"Alex, one more red velvet cake with espresso." Asked Adam through the counter.

"Here it is, anything else," he said while giving him a plate of a red velvet cake.

"No, I think it's the last order of the day." He replied by taking the plate and going back.

Alex took a breath of relief that he had made 700 cakes today. He was tired. Doing double shifts was making him more tired. He waited for half an hour more when the manager called it a day.

He took his backpack and skateboard and said bye to everyone and went back.

Standing at the road, he thought of taking the bus today, but then shook his head and used his skateboard to go home. It took him twenty minutes to reach there.

Opening the door, he threw his shoes which both flew towards a different direction. And he dragged his exhausted body to the nearby sofa. Like a corpse, he laid there without moving an inch or opening his eyes. He was tired of his bones. Even taking a breath was hurting him .His hands have many burnt marks and old. But he was too lazy to find and use the anti-burn cream.

Since he started doing double shifts at the cafe, he worked for 16 hours continuously. Standing there and baking cakes, pastries, brownies, muffins, pizza and whatnot. Many times he took them out without wearing his gloves. Which resulted in burns. But the cafe was always over packed to think about it. Although the manager was a kind man, he was very strict when it comes to working.

His cakes were the most in-demand, so he had to work more than others, they called it a chef special menu for all the things he bakes. But his salary wasn't that special, that's why he needed more work. But now, he was already working for 16 hours and for the rest of the time, he is managing his online course. Taking care of his home meals and sleep. God knows when he slept for the whole night till late. He smiled at the thought.

It's the end of the month, he had to pay bills, electricity, gas, water, maintenance and most importantly his sister's fees would be due soon. So as her dorm fees and he had to recharge her canteen card. Damn, and he was still broke.

Sending her to the best school was the best decision he took but now he was struggling to maintain it. Should he drop his onlin course?

at least that would save some money.

He heard the opening of the front door, but he did not bother to open his eyes. No one else would care to enter anyway except for his nosy neighbor and best friend, Michael, who had a spare key. Besides, it was not like there was something worth stealing in this almost empty house.

Yes, empty. When his parents died, he was just fifteen while his sister was only eight. At the start, they received a lump sum from the insurance, but eventually it dwindled as it went to paying for their daily expenses and mostly education.

In the end, instead of going to a University, he opted to take an online course to save money. However, his sister, Anna was lucky enough to get an admission in one of the best high schools, where she also had a chance to go to Oxford. There was no other choice, but to let her go. Opportunities like that were hard to come by.

He was awakened from his daze when he heard his friend shouting. "You know, it won't taste good if it gets cold. Now move your lazy bum and eat it."

His neighbour had brought a plate of instant noodles knowing that he wouldn't eat if no one would feed him. "I have made noodles for you, eat and then you can sleep."

"You don't need to tell me, you can only make noodles." He commented, opening his eyes and yawning.

"Yeah, I am not a chef like you. But at least I cook for you. When was the last time you made something for me? Huh?" He said retorting him

"Last weekend when Anna was at home. I baked pizza and brownies for both of you and I remember you took a whole bunch for your girlfriend also" he replied with a smirk.

"It has been a week to it, and I know you won't cook this week because Anna is not coming. Right?" He asked although he knows the answer very well.

His friend only cooked now when his sister was at home. Otherwise, he would starve and sleep rather than cooking. It's not like he was lazy. He barely had time to study and sleep after his job. So he tried to help him as much as he could.

"Don't worry I will cook more when she comes next week. You could also bring your girlfriend then, her name is Mia. right? I will bake her favourite brownies again." He said finally sitting again and taking the plate from the table.

"Oh, don't bother. I have dumped her. Now my girlfriend is Lily. And she likes doughnuts more or maybe eclair would be a good choice." He said, shrugging his shoulders first and then scratching his chin while thinking.

Alex raised a brow at his friend. It would be his 24 or 25th girlfriend now. Just what these girls see in him. He shook his head and asked, "what happened this time?"

"Nothing, Lily was just talking with me while touching, but Mia became angry and created a scene. I asked her to be silent or I will dump her. She looked at me with widened eyes and then left." He said still in a nonchalant voice taking a bite from his own plate.

"And that Lily, Where was she touching you?" he asked, amused, sipping the coke, touching is not a big thing to break up. Do girlfriends have this much possessiveness these days?

"Oh, she was touching my lips with hers."