You Are The Reason

CHAPTER 1: All Alone

Alfresca's POV:

"Goodnight, Mrs Jackson." I bid my goodbye to the owner of the cafe I worked as a waitress in.

She smiled warmly. "Goodnight, Alfresca." I smiled back and left.

Stuffing my hands inside my jeans pockets, I walked down the street silently to my small rented apartment.

It was late at night and the weather was warm and as usual I felt scared walking alone. I kept glancing here and there to make sure I am not in some danger.

My apartment, thankfully was nearby the cafe and I reached it soon sighing in relief as I opened my door and stepped in.

Locking the door behind me, I placed my handbag down on the coffee table near the kitchen adjacent to the front door.

Taking a short shower to wash away today's dirt and exhaustion, I went off to sleep.

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Stifling a yawn, I walked inside the cafe greeting the owner on the way inside the kitchen.

"Hey, Lucy." I muttered to my friend as she tied her strawberry blonde hair into a ponytail.

Her blue eyes lit up. "Alfresca. Hi."

I smiled and wrapped my hand around her shoulder. "Hey, let's go to a club tonight. We have a day off tomorrow."

A scowl formed on her oval face. "What? No. I hate clubs."

"Oh, you will love it. I promise." I tried convincing her.

"Nope." She removed my hand from her shoulder making me frown.

"Come on, Lucy. Let's have some fun. You are so boring."

She shook her head and turned serious, her voice became low. "Alfresca, going out to a club at night, it's dangerous. Chicago is right now a hub for all the Mafia leaders. You have no idea how dangerous it is these days."

I rolled my eyes. "Mafia? Seriously? We have the cops for a reason."

She sighed. "The cops can't do anything. They are afraid of them too."

"You gotta be kidding me? Cops are afraid of them? Then what's the reason of having cops either."

Lucy looked surprised. "How come you have no idea about all this?"

"Um...maybe because I am not interested in all these rumours."

"They are not rumours, Alfresca. It's true. We have the two largest Mafia's base here in Chicago. One's the Meryd Mafia, it's the second largest in USA and the other--"

"Stop gossiping you two and get to work!" Mrs Jackson scolded us and Lucy sighed before getting to work.

And Mafia? In Chicago?

Seriously?

Shaking my head I cleared my thoughts and continued to work before I get scolded again.

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"Please, Lucy." I begged her as our day ended. "Just for tonight. Nothing will happen to us."

Ignoring me she walked past me and I ran to her, stepping in front of her blocking her way. I gave her my puppy eyes. "Please. We won't be there for long. We can leave before it's too late. Please."

She sighed heavily and rolled her eyes. "Fine. If anything happens, I am not responsible."

"Yay!" I jumped up excitedly and hugged her tightly. "Thank you. We are gonna have fun."