Isabella’s POV

The smell of coffee still clung to me as I cleaned up after my shift. Or more accurately, after my shift and Annie’s shift. She had begged me to cover for her, and I couldn’t say no. I needed the extra money.

I worked part-time at a coffee shop that also served as a small restaurant. The work was tiring, especially on busy days like this. My feet hurt, and my back ached from standing for hours. But the job helped me pay for things I couldn’t ask my parents for.

College was expensive. Even with what my parents helped me with, there were still so many little things to pay for. Books. Groceries. Transport. Sometimes even laundry money felt like too much.

So I worked.

I wiped the last table and stacked the chairs neatly. The café was finally quiet. The loud chatter from earlier was gone, and the place felt calm again.

I reached into my apron and counted my tips.

Twenty dollars.

I smiled a little.

It wasn’t a lot, but it meant something. I had been saving for a jacket I saw online a few weeks ago. It wasn’t even that expensive, but I still had to think about it before buying it.

Twenty dollars meant I was getting closer.

“Good job tonight,” my boss said as he walked past.

“Thanks,” I replied.

I grabbed my bag from behind the counter and waved goodbye before stepping outside.

The cool evening air hit my face immediately. I took a deep breath. After being inside the café for hours, the fresh air felt good.

The street was still busy. Cars passed by, and people walked quickly along the sidewalk. Some students laughed loudly as they walked past me.

New York never really felt quiet.

My phone rang.

Victoria.

I shook my head slightly before answering. She usually called when she wanted to drag me somewhere.

“Hey, what’s up?” I said.

“For your sake, I hope you’re free,” she said.

I laughed softly. That already sounded suspicious.

“I just closed from work,” I said.

“Perfect. Let’s go to the new club that opened near campus.”

Of course.

Victoria loved going out. Clubs, parties, restaurants—anything fun and loud. She enjoyed life in a way I sometimes wished I could.

But tonight wasn’t the night.

“I can’t,” I said. “I have a 2,000-word essay to finish. It’s due tomorrow afternoon.”

“Oh goodness, Isabella,” she groaned. “Do you ever rest? You need a break.”

I smiled to myself as I walked down the street.

“You know I can’t do that,” I said.

“You're always working or studying,” she complained. “One day I'm going to force you to relax.”

“Good luck with that,” I said.

She sighed dramatically.

“Fine. But you owe me.”

“Okay, okay. I hear you.”

She hung up.

I slipped my phone into my pocket and put in my earbuds as I started walking toward my dorm.

The walk helped me clear my head. After hours of work, it felt nice to just move slowly and not worry about anything for a few minutes.

Being Victoria’s best friend came with one unavoidable problem.

Alexander Briggs.

Her older brother.

Just thinking about him made me frown.

Alexander was arrogant, cold, and rude. At least to me. He always acted like I was annoying, like I was some kind of problem he had to deal with.

And he never tried to hide it.

Every time we were in the same room, he found a way to irritate me.

Sometimes it was the way he looked at me. Other times it was the things he said.

Either way, we never got along.

I didn’t like him either.

I pushed the thought away.

There was no reason to think about Alexander tonight.

By the time I reached my dorm building, the place was quiet. Most people were probably out or already asleep.

I unlocked the door to my room and stepped inside.

My roommate wasn’t there.

Not surprising.

She was usually at a party or with her boyfriend. I was used to having the room to myself most nights.

I dropped my bag on the floor and sat on my bed.

My body felt heavy.

Working a double shift always left me tired. My legs ached, and all I wanted to do was sleep.

But I couldn’t.

My essay was still waiting.

I leaned back on the bed and stared at the ceiling for a moment.

Sometimes I wondered what it would be like to not worry so much.

Not worry about money.

Not worry about assignments.

Not worry about the future all the time.

Victoria lived like that. She enjoyed life without thinking too much about tomorrow.

But I wasn’t like that.

I had responsibilities.

My parents lived in Georgia, and they were already doing a lot for me. I didn’t want to ask them for more money than necessary.

So I worked.

And studied.

And tried to make everything work.

I sat up slowly and looked around the room.

The small desk near the window was covered with books and papers. My laptop sat in the middle of the mess.

Typical.

I walked over and opened it.

The screen lit up the room slightly.

I stared at the blank document for a moment before starting to type.

A few sentences appeared on the screen.

Then I stopped.

My eyes drifted toward the window.

Outside, the city lights glowed softly in the distance. Even this late, people were still moving around.

New York never really slept.

I sighed and leaned back in the chair.

One more year, I reminded myself.

Just one more year and I would graduate.

Then maybe things would be easier.

Maybe I wouldn’t have to work so many hours.

Maybe I could finally focus on the things I actually wanted to do.

For now, though, I just had to keep going.

I typed a few more lines into my essay.

It wasn’t perfect, but it was something.

I stretched my arms and yawned.

Tomorrow would be another long day.

Classes.

Work.

More assignments.

The same routine again.

But that was okay.

Because this was the life I had chosen.

And for now, I just had to keep moving forward.

I closed my laptop and lay down on the bed again.

Just for a minute, I told myself.

Just a short rest.

The room was quiet, and the soft hum of the city outside drifted through the window.

My eyes slowly closed.

Tomorrow I would deal with everything again.

But tonight, for a few minutes at least, I could rest.