Elodie Evans could cry about how much life sucked.

How it was unfair that she became a care-giver of her brother at the young age of eighteen when all she should be worrying about was where she'd spend her gap year before going to college, and how her parents shouldn't have drove off a cliff because taking care of two children, and owing a mountain of debt was too much for them. She could also cry about how she had to work two jobs each day while running on few hours of sleep to keep from sinking below the surface of the water that was her life.

But she certainly wasn't the first, and neither would she be the last to go through these things. That was just how life was: you win some, you loose some. It was a tale as old as time.

Currently, though, Elodie just got back from her daily run—it kept her demons at bay for a few minutes each day—and she barely had enough time to grab a shower before getting out of her house. The place she lived wasn't much of a house, what with the wall plaster peeling, cracks in the ceiling, and the rats that kept running through the apartment if she stayed as much as an hour in this place. Her only furniture consisted of just the pull out sofa she slept on, second hand coffee table that had certainly seen good days, and the single arm chair she'd also gotten from the flea market. She was barely in the house anyway, so it didn't matter.

Aqualine Shore, the downtown of Sunset Bay, was home to people like her; the poor, and working class. Crimes happened in this part of the town everyday, but trouble didn't find you unless you go looking for it.

The sky was a dull, smog colored blue, the sun was yet to rise, but people peppered the sidewalks: some with their heads down, clad in office wears and holding briefcases, others in tiny clothes, catcalling those walking by. It was all a normal day in this part of the town, once again.

The walk to Neverland Homes was a long one (thirty five minutes at best) and if she wanted to make it to her first job on time, she had leave the house before five-thirty a.m.

Elodie's body had gotten used to her schedules that no matter how tired she was, she was always on time. She'd never failed to wake up on time before her alarm thrilled, and her body was never too sore for a run each time.

The nurse at the front desk was a familiar one, and she grinned immediately Elodie walked through the front door. "Good morning, Elodie."

"Good morning, Lisa," she replied, offering a bright smile in return. "How's work going and how are the kids?"

Lisa Jewel was a single mother of four whose husband ran away with all their life savings, so she had to start afresh here in Sunset Bay where no one knew her, plus he couldn't also find her here, too.

"All good, my dear." She hit a few keys on the board then looked up at her. "He's been stable, so there's nothing to worry about. He's just had his medication, and the therapist had been in to see him this morning."

Which meant that he was asleep, but it was good, anyway. She just had to see him. "It's okay. I'll just pop in to see him."

Lisa smiled warmly, eyes shinning with that maternal feeling all mother's seemed to possess, not that she knew that many anyway. "God bless you for all you've been doing for that boy, Elodie. He's so lucky to have a sister like you."

"Thank you so much," Elodie told her, eyes shinning with tears. "You have no idea how much I needed to hear that."

"I think her do." Her smile was all-knowing. "Go ahead."

Elodie nodded her thanks and set off down the corridor to the room she'd considered her second home for seven years now. She passed by a few nurses, exchanging a brief greeting with them, then arrived at door 27.

She stood before the door, unable to open it as feelings of nostalgia swept through her. The boy on the other side of the door had once been full of life, hopes and dreams just like every single other boy his age should. Then, it'd all changed so drastically; a whole life snuffed out. Just like that.

Elodie took deep breath, blinking back the tears that threatened to spill— just in case he was awake— plastered on a smile, and opened the door. The first thing she saw was the brightly colored sunflower she'd brought the day before, window. It'd been her tradition for the last four years, because the first day she'd  brought him white lillies, he'd moved his pinky fingers, and now she couldn't stop it. She just threw it out when it withered and got another flower after researching its meaning, of course.

She stepped into the room and shut the door behind. A few steps and she was beside the bed, gazing down at the only reason she was still alive.

Mason Evans was beautiful.

Not that she was being biased because he was her own brother, but it was the truth. Her brother was like a timeless, fine wine: he hadn't aged.

Long brown lashes fanned over his closed eyes, dark brown curls were fanned out on the white pillow, his full pink lips were pursed into a frown, and his defined jawline looked so smooth and strong. Sleeping beauty could have been all about him for all she knew, because he looked so peaceful laying there with tubes running in and out of his body.

He'd lost some of that baby fat, but he looked quiet small for his age. Her young, vibrant and care-free brother whose pure soul the world didn't deserve.

Elodie reached out a hand to brush the mop of hair away from his forehead, smiling when a barely-there line appeared between his brows as though he was mad at being interrupted in his sleep. She knew it was impossible, of course, but that didn't mean she couldn't imagine.

She pulled the visitor's chair closer to the bed, dropped her backpack by its legs, and sank into it, holding his hand. "Hi, Mace. It's Elly." She laughed, as tears filled her eyes for the third time that morning. "Silly me, of course you know it's me. Who else talks your ear off everyday? You see, spring is already fading away now, and summer's starting to creep up on us. The temperatures are rising nowadays and it's like we're out in the middle of the desert. America has a new president now, countries are still starting wars over nothing, the world is still turning. Oh, and we also had a meteorite scare last month. I thought the world was finally going to end, you know? Yet, all I could think about was not being by your side when it happens." She paused, turning her head to gaze out of the window.

The sky was beginning to get brighter now, soft sun rays spreading across it like wet oil on a blank canvas. Birds sang their melodious tunes from the tree planted in the courtyard, ready to greet the day like everyone else. Outside there, the world moved at its normal pace, ignoring the turmoil inside of her.

Hot liquid leaked out the side of her eyes, and made a smooth line down her cheeks, dripping onto the collar of her shirt. Some days, Elodie just wanted it all to end; a meteorite hitting the earth, an earthquake, a volcanic eruption, just...something to take away the burden on her shoulders.

