Laced

Laced - Chapter 55 (A Moment of Truth)

I hesitate, and before I can say anything, he speaks up again. "Abby, you can trust me. I can promise you I'll try not to get upset. Okay? Tell me?"

My heart warmed at his words - ever since I told him about his reactions to things yesterday night, he's surprisingly been considerate and has been attempting to stay calm. But between now and yesterday night were only a few short hours, so I couldn't really make a judgment.

"Okay. Well, I was wondering about what you do, really. Like, do you have enough money to keep you from having to work? What do you work as, if you do?"

He raises his eyebrow as if to say that I had asked him way too many questions, but he doesn't say anything.  He leads me into a familiar place - the small park with fountains - the one that we went to the last time he took me out.

I immediately recognize the fountain that we approached - it was the same one that I had been attacked and kidnapped from by the creepy man.

We take a seat next to it, and Master Zayn sighs before speaking. "To answer your first question - yes, I have enough money to keep me from working. I don't have to work ever, if I didn't want to."

"But you work." It came out more like a statement than a question, because I got the feeling that he did from his words. "But I never see you work? What do you do?"

He nods slowly, running his hands over his knees. "Yes, I do."

I wait for him to continue, and he does. "It's not too demanding of a job. As in, I don't have to go everyday. I just have to go to a few meetings every once in a while and take care of things. I work for the Government."

This revelation comes as a slight surprise to me. He works for the Government? This fucked up Government that ruined society, enslaved ninety percent of the entire population, and only left a few corrupted Owners to control them all?

"But I don't remember-" I begin, but he cuts me off.

"Remember the times when I had 'business trips'? That's where I'd go. To the Government building."

I nod.

"Yeah. That's what it is." I can sense he doesn't want to go further into detail, so I don't press him for it.

"Can I ask another question?"

"You just did." He points out, smirking. It's getting dark, quick, and the street lamps flicked on one by one as they sensed the darkness.

I laugh a bit, and then continue. "Okay, okay, can I ask another question then?"

"You just did, again!" He fires again, laughing. He's enjoying teasing me way too much, and I couldn't say I minded it.

"Sir!" I groan, smacking his arm playfully.

"Okay, okay, go ahead." He laughs.

"Okay, why do you work if you have enough money to not? What's the point?" The fountain behind us emitted a calming sound of rushing water, but the temperature was dropping too quickly to actually be able relax.

"The point is," he pauses, chuckling lightly as he pokes my side with his finger. "The point is that I have some say in what the Government does. Not everything is about money. I guess the role is more important than the income, you know?"

I nod, surprised at his honest answer. My admiration for him only grew - this man that was more than just his money.

"So now that those questions are answered, are you going to stop zoning out on me, or what?" He asks, his tone half-joking, half-serious.