ZIP IT DOWN

As Eliza pushed open the door to The Daily Grind, she was immediately hit with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the sound of lively chatter. But her relief at being back in the familiar surroundings was short-lived, as her eyes landed on the figure standing behind the counter, his arms crossed and a scowl on his face.

It was her manager, Joe. And he did not look happy.

Eliza's heart sank as she made her way towards him, her feet feeling heavy with dread. She knew she was late, and she knew her manager was not going to be pleased.

"Eliza," Joe said, his voice low and menacing. "Where have you been?"

Eliza took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. "I'm so sorry, Manager. I had a terrible morning. I witnessed a shooting on my way here and it really shook me up."

But Joe was not interested in her explanation. His face turned red with anger, and he slammed his fist on the counter.

"You're late, Eliza. Again. And not just a few minutes late, either. You're over an hour and a half late. Do you know how much business we've lost because of your laziness?"

Eliza tried to speak, but Joe wouldn't let her.

"No, Eliza. I don't want to hear it. You're always late, you're always slacking off. You're a disappointment to this coffee shop, and to me."

Eliza felt tears pricking at the corners of her eyes as Joe's words cut deep.

"Eliza, I'm suspending you for three months, effective immediately. You're not welcome back in this coffee shop until then."

Eliza's eyes widened in shock. Three months? That was a long time. And what would she do without her job? She needed the income to survive.

"Manager, please," she said, trying to reason with him.

But Joe was unmoved. He just shook his head, his expression unyielding.

"I'm sorry, Eliza. But you've left me no choice. You're suspended, and that's final."

Eliza stood there, frozen in shock, Jake looked on with concern. "Manager, please," he said, trying to reason with him. "Can't you just give Eliza another chance? She's a good employee, and she's always willing to learn."

But Manager Joe was unmoved. "No, Jake. Eliza's had plenty of chances, and she's blown them all. She's consistently late and lazy. She's not a good employee, and I don't want her working here."

Jake looked at Eliza, who was crying uncontrollably. He could see the desperation in her eyes, and he knew he had to do something. But he also knew that he had to respect Manager Joe's decision.

"I understand, Manager," Jake said, trying to sound calm. "But can't we just...I don't know...give her a warning or something?"

Manager Joe's expression turned cold. "Jake, I've already made my decision. If you keep begging for Eliza, you'll be joining her on suspension. Do you understand?"

Jake's eyes dropped, and he nodded slowly. He knew he couldn't risk losing his job, not when his mother was depending on him. He took a step back, feeling a pang of guilt for abandoning Eliza.

Just then, Mrs. Thompson, Eliza's neighbor and a regular customer at The Daily Grind, walked into the coffee shop. "What's going on here?" she asked, noticing the commotion.

"Eliza's been suspended for three months," Manager Joe replied, his voice firm.

Mrs. Thompson's face fell, and she looked at Eliza with concern. "Oh, Eliza, I'm so sorry. Can't you do something, Manager Joe? She's a good girl, and she's always been kind to me."

But Manager Joe was unmoved. "I'm afraid not, Mrs. Thompson. Eliza's had plenty of chances, and she's blown them all. If you keep begging for her, you'll be banned from coming to this coffee shop again. Do you understand?"

Mrs. Thompson's face fell, and she nodded slowly. She knew Manager Joe was a stubborn man, and she didn't want to risk being banned from her favorite coffee shop.

As the scene unfolded, Eliza felt a deep sense of despair wash over her. She knew she was losing her job, and she had no idea how she was going to survive without it. She looked at Jake, who was standing silently, his eyes cast down at the floor. She knew he was afraid to speak up for her, afraid of losing his own job.

As the reality of her situation sunk in, Eliza felt a wave of tears wash over her. She turned and ran out of the coffee shop, leaving behind the only job she had ever known.

Jake watched her go, feeling a pang of guilt for not standing up for her. He knew he had let her down, and he didn't know how he was going to face her again.

Mrs. Thompson shook her head, looking at Manager Joe with disappointment. "You're a hard man, Manager Joe," she said. "I hope you're happy with yourself."

