Scarlett had waken up from a big bang that came from downstairs. She was very concerned, so she made her way downstairs.  As she walked down the stairs, she seen her brother in the kitchen. She had seen that he had his hands covering his face. He looked very stress.

Scarlett made her way towards her brother. She laid her hand on his back. Michael then looked up at her.

"Is everything okay?" Scarlett asked.

"Everything is fine, don't worry" Michael said.

Michael then walked towards the coffee machine.

"Do you want coffee?" Michael asked.

"Yes, please" Scarlett said.

Scarlett sat down in a stool, while she waited for her brother to be done with her coffee. As she sat there, her eyes had wondered at the scattered medical bills, Rent, and Michael text books. Somehow seeing the medical bills on paper made it feel even worse.

Scarlett's mind was always on money. There was never enough.

Michael sitting the coffee down on the table startled her. She then drifted away from her thoughts.

"You seem very uptight" Michael said.

He wasn't wrong, I had too much on my mind. But i couldn't let him know that. I didn't want him worrying about me.

"I'm not just very tired" Scarlett said.

"You're always tired," he said with a frown. "Are you sure you're okay? I can help out more if you need me to get a part-time job or something." he said.

"No." Her voice came out sharper than she intended, and Michael raised an eyebrow. Scarlett softened her tone. "I mean, I don't want you to do that. You've got enough to worry about with law school. I don't want throwing that all away after grandma payed all that much for it" Scarlett said.

"You know.. if you ever change your mind, Roman wants to help" Michael said.

Scarlett's stomach sank. "Michael I thought we already talked about this" Scarlett said.

"But Scar he can help.." Michael said.

"Help." she muttered under her breath. She didn't need a stranger poking around their lives, no matter how helpful he claimed to be. The last thing she needed was someone like that discovering her secret.

Scarlett didn't want to talk about this situation anymore. She avoided what here brother said.

Hours had passed, Scarlett slipped through the back entrance of midnight pulse. The heavy metal door slammed shut behind her. The low hum of bass and faint voices echoed from the main room, and a wave of nerves settled in her stomach.

She pulled out her phone and checked her messages.

Midnight pulse: "Don't be late to the floor tonight. VIP's filling up."

Scarlett exhaled, pocketing her phone and waking toward the dressing room. She avoided eye contact with the other dancers as she passed, her mind elsewhere. The pressure was getting harder to ignore. Her grandmother's latest hospital stay had added another stack of bills to the pile.

She couldn't stop now, no matter how much it chipped away at her.

In the dressing room, she sat in front of the mirror and stared at her reflection. The glittery makeup, the bright lipstick, the sequined mask- It wasn't her. It was a costume, a shield.

Out there, she could pretend to be someone else. Someone confident, someone untouchable.

"Vixen!" stage producer cut through the room. "You're on in ten."

Scarlett nodded, smoothing her hair back one last time before stepping into her heels.

The stage lights hit Scarlett like a wall of heat, the pounding music drowning out her thoughts. She let herself fall into the rhythm, her body moving instinctively to the beat. The crowd cheered, a mix of familiar faces and strangers, but Scarlett ket her gaze distant, focused on the neon glow and shadows beyond the stage.

Then she saw him.

Near the back of the room, leaning casually against the bar, was a man she didn't recognize. He didn't clap or cheer like others- he just watched, his dark eyes following her every move.

Scarlett's pulse quickened, but she didn't let it show. She forced herself to keep dancing, her movements fluid and precise, though she could feel his gaze like a weight on her chest.

When her set ended, she hurried backstage, her heart pounding.

"Everything okay?" Desire asked, easing an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Scarlett said quickly, grabbing a water bottle." Just tired" She said.

But she wasn't tired. She was unsettled. The man's state lingered in her mind, his presence sharp and unnerving.

After Scarlett's shifts she started to pack up all her belongings. Scarlett had gotten a taxi. Halfway almost to the house Scarlett decided to get out of the taxi. She thought it was nice out to walk. It's usually cold and gloomy late at night but it was warm and breezy.

