Chapter 2 SHADOWS OF MEMORIES

"Dear diary, it's May 05 again, which means another year has been added to the fire accident that happened 14 years ago, well 15 now. I know it's not such a pleasant incident to remember but it's on my list of unforgettable memories."

Alone in the storeroom, Ava reminded herself of a past incident from 15 years ago, sharing details with her pink unicorn diary, her first-ever best friend.

Patiently waiting for her extra work shift, Ava Arden decided to spend some alone time with her diary, sharing how eventful her day had been, giving details to the book as if it had questioned her.

"Dear diary, is it really true that I sulk when it comes to dressing up? 'Cause I don't think I sulk. I mean, I don't look that bad. Besides, I don't even have enough money to buy new clothes, so why should I worry about what people think? None of them have ever deemed it fit to tip a hardworking waitress like me. I mean, it's not fair, is it?" Ava wondered, resting her head on her palm, pouting and getting lost in her thoughts, oblivious to the moment Julia Ellis, her second-best friend, walked into the storeroom, relieved to find Ava, whom she had been looking for.

"Dear diary, I hope Ava knows the more she sits idle on that chair, sharing whatever it is with you, the higher the chances of her losing this job," Julia's corky voice jolted Ava out of her daze.

"Oh, shit," Ava cursed, coming back to her senses as she glanced at her wristwatch indicating a minute after five. She was a minute late for her extra shift.

She closed up her book and tossed it into her apron pocket.

"You could have just said, 'Hey Ava, your shift just started, and you are running out of time.'" Ava's sarcasm accompanied her dusting off her faded blue jeans to get rid of the dirt caused by the filthy chair she sat on.

Julia stared, amused at her friend and laughed softly.

"Sorry, Your Highness. I had no idea I could actually make it clear to you in some other way," Julia replied, circling her hand around Ava's shoulder. They both giggled at Julia's reply, returning to the kitchen.

Ava happened to be a waitress and cook at a small coffee shop, just to get a ten percent bonus on her pay. Money had never been as important as it was in Ava's life. If working meant money, then she was more than just ready to work her whole life.

Unfortunately, being a high school dropout in San Francisco, California, meant there wasn't any hope for a better job application. So doing the extra timing served as an assistant in the little she got from her salary.

"Look who's back. It's dummy brain. Thought I would never see you again," Aurora Lee, Ava's colleague and worst nightmare, demeaned, not hiding her disregard for both ladies.

Not surprised by Aurora's gesture, Ava simply rolled her eyes and ignored the glare directed towards her. Instead, she focused on her work, getting her equipment in order of arrangement.

Just like every other day, Ava worked harder than required to financially support her family of two: her mother Sierra Arden and her younger brother Brent Arden.

"Ava! Here is table ten's order. It's two minutes late! Hurry up! I can't handle Mrs. Jenna's tantrum this beautiful evening," Julia groaned tiredly, slamming the piece of paper on the counter and gently rubbing her temples.

"Two cups of espresso and two bowls of soup..." Ava stared at Julia frantically, getting the customers' written order ready. She thought about the times her younger brother, Brent, returned home from school each day, rubbing his temples in the exact same way and a month later she found out he was diagnosed with kidney stones.

"Migraine again, isn't it? You should see a doctor, Julia. I keep telling you this. You never know how serious it might turn out," Ava shared her concern, carefully picking up the plastic tray filled with the table's complete order.

"It's nothing. Besides, I already got some drugs. Be back in a minute," Julia replied lazily, leaving the kitchen.

"Yeah, sure, a minute indeed," Ava thought, chuckling as she exited the kitchen and found her way to table ten.

Passing a bright smile to the lovely teenage couple occupying the table, she arranged their order and began a countdown of 20 seconds.

The average time being the seconds she had to wait to get a tip and not look awkward.

The young teenage boy paid up his bill and placed a total of 10 cents extra and Ava's smile grew wider.

"Thank you for the tip, enjoy your meal this beautiful evening and drop by Happiness Cafe next time," she said in the sweetest voice she could muster and left with the empty tray.

