Chapter 2

Monday arrived quickly. Ariana got up early in the morning around 4am. She made food for her family. She arranged her books in her bag as she left home. She has delivery to do before going to school. With quick efficiency, she delivered milk and newspapers until 7:30 am. However, as she glanced at her watch, a look of realization crossed her face. She was running late.

"Shit!" Ariana exclaimed under her breath, feeling the pressure building up. She swiftly finished her remaining deliveries and rushed towards school, urgently trying to make up for lost time. By the time she arrived at 8 am, she knew that class was about to start.

In a hasty manner, Ariana made her way to the locker room, grabbing her textbooks from her locker. She wiped away the beads of sweat on her forehead with a handkerchief and took a moment to tidy herself up, fixing her skirt and adjusting her shirt. Once she felt presentable, she locked her locker and headed towards her classroom.

Just as Ariana was making her way through the hallway, a group of girls carelessly bumped into her, causing her books to scatter across the floor. Without even looking up, Ariana already knew who had caused the commotion. It was Casey, the so-called queen bee, surrounded by her loyal followers.

Casey, Nora, and Sofia were the spoiled heiresses of influential parents. Casey's dad happened to be the city's mayor, Nora's dad owned a renowned mining industry, and Sofia's father was the owner of a highly successful gaming company. The three girls exuded an air of entitlement and arrogance wherever they went.

"Oh look, it's a charity case. Running late today, are we?" Casey sneered, her words dripping with sarcasm.

Ariana knew that this encounter meant trouble. Trying to regain her composure, she quickly gathered her books, but in her haste, her bag tumbled to the ground, spilling its contents.

"Let me help you pack," Nora offered, seemingly with genuine concern as she squatted down to assist.

"No need, I'm fine," Ariana said, her voice tinged with a hint of defensiveness. She quickly packed her bag and stood up, feeling a mix of frustration and disappointment.

"Oh, the stench! It's unbearable," Sofia commented, crinkling her nose. Swiftly pulling out a small perfume bottle from her pocket, she sprayed a cloud of fragrant mist into the air, inhaling the sweet scent.

Eager to escape the uncomfortable situation, Ariana hurried away towards her classroom without a word. Little did she know, Nora, discreetly picked up the letter she had penned earlier that morning. Ariana had planned to send it to her uncle in California once the school day ended asking for help since he is ignoring her calls.

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After finishing her classes for the day, Ariana headed to the coffee shop where she worked in the afternoons after school. As she put on her apron, she warmly greeted her boss.

"Hey, that cute guy over there seems to be interested in you," her coworker Annie whispered in Ariana's ear.

Ariana brushed off the comment, saying, "I don't have time for guys right now. Just go ahead and take his order, Annie."

Annie smirked mischievously and pretended to be on the phone with her mom as she walked over to the counter. Ariana watched Annie's playful behavior, amused and slightly surprised. Annie winked at her, encouraging Ariana to approach the customer.

Taking a deep breath, Ariana walked over to the guy's table with a friendly smile.

"Hi, welcome to our coffee shop. What can I get you today?" she asked in a polite and welcoming tone.

"I'll have a cappuccino, please," he replied.

"Sure thing," Ariana replied cheerfully.

She skillfully prepared the cappuccino and brought it over to him.

"By the way, my name is Jeffrey, but you can call me Jeff," he introduced himself with a friendly tone.

"Nice to meet you, Jeff. Here's your cappuccino. Is there anything else I can help you with?" she asked, maintaining her warm smile.

Jeffrey's demeanor suddenly changed as he looked Ariana up and down with a hint of lust in his eyes. He arrogantly licked his lips, which made Ariana feel uncomfortable and disgusted. "Can I have your number?"

"I'm sorry, but I can't give you my number, Jeff. Enjoy your cappuccino," Ariana said with a touch of sarcasm before gracefully leaving his table.

Returning to the counter where Annie was waiting with excitement, Ariana couldn't hide her annoyance. "Annie, please don't ever do that to me again. I've told you before that guys like him can be really disrespectful."

Curiosity piqued, Annie persisted, "Well, what did he do?"

Ariana sighed, feeling frustrated. "Just go ask him yourself. Can you cover for me? I need to send a letter."

Annie nodded understandingly. "No problem,"Ari". Our shift is almost over anyways. See you tomorrow."

Ariana quickly removed her apron, grabbed her bag, and hurried to the post office before it closed. Upon arrival, she realized that she had forgotten to bring her letter.

"Ugh, I must have left it at home. I'll have to come back tomorrow," she mumbled to herself, feeling exhausted from the day's events.

Deciding to grab dinner for both herself and her mom, Ariana headed home. After feeding her mom and tucking her younger brother, Mike, into bed, she collapsed lazily onto her own bed.

As she lay there, the events of the day played over and over in her mind. She couldn't help but think about how Nora had kindly helped her pack her bag earlier. Maybe, just maybe, people can change for the better.