As Scarlett walked home she was listening to music in her ears. It was the perfect way to escape from the real world.

Scarlett then had felt a tap on her shoulder. She then had turned around and had seen that Roman was behind her. Her brother's law school buddy. The guy that is trying to slither his way through to help their grandmother.

"Scarlett, what are you doing out here so late?" Roman asked.

"I could ask you the same?" Scarlett asked.

"I asked you first but I perhaps to be on my way home from work" Roman said.

"I perhaps to be doing the same" Scarlett said.

"Would it be fine if I walk you home?" Roman asked.

Scarlett didn't say anything. She had thought about the question.

"I just want to make sure you get home safe. I don't want your brother murdering me if he finds out his sister ends up getting kidnapped or murdered" Roman said.

"Ok, yeah, that's fine" Scarlett said.

As they both walked to Scarlett's house, Roman was starting conversations every minute.

"So, I heard that you didn't want my help?" Roman asked, as he raised his eyebrow.

"And who told you that?" Scarlett said with confidence.

"Why is that?" Roman said, while he avoided the question she asked.

"Maybe because we don't need help" Scarlett said snapping.

"All i'm trying to do is help" Roman said.

"How about you do me a favor and stop" Scarlett said.

Roman didn't say much after that. He was trying to help her but it just seems that she didn't want his help.

Roman then stepped in front of Scarlett, that caused her to stop walking.

"There has to be more than you not wanting me help for no reason. You know.. it's for your grandmother" Roman said.

Scarlett then looked at him for a minute. It was like she didn't know what to say. She finally spitted something out.

"I know I can do things on my own. I would like for my Grandmother to wake up knowing that I helped her, not through someone she doesn't even know. I don't like people just throwing money at us" Scarlett said.

Roman then started to realize what she was coming from. It was like he was trying to understand where she was coming from.

"I'm here to help, not to just throw money at y'all. I just want you to know that I know how it feels to lose someone that means a lot to me. I just don't want you to feel like that" Roman said.

Scarlett then saw where Roman was coming from. But little does he know she already went through something like that with her parents. Scarlett had lost her parents over a little five years ago. It was very tragic.

"Thank you for the offer but I have everything figured out" Scarlett said.

"Could you please just think about it?" Roman asked

Scarlett had thought about it then shook her head. She wanted him to think that she would think about it but in reality that wasn't what she was going to do.

It has been about twenty minutes, Roman and Scarlett had finally made it to her house. Roman had walked her all the way to the door.

"I hope to see you around" Roman said.

Scarlett then smiled not saying anything. As she watched him walk away, she finally went inside and softly shut the door.

The next morning Scarlett had woken up really early. She had went into the diner much earlier. She wanted to take double shifts. She had taken everything she could get.

Scarlett tucked her hair behind her ear and scribbled an order onto her notepad, her wrist aching from hours of nonstop writing. The diner was busy this morning, busier than she expected, and she was running on fumes after picking up a second shift. She hadn't planned to stay, but when her coworker Anne called out, she couldn't say no.

Every dollar counted.

Balancing a try of coffee mugs, Scarlett weaved through the maze of tables with practices ease, dodging kids, couples, and the occasional grumpy customer. It was just past nine. and though exhaustion tugged at her, she kept moving. The tips tonight would be worth it.

The bell over the door jingled, signaling another customer, but Scarlett didn't look up. She dropped off the tray at table Five, smiling briefly at the group of teenagers before making her way to the counter to grab the next order.

"Scarlett, you good?" Martha, the diner's manager, asked from behind the counter, her hands busy drying glasses.

"Yeah," Scarlett replied, adjusting her apron. "Just a little tried."

Martha gave her a knowing look. "You've been working double shifts all week. Don't burn yourself out, kid" Martha said.

"I'll be fine," Scarlett said, though her voice lacked conviction. She didn't have the luxury of rest-not with the hospital bills piling up and rent.

