Once Upon A Twisted Fate

Six. - Jumbled Up

Engine roaring heard from the distance, just as mine was about to blast off. The room fell silent, with nothing but the ticking of a clock diffusing the air. It failed to fill in the untouchable gaps. Those in which only voices could patch. But neither mine nor my boss’ voice vibrated through the matter. He was waiting for my response; I was waiting for him to tell me it was a joke. In the end, I lost the who-can-stay-quiet-the-longest game.

                “But he can’t sue me,” I said, looking intensely into Mr. Gardner’s eyes. The hairs on my skin were standing, my fingers were cold and I could feel my back growing with sweat. My whole body was acting funny, as it should, being never experiencing anything like this before.

                “I told him it was your friend’s fault, too, but he thought you should take responsibility,” Mr. Gardner said, shaking his head.

                That wasn’t what I meant, at all. But knowing Mr. Wetherill chose to sue me instead of Ashton was somewhat a comforting thought. Since Ashton was studying law, any bad record of him would mean he was done for. No oversea or even local institution would accept him anymore. As for the finger pointing at me, I had nothing to lose. Not right now. It would be harder for me to further my studies or get a job, but I could think of a plan B. Maybe. Law was Ashton’s life. I couldn’t imagine it being taken away from him. “He’s my brother,” I corrected Mr. Gardner.

                “Not exactly the main concern right now, is it?” I could feel the frustration in Mr. Gardner’s tone. He was right though. I should be focusing on how to make Mr. Wetherill drop his charges. Not that my brain was able to come up with anything. Besides the obvious topic being discussed, there was another thing I was curious about. Something I had to ask.

                “Mr. Gardner,” I said, “Why do you care?”

                “Because you’re my hope in getting the boy to work,” he said, talking about Dillan, “If you’re gone, who else is going to help me?”

                “You can always hire another waiter.”

                “You think I haven’t? The rest of them were too soft to stand up to him, like you did,” he said with a smile.

                Right. It was silly of me to think Mr. Gardner actually cared about my wellbeing. I was merely an employee to him, nothing more. I kind of smiled a little at that thought, making Mr. Gardner thought I was smiling at what he said.

                “Eryn?” A voice called out. I went over to the blinds to see who is was, although I knew it had to be Ashton. And it was. Dillan had already left. The sound of an engine I heard earlier must be from his car.

                “We’ll talk about this tomorrow,” Mr. Gardner said, indirectly dismissing me.

                I nodded and walked out.

                                                                .~'.*.'~.

Upon opening my bedroom door, I flickered on the lights. I didn’t walk right in. Standing at the entrance, I studied my bedroom. Pastel purple blanketed one wall and the colour cream covered the other three. Curtains white in colour, draped to the sides and my bedding also in white with pastel floral patterns. I didn’t know what I had done to deserve such luxury. My parents who worked their minds off every weekday for Ashton and I selflessly, I couldn’t be more grateful. But what I had given them in return? Ashton, my brother, the one soul that would risk his life for me. What had I done to him?