Subjecting the tip into her jean pocket, she handed the rest of the money to Hart Irish, the cashier, before returning to the kitchen.

"Oh, you're back. Did you get a tip?" Julia asked, causing Ava to place her hands over her friend's loud mouth.

"Pipe it down, baby girl. I am not losing this one today," Ava whispered into Julia's ear.

Julia tried to reply to her but her speech was muffled by Ava's hands which took Ava seconds to realize.

"Oh, sorry," she apologized, taking her hands off Julia's mouth.

"No need to apologize. I am sorry I forgot about the walls having ears. Just excited that Aurora's shift is over, babe," Julia said in a happy voice and both ladies giggled happily.

"Now we can really work in perfect peace and harmony," Ava sighed.

They both returned to work but a popped-in notification alarm distracted Julia. She took out her phone from her skirt and went through it, a smile crawling up on her face. The sudden excitement on Julia's face grabbed Ava's attention, who stared curiously at her friend.

"What is it? 'Cause that's kind of a really bright smile. Last time I remembered, BTS's new music release always leaves you this way. Don't tell me it's another release," Ava said, her curiosity shooting up.

Likewise, her best friend Julia, she was also a big fan of the band and would go crazy the very day she meets them but she just couldn't imagine how crazier Julia would go, maybe psycho.

"No, it's not them, silly. It's Shawn Harrington, the pop musician. He just released a new single. Isn't it just wonderful? Here I come, Apple Music," Julia giggled excitedly, typing fast on her phone.

"Yeah, Shawn... whatever. I don't get why you are so excited about that crap of a musician. He sings basically nothing in my opinion," Ava scoffed, losing her interest immediately.

"Babes, you have got to let go of that dislike for Shawn. Come on! He's Shawn Harrington, a Grammy award-winning star and the fucking CEO of Harrington Fashion Corporation. Jeez! Just a one-night stand would change my entire life, and you're kidding me right now with all this," Julia replied, amused by the hate Ava could abhor for a celebrity sweetheart like Shawn.

"Yeah, he's rich and all but seriously, what else? Seems to me like you don't have ears. The Harrington or whatever are like the cruelest humans on the face of the earth. Proud arrogant peacocks, that's how all rich people are arrogant and rude, treating the less privileged like we don't matter," Ava spat out venom, a scowl replacing her once-happy face.

"Take it easy, babe. These might just be rumors, you know. We can't just judge them by what we hear now, can we? I mean, not all rich folks are that bad. It's why we have charity organizations and philanthropists and so much more. Those are rich folks using their money for the good of all and Shawn Harrington is one of them."

Julia tried to make Ava understand but she just scoffed and took a seat on a stool.

"Don't try to change my perspectives of the rich, Julia. To me, they will forever remain the same," Ava deadpanned.

"So when you become rich, you would do the exact same thing, right?" Julia asked, which caused Ava to keep mute.

"When I become rich and famous, then I can change my perspectives and that of others too, but for now, it's not going to change that easily," Ava replied stubbornly.

"If you say so, babe," Julia simply replied and returned to her phone.

**Two hours later**

The cold night wind blew in Ava's direction as she walked back home after bidding Julia goodbye. She trailed the pedestrian route to her street a few miles away. Cars sped by her.but she didn't mind due to her absent mind.

Sadly, she made a little amount of money from the day's tip despite working an extra shift. Life can be cruel to the poor but to her and her family, it was more cruel.

She couldn't make up to a hundred bucks today, despite having a budget of twenty thousand dollars for Brent's surgery. Her savings weren't even up to a thousand dollars. Banks refused loans, selling one-third of their properties only bore peanuts, which were later spent on Brent's medication. Each path she turned to proved futile even when she chose to be a stripper, she was kicked out of the club that very day.

That memory brought a small smile to Ava's face. Soon, she got to her tiny apartment, which she shared with her mother and brother. The door was open, and that made Ava pause in her tracks. Her heart began racing in her chest.and she subconsciously picked up her pace, running into the house like she was being chased.

Her small handbag dropped on the floor, and so did the brown cafe bag. Ava's face instantly turned pale at the sight of what she witnessed.