Chapter 8: Help

“Aria?”

Conni shook her shoulder because she looked so lost in her thought in front of the cashier. Aria, who was shocked, immediately apologized.

“I am so sorry, I didn't hear what you said, what's that again?”

Conni took a deep breath and pursed her lips. This girl, who is usually cheerful and always talks a lot, now became silent and looked gloomy.

"What is it? Are you in trouble?” Conni asked and sat on the chair next to her.

Aria widened her eyes a little and immediately shook her head. She laughed awkwardly.

“Eh?What problem? Everything is fine, don't worry. Hehe..." She immediately wrote something in her little book to distract Conni.

Of course, Conni wasn't fooled by that, she was even more curious. Because Aria is not that quiet type. Since she knew her more than a year ago. Conni always saw her smile sweetly, spoke cheerfully, and could always change the atmosphere to be more colorful. Even though she was tired, Aria always tried to liven up the atmosphere around her. She is a sweet young girl who will make other people smile and feel happy with her around.

"Aria... what about Grandma's check up yesterday? What’s the result?" Conni asked gently.

“Grandma?” Aria gulped before she answered it, but she maintained the smile on her face. She glanced at her side and Conni looked at her waiting for her words.

“Grandma is sick and she needs some special treatments for it. But otherwise Grandma is fine, she just needs enough rest and to be happy every day." She answered quickly.

Conni looked at the innocent young girl. She nodded her head once, knowing that Aria didn't want to discuss this any further now.

“Dear, if you need my help, I will always be here for you. Or if you want to tell me everything that bother you, I'm all ears, you know.”

Aria looked relieved to hear Conni's answer. She nodded and smiled.

“Thanks a lot, Mam. You have helped me all this time. I hope I can repay you someday." She said sincerely.

Conni smiled broadly and winked at Aria.

"Well, I'm waiting for that day, when you're successful and don't forget this old Conni." She said playfully and they both laughed.

“Aria, you don't have a problem with your… err, friend, right?” Conni asked in a whisper while looking out of the shop glass walls.

“Uh, Alex? No, not at all." Aria laughed. “Why do you ask?”

“Well, I haven't seen him around here in a while, I mean, come here and pick you like last time.” Conni cleared her throat.

"Ohh... Yes, Alex said he went out of town a few days ago. He'll be gone for a week.” Aria answered casually.

"Ah.. I see.." Conni smiled awkwardly. Apparently Aria was that close to that dangerous man. He even told Aria his work schedule.

In her heart, Conni prayed that Aria would not get into any trouble with a man like Alex. She really wanted to tell this innocent girl who the man she considered her friend was. But Alexander's gaze at her that afternoon was already a threat to her to shut her mouth. Otherwise her life, her family are at risk.

She sighed, Aria is a good girl. If she got into trouble with the mafia, she didn't know how to help her.

No matter how she looked at it, Alexander was obsessed with Aria.

She has lived for more than half a century in this world. She certainly knew the man's gaze and body movements as if he didn't want Aria to be away from him.

Hopefully this girl doesn't get into more trouble than the already is.

"Aria, today you can go home early... You'd better go back now to take care of yourGrandma, don't worry, I won't cut your salary."

Conni's words made Aria widen her eyes in surprise. She looked at the clock and it was still three in the afternoon.

"Are you sure? It's still too early now…”

Conni waved her hand and went inside before coming back out with two boxes of her lunch which she hadn't opened at all and Aria's which she had only been staring at.

“Here. You haven't eaten yet, give the other to your Grandma. Go home.” She smiled.

"What about you?" Aria asked in surprise but she still accepted it and thanked Conni.

“Oh, don't worry about me, darling. I can walk nearby and buy some at the food court nearby. But you… go home, I know you need a lot of time to think..."

Aria's eyes filled with tears hearing Conni's words. But she immediately rubbed her eyes so that none of her tears would fall. She must be strong to face all her problems.

"Thank you so much, Conni."

After saying goodbye once again, Aria walked out of the carrying a plastic bag containing two lunch boxes. Conni watched her walk home with  pity.

The girl was very young but she already carried a very heavy burden. She even dropped out of school to support herself and her grandmother, who had been sick for a long time. Conni didn't know what happened to Aria's father, but Aria once told her that her mother died when she was still a little.

Poor girl... Hopefully one day Aria can find happiness and live her life cheerfully.

….……….

Meanwhile, Aria was already sitting at the bus stop where she usually waited to get her bus.

She was indeed confused. Yesterday, the doctor who treated Grandma said that Grandma had to immediately undergo chemotherapy, and it would start in a week . Meanwhile, Aria has to provide very large costs. She looked at her savings and it was absolutely not enough. Even if she asked Conni for her salary earlier, it would still be far from enough.

She didn’t know about another part time job. Is there a job with such a large salary for someone who has no experience other than arranging flower bouquets and is a high school dropout?

She sighed and looked up to the sky. Turned out it was starting to get cloudy. It will rain soon.

Aria was still in her thoughts, how will she get that much money?

She was alone in this world. All she had is Grandma, she didn't want Grandma to get sick and experience the same thing as her Mother. What happened to mother was her fault. And she didn't want that incident to happen again.

Where she can ask for help? She couldn't possibly borrow money from Conni. Aria knew that Conni had a family and Aria was not the only person who needs money. Conni had been very kind to her all along, willing to hire an inexperience, drop out, young girl as her employee. She didn't want to bother that kind-hearted woman anymore.

Then a name popped up into her mind. One name she really avoided no matter what happened in her life.

Aria thought for a moment before she made up her mind to ask this one person for help. That one person who abandoned her, kicked her and Grandma out of the house, let them die of cold and hunger...

Aria closed her eyes and opened them again when a bus with a different destination stopped. With heavy steps she stood up and walked into the bus.

For Grandma, she was willing to do anything. Even though she had to go back there and the possibility that they will kick her out or even treat her less than a trash was higher. But at least she had to try.