Harpers POV

As usual, the obnoxious shrieking of my alarm wakes me up far too early. Glancing at my phone screen ... 7:30 am, less than three hours sleep.

Well, I suppose it's better than nothing.

I'm practically dragging myself out of bed and down the stairs. I follow the mouth-watering scent of toast and coffee, mornings like this I'm so glad that Nan makes me breakfast.

I can barely function without sleep let alone operate a toaster without burning the entire house down.

Dropping down into one of the chairs in the kitchen I mumble the incoherent version of my usual good morning to Nan. "Coffee dear?" She chuckles as she turns to face me.

"Black with three sugars please" I mumble as I place my head down on the table and closing my eyes. Just five more minutes.

A few moments later a cup of hot coffee was placed in front of me along with my usual choice of breakfast, brown toast and chocolate spread.

Seeing the food and the hot mug of coffee in front of me perked me up slightly but the fatigue was still lingering, and I somehow had to get through school without falling asleep.

Ten minutes later and after another hot mug of coffee, I'm dragging myself back upstairs to get ready.

The one thing about having perfect attendance is if you have a day off that's fine nothing too catastrophic just catch up the next day, right? WRONG!!

If you happen to be the school recluse like me, it leads to unanswered questions and people digging around in your business for the latest gossip on why Harper Dawson didn't show up to school for the first time since she started high school.

If they found out I worked in Opal, they'd all get the wrong idea; I'd be ridiculed.

No one would understand why I have to work there; I have less than five months left of high school getting through them without any drama would be an achievement in itself.

Lying down on my bed I take a few minutes to properly think about what I agreed to do for Jack this Friday.

I knew from speaking to other girls in Opal that the tips you get from working those types of meetings were astonishing with one girl getting over £400 for a few hours of just ensuring the businessmen in the meeting were comfortable and had their drinks topped up when necessary.

Overall, I knew it was a good idea if I did well I know Jack would 'make' me do more of them. That meant less late-night shifts along with a more substantial amount of money at the end of the night it would benefit Nan and I greatly I just have to concentrate on not royally fucking this meeting up.

Lifting myself off my bed, I make my way over to the wardrobe. Pulling out a pair of denim jeans and a baggy khaki jumper deciding that it was suitable school attire for a Monday morning when I feel barely sentient.

Ten minutes later I'm ready after grabbing my glasses off the bedside table, and I'm making my way downstairs, hoping I have time for one more cup of coffee before school I'm going to need it.

After another sizeable black coffee combined with a long internal debate on whether or not skipping school for the first time in forever would be worth it, but again the coward in me decides against it I really couldn't take the risk.

Walking into the living room, I find Nan watching TV in my grandad's favourite chair with his blanket draped over her lap. "I'm off to school now Nan, I'll see you later okay?" I say as I lean in to give her a kiss on the cheek.

"Do you really think that going to schools a good idea dear? You look like your half asleep. I wouldn't be upset if you decided to take a day off to rest Harper, you work too hard, and I know you're doing this for me but you need to take care better care of yourself, or you're going to make yourself unwell dear" Nan replies her voice laced with obvious concern.

"I'll be fine I promise, I've got to get used to it I've got the same shift in McDonald's for the next few weeks, so I'm going to be tired no matter what I do. I know you said you wanted to sort Grandads bills out by yourself but you can't, I'm living here rent free you cook for me, clean up after me and look after me when I'm ill. I don't mind working late shifts to bring in some money for you to help pay for the bills, I don't want to see you lose this house, it means too much to the both of us we've got memories of Mum, Dad and Grandad here. I'd do anything to make sure we keep this house" I reply, my voice full of emotion.

"I know you do love" is all Nan says as she gives my hands a squeeze, her eyes turning glassy from the unshed tears of having to deal with the death of her only daughter and husband of 50+ years. She might just seem like a frail old woman now, but before everything went to shit my Nan was the glue that kept the family together, she still is for what it's worth even though it's just her and me now I don't know what I would've done without her.

We've been each other's rock since my parents died all those years ago after a nasty car accident and then again when my grandad passed away after a long battle with gastric cancer.

Giving her another kiss on the cheek I left the living room and began making my way to school, giving myself a mental reminder to get another large coffee when I have a break.

The ten-minute walk in the fresh October morning air wakes me up a bit more; the leaves have started to go brown and crisp it was my favourite time of year when everything was starting to get ready for winter.

Tuesday's in school I hated as they consisted of an hour of maths and English in the morning followed by two hours of psychology in the afternoon. However, it was a short day for me meaning as soon as I finished I could go home and get in a few extra hours of sleep ready for my shift at Opal tonight.

I was walking through the school gates just as the bell was ringing to alert the other students and me to the start of the school day. I tried to hype myself up mentally, but the overwhelming exhaustion I was feeling was drowning out any chance of that happening.

Getting into my English classroom and sitting down I knew if I could stay awake through this lesson I'd be able to get through the rest of my day. An hour later after my teacher Mrs Pope mumbling on about Shakespeare and I quote "how he was the best play write of his century maybe even ever"I was ready to find a very dark room and lie down in it for the remainder of the day.

The torture didn't stop there; maths wasn't any better with Mr O'Neil blabbering on about Algebra and how we all need to learn the equations for the exams in a few months nearly put me to sleep. I'd bet my left kidney that I could go the rest of my life without needing to use Pythagoras' theorem.

The thought of a large coffee that I'd have in my hand in less than 30 seconds was motivation enough to keep me awake a little while longer.

As soon as the bell rings I dash out of the classroom as quick as my legs will let me, ignoring all the strange looks from the rest of my class I make my way to the canteen hoping I could avoid the extensive line of teenagers battling it out to get their food and caffeine fix. Luckily, I'm one of the first ones in and avoided the line altogether.

