Colorful Love

Uncovering Reality

"I don't understand," I whispered nervously. We had reached the back door of their house. He swung it open as he started his story.

"My parents grew up in poverty. They were loved, they had a family, but were greedy. They wanted money. They wanted to be comfortable, even if that meant being alone.

Eventually, they both ended up working together, at a dead-end, low paying job to help support their families. They met, and found that they were both entrepreneurs, working towards the same goal.

They decided to start a business together. They sent some checks to their families, but never talked to them again. They didn't trust their family with their precious business, so they decided to have me. A combination if both of them to run the business.

And they couldn't have a baby out of wedlock. So they got married, even though they didn't love each other.

They never cared about never finding love. It never mattered to them. They put up a facade for the public, but then go back to indifference. They never loved each other, and they never loved me. I grew up alone.

They saw each other as a business opportunity. They saw me as an heir to the throne."

He was then silent. I didn't know what to say. "I..."

"It's alright. I'm used to it. Anyways, we're here." Before I can properly reply him, we stop in front of a different, huge building built across the street.

"No. I get it. I had a rough family life, too. Not as bad as yours-" I start.

"Oh yeah." He says sarcastically. "A mother who has blackouts where she tries ton kill you, versus an indifferent family? Mine's way worse." He shook his head at me.

"But I had a family. They always have loved me," I whisper. His gray eyes lock on me, and he smiles faintly.

"I didn't know anything was wrong with my life until very recently. Then, I realized that I was missing something," he confesses.

We walk into the large building. I gasp. Inside is a fully functioning factory. Conveyor belts are positioned throughout the entire floor of the warehouse. The warehouse has huge ceilings, and I can see a ledge that connects to a second floor.

"C'mon," Rhidian gestured for me to follow him up a spiral staircase. We passed a few work stations. From each, we heard a chorus of "Hello, Mr. Moore." Rhidian greeted them each with their name in return.

"You seem to know everyone, and their names," I point out.

"I make it my business to know my future workers," he sighs, not looking at me.

I forgot to mention that I was afraid of heights. Going up every step, my stomach starts turning more. I look down, and my head spins. I gulp, but keep going. We eventually make it to the top, where a long line of office doors are placed in the wall.

We start walking down the quiet, open hallway. We make it about four steps before a door in front of us opens.

A tall man who looks strangely familiar walks out the door. His hair is the same shade as Rhidian's, but his eyes are green. This must be his father.

Mr. Moore's gaze lands on us. "Oh, hello Rhidian. You brought someone!"

"No, David. It isn't-" Rhidian starts nervously, even though Mr. Moore is smiling from ear to ear.

"Scarlett! Come out here!" Mr. Moore yelled towards an office door.

A woman with dark hair walks out the door. She wears what I would expect of a business woman: a pencil skirt, a blouse, and her hair in a bun. She grumbles, "This had better be important."

Her gaze lands on me first. She gasps, dropping the clipboard in her hand. It clatters to the floor. Mrs. Moore immediately picks it up, apologizing. "I am so sorry. I was surprised. Rhidian's- um, never brought a girl before."

She bit her lip and looked to the side. She was lying. Why had she reacted like that?

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you both," I said, shaking Mr. Moore's extended hand.

"The pleasure is ours. Feel free to look around," he smiles. "We had better be off. There's a lot of work to do."

With that, they both walked off. "Come on," Rhidian beckoned. "Let's go to my office."

"You call your parents by their first names?" I ask incredulously.

"That's what they told me to call them." He shrugs and moves on.

We walked to the end of the long line of doors. Rhidian took out a key and unlocked the door. I walked in, and was appalled, yet again.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Rhidian asked indifferently.

The entire far wall was made of floor-to-ceiling windows. Almost the entire town was visible. The furniture was not Rhidian's style, although it was nice. I can tell he didn't spend much time in here. I walk past a large desk and couches to the huge window.

"It's one sided glass. They can't see us," Rhidian sighed in the same blank tone as before, watching the passerby.

"You don't like it?" I ask. "Why?"

"This office is a reminder of the responsibilities I have. All it is is a symbol for the difference between me and everyone else. I'm alone here. I hate this business." He spits out, staring at the window.

"You're not alone." I whisper. He looks over at me. His face is straight, and I match his expression as I lean against the glass. He steps closer.

"I've always been alone," he whispers back. I can feel his hot breath. It smells minty, like he just ate a breath mint.

"I'm here," I say, outstretching my hand so that it grabs his.

He shakes his head. "You haven't always been. But are now."

"And here I'll stay." I smile. He takes a step closer, but right then, the office door bangs open.

Mr. Moore walks in, and me and Rhidian quickly step away from each other. "I'm sorry," Mr. Moore says. "I didn't mean to interrupt anything. I just wanted to tell you that Scarlett and I will be in a board meeting for the next hour."

"Great, David," Rhidian says, looking annoyed.

Mr. Moore then retreats from the room silently, a smug smile plastered on his face. The door closes.

"Excuse me for a second," Rhidian says. He walks over to a couch and grabs a pillow. He punches it with all of his might. He walks back over. "I'm sorry. I'm just so frustrated with them. All they care about is me creating an 'heir.'" He uses his fingers to put quotes around heir.

"It's okay." He says, pulling himself together. "I've just never brought a girl here before. They're excited. Whatever. We can go now."

We walked out of the door. I understood why he hated it so much, but it was a beautiful room.