Manager Joe just shrugged, his expression unyielding. "I'm just doing what's best for this coffee shop," he said.

But as the door closed behind Eliza, Jake couldn't help but wonder if Manager Joe's decision had been too harsh. Had he really given Eliza a chance to prove herself? Or had he just been looking for an excuse to get rid of her?

As the questions swirled in his mind, Jake couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. He knew he had let Eliza down, and he didn't know how he was going to make it right.

Eliza trudged home, tears streaming down her face as the weight of her emotions threatened to consume her. The bright sunlight and fresh air only served to highlight the darkness that had settled in her heart. She felt like she was walking through a nightmare, with no escape from the pain that gripped her.

As she approached her cozy house, a sense of relief washed over her. She pushed open the door and stepped inside, slamming it shut behind her. The sound of the door closing was like a physical barrier between her and the rest of the world. She leaned against the door, letting out a sob that echoed through the empty hallway.

Eliza stumbled forward, blindly making her way to her bedroom. She fell onto her bed, burying her face in her pillow. The tears flowed freely as she thought about everything she had lost. Her parents, her boyfriend, and now her job - it seemed like the world was conspiring against her.

As she lay there, the questions swirled in her mind. Why was this happening to her? What had she done to deserve this? The questions taunted her, refusing to let her find any peace. Eliza felt like she was losing herself, like she was disappearing into a void of sadness and despair.

The sound of knocking at the door barely registered with Eliza. It was Mrs. Thompson, her neighbor, who had come to check on her. But Eliza didn't respond, didn't even acknowledge the sound. She just wanted to be left alone, to wallow in her misery without any distractions. The knocking continued, but Eliza tuned it out, letting the sound fade into the background.

As Mrs. Thompson gave up and left, Danny, Eliza's best friend Sarah's fiancé, happened to be passing by on his motorcycle. He saw Mrs. Thompson walking away from Eliza's house, looking concerned, and wondered what was wrong. He decided to go tell Sarah about what he had seen, hoping that she might be able to do something to help Eliza.

Later that night, Sarah arrived at Eliza's house, knocking on the door. But Eliza didn't answer. She just lay in bed, curled up in a ball, and waited for the darkness to consume her. Sarah knocked for a few minutes, but when Eliza didn't answer, she gave up and left. Eliza was alone once again, left to face the darkness that had settled in her heart.

The next morning, Sarah arrived at Eliza's house, determined to get to the bottom of why her friend had locked herself away and refused to answer the door. She knocked softly at first, but when Eliza didn't respond, she knocked louder and more insistently.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Eliza opened the door, looking pale and drawn. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, and her hair was tangled and messy.

"Hey, what's going on?" Sarah asked, concern etched on her face. "I came by last night and you didn't answer the door. I was worried sick about you."

Eliza stepped aside, allowing Sarah to enter. She closed the door behind her and leaned against it, as if she needed the support to stay upright.

"It's just...everything," Eliza said, her voice cracking. "I lost my job yesterday. Manager Joe fired me, said I was lazy and incompetent."

Sarah's eyes widened in shock. "That's ridiculous," she said. "You're an amazing worker. What really happened?"

Eliza shook her head, feeling a mix of emotions: anger, sadness, and frustration. "I don't know. I've been trying to figure that out, but I just can't seem to make sense of it."

Sarah sat down next to Eliza on the couch, putting a supportive arm around her shoulders. "We'll figure it out together," she said. "You're not alone in this."

Eliza took a deep breath, letting the words spill out. "I'm sure it's because I rejected his proposal," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Sarah's eyes widened in surprise. "What proposal?" she asked, her brow furrowed in concern.

Eliza's face twisted in distaste. "He told me he loved me," she said, the words tasting bitter on her tongue. "Can you believe it? He said it while I was still in a relationship with Khoby."

Sarah's expression turned incredulous. "That's outrageous!" she exclaimed. "What did you say to him?"

Eliza shook her head, feeling a mix of emotions: anger, disgust, and sadness. "I rejected him, of course," she said. "I told him I wasn't interested, that I was already in a relationship."

Sarah nodded, her eyes flashing with anger. "That's when he started treating you poorly at work, wasn't it?" she asked, her voice low and even.