Grabbing my coffee from the Costa machine after it had finished dispensing I dump three packets of sugar in the hot liquid hoping if I don't get a caffeine rush that the large quantity of sugar I'd consumed this morning would keep me awake for the remainder of the day.

I make my way out of the canteen as it was gradually starting to fill up and I didn't feel like sitting in a hall with overly loud teenagers for twenty minutes. Downing my coffee in record time I make my way to the library to try and close my eyes for at least ten minutes before I have to endure two hours of psychology.

Luckily, as usual, the library is empty, finding a seat at the back of the room I dropped down into it and closed my eyes, savouring the quietness of the room for as long as I can.

Just like déjà vu, I was again woken up by a screeching alarm, still groggy from my power nap I rubbed my eyes and sighed wishing I could spend the rest of the day napping in the chair, but I had to get to Psychology.

Grabbing my bag and make my way out of the library and towards my psychology class, hoping to get through the last two hours without an issue or falling asleep.

I couldn't have been more wrong...

The first hour of my lesson goes well, the sugar and caffeine obviously kicking in from this morning and earlier on. I feel much more alert and like I'm more of a successfully functioning human even if it's due to a sugar rush.

In the second hour, our teacher Dr James decides to put on an hour-long documentary on world-famous serial killers and the factors that may have caused them to snap. Big mistake, by the second hour I was starting to come down from the caffeine and sugar high, and my eyes begin to get heavy.

Placing my head on my hand, I decide that maybe a short nap in class wasn't such a bad idea, but in hindsight, It was one of the stupidest ideas I've ever had.

My nap had gone on for longer than anticipated, what I was hoping was going to be a simple five-minute affair has turned into a full-blown 45-minute sleep at my desk.

I was quite happy before a loud screeching sound which I now know was the bell signalling the end of the lesson makes me jump out of my skin and as my head is still being propped up by my hand my face slams into the desk.

I was mortified, the whole class went silent and turns to face me I'm sure at that moment I'd become the same shade as a tomato, ignoring the throbbing feeling in my head I pick my bag up and make my way to the door, avoiding all the pairs of eyes on me as I walk through the classroom.

Thankfully that was my last lesson so I didn't have to deal with whatever fallout me falling asleep and face planting a desk in front of everyone in my class would create.

As soon as I got home, I shouted out to Nan that I was going up to my room to have a shower and catch up on my sleep before my shift tonight. After a scalding hot shower, I throw an oversized t-shirt on and got into bed, and for the first time today I didn't have to worry about where I was falling asleep, I was in my own bed, and I could sleep for as long as I could.

6 hours later I'm woken up by my Nan placing a toasted ham and cheese sandwich along with a mug of hot chocolate on my bedside table.

"Harper sweetheart you've got work in two hours, you weren't awake when I made dinner, but I didn't want you going to work on an empty stomach" she whispered.

"Thank you Nan, I really appreciate it, but you could've woken me up for food I wouldn't have minded". I said as I sit up and took a large bite out of the sandwich, it tastes heavenly.

"Nonsense love, you were exhausted. I'd rather let you sleep you looked ghastly this morning. I'm off to bed now dear so make sure you eat all your food, and there's some fresh orange juice in the fridge if you want some before you go to work, I love you, and I'll see you in the morning".

With that, she plants a small kiss on the top of my head and makes her way out of the room.

After finishing my food, I gave myself half an hour before I start to get ready for work.

After I changed into my "uniform", and my make-up was applied, and contact lenses are in I sat back on my bed and waited for the text to tell me that the car was here to take me to work.

Throughout the week that was the routine I had fallen into: wake up, eat breakfast, try not to fall asleep at school, come home, sleep and then get ready for a five-hour shift.

Before I know it, it's Friday night, and I've just finished applying the finishing touches to my make up as the text comes through telling me that my driver is here to take me to work.

Slipping on my heels and grabbing my phone and purse I make my way downstairs and out towards the car. After my usual friendly chat with Kevin and Kyle, I make my way inside the club.

As usual, Mark greets me with a glass of scotch which I was extremely grateful for today; my nerves are shot, I'd felt nauseous all day to the point where I didn't think I'd be able to finish the snack Nan had made me without vomiting.

Concentrating on the warm burning feeling making its way down my throat I made my way through the familiar guarded door, putting my phone and purse away I make my way to find Jack in the main suite to find out what he needs me to do for tonight.

I find Jack sat at the bar observing his little empire, making sure the girls were doing their jobs along with ensuring that the men are behaving themselves.

"Hey, Jack, what do you need me to do for this meeting?" I ask as I lean against the bar.

"Evening Harp, I'm really grateful that you agreed to do this for me and all you need to do is make sure the glasses are filled with the top shelf whisky that we keep in the back before they come in and then just make sure their glasses are topped up when asked. Don't worry I've met Mr DeLuca before, he seems decent enough. He shouldn't be any trouble if you need anything or it gets too much for you just come and find me okay?" Jack says with a serious expression plastered across his face.

"I'll be fine Jack, don't worry about me I've got this I'm sure I can handle Mr Deluca and his business friends." I chuckle

I walk towards the back room where the expensive whisky and scotch Is kept, however, I couldn't ignore the shiver that ran down my spine when the words Deluca rolled off my tongue.

Tonight is defiantly going to be interesting.

A/N

This was a bit of a filler chapter; chapter 4 gets a bit more interesting along with the addition of another POV 😏
Please vote & comment if you enjoyed the chapter and add Day and night to your library to get updates 😊 the next chapter should be out by Tuesday ❤️