I turned back, only for the headlights to block my view. I could only see a dark figure and nothing else.

"I don't have money." I said in a shaky voice at the same time he asked, "Are you alright?"

"What? Are you drunk?" His voice pierced the dead silence before he spun me in the opposite direction so that I could see his face.

"You?" I asked, looking into those exact brown eyes that I've seen before. He nodded with a frown as his eyes narrowed.

"Not as innocent as you look, are you?" He asked as a smirk grew on his face.

And that was my turn to ask "What?"

"Not judging, but you don't seem like one who's partying till this time." he gave me an amusing smirk.

"Okay, that sounded a lot like judging. That was judging, I guess...Sasha does say that's one of my flaws and I'm coming to realise it." His voice dropped to a whisper as if he was talking to himself.

His monologue was cut off by a honk and we both turned to see Tyler sticking his head out of his car.

"Told ya, its danger out- " he stopped abruptly as he saw the person standing next to me, "How the hell are you here?"

He looked between me and Tyler, finally narrowing his eyes at me.

"Get your stupid ass in here, Eve." Tyler shouted.

"Just go, Tyler." I said as I continued walking. I didn't have a bit of energy left in me to argue with him. I was really hungry and exhausted.

I got a few steps ahead before I heard the sound of a car. Again.

What would take Tyler to realise I haven't got the energy to deal with him now?

"I don't need a ride from you." My sound was so weak and wobbly, that it sounded like a plea.

A part of me really wanted to get in that car, but no way. I would crawl to my house rather than accept his kindness.

"Okay, calm down. I didn't even ask you to." It wasn't Tyler's voice, so I turned to see the other guy, his hands raised.

"Oh. I'm sorry, I thought it was him."

"It's cool." His lips twitched and he arched an eyebrow. "By the way, do you need one?"

Little did he know how much relief those words brought me.

On second thought, I didn't want to ride with someone who I met yesterday, but circumstances stood against my policies.

"It's this way." I pointed it out because I remember the car initially went the opposite way before coming back to me.

"Yeah. I figured that out." he grinned, looking at me.

"Yours is -"

"Sasha said you were an overthinker. It's okay, get in. Only if you're okay with it." he said with a tight smile.

"Thanks," I said before I stepped in. The moment I leaned back in the seat, I closed my eyes with a sigh.

"A party?" He asked, eyes on the road.

"Uh, no. I had a late-night shift." It's been a while since I've been to a party.

He hummed and a second later, looked at me. "Who gives late-night shifts to students?"

"Tyler does."

"Him?" He frowned.

"I work at his dad's cafe."

"And he rules?"

"Unfortunately yes." I said with a sigh.

"I thought you were out with him, partying."

With him? A feeling of disgust flickered in me.

"No!" My disgust was audible in my tone and he snickered.

"So..." He, like a polite human, started a conversation when the silence grew heavy.  " Is that why you didn't do anything when he grabbed your arm like a ragdoll?  Because he controls your job?"

"Kind of?" I said, hoping he'd understand.

It was a major part of the reason.

"Talked with his dad?"

"Tyler is an exact copy of his dad."

"Oh. That explains." he nodded, sighing.

"In school, everyone's parents either worked for his dad or were their friends. His dad is awful. He almost leaves the cafe to Tyler and he uses it like a pro." I can't afford to lose any one of my jobs. Especially when his dad pays us more than any other place does.

"Well you're smart, why don't you use it against him?" He cocked his eyebrow at me.

"It turns out that I'm not?"

"No, you are." A tiny smile broke out as he said it.

Compliment accepted though it's not entirely true. I'd have done something to stop him if I was smart. Not stand there like a piece of log.

"Thanks," I said with a genuine smile as he pulled to a stop in front of my house. And he just nodded before leaving.

I yawned as I knocked on Maria's door. I know there's only one place they'll go running. It only took seconds for her to burst it wide open and her widened eyes twinkled with relief.

"Oh my!" She pulled me into a hug and shouted, "Boys, look who's here."

Noel had a permanent frown and Theo had red puffy eyes.

"Ivy!"

The way this little guy said my name was enough to ignore everything else. Theo hugged my leg tightly, while Noel kept his grip hard on my waist.
And then out of nowhere, he smacked my arm.

"Oww! Why did you do that?"

"We thought you were killed!" Noel yelled.

"Well, that's a nice thing to comfort me." I let out a silent laugh, ruffling his hair.

"Ivy, dear." Maria called and I turned back to her.

"I'm sorry Maria, really sorry. I was about to call you, and then.." I looked at Noel. "...Tyler snatched my phone."

He frowned on my behalf, making me smile.

"Well, Jake did call. But this is more than late!" She exclaimed.

Jake, always to my rescue.

"And I told these young men that you were working. They weren't ready to believe that."

Theo blew his nose on a tissue that he took from my pocket and I poked his red running nose.

"One fella was pacing while the other was crying. Obviously, concern for their little sister." Maria shrugged with a smile and I grinned in response.

"Oh god, big brother. Now don't say that I'll be getting a curfew." I placed a hand on my chest and gasped, while Noel snorted and Maria served me dinner.

                       ▪️▪️▪️

The next few days were pretty uneventful. Nice, actually. Tyler was busy locking horns with Sasha's guy, his dad was busy with business trips and mom didn't ask for money.

I should've seen that as a warning. Peace was never an option.

And I realised it on a Friday night,  when I stepped into my room after a long shower and saw Theo and Noel on my bed.

I raised my eyebrows and he shrugged. "Mom's down and someone's with her."

Great.

