offer low income families a place to stay? Well, he did, but in a way that’s so disgusting it may anger you. Johnny didn’t tear down the wretched building and start over….no no no. The snake left the basement of the building intact and turned it into apartments. Two stories of apartments in a basement full of god knows what and god knows who while the fresh new condos for the employees sat on top.

Why does this matter to me? I’m Jesleene Maldonado, and I’m a dental assistant working in the Ritz. It’s such an amazing and modern place to be employed at, so in some respects, I’d say I’m lucky. I make a salary of nearly 55k a year. I know that doesn’t make me super rich, but hey, it makes for a decent living. You probably guessed that I live at the Ritz, and I do…. Well.. kinda. Though I work there, I don’t get to live in the Ritz’s condos. I’m not seen as someone worthy of a comfortable life in society. I’ve spent the last 5 years of my life hiding myself and hoping no one notices me.

That’s why I live in the downunder.

Chapter One

The alarm blared “Medication” by Yungblud as Jasleene reached her arm under her pillow frantically to turn it off. It was 6 am on a Friday morning. Getting ready for work was never her favorite part of the day, for multiple reasons. For one, it meant she would have to deal with her asshole boss. She loved being a dental assistant, and she loved working at the Ritz Manor, but she didn’t love Dr. Smith. He was the epitome of homophobic, racist, and rich. Just filthy, nasty, rich. The only plus side to working for him specifically was that he provided dental care for so many of her favorite celebrities. 

“Thank the heavens it’s Friday”, she thought as she slinkied herself out of her soft, warm and super cozy comforters. She took a moment to look around her room and started reflecting on the life she had made for herself. Everything in her room was pink. The sheets, the curtains, even the tiny little makeshift vanity she put together made out of an old bookshelf and a computer desk. Her room smelt of cupcake and vanilla thanks to her favorite dollar store candle. 

Jasleene walked over to the mirror and sighed as she slumped into the chair and stared into her vanity mirror. Her hair was a curly mess of cotton candy pink and her face was smeared with makeup from the night before. She touched her face and giggled at the thought of her best friend Jason running about her apartment in her mini skirt and bra as they guzzled tequila sprites. Jason was such a mess, but he was just the mess she needed after a terrible Thursday at work with Mr. Smith. However, she quickly started to regret the night’s happenings when she felt the headache come on. Nothing a little black coffee can’t fix, right?

She headed over to her tiny kitchen to be greeted by her pomeranian Noah and his army of friends…the roaches. They were all over. No matter how clean Jasleene kept her apartment, she’d find roaches scurrying about. 

“Woof, WOOF!” Noah was always so excited to see his mommy. Oh, how Jasleene loved him. Noah was one of the only souls, besides Jason, that saw her for who she truly was and he loved her unconditionally. 

*Stomp Stomp* 

“Ugh, just die already. You’re so GROSS” she yelled as she stomped out the roaches and picked up her dog into a warm embrace. “Mommy got the big bad roaches huh? Yes she diiiiiiiiid”. Noah loved when she tousled his fur and spoke in her baby voice to him. He was definitely spoiled.

“Shit! Mommy’s gotta go!” She didn’t realize that it was already 6:20am! No time for breakfast today, but thankfully all she had to do was take an elevator up to the office by 7.

Truthfully, Jasleene would always procrastinate getting ready. It was her least favorite thing to do. Her body… she hated it. She didn’t want to, but she did. No matter how hard she tried to love herself for who she was, she couldn’t.

As she hurried over to her closet of the bathroom, she felt the anxiety start to build in her stomach. It bubbled and hollowed in a rhythmic pattern of dismay. Once in the bathroom, she closed her eyes and immediately felt her cheeks wet with warm tears. She pulled down her top, careful not to touch her wide shoulders or her flat chest. Her pajama shorts were next, and as she pulled those down, she felt the soft pat of her penis against her leg. It made her whole body shudder. 

“Deep breathing, Jas. Just do some deep breathing” she repeated over and over in her mind. “It’s just a shower”.

Jasleene stepped into her shower and turned the faucet to as hot as she could stand it. She stood there, holding her body and weeping. The water ran pink as it did every day. She loved that about her hair dye…. It always left a little pink in the shower. As the pink water kissed her toes, she smiled a little and wiped her tears. Grabbing her Hello Kitty bath wash, she started to clean herself and get ready for her day.

“It does always run pink….” she giggled.

And it always did.

Chapter 2

“Step into my office, now.” Dr. Smith said as he leaned in and tapped Jasleene on the shoulder. She had just finished getting into her uniform and was about to step out into the waiting room to help patients. She let out a small huff as she followed Smith into his office and sat in front of his desk.

“Ms. Maldonado. We’ve discussed this before. Why aren’t you wearing makeup?”

“Sorry, Dr. Smith….” she murmured, hanging her head low and trying her best not to make any eye contact with the man in front of her. They had indeed discussed this before. Dr. Smith had made it very apparent that he did not care for the way Jasleene looked without makeup, and because he had very esteemed clients, he was adamant that all of his dental assistants looked their best.

“Sorry doesn’t cut it. You look like a man in a wig. You know, sometimes you make me regret taking a chance on you, Jasleene. Go home and come back with some ma—” Dr. Smith was cut off by his phone ringing. He put up his index finger, signaling Jasleene to wait, and took the call.

“Yes? … I see… well, tell him we’ll see him now”.

Jasleene felt the anxiety building up in her chest again as she hung her head even lower and shifted her feet on the ugly blue carpet that spread across the entirety of Smith’s office.

“You’re lucky” Dr. Smith sighed as he hung up his phone. “Our patient is coming in early for some cosmetic work. I need you in Room One now”.

Though she was hearing his words, her mind was fluttering off to the day she graduated 5 years ago. She was top of her class, certain to be a first pick by any dentist office, right? Wrong. At the time, she was not very deep into her transition and unfortunately, her appearance made her life rough. She had been bouncing from office to office because of complaints from clients and patients.

Cosmetic dentistry was such a prestigious field to work in, but that meant the clients were prissy. The office had to be upscale and perfect, the dentistry had to be top of the line, and every single human in the office had to be beautiful. After all, A-list celebrities didn’t want to get worked on by the average Joe, right? 

It was hard for any office to deny Jasleene’s work ethic, skill, and great personality, so it was a shame that her appearance and her truth always held her back. Dr. Smith had been the man to employ her for the longest; it’s been about two years since she’s been working for him. He wasn’t a good man, but she was afraid no one else would ever hire her, so she stuck by him.

“Jasleene! Room One, now!”

“Oh, s-sorry. I spaced out. Right away, sir.”

“Would you pay more attention if I called you Joseph?”

Joseph. Jasleene’s stomach dropped to her ankles and her fingertips went cold. Hearing Smith say that name brought her back to when she was begging him for a position at his office. She knew she had the skill and the know-how to fit the job description, so she had to prove to him that she wouldn’t fuck him over. It was when he made her promise to always wear makeup, every single day, because if not, people would find out the truth. It was when he made her tell him every little detail of her transition, from top breast implants to hormones, to getting kicked out of her home, to her birth name. Hearing that name brought her back to those terrible moments with him, and reminded her that he would use her truth against her at any moment he could.

Dr. Smith was in power, and he would always be in power.