Harry POV

It's Monday afternoon and I'm getting ready to work at the country club. This means I have to dress a certain way and act more proper and rich than I actually am. 

I hear a gentle knock on my door and see Alyssa walk in with her blanket wrapped around her tiny body. It's around her nap time currently. I pick up my sister and place her down on my bed where she usually sleeps. I tuck her under my covers and make sure she's comfortable.

I kiss the top of her forehead and make sure she's asleep before I leave. My Mom is home now, so I know my siblings will be good with her. If my oldest brother Tyler was here, I wouldn't leave him alone with our siblings. He's too careless to take care of the four of them. 

When we moved into this house eleven years ago, our lives were different.

It was just the five of us, and both of my parents had actual jobs. My Dad was a history teacher at the local middle school, and my Mom was a nurse. When we moved into this house, my parents had enough money to afford everything, plus more. We were in the average class for most Americans.

It wasn't until I was nine, when things went down hill. My Dad got laid off from being a history teacher, and my Mom got fired from being a nurse because she was pregnant. She worked in a hospital and they didn't want a pregnant nurse on call who shouldn't be up at two a.m in the ER.

Since then it's been back and forth between jobs, for my Dad especially. He's a substitute teacher for a high school twenty minutes away, but he's mostly a manic. My Mom on the other hand hasn't found another job in her field. But we need money, so she works at the diner. She still looks for jobs, but it doesn't help that she popped out three more kids after Chris.

Tyler, Gemma, and myself all told them to be more careful and for them both to probably stop having sex because they can't afford anymore kids. Of course that didn't help because welcome my three other siblings. 

My Dad told Tyler, who told me, that the condoms keep breaking and the pill doesn't work. But now, thankfully, my Mother tied her tubes. Maybe three kids too late, but it still matters.

I think I will always be resentful for that considering how it effected my life. I've always been stuck watching my siblings and taking care of them. I know that sounds selfish but it's hard not being able to ask out a girl who I like because all of my extra money goes into my family. 

If anything I feel like I can't go to college because who will put extra money into our bills and funds? No one. Me having a job makes my parents jobs pay fine. I make sure everything is for sure payed for. I usually have forty dollars extra after each month, which sucks, but it's whatever. 

I have about two thousand dollars saved up now. I'm just waiting on the day where I need to use it on my family and not myself.

I've been working since I was fourteen. Tyler had a job then, but I didn't want Gemma to work because she was in her senior year of high school. I payed for her prom ticket, and dress. Also her senior trip I was able to pay for, for her. I didn't want her to work for those things. She still thanks me for that, which she shouldn't have to do. 

I hate working at the Country Club. I usually see the snobby people from school there. But their parents leave good tips, so that makes up for it, I suppose. 

Quinn POV

Faith is home now, so we're going out to dinner.

I wore a subtle dress since it's pretty humid out today. My shoes are flats because I didn't want to wear heels, but my hair is pulled into a neat bun that my Mother requested me to do. 

We're seated at our usual table at the country club, and automatic chatter comes from my family that's curious about my sisters trip. I just listen in and pretend I care. I glance over the menu and find my usual Caesar salad. 

My Mom says it's unladylike to order anything besides salad's in public. So, I always get this when I'm here with them. Usually when I'm alone I'll get a cheese burger or something "unladylike". 

"Hello," I hear a familiar voice say. "I'm Harry I'll be your waiter for the evening. May I start you off with something to drink?" 

My eyes look over to Harry who looks overall tired and probably fed up with the people here. A faint smile is rested on his pink lips and his eyes look over to me. "Where's our usual waiter?" I hear my Father ask him.

"He called out sick, Sir," He says kindly.

"I'll take a red wine," My Mother says a few moments later after debating on white wine or red. 

"Scotch please," My Dad says with a gentle sigh. He likes our usual waiter, Tony, because he knows all of our orders.

"White wine," Faith says with a gentle smile. All of us know he is our neighbor, which makes it awkward. For me at least, I know the three of them probably don't care because they don't like his family.

"Water is good for me," I say with a gentle grin. He nods before walking away. 

"Wow, he works here now?" Faith comments with a chuckle. I bite my lip and feel my hands become sweaty. 

"Sad, isn't it?" My Mother says with a gentle sigh.

"What's wrong with it?" I ask, which makes the table to go silent. "It's normal for a seventeen year old to work." I say timidly. 

"We all know why he's working," My Mom says with a hinted tone. "And a seventeen year old shouldn't be working to support his family." She says matter-o-factly. 

"Why don't we mind our own business, yes?" I ask, dismissing the conversation that oddly now bothers me. 

My Mom doesn't care about my own remark. She just goes back to talking to my sister, which annoys me so I end up excusing myself from the table. All they do is talk about Faith and ask about her life. They never once ask how I am doing unless I bring up something that happened to me.