Grabbing a fresh pot of coffee, Scarlett turned toward the new customer who just settled into one of the booths by the window.

And froze.

Roman.

He was sitting there, his light hair slightly tousled and his blue eyes scanning the menu as if he belonged in her world. Her heart dropped into her stomach.

What was he doing there?

Scarlett fiery instinct was to duck into the kitchen and hide, but that wasn't an option. He's already seen her. Roman glanced up, and when his eyes locked on her eyes, recognition flickered across his face.

For a moment, Scarlett stood rooted to the spot, her grip tightening on the coffee pot. Then, forcing a neutral expression, she walked over to his booth.

"Hey," Roman said, his tone casual.

Scarlett swallowed hard. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

Roman shrugged, gesturing to the menu. "I was on my way to campus and saw this place. Looked cozy, so I thought i'd stop in for breakfast" Roman said.

Of all breakfast in the city, he had to find this one.

"What can I get you?" Scarlett asked, keeping her voice steady.

Roman tilted his head slightly, studying her. "I didn't know you worked here" he said.

"Yeah, well, now you do," she said briskly, pulling out her notepad. "What can I get you?" She asked.

He seemed taken aback by her tone but didn't comment. "Just coffee for now" he said.

Scarlett nodded and poured him a cup, trying to ignore the way his gaze lingered on her. She set the cup in front of him and turned to leave, but his voice stopped her.

"Scarlett, wait" he said.

She hesitated, her back to him.

"Do you ever slow down?" Roman asked, his voice soft but filled with genuine curiosity.

Scarlett turned to face him, her mask firmly in place. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"You're always moving, Michael told me you're the one holding everything together- working, managing the bills, taking care of your grandmother. And now you're here, pulling shifts at a diner. Do you ever take a break?" he asked.

Her jaw tightened. She didn't like how easily he seemed to see through her.

"I do what I have to," she said simply, her tone clipped.

Roman frowned, but before he could respond, the bell above the door jingled again, and a group of customers walked in. Scarlett took the opportunity to escape, moving quickly to greet them and take their orders.

An hour later, the diner had cleared out, Scarlett was wiping down the counter when Roman approached, his coffee cup in hand.

"Can I get a refill?" he asked, his voice light.

She nodded, grabbing the pot and pouring the steaming liquid into his cup.

"Thanks," he said, watching her closely. "You know, you don't have to do all of this alone" he said.

Scarlett froze, the coffee pot hovering midair. "What are to taking about?" She asked.

"I mean Michael and I -we can help. You don't need to carry everything by yourself" Roman said.

Scarlett set the pot down, her grip firm, "I'm fine. Really" she said.

Roman raised and eyebrow. "You don't look fine" he said.

Her eyes flashed with irritation. "What do you want from me, Roman" she said.

He held up his hands defensively. "I'm not trying to push. I just.. I don't get how someone can juggle this much without breaking" he said.

Scarlett stared at him for a moment, the weight of his words pressing against her carefully constructed walls. She wanted to tell him to back off, to leave her alone, but something about his sincerity made her pause.

"I don't have a choice," she said quietly. "People are counting on me" she said.

Roman studied her, his expression unreadable. "If you ever need help, you can ask. That's all i'm saying" he said.

Scarlett forced a small smile, more out of politeness than anything else. "Thanks, but i've got it under control" she said.

Roman didn't look convinced, but he didn't push further. He left a few minutes later, leaving a generous tip on the table.

When Scarlett finally clocked out and stepped into the cool night air, she couldn't shake the uneasy feeling Roman had left behind. He was getting too close, asking too many questions, and she couldn't afford to let him into her world.

As she walked home, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out, expecting a message from Michael, but her stomach dropped when she saw the number.

Unknown: Nice to see you working so hard, Vixen.

Her breath caught in her throat, and looked around, her heart racing. The street was empty, the faint hum of the diner's neon sign buzzing behind her.

Scarlett gripped her phone tightly, her mind spinning.

He was watching her.