"Oh," I tossed him my phone for them to play a game and started to turn when Noel grabbed my arm.

"She called you names when she found nothing to eat."

"But I did- "

"We ate it." he gulped, "I'm sorry Ivy, we were so so hungry. I thought she wouldn't come, she never comes. So we ate it all. I'm sorry."

Oh, dear.

"It's okay, silly." I ruffled his hair and made him sit.

"It's not like I was here to hear it. And I don't mind it." I smiled to reassure him. "If you are hungry, you can eat everything. Okay? Don't care about me or mom."

He nodded, finally bringing back that sweet smile of his. And I went down to see mom. She was sitting, more like half laying on the couch, talking to a man who was sitting opposite her.

"Mom?"

But my voice did nothing to receive her attention.

"You have kids?" The man furrowed his brows, turning to mom.

"Uh yes, and please leave. It's night and...and...that's it." I crossed my arms, defending my loss of words.

"Sure. But not until your so-called mom finalises things."

"See, whatever it is, she's not in her senses right now-"

"As if she's ever." he cut me off with a light chuckle, his words a bit slurry.

"Please leave."

"Of course, no need to get riled up. Tell her to meet me tomorrow."

I slammed the door shut the second he was out and turned to look at mom. If she was half awake a second ago, she was completely out now. I tried hard and somehow managed to make her stand
But she collapsed back onto the couch and threw up on the floor.

"Thanks," I murmured as I cleaned it.

The least thing she can do is to not mess up more and let me relax. But no, she won't.

The next morning, our couch was empty.

Well, at least she locked the door on her way out.

With a sigh, I prepared breakfast, a casserole and asked Maria to microwave it for them. Noel was confident he could safely use the oven and blamed me for treating him like a baby. As if he's a teenager.

After telling Noel for a hundredth time to not use the oven himself and to call Maria when they're hungry, I went off to Annie's.
                
Running a small bookstore in the era of e-books wasn't a good business. But Annie couldn't care less. For her, they weren't real books.

They'll realise later that reading it off a paper was far better than staring like an owl at those little things, she says.

Even though I read many books online, I couldn't agree more with her. I might be an old-fashioned soul in my heart but the feel of wandering around the bookshelves, of being surrounded by beautiful words enclosed in the books around us...
was something different.

And that's the reason I second her decision of not willing to close this shop ever. That and the money, yes.

Out of my jobs, waitressing paid me the most. But what I loved the most was helping Annie. It's the least exhausting one as well. All I have to do is sit there and read a book, waiting for someone to visit. And people did occasionally, not to buy books but mostly to rent one. And occasional arranging of books.

"Stop daydreaming and go home, young lady. It's five and your services are no longer required." I heard Annie say, her nose deep inside Wuthering Heights and mumbled a bye with a huge smile.

Maria called me Ivy or kid, while to Annie, I was always a young lady.

"Let's make pie!" Theo shouted as soon as I got home.

And that was another reason for me to enjoy the weekend, cooking dinner with two little chefs or going out with them.

"Is Sasha your new friend now?" Noel asked as we all devoured a homemade cottage pie, a creation of our own.

"She is. She's a great friend." I said with a smile.

She was what I called an extrovert, a major extrovert. She eases people into conversation like a pro and makes everyone comfortable with her presence. A week of literature classes made her a friend of mine. I also learned that they moved from New York and that the guy, Tyler's nemesis, was her brother. I would never have figured it out on my own. They both looked completely different. From their hair colour to facial features, nothing indicates they're related. And the fact that I thought he was her boyfriend didn't help either.

"Cool." Noel hummed. "What about your Sophie?"

"She's still my best friend, Noel. You won't get rid of her this lifetime." I said with a chuckle. Noel and Sophie would best be described as nemesis. Despite an eight-year age gap, they both used to bicker at each other all the time.

He muttered something under his breath and I pretended to ignore it.

And just when I thought I had a peaceful weekend, mom strolled in. And she wasn't alone.

"Mom, please. I've told you a million times not to bring any of these idiots  here." I eyed a pair of drunk women and a man.

"Stop calling anybody that. Is that how I raised you three?" She hissed at me and the strong smell of alcohol hit me.

"Me? Absolutely. Noel? Fine. But don't say you raised Theo. You just gave birth to him." I mumbled, feeling bad for him. "Mom, you know he asks about you. Why don't you stay here? Stay sober for at least an hour and talk to them? You know they miss you."

"Where's my purse? I can't see it. And they're waiting for me."

I deflated at that. She doesn't even care to hear me out.

"I don't care about a damn purse. I care about my brothers and I care about random drunk people strolling in and out of our home!"

"Don't shout at me." she said quietly as she slipped into her coat and took the money I kept aside for her antidepressants.

"That's for your medicine!" I shouted after her, only for her to ignore me.

I lost my sleep after that. And the lack of sleep made me weary even before I reached Janet's home. I somehow managed to reach school without my legs giving up. But it did cause me to bump into someone, letting my books fall onto the floor.

"Sorry." I muttered without looking up and crouched down to gather my books. To my surprise instead of swearing or blaming me, the other person joined me, helping with my books.

That was nice of him, considering that it was me who mindlessly bumped into him. "Thank-" rest of the words got stuck in my mouth as Tyler sat there, eyes sparkling with amusement.

"No, worries sweetheart." He said with his signature smirk.

"Easy, my lady," he mumbled as I slightly lost my balance while trying to stand as quickly as possible. "I see that you've changed our routine. So, no more me chasing you? Is it going to be you chasing me now?" He smirked, gave me my book and left.

Just like that. No threats, no boasts, no pranks...

Strange, that is.