Eliza nodded, feeling a lump form in her throat. "Yeah," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "He's been making my life miserable ever since."

Sarah's eyes narrowed, her expression intense. "So, did he fire you forever, or what did he say exactly?" she asked, her voice firm.

Eliza shook her head, feeling a wave of sadness wash over her. "He said I'm suspended for three months," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

Sarah's expression turned incredulous. "Three months?" she repeated, her voice rising in outrage. "That's ridiculous! What are you supposed to do for three months?"

Eliza shrugged, feeling a sense of hopelessness wash over her. "I don't know," she said, her voice cracking. "I've been living paycheck to paycheck as it is. I don't know how I'm going to make ends meet for three months without a job."

Sarah's expression softened, and she reached out to put a comforting arm around Eliza's shoulders. "We'll figure something out," she said. "You can stay with me and Danny if you need to. We'll help you get back on your feet."

But Eliza shook her head, feeling a surge of pride. "No, I don't want to impose on you guys," she said. "I'll figure something out. I just need some time to think and come up with a plan."

Sarah looked at her with concern, but Eliza could see the understanding in her eyes. "Okay, if you're sure," Sarah said. "But promise me you'll come to us if you need anything, okay?"

Eliza nodded, feeling a sense of gratitude towards her friend. "I promise," she said.

Just as Eliza and Sarah were about to continue their conversation, Sarah's phone rang. She looked at the screen and saw that it was her dad calling.

"Hey, I need to take this," Sarah said, getting up from the couch.

Eliza nodded, watching as Sarah answered the phone and started talking to her dad.

After a few minutes, Sarah hung up the phone and turned to Eliza. "Hey, I need to go," she said. "My dad is calling a family meeting and I need to be there."

Eliza's expression turned concerned. "Is everything okay?" she asked.

Sarah nodded. "Yeah, everything's fine. My dad just wants to discuss some family stuff. Don't worry about it."

Eliza nodded, but Sarah could see the worry still etched on her face.

"Hey, calm down, everything will be fine," Sarah said, trying to reassure her.

Eliza took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay," she said. "But I want to escort you. We can go together."

Sarah smiled, touched by Eliza's concern. "Okay, that sounds good," she said. "Let's go."

As Eliza walked out of her house with Sarah, they were met by Mrs. Thompson, who was standing outside her own door.

"Hey, Eliza, how are you doing?" Mrs. Thompson asked, concern etched on her face. "I saw what happened with Joe yesterday. That man is wicked, taking advantage of his position to hurt you like that."

Eliza sighed, feeling a mix of emotions. "I'm trying to deal with it," she said.

Mrs. Thompson nodded. "You need to stop thinking about things that will hurt you, or you'll end up with high blood pressure. Just focus on moving forward."

Sarah chuckled. "Don't worry, Mrs. Thompson, I'll make sure Eliza takes care of herself."

Mrs. Thompson nodded. "Good, good."

Sarah smiled. "Later, Eliza, we'll talk."

With that, Sarah turned and headed off, leaving Eliza alone with Mrs. Thompson.

Mrs. Thompson placed a gentle hand on Eliza's shoulder. "You know, child, sometimes life gives us lemons, but we can't let those lemons make us bitter. We have to find a way to make lemonade instead."

Eliza nodded, feeling a sense of determination wash over her. "You're right, Mrs. Thompson. I won't let Joe get the best of me."

Mrs. Thompson smiled. "That's the spirit! Now, I'm off to the market. I need to pick up some fresh vegetables for dinner."

Eliza smiled. "Okay, Mrs. Thompson. Have a good time at the market."

Mrs. Thompson nodded. "I will, dear. You take care of yourself, and we'll talk later."

With that, Mrs. Thompson headed off towards the market, leaving Eliza to her thoughts.

Eliza watched as Mrs. Thompson walked away, feeling a sense of gratitude towards her neighbor. She then turned and began to walk back to her house, lost in thought.

As she reached her gate, she stopped and looked up at her house, feeling a sense of uncertainty about what the future held.

And with that, Eliza stepped through the gate and into her house, closing the door behind her.