Chapter 3 - Ego
Have you ever feel alone? Like even when you surround yourself with people – whether they care or not about you - you can't help but feel lonely? That's what I felt ever since he left me with a promise to come back. He never did.
Yet now he had the nerve to show his face to me, and what a face it was. Smooth, fair skin with chiselled features, short dark brown hair that's styled messily and of course, that very green eyes. One that keeps haunting me all these years, the only one that haven't changed. Those lips that used to smile innocently at me were now upturned into a mocking smirk and his short gangly form were now filled with muscle, broad shoulders and tall stature that could easily stood above my average height.
"Now, is that really a way to greet an old friend?" he teased.
His voice had changed too, I noted. Of course, that's at least expected. It's now a deep baritone as opposed to his soft, gentle voice from the past. The way he's talking had changed as well – it's now more confident and filled with authority, esspecially in his own bussiness suit rivaling my own father. Of course, since he's a bussinessman as well. Though we've never met since he left, I saw him plenty on television and the internet once we're older.
Each time was a constant reminder how much of a fool I was.
That thought prompted me to answer curtly, "What friend?" He raised a sigle eyebrow at me. Of course he'd know how to do that cool one-brow thing, I thought sarcasticly. Instead I said hautily, "Old? Certainly. But friend? I don't remember us being one, Chase Ashford."
"Then I'll certainly enjoy reminding you, Destiny Vanderbilt."
I glared. He just looked amused.
I would've said something more – something so insulting and degrading – that would remove that smile from his perfect face and put him in his place. I recconed a frown would make that face ugly. It annoyed me to no end seeing him look so beautiful.
But my father inserted himself in the conversation and ending it. For now.
"Destiny, have a seat," gesturing to one of the chair in front of his desk and unfortunately, next to Chase who sat comfortably in his, not looking like he's about to get up anytime soon. Why is he here?
I said that words out loud and continued, "I thought you want to talk."
"I am, he's part of it," gesturing to Chase. "Sit."
"I'm fine with just standing."
"Sit," he ordered, not taking 'no' for an answer. This time, while waving a piece of paper at me that I know to be Zeus's license. No matter how long I glared or frowned, I know he won't budge. Dragging my feet and stomping my way to the chair, I sit next to Chase with my arms crossed in defiance. He looked smug. I just want to punch him in the face but I'm sure it would do more damage to my hand than his face. I don't even know how to correctly punch someone.
Feeling irked enough, I demanded, "Talk."
For a moment, my father just smiled. His eyes flicking back and forth between myself and the man next to me, whose face I took extreme measure not to glance at. He looked amused and pleased. I never remember him being this aggravating. "I know it's been some time since you've both seen each other," he paused, searching for the right word, "and I'd like to do this under better circumstances but due to his work in the city, Chase will be staying with us until further notice."
"No, I'm against it," I quickly intervened, the word leaving my mouth before my brain can catch up, "why does he have to stay here? Why can't he just stay at his own house? It's not that far from our own."
Chase took it upon himself to answer that one, smugly if I may add. "It's under renovation, I'm afraid. Even my mom's staying at my aunt's in Westchester."
"Then why don't you go and stay at Westchester?" I shot back.
"Destiny, that would be impractical," my dad chastised me.
I huffed. "Alright, fine. Just let him stay in one of our hotels in the city, it has its own concierge, room service, pool, gym and everything." I'm starting to sound desperate, but I can't stop my mouth from running itself. He absolutely can't stay here! "Besides, you and mom are rarely around anyway so there's really no point in him staying here when our house if practically a hotel too."
"Ahhh," my dad smiled at me as if he's solved the greatest mystery of the world, I don't like what he's planning. "That's where you come in, you're still on summer break so you can accompany Chase around." I was about to object but he didn't give me room to. "You two used to be inseparable - whenever we're staying at the country house we couldn't pry you two off with a crowbar."
Why did you have to mention that, dad? It's dead and buried.
"Keyword: Used too, we're practically strangers now," I stated as a matter of fact, getting worked up when I see he's not giving in. "Our family and the Ashford haven't had had any contact with each other for 12 years! Why are you so insistent on this? It is ancient history." I'm already at the edge of my seat. Then I probably said something I shouldn't have. "Just because you can't maintain your relationship with your own so-called 'best friend', doesn't mean you have the right to get your child spawns to do it for you."
"Your moms talked through the phone, we didn't cut off our relationship," he defended gruffly, a clear warning in his tone for me to drop it. But I'm already on a roll to notice the signs.
"Oh, wow," I said mockingly, rolling my eyes, "Thank god for cell phones right? You can have an entire relationship and not even look at someone! That's really lame. What would we do in the old days then? Letters? It's a wonder how people can maintain relationships."
"That's enough, Destiny!" He slammed his hands on his desk, head down as his body heaves air in and out as he tