Virtue of Paragon

Virtue sat at the small, round kitchen table, her fingers drumming anxiously on the surface as she stared at her phone screen. The words "Paragon Rideshare App - Earn Cash Now!" blinked at her, tempting but unfamiliar. The sunlight poured in through the thin curtains, warming the tidy kitchen, but the heaviness in her chest refused to lift.

Outside the window, the lively sounds of Bethnal Green filled the air—kids shouting as they played in the square, the hum of traffic, and the occasional bark of a dog. Their flat, a small unit in a block overlooking the square, was always full of noise, a reminder of the bustling city just beyond the walls.

Across the room, her mother was washing dishes, her back to Virtue, while her younger sisters, Faith and Hope, were in a half-whispered argument about something silly—probably whose turn it was to feed their cat, Midnight.

"Mum," Virtue called, her voice uncertain.

Her mum turned, her hands still submerged in the soapy water. A few strands of hair had fallen loose from her bun, framing her lined but gentle face.

"I'm thinking of signing up for this new rideshare thing," she said, holding up her phone.

"It's called Paragon—you know, like Uber, but different. And I've got Dad's old beat-up Mustang, so I can use that. Honestly, it's either this or I'm, like, totally broke forever."

Her mother sighed, pulling her hands from the water and drying them on a dishcloth. Since Dad's passing five years ago, she had looked more and more tired, the responsibilities of the family pressing down on her.

"Are you sure about this, love? You've already got your hands full with that tutoring job and those odd gigs you pick up. You're overworking yourself."

"I have to," Virtue replied, a note of defensiveness slipping in.

"The debts aren't going away, and I don't want you worrying about covering my share of the rent. This app—it says I can start right away. I could use the money.

"Faith, the middle sister, finally looked up from her conversation with Hope.

"A rideshare app? Isn't that, like, super sketchy? I mean, picking up random strangers in the middle of London?"

Virtue forced a smile. Faith had always had that worried look, since she was little, her eyebrows knitted together.

"I'll be fine, Faith. Seriously, it's not that deep. Besides, it's not like I have a lot of options. It's either this or I keep selling my stuff online until I've literally got nothing left. And anyway, Paragon looks legit… I think."

The screen of her phone glowed, Paragon's logo lighting up as if to confirm her words.Hope, the youngest of the three sisters, leaned across the table, her eyes bright with curiosity.

"Maybe you'll get cool stories to tell on Insta. You know, like, weird passengers or something totally cringe."

"Cool stories won't pay the bills," Virtue muttered, but she couldn't help the small smile tugging at her lips.

Trust Hope to try and find an upside, even in the most mundane things. She looked at her sisters, the contrast between them striking—Faith with her cautious demeanor, Hope with her relentless optimism.

Hope grinned mischievously, her eyes sparkling.

"Maybe you'll pick up a rockstar, or some TikTok influencer sneaking around. Imagine if they, like, totally fell in love with you..."

She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, clearly imagining some romanticized scenario.Virtue laughed, shaking her head.

"Sure, Hope. I'm way more likely to pick up someone who's running late to their shift at McDonald's. But if I do find a rockstar or some influencer, I'll totally introduce you."

Faith frowned and rolled her eyes, her voice serious.

"I'm not worried about rockstars. I just… I want you to be careful. There are a lot of creeps and weirdos out there."

Despite her age, Faith was the most inexperienced of the sisters, never having had a boyfriend or girlfriend, never even been out on a date. Virtue sometimes wondered if she should have been named Chastity instead.Virtue smiled, reaching across the table to give Faith's hand a reassuring squeeze.

"I know, Faith. I promise I'll be careful. It's just driving people around London, right? How bad can it be?"

Her mum sighed again, this time softer, stepping closer and placing a warm hand on Virtue's shoulder.

"Just promise me you'll look after yourself, alright? No job is worth putting yourself in danger."

"I promise, Mum," Virtue said, trying to inject a note of confidence in her voice.

"The car's not pretty, but it runs. I think Dad would be happy it's getting some use."

She looked around the kitchen, taking in the worn but familiar setting. Her family had been her anchor through the dark times, and she wasn't about to let them down. She couldn't. If Paragon was the answer to their money problems, she'd take the risk.

"Alright then," Virtue said, her voice more upbeat.

"I'll give it a try. What's the worst that could happen?"

Her mum returned to the sink, and Faith and Hope resumed their bickering, the moment passing back into the casual chaos of family life. Virtue took a deep breath, letting their chatter wash over her. She turned the screen back on and, with a final glance around the room, tapped the button to download the Paragon app.

She had no idea just how much her world was about to change...

It took an hour to fill in all the details on the app—her age, driving license number, and other personal details. Virtue frowned slightly as she answered some of the questions. Why, for instance, was there such a large section on her star sign and spiritual beliefs? She'd never been much of a believer in astrology, or anything supernatural for that matter. She carried on, filling boxes and ticking where necessary. Blood type was another one...Why did they want that? Luckily, she knew it, but why the app insisted on it she wasn't sure.

Finally, she was done, and she clicked submit. Almost immediately a message popped up.

Welcome to Paragon!

Rank Blue, Level 1

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