𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐲 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟔.

Jorja's Pov
It's been a few days since the robbery happened at The Red Room, and it hasn't opened again since. Honestly, I wasn't even too keen about going there right now anyway. It's a little strange that none of the major news sources have reported it yet. And what's even stranger is that the police weren't called immediately when it happened.

I couldn't figure out why, but all I wanted was to move on and leave it all behind me.

It was insane how I went from being bottled up in my apartment, ranting to Penelope, a cat, to being present to witness a club robbery and shooting. I can't even comprehend how my life has taken such a turn, but honestly, I wasn't exactly complaining about it— to an extent of course.

Today, I didn't have work at the diner and I couldn't be more happy about it. After potentially almost getting hurt, left me pretty shaken up, and I've been cooped up in bed, drowning in downtime, feeling like I'm wasting away. So, I've decided that today is the day I'm going to turn things around.

I glanced at my phone to check the time, and it read 1:15 PM. I let out a deep breath and swung my legs off the bed, standing up. I felt something furry brush against my leg, and I quickly looked down to see Penelope looking up at me with her big round eyes.

"What are you looking at, hm?" I playfully asked Penelope, as if she could comprehend my words. I chuckled as she nonchalantly walked away, completely ignoring me. I slipped on my cozy bunny slippers and headed towards the bathroom to freshen up for the day. I realized that I needed to make a quick run to the grocery store to grab some food for both myself and Penelope.

I quickly applied a touch of makeup and dressed myself in a sweatshirt, along with a pair of jeans that I matched with dark red chucks. The outfit was both adorable and comfortable.

"I really need to get my hair done," I muttered to myself, looking at my reflection through the mirror.

The sky looked gloomy from my window and I knew it was going to rain soon. Days like this made me want to save up for a car. But for now, I'll have to take the bus to and from the grocery store and hope to not get caught in the rain.

After securing the door and hurrying making my way to the bus stop, I carefully dropped my coin into the bus fare box and settled into my seat, my eyes scanning the scene outside. The city streets were adorned with colorful lights and Christmas decorations, a visual reminder that the holiday season was in full swing.

Everywhere I looked, families and couples were wrapped in the warmth of togetherness, their joyful expressions painting a picture of love and celebration.

As the bus rolled along, I couldn't help but feel a hint of sadness wash over me. The holiday spirit seemed to make my loneliness even more noticeable, reminding me of the absence of friends and family in my life. It felt like everyone around me had someone to share the joyous season with, while I was left to navigate the festivities alone.