As I reached the shop, narrowly escaping an unexpected encounter with Vice President Blake and the elusive Secretary Claire, I was met with a scene of chaos. The shop was brimming with customers, and amidst the frenzy, Brother Chris caught my eye and gestured urgently.

"White, perfect timing! Get changed, and deliver this order," he instructed, barely managing the counter's demands.

"But the delivery boy?" I queried, puzzled.

"He's out sick today. Just hurry and suit up," Chris replied, his attention already snatched away by another customer.

I darted to the staff room, donned my uniform, stowed my bag, and returned to find Chris burdened with an Everest of pizza boxes and an address slip.

"Take these and go," he said, apologetic yet firm. "Extra pay is on me."

The task seemed daunting. "This will take ages," I whispered, "and what about you? "concern lacing my voice.

"Don't fret. The team's on it, and Aris will be here any minute. Just focus on the delivery, and don't dawdle," Chris reassured me, turning back to the impatient crowd.

With a nod, I hoisted the stack of aromatic boxes and stepped out into the evening, the address slip clutched tightly in hand.

"It will surely take a lot of time, and I hope Brother Chris will be okay," I murmured, casting a worried glance towards Chris.

I mounted my bicycle, carefully loaded all the delivery boxes into the bag, and set off to deliver the orders.

At 6:30 PM, in the bustling pizza shop, Aris arrived. The place was still teeming with customers. She made her way straight to the staff room, swapped her clothes for the uniform, and while glancing back at the shop, she noticed White was conspicuously absent. Approaching the counter, she called out, "Manager..."

Chris spun around, "Ah, perfect timing! Come here and help me out. Today's going to be hectic, so I need you to give it your all, okay?" he instructed.

Chris and Aris were swamped, tending to a relentless tide of customers, while I was equally engrossed in delivering orders.

Finally, at 9:20 PM, the onslaught of customers dwindled, and Chris and Aris exhaled deeply in unison, a sense of relief washing over them.

"Ahhhhh... This is so exhausting. I never imagined managing the counter would be this challenging," Aris exclaimed.

Chris chuckled, "Haha... It's your first time, so it's understandable. But you did well, and for that, I'll throw in a little extra for your hard work," he said, smiling at Aris.

"Whaaaa... That's incredibly generous of you, manager. But now that I think about it, where's White? Did he take the day off?" she inquired, a hint of concern in her voice.

Chris shook his head, "No, no, our usual delivery boy fell ill, so I sent White to cover his deliveries. He should be back soon... Well, I think I should also thank the rest of the staff, so if you'll excuse me," he said before departing.

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Glancing at the clock, which now read 9:30, Aris grew anxious. She needed to be at her friend's house before 10:00 PM. She attempted to call White, but his phone was unreachable. After waiting another ten minutes, she grew restless. She had promised White she wouldn't venture out alone at night, yet he was nowhere to be found.

Her brother might already be at her friend's house, and if he arrived before her, she dreaded what might happen. With these thoughts swirling in her mind, she decided to leave, hoping to get there before her brother Zen. But before she did, she left a message for White and inform manager. Manager offer her to escort her but she refused the offer kindly.

The path to Ari’s friend’s house was eerily silent, devoid of any passersby. As Ari walked, a growing anxiety to reach her destination quickly was overshadowed by the unsettling feeling of being followed. She glanced back, but the street remained empty. Her fear mounting, she quickened her pace, yet the sensation of an unseen presence persisted.

The deserted streets amplified her fear; it was undeniably risky to be alone at night. In a burst of panic, she ran, hoping to outpace her phantom pursuer. A sudden turn left her colliding with a stranger, and she tumbled to the ground.

“What are you doing, girl! This could have been dangerous if it were a car instead of me,” he exclaimed.

“Ah, sorry,” she stammered, rising to her feet. “Could you please help me? I think someone might be following me. Would you accompany me to my friend’s house?” The fear in her eyes was palpable.

“Ah… Yes, but here,” he replied with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. In a swift motion, he grabbed her, his hand clamping over her mouth, muffling her cries for help. As she struggled against his grip, the person she had feared was following her appeared, attempting to overpower her.

Ari fought desperately to escape, but the man’s hold was unyielding, tears streaming down her face. As he pressed a handkerchief to her nose, the scent it carried began to dull her senses, her struggles growing weaker with each passing moment.

Meanwhile

"Ah... I'm going to be late, so very late!" I muttered to myself, pedaling the bicycle with fervent urgency. The clock had already struck 9:50, and I had to reach the shop posthaste. Aris must be anxiously awaiting my arrival.

As I raced through the streets, the cool night air whipped against my face. In mere minutes, I arrived at the shop to find Brother Chris beginning to close up for the night; it was nearly 10:00 pm.

Brother Chris turned to me, his face lighting up with a grateful smile. "Ah, White, you've come! I'm sorry to have burdened you with so much work. I truly appreciate everything you've done today," he said, his eyes shimmering with sincerity.

"Don't mention it, Brother Chris," I replied, scanning the area. Aris was nowhere to be seen. Concerned, I turned back to Chris. "Is Aris on leave too? I don't see her around."

"She left in a hurry, said she needed to visit her friend's house before 10. I urged her to wait, but she insisted," Chris explained.

"She left alone? At night?" I frowned, recalling my stern advice to her never to do so. Reaching for my phone to call her, it suddenly rang. It was Zen.

With a knot of worry in my stomach, I answered, "Hello, Zen?"

"White! Have you seen Aris?" Zen's voice was laced with panic, and it sounded as if he was on the move.

"No, what's happened?" I inquired, concealing my knowledge of Aris's secret part-time job and the possibility that she might be late returning to Zen's place.

"She was supposed to study at her friend's house, but when I got there, they told me she never arrived. I've tried calling her, but her phone is switched off," Zen's voice trembled with concern.

A chill ran down my spine as I thought of the perilous route to Aris's friend's house. "What? Don't worry, Zen. We'll find her. I'll let you know if I hear anything, and please, call me immediately if you do," I reassured him before ending the call.

"Is something wrong?" Brother Chris inquired, his voice heavy with worry.

"It's Aris... Her phone is off, and she's missing. Zen just called me," I explained hastily. "Brother Chris, I need to go—I'm taking the bicycle, okay?"

"This is bad. Don't worry, I'll help too," Chris offered.

"Thanks, Brother Chris." With that, I mounted the bicycle and pedaled away with all the speed I could muster, the night swallowing me whole..