Sniffling, she wiped her cheeks with the backs of her hands, feeling guilty for having all these thoughts when Mason laid there unable to have these worries, and turned to find her brother already awake and watching her. Familiar baby blues stared at her, unblinking in their intensity, but not with the familiarity they had once borne.

Elodie quickly slapped on a smile on her face, stomach churning with how stupid she'd been to be crying here. So what if she had to work two—sometimes three—jobs to make sure Mason stayed here receiving the care she couldn't give him? People like her didn't get to be happy so why should she be bitter about her situation?

"Mace," she said, squeezing his hand. "You're awake."

Well done, Captain obvious, the dominant voice in her mind, the one she'd dubbed E2, sneered. It was merciless and always showed itself when she least expected it.

"I've been here a while, and I'm sorry that I wouldn't be able to stay for long today, but I did memorize another famous quote for you."

It'd been his thing. Mason had been the inquisitive type of kid who always wanted to know everything, and had been interested in quotes from famous people. She'd taken to tell him a new one each time she visited.

"Hmm." She tapped her chin as though she was deep in thought. "Oh, I remember. This one's from a book, so I do not know if it counts as a famous person's quote, but here we go: 'Give a loose rein to your fancy, indulge in your every imagination in every possible flight'. That was by Jane Austen: pride and prejudice."

So she liked classic literature, and so what?

It was the only thing she had for herself, and didn't need anyone judging her for indulging when she had to few window of time to relax. Even Mace wouldn't fault her for doing so, in fact he'd whole-heartedly encourage it.

"What flower do you think I should get you next, poppies? Daisies?"

Mace's eyes slid just once again, and she was alone in the room. Elodie let out a soft breath, rose to her feet and leaned in to press a kiss to his head. She straightened, grab her backpack, looked at him one more time to draw the strength to face the day ahead, then turned and walked out of the room.

This time, she didn't cry. Seeing Mason everyday gave her the energy boost she needed to get through the day until she collapsed into her own bed sometime in the early hours, and she was zapped and raw.

Lisa wasn't at the desk when she passed, but she did leave a cherry flavored sucker on the table as usual.

Elodie grabbed it on her way out, unwrapping it as she went, and popped it into her mouth just as she hit the sidewalk. The sun was peeking through the clouds now, and store owners were beginning to open for their daily sales, workers also hurried down the side walks in their business attires, probably heading for the bus. The pavement was free of those night workers she'd seen on her way to the home, and boys in ragged jeans, backward snaps, and equally ratty t-shirts had taken their place.

Elodie walked past all of them, wondering not for the first time, what type of problem they had to deal with at the end of each day. Maybe that woman with the ring circles under her eyes had a baby and a deadbeat husband who didn't give a rat ass about her and his offspring. Or that man with the mustache and unknotted tie just lost his job.

People watching was fun. It helped her escape from her own problems.

She barely caught the bus going to Offshore on time. She'd have had to wait an extra thirty minutes to get another one, and her boss would be pissed and dock her pay for the third time this month. She couldn't afford to take more hits if she was to met her budget for the week.

By the time she got off the bus, she barely had few minutes to spare, so Elodie ran the rest of the way to work. 

Jean, her co-worker, was already changed into the orange uniform with the diner's name on it, Crusty's Pie, when she entered the back room through the alleyway door that was for employees only. The red head looked up from tying her shoe lace at her arrival. "'Sup?"

Elodie dumped her bag into her locker, and pulled her shirt over her head. "I'm good. You?"

"Great." She moved to the other lace. "You look awful."

She let out a laugh that sounded plastic even to her own ears. "What's new?"

Jean straightend, shaking her head which made her ponytail swing widly. "You should get more sleep, El, or you'll run yourself ragged one day."

Elodie pulled her uniform over her head. "As long as that day isn't tomorrow."

The other woman looked as though she wanted to say more but just shook her head. "Stan's asking to see you."

Stanford—yes, that was his name—was the owner and manager of this place. He never asked to see them unless they were in trouble or he was about to yell and needed a scapegoat.

"Oh." She paused in the act of locking her locker, brows raised in question.

"Didn't look pissed, so you're good."

Elodie expelled a breath of relief. "Thank you."

Jean grinned, showing off her rows of yellowed teeth. "Sure. See you out there."

Elodie waited until the woman was out before re-tying her own laces. Her sneakers were old, ratty things she'd gotten as a present from her parents before their demise, and she couldn't throw it out even though it'd more holes in it than a hedgehog's house. She'd used markers to draw designs on it so that the holes looked more like fashion than what it really was.

She checked her hair in the mirror, fluffed the bangs she'd gotten last week, puckered her lips and pinched her cheeks to give them colour. When she couldn't stall any longer, she went to find Stan.

The man was in the middle of watching some episode movie on his computer, so he just handed her her pay check and waved her away without a word.

Outside the office, Elodie let out a relieved breath, surprised that he paid this way today. Usually, he'd just hand it out to her at the end of her shift, but it made her happy that she didn't have to stick around once she was done.

She tucked the money in her pocket, took another deep breath and exhaled it, then went out into the diner to join in the bustle.

A/N:

What do you think of our MC and the tragedies that have befallen her so far?

What do you also think happened to Mace to have him where he was today?

Also, how old do you think he is?

What about our other characters, Lisa and Jean, what do you think of them?

Now that we've gotten into the first part of her job, how do you think the next one would be?

Don't forget to vote, comment and share.

Thank you for reading ❤️❤️❤️