It's been a month since I graduated from High School. Today my best friend is leaving for University. She got a job close to the University and they asked her if she could starts right away and she agreed.

I climb out of bed and enter the bathroom. I run a brush through my hair before I walk to the kitchen.

My three year old twin siblings Hayden and Darcy are sitting in the lounge room playing with dolls.

Hayden drops her doll on the ground when she sees me. She runs over to me and I lift her up. I spin around a couple of times and she laughs.

Darcy puts her hands on her hips. "No, far, I want to spin too."

I kneel down to her height. "Darcy, give me a couple minutes. I feel a bit dizzy from spinning Hayden around."

I sit next to the twins.

Darcy gives me a doll. "Can you pway with us?"

I take the doll from her. I see a stack of books sitting on the small library shelf. I look at the twins. "Do you want me to make you a doll house?"

Hayden nods. "Yes,"

I crawl over to the library shelf and pull off the books. I open the books to a page and leave it open.

The twins looks at me. "Where's the window and doors?"

"There's no windows and dolls in the doll house. How about when I go job hunting I look for supplies that we can make on with. The doll house will be made out of paper."

Darcy smiles. "Yay." She hugs me.

Mom enters the room and she has black circles under her eyes. Her hair is sticking all over the place.

"Morning, Mom. I'm going to look for a job today."

Mom shakes her head. "I need you to look after the twins until your father gets home."

I rise. "Clara said she doesn't mind looking after them. All I have to do in return is cook for her. She doesn't like having dinner on her own. The twins and I have dinner with her when Dad and you are at work."

Mom hugs me. "You make me proud, Paige. What time are you leaving?"

I look at the clock in the kitchen. "I'm meeting Jody and Nick at nine."

Mom looks outside. "Is she leaving already for Harvard?"

"Yeah, she got a job. She starts right away."

She places her hand on my arm. "I'm sorry you can't go with her."

I hug her. "It's not your fault." I smile. "Staying behind will have its advantages. At least when I start University I'll know what I want to study. I don't want to waste my education and party all the time." Turning to the twins I ask. "What do you want for breakfast?"

"Toast and jelly." Darcy says.

Hayden nods her head.

I make the twin there breakfast. I make Mom a coffee and some scrambled eggs. I finish the twins dinner and I place it at the table. "Food's ready, Darcy and Hayden."

They sit at the table and I go to the fridge and pull out two juice boxes for them. I place it in front of them.

I finish cooking Mom and I's scrambled eggs. I place the food in front of her. I take my plate to the table and sit between the twins.

"Are we going to Clara's today?" Hayden asks.

I nod. "Yeah," I look at Mom. "Do you want to drop them off or do you?"

"I'll drop them off. I want to talk to Clara."

I finish breakfast and take the dishes to the sink. I wash up.

At 8.45, I enter my room and put on a black skirt, white blouse and black jacket. I tie my black hair on the top of my head.

I slip my black flats shoes on and head to the door. "I'm leaving, Mom. I'll be back at two to take the twins off Clara's hands."

"Alright, I'll let her know. Good luck, sweetheart."

"Thanks, Mom." I exit the house

Jody and Nick are waiting outside their trailer when I exit the house. Jody runs over to me and she hugs me. "I'm going to miss you, Paige."

I return the hug. "I'm going to miss you, too. Call me when you get to Harvard and tell me all about the school."

Jody nods. "I will."

Nick looks at me. "Do you need a lift to town?"

I nod. "Alright, get in. Do you want me to pick you up in a couple of hours? I'm going to stay at the airport until Jody needs to board the plane. So, meet me where I drop you off."

Nick pulls the car in front of Antonia's coffee shop. "I'll meet you here."

"Alright," I hug Jody. "Have fun at Harvard. Don't forget to call me, Jody."

"I won't. Good luck with the job hunting. I hope you find something today."

I cross my fingers. "They're crossed." I step out of the car and shut the door.

Nick pulls away from the curb and I wave at my Best Friend.

I see a few kids from school walking the streets and they ignore me as they walk by.

They won't be ignoring me when I make their. I could always spit in their food or drinks. I laugh, lightly as I walk by Damien's friends. He wasn't with them.

Where's Damien?

I walk into the bakery and I see Sam behind the counter. I wave at him as I approach the counter. "Hey, Sam. Are you looking for someone to wait tables?"

He shakes his head. "I'm sorry, Paige. When I'm looking for someone I'll give you call."

"Thanks, Sam." I exit the bakery and enter all the shops on both sides of the small town I live in.

