Xavier checked his wrist watch, Lisa would be home any minute.With his heart racing, he picked up his phone, opened TikTok, and went live.His TikTok followers were already pouring in. “Yo, what’s up guys.” He whispered, grinning nervously at the camera. “This is it, I've been planning this for weeks. Missus doesn’t know a thing. I’m about to surprise her with dinner, candles, her favourite wine... and a little question.”He winked at the camera and panned to show the setup. “She’ll be home any second now, and I thought it was best to take you all along on this journey since you've been engaging on our cute videos. So y’all better stay tuned.”He placed the phone carefully on a corner shelf, angling it to capture the full room. The lights were off, just the soft candlelight glowing across the room.Emerald was still at the neighbor’s, Mrs.Pritchard, just as he planned.Xavier had spent months planning this. Two months of budgeting, two months of depriving himself just to buy a ri

Now, as the sky darkened, he stood in front of the building he calls home. The key trembled in his hand.Xavier jammed the key into the lock.Click. But the door wouldn't open.He tried a second time, twisting harder.Still nothing.He had walked home with his head low, a baseball hat covering most of his face. Old Mike had shut the café down for the day because the girl yelling at him over a wrong order had brought so much attention, coupled with his viral failed proposal.But he was too broken to go home and Amber had offered him her couch instead. Her voice was soft, kind, but even she couldn’t hide the pity in her eyes. “Just wear the cap,” she’d said. “disguise until it blows over.”But the internet never forgets.His phone had been buzzing nonstop. Calls. Mentions. Notifications. He turned it off. He couldn’t bear to see his face over and over again– the man who got rejected on TikTok Live. “What the hell?” he muttered as he tried opening the door for the third time. “Xavier

Xavier barely made it up the steps before the Café door swung open.Old Mike stood there, arms crossed, with a deep frown on his face. “You’re late. Again.”Xavier opened his mouth, but Mike cut him off. “Don’t bother. I’m done hearing excuses.” “Mike, please…” Xavier said weakly. “I’ve had a rough–” “You think I care?” Mike snapped. “You’ve been dragging yourself in here looking like a walking corpse. You make customers feel awkward and Amber is covering for you. You think I opened a café to run a damn rehab center?” “I just need a little more time” “You need a new life, son.” Mike stepped aside and jabbed a finger toward the VACANCY sign taped to the glass door. “Already looking for someone new. Someone competent.”Xavier stared at it, numb. “So… I’m fired?” “You fired yourself, son.” “What about my paycheck?” “You’ll get half,” Mike said, stepping back inside. “If you’re lucky. That’s all you earned this month.” “Half?” His voice cracked. “I need that money, Mike.

"Xavier?"The voice cut through the chaos like a blade.The officer paused, his grip on Xavier’s arm loosening slightly. Xavier turned his head, dazed, and saw him.It was Chris, running across the street like his life depended on it. “Officer, wait! That’s my friend! Let him go!”The cop narrowed his eyes. “You know this man?” “Yes! And he’s not a thief. He has never stolen in his life, that I can vouch for. He clearly looks like someone out on a jog with his outfit, can someone please explain what is going on here? Xavier blinked, still stunned. “Chris?”Chris didn’t respond to him directly. Instead, he turned to the boys, eyes narrowed. “What did you say he did?”One of them stammered, “He… he stole my phone.”Chris scoffed. “You sure about that? 'Cause you three look like the kind of kids who go about looking for trouble.” “We’re not lying!” the first boy insisted, glancing nervously at the officer. “He had my phone. The officer saw it!”All eyes turned to the cop. “Well

Amber left the house earlier than usual the following morning, hoodie pulled over her head, music plugged in, but she wasn’t really listening. She wasn’t out to jog, not really.She had a plan.She jogged her usual route at first, pretending all was normal. Then, she turned into a narrow side street, quieter, less familiar.There they were.Two teenage boys, slouched on a bench, eyes glued to their phones, laughing over something they were watching.Amber smirked. Perfect timing.She jogged closer and slowed to a walk just as she reached them. “Hey, boys!” she called out in a bright, fake accent. “Lovely morning, isn’t it?”They looked up, barely interested. “Yeah, sure,” one mumbled, eyes back on his screen.Before they could react, Amber lunged forward, grabbed one by the wrist, and twisted it behind his back in one clean, practiced move. “OW! What is wrong!?”The other boy jumped up. “What’s your problem, lady?!”Amber leaned in, voice low and sharp. “Easy. You see this path?