Evelyn’s Perspective

"Evelyn, take order from table number three." I grabbed my notebook and pen, taking a deep breath as I headed toward table number three.

My boss, Miss Lisa, was glaring at me as I had been distracted by checking the time on my phone. "Am going, Miss Lisa," I muttered, trying to shake off the exhaustion that clung to me like a second skin.

(My name is Evelyn Roy, and this is my life. I'm 18 years old, and unlike most kids my age, I'm not worried about college applications or hanging out with friends. My parents got divorced and left me with my grandma, whom I'm now responsible for. I work two shifts every day to make ends meet: one here at the local diner and another at the library.

Every penny I earn goes towards our expenses and my grandma's medical bills.)

I approached the table and put on a polite smile.

"Sir, what would you like to have?"

"I'll take pancakes with black coffee," the man replied curtly.

I simply nodded and headed to the kitchen, where I handed over the order to one of my colleagues. My friend Hailey was there, as usual, fussing over me.

"Evelyn, why don't you go home and take a few hours' sleep before going to your next job?" Hailey suggested, her voice full of concern.

"You know very well I can't," I replied with a yawn. "I have to go straight to the library, then go home to give Nanny some medicines, and then I have to go to college." Hailey sighed, clearly upset by my gruelling schedule.

"Sometimes, Eve, I get so upset looking at your lifestyle. You're working so hard.

Look at you, you have dark circles under your eyes, you look weak, and you're not taking care of yourself. You barely sleep, and then you come here at 10 AM to cover your shift, work for seven hours, then go to the library for another four hours, and then college at midnight."

She was right. My life was a constant struggle.

Hailey and I are neighbours, and we attend the same school, so she knows my routine all too well.

Because I'm below middle class, I don't have the luxury of attending college during the day. Instead, I attend a prestigious institution at night, a college that offers education to both the upper and lower classes. Rich kids go during the day, while some rich or scholarship students like me attend at night. Lower class or scholarship students aren't allowed in the daytime.

I was lucky to win a scholarship there because of my good grades, so I have no choice but to go at night.

"Yes, yes, I know, Hailey," I said, trying to brush off her concerns.

"You know I can't leave my studies. It's important for me to get that degree. You know how valuable a degree from that institute is." Hailey rolled her eyes at me, clearly unimpressed by my resolve.

"You know I can help you."

"Oh, shut up," I said, patting her shoulder.

"I appreciate your offer, but you're barely keeping track of your own expenses. I promise you, as soon as I find a better job, I'll quit these two jobs happily."

"Fine," she relented, but not without a final warning.

"But come on time to school, or Professor will shout at you again."

"Okay, fine, girl. Now let me finish my work, and then I have to head to the library," I said, pushing through the kitchen door and back into the bustling diner.

After a few hours

Mr. Smith looked up from the book he was shelving and gave me a small smile.

"Okay, Evelyn, you can go now. I'll close the shop today by myself."

"Thanks, Mr. Smith. See you tomorrow," I replied, returning his smile before gathering my things and heading out of the bookshop. The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows on the sidewalk as I made my way to the medical store.

I needed to pick up my grandmother's medicines before heading home. The store was quiet, with only a few customers browsing the shelves. I quickly grabbed the prescriptions and paid for them, stuffing the bag into my purse. The pharmacist gave me a nod as I walked out, and I made my way home.

When I arrived at the small house I shared with my grandmother, I was greeted by the familiar scent of freshly brewed tea. My grandma was sitting in her usual spot on the couch, knitting something soft and colourful.

"Hi, Nanny," I said warmly as I entered the living room.

"Hello, my dear," she replied, looking up from her knitting with a smile.

"How was your day?"

"Busy as always," I said, leaning down to kiss her cheek.

"But I got your medicines."

"Thank you, sweetheart. You work so hard," she said, patting my hand affectionately. I sat with her for a while, talking about my day and listening to her stories from when she was younger.

It was our little ritual, one I cherished deeply. But time was ticking, and I knew I had to get ready for college. After making sure my grandma had everything she needed, I hurried to my room to change.

"s**t, I'm late!" I muttered to myself, glancing at the clock. I grabbed my bag, slung it over my shoulder, and rushed out of the house. When I arrived at the college, the courtyard was crowded with students. The night classes had just begun, and the area buzzed with energy. I spotted my friends near the entrance, chatting and laughing together.

"There she is, finally!" Hailey called out when she saw me.

"Hey, guys!" I waved as I approached them.

"Eve, you're always cutting it close," Amelia teased, giving me a playful nudge.

