Shatter Me

Leaving, Obviously

"You're welcome." Ishizu said. She bent down and gently scratched Mitten's sandy head.

Malik waved her off. "Whatever. What do you want?"

"Father wants you to come in." She eyed him, taking in Malik's utter boredom and his attire. "Now, preferably."

"And if I don't want to come in?"

"Sucks for you, obviously. You're expected at his meeting in forty-five minutes."

"Sucks for him, then. He should have asked if I wanted to go."

"He doesn't have to ask, Malik. He's chairman, CEO and our father. We're at his - and eventually your - beck and call."

If Ishizu saw the way he tensed, she didn't comment on it. "Get off your ass and make yourself presentable."

"Nah." Malik shook out his sandy blond hair. "It's like you said - Father is chairman and CEO. We're at his beck and call. Doesn't mean I'm ever at yours." He snapped his fingers at the guard. "You. Get me a red apple from the kitchen." The guard warily looked between them but finally left at Malik's insistent glare.

"Why is he here?" Malik asked Ishizu when the guard was out of earshot. "Rishid -"

"- is currently with Father, ensuring your office is safe for you to use once you arrive." Ishizu rested her weight on one leg, pressing the bottom of the clipboard into her stomach. She tapped manicured nails against the clipboard's gold-painted wood. She heaved out a long, suffering sigh. "Do you ever pay attention?"

"Nope," Malik replied as the guard returned and handed him the apple, which he snatched from his hand. The guard returned to his post before Malik could tell him to leave. "I'm a rebel like that."

"Can you stop being a ~rebel~ for one day and put on a suit?" A muscle in her face twitched - as did her eyebrow. "I know you don't like being heir to Father's company but that gives you no reason to act so common. We all have to do things we don't like."

"Obviously." Malik hissed, swinging his legs over the sofa as he sat up and glared at her with the burning intensity of an exploding sun. Ishizu wasn't fazed in the slightest. He bit angrily into the apple and stormed past her, past the guard, right into his bedroom. He slammed the door shut.

Ishizu's annoyingly rememberable heels clacked against the hardwood floors as she approached. "Fifteen minutes." she told him quietly. Malik didn't grace her with a reply as he went over to the closet and threw open the doors.

He hated living on a schedule.

Malik stormed inside.

He hated having to deal with Ishizu nannying him to do his tasks for the day.

He hated that, despite being the youngest in their family, he was given the "privilege" of being their business' one and only heir.

He hated that Ishizu had been passed over for the job, especially as she was more qualified for it than he'd ever be.

Malik pulled down a simple grey suit - his father could go to hell, for all he cared - and tugged on his pants.

Malik, although the youngest, was being groomed to one day take over Ishtar Hotels and even expand the conglomerate into other aspects of business life. His father had his mind set on it. Malik, on the other hand...

He had his heart set on pure, unadulterated freedom - no press, no controlling father, no looming siblings. Just his freedom. That was it.

But, of course, what he wanted and what he received were usually two very different things.