Rouge

Rouge - Chapter Seven

A car beeped a sharp, low pitch as the driver slammed his foot on the brakes. Hunter and Eli laughed to themselves, gripped their coats tightly and ran to the other side of the road where there were no cars to run them down. Hunter almost slipped on the ice covering the road and they laughed again, louder this time, clinging to each other before either of them fell and were run over by the busy New York traffic. Lights gleamed all kinds of colors around them and the remnants of the snow-storm brightened the streets as if the roads were coated in sugar.

“I can’t believe we’re doing this,” said Eli as they dodged the walkers and couples along the sidewalk. “My dad’s going to kill me.”

“This was your idea.” Hunter laughed and shook her hair away from her face, the coffee Eli had bought her clenched in one hand. She loved the city of New York, especially at night when the lights were bright and the cars were less. At ten-thirty and in this weather, there weren’t so many people crowding the streets. “And I’m sure your dad will forgive you.”

“He probably didn’t even notice I left.”

Hunter raised her eyebrows at the snap in his tone. Jeez, he really hates the guy. She couldn’t exactly blame him though; he wasn’t the kindest man she’d met. Hunter had always envied people with parents, but she never considered their relationship. Was it worth having a father who used you as a tool for his career and stopped you from following your dreams and ambitions? That, she’d never know.

“Sometimes I wonder how he could possibly hate me so much. And his girlfriend is even worse. She’s only with him for his money.”

“How long have they been together?”

“Three years. My mother left when I was nine. That’s when Dad’s true stone-cold, career-worshipping personality came out. He used to pretend to care for me and take me to the museum or out for dinner on his days off, but then he just stopped caring altogether. He went out with a few different women before settling on Melissa.”

Hunter threw her empty coffee cup in the bin and wanted to say she was sorry for him, but nothing came out of her mouth.

They walked in uncomfortable silence for a few minutes until the mood was lifted when they passed a man strumming his guitar on the sidewalk. Eli dropped a twenty in his guitar case, and he smiled gratefully up at him.

“That was nice,” Hunter said as soon as they were out of earshot.

“I’ve learnt to give a lot since my father became rich.”

“At least you use your money wisely.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Joshua has a lot of money too. I know,” she added at the surprised look on Eli’s face, “how does a university professor have money, right?”

“I was actually going to ask that.”

“He was entrusted with a lot of my parent’s savings, and his family died when he was younger. He saves it up for geeky science equipment though.”

“What about you? Do you have a job?”

Hunter nodded. “I work at a restaurant downtown. Ever heard of Red Palace? It’s Chinese.”

“Nope, sorry.” He wrapped his coat tighter around his neck. “So … what college do you go to?”

Hunter laughed. “How old do you think I am?”

Eli blushed. “I don’t think I want to answer that now.”

“I finish school in the summer.”