"Yeah, what's the matter? Do you love being late or something?" Jason added, grinning. I rolled my eyes.

"You know me, always on the go. I don't have time to breathe, let alone be early." Mathew smirked and chimed in,

"Maybe she's secretly a superhero, saving the world before class. That's why she's always rushing in at the last minute."

"Oh, totally. That's me, Super Evelyn," I laughed, playing along. "Saving the world one shift at a time."

"Well, Super Evelyn, you better be careful, or Professor Adams will become your arch-nemesis," Hailey said, pretending to be serious.

"Ugh, don't remind me. I don't need Professor Adams on my case again," I groaned, making them all laugh.

As we walked toward the building together, I felt a warm sense of belonging. These were my friends and my support system, and they made the long days and nights a little easier to bear. Even though my life was a constant whirlwind of work and school, moments like these reminded me that I wasn't alone. And for now, that was enough to keep me going. Today, I had sociology with Mr. Adams.

Great. That teacher seems to have it out for me, always glaring whenever I walk into class late.

Luckily, I'm a bright student, and that's the only thing saving me from completely failing his class.

At least I have all my friends with me; we share the same schedule, which makes things a bit more bearable. When I walked into the classroom, Mr.

Adams was already scribbling something on the board. I slipped into my seat next to Mathew, who flashed me a grin as I sat down.

"You know, Mr. Adams is going to chew you out again for being late," Mathew whispered, leaning a little too close.

"Tell me something, I don't know," I whispered back, rolling my eyes.

"He's probably making a list of all the ways he's going to make my life miserable today." Mathew chuckled softly.

"Well, if you ever need a knight in shining armour to defend you from the evil Mr. Adams, I'm your guy” I couldn't help but laugh quietly.

"You? A knight? More like a jester," I teased. "Ouch, that hurts," he said, clutching his chest dramatically.

"But I'd be the best jester you've ever seen." Before I could respond, Mr. Adams turned around, his eyes narrowing as he spotted us whispering. "Ms. Roy, Mr. Mathews, would you like to share what's so amusing with the rest of the class?" My cheeks flushed as the other students turned to look at us.

"No, sir. Sorry, sir," I muttered, sitting up straight in my seat.

"Focus, both of you," Mr. Adams snapped. "I know this might be a novel concept for some of you, but I expect everyone to pay attention in my class. Now, as I was saying..."

As Mr. Adams continued his lecture, and Mathew leaned over again, his voice barely above a whisper.

"You know, you look really cute when you're trying not to laugh." I shot him a look, trying to suppress a smile.

"Are you trying to get us in more trouble?"

"Maybe," he whispered back with a wink.

"But it's worth it." I shook my head, trying to focus on Mr Adams, but Mathew's playful flirting made it hard.

He always knew how to make me smile, even in the most stressful situations. Just as I was starting to relax, Mr. Adams cleared his throat loudly, making me jump.

"Since some of you seem to think this class is a joke, I've decided to give out an assignment," he said, looking directly at me and Mathew.

"I expect a detailed analysis of today's topic by tomorrow night. No exceptions." A collective groan echoed through the room, and I sank lower in my seat.

Great, just what I needed, more work. Mathew gave me an apologetic look, but I knew he didn't really feel bad. He'd just laugh it off later, like he always did. Finally, after what felt like hours, the bell rang, signalling the end of class. I stretched and gathered my things, eager to get out of there.

"Ugh, finally. Now we have two hours of entrepreneurship," I said to my friends as we all headed out of the classroom. But before we could make it far, Jason suddenly jumped up, practically bouncing with excitement.

"Guys, I just checked the portal, and our entrepreneurship class got cancelled! We're free for two hours!"

"Finally, I can go to the library and get some sleep," I said, yawning.

The idea of curling up in a quiet corner with my head on a soft chair was incredibly tempting.

"No way, you're not going anywhere," Jason said, grabbing my arm before I could walk away.

"Let's go to the café and play truth or dare."

"No," I pouted, not in the mood for their games. I just wanted some peace and quiet.

"C'mon, Eve, take a chill pill. You need to relax for once," Amelia said, taking my other hand and pulling me along with them.

"Fine," I groaned, giving in. There was no use fighting them when they were all determined.

Besides, maybe a little fun wouldn't hurt, even if it wasn't the nap I was hoping for.

As we walked toward the café, I couldn't help but smile at my friends. They always knew how to make me feel better, even when life was overwhelming. Maybe today wouldn't be so bad after all.