No-one's hiring anyone.

I sigh.

Entering Antonia's I see there's a que for coffee. I move toward the counter. I open the door and step behind the counter.

She looks at me. "What are you doing, Paige?"

I look at the customers. "I'm helping you out. Do you want everyone to walk out the door without their coffees? This place is popular and I wouldn't want to see it become a ghost town." I take the orders on the machine and I tell her what they want. She gives me the coffees and the order number. "Number twelve." I yell.

An elderly couple walk over to the counter and they take their drinks to the table.

Antonia and I serve the last customer. "I just got swamped. That's never happened to me before. This place is usually."

I look outside. "The sun is shining and its summer. People are going to spend time at the beach and you're located not too far from the beach."

She looks at me. "Do you want a job?"

I nod. "I would."

She smiles. "Fine, you start tomorrow at nine and finish at five when the shop closes. My Granddaughter will be here tomorrow to train you."

"Thank you. Can I get Nick's usual coffee?"

She makes the coffee. "How is Nick and Jody?"

"They're good. Jody just left for University today. She got a job and she had to start right away. Nick dropped her off and he's on his way to pick me up."

Nick pulls up front of the Antonia's coffee shop.

Antonia gives me the coffee. "Be here at 8.30am. Renee, will be here by then."

"I will. Thanks." I exit the coffee shop. I open the door to the car. I give Nick his coffee.

Nick waves at Antonia. He turns to me. "How did the job hunting go?"

I smile. "I got a job. I am the new waitress at Antonia's. She was swamped and I helped her out. She asked if I was looking for a job and I told her 'yes.' She hired me on the spot. I start at 9 tomorrow."

Nick pulls away from the curb and he drives to the caravan park. "Do you need a ride to work? I have to leave her at eight though?"

I nod. "Yeah, I do. I need to be at the coffee shop at 8.30."

"What time do you finish? I might be able to pick you up?"

"Five,"

Nick pulls into the caravan park. "I'll pick you up after the shift." He pulls to a stop in front of his trailer.

I step out of the car. "See you tomorrow, Nick." I walk over to Clara's trailer and I knock on the door.

"Come in."

I enter the trailer and the twins are in the kitchen covered in flour. I laugh. "Clara, what were you doing?"

She smiles. "I was teaching the twins how to bake a cake. Most of the ingredients landed on them instead of the bowl."

The twins run over to me and they hug me. They cover me in the flour.

I look at Clara. "How were they?"

"They were, Angels. Do you need me to look after them again?"

I nod. "I got a job and I start tomorrow. Do you mind looking after them while I'm at work?"

Clara looks at the twins. "Yeah, that's fine."

The twins and I move toward the dinner. "I'll be back with dinner, later." I exit the trailer and I cross the path to mine. I open the door and enter the trailer. The twins are standing behind me. I stop in the middle of the living room.

The trailer is in a mess. The lounge was flipped over, frames of the family are smashed, books are on the floor and the TV and Radio are missing. The freezer and fridge doors a left wide open.

They shouldn't see this.

I turn to the twins. "Go to Clara's now." I watch them run out and across the path to her place. The door opens and the twins enter the trailer. Picking up the baseball bat that's kept behind the fridge. I lift it in the air and check the entire house.

As I enter the bedrooms they are a complete mess. The beds have splits in them from where someone dragged a knife through the mattress.

Everything my parents worked for are gone. We're not the richest family in the world. My parents struggle. But, they manage to give us second hand clothes from thrift stores, food in our tummies and a roof over our heads.

I exit the trailer and walk over to Clara's. "Can you look after the twins while I take care of the trailer? I have a lot of things to throw out. All the foods spoiled from the fridge and freezer being left opened.

What am I going to do for dinner for my family?

Nick knocks on the door to Clara's trailer. "Clara, its Nick. Can you let me in?"

Clara opens the door and Nick enters.

He looks at me. "I heard what happened in the trailer. Do you want to go shopping for more groceries?"

I shake my head. "I don't have money Nick. My parents get paid next week. We had enough food until then. But, whoever broke into our place ruined our food."

Nick pulls me into his arms. "I'll give you the money. You can pay me back whenever you can."

I lean away from him. "I can't take your money, Nick. You know my family don't like being charity cases."

He shakes his head. "You'll never be a charity case. Both your parents work there ass's off for minimal wage and they provide the best they can for you and the twins. I think you'll make things easier on them with the job."

It will make a difference. I thought looking at Darcy and Hayden.