I walk around the country club and head to the bar where I usually get free drinks. I never got drunk before, but I have drank. Sometimes I do it with Joy when my parents aren't home, but I know when to stop, which I think is all that matters.

I see Harry getting drinks for my family. His green eyes are on the drinks he's getting and he looks still bothered and annoyed. "Do you not like your job?" I ask.

He looks up to me, and knots his eyebrows. "Why are you talking to me?" 

"Is it against the law?" I ask with a raised eyebrow. I sit across from Harry who's behind the bar. His eyes are still questioning me. "Now, answer my question." I say.

"I like the money," He says with a sigh.

"I would too," I say honestly. "How long have you been here?" I ask.

"I got here at two," Harry tells me. It's eight now. 

"When do you get off of work?" I ask curiously.

"This is my last table," He tells me. I nod and play with my fingers that are on my lap.

"I'm sorry you got a douchey table," I say in advanced.

"It's okay Quinta," Harry says, causing me to shake my head and chuckle. 

"I'll make sure you tip is good Henry," I say before sliding off of my bar stool and walking back to my table that holds my family.

***

"What should we leave as a tip?" I ask my Dad as he puts his wallet in his pocket.

"Nothing," He says casually while standing up.

"Why nothing?" I ask with furrowed eyebrows.

"I give enough money to this country club," He says with a plain voice. His logic makes no sense to me.

My Mom and sister soon stand and I do a few moments later. They put on their shawls and grab their purses. "I need to use the lady's room," I say. "I'll meet you by that car."

"Okay, just don't be too long." My Mom says before walking away with my Dad and sister. I roll my eyes to myself and take out my purse. I leave sixty dollars and put it in the middle of the table. I soon walk away with my belongings. I take my time though, considering I said I was going to the bathroom.

***

It's ten at night and I'm in my backyard. 

My feet are dipped into my pool and I have a cardigan draped around my body. I'm wearing shorts and a tank top. But my cardigan keeps me cool but warm. My hair is pulled up into a messy bun and I just swing my feet back and forth in the water

I love sitting out here at night. You can hear all the crickets and see the stars across the dark sky. It's relaxing to me, but beautiful.

I hear the backdoor next door open. I assume it's Harry's Mom or Dad, but it's not. I look over my fence and see Harry. His arms hang off of my fence and he looks at me. "You can unlock the gate," I say.

"I don't think your parents want a peasant in their backyard," Harry says jokingly.

"They're dead asleep," I say. "Plus, their room is in the front of the house." I add.

Harry gives in and walks into my yard. He sits down a few inches away from me and crosses his legs. He reaches into his pocket and grabs something. I soon see the tip I left in his hand. "Here's your money," 

"It's not my money," I say casually.

"I saw you leave the tip," Harry says making me bite my lip.

"No you didn't," I say, which makes him laugh. 

"Quinn, take your money." He says. I glance over my shoulder and look to my neighbor who's looking at me.

"No," I answer. "It's yours." 

"I don't need your pity money." Harry tells me in a soft voice.

"It's not pity money. I had a hundred dollar bill but gave you sixty." I come up with, making him shake his head.

"The most I got for a tip was twenty five," He says.

"Well, I usually never tip. I thought that was a little amount," I say honestly, which makes him laugh. 

"I can tell," Harry says, which makes me nudge him. "Why are you out here anyways?"

"I can't sleep," I admit. "You?"

"Can't sleep. I saw your porch light on and thought you would be out here." He tells me, which causes me to nod.

"You'll find me out here a lot then," I say while swinging my feet back and forth in my pool. 

"Good to know," Harry says. I look over to him and see his eyes are looking up at the stars in the sky. "I should get going, I have to work in the morning," 

"Where?" I ask curiously.

"In the morning, the country club, afternoon, pizzeria," He says through a huff.

"Oh," I say. "What about class?"

"That's between it all," Harry tells me with faint smile. "Don't worry you'll still see me love." I roll my eyes at his remark. 

"In your dreams," I say, which makes him laugh.

"Hm sounds good Quinta." He says while standing.

"Goodnight Henry," I say while looking over at him.

"Goodnight love," Harry says with a smirk. He soon walks back over to his house and closes the gate behind him. 

I shake my head and keep moving my feet back and forth in the water. 

Harry POV

I get to my bedroom and see my bedroom is pitch black. I turn on my lamp near my bed and see Alyssa is asleep in my bed, which I expect considering she sleeps in my room most of the time. 

I change into shorts and a tee shirt that's clean and turn off the lamp. I lay down on my mattress and let out a deep breath.

"Hazza?" I hear her tired voice say.

"Yes?" I say in a whisper.

She doesn't say anything. She just nuzzles her face into my chest. "I love you," My little sister says in a gentle voice.

"I love you too," I kiss the top of her head and stroke her curls. 

I close my eyes and try to think of something positive and happy in my life, which is nothing if I'm being honest.

A://N

a longer chapter because why notttt

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tysm for 10k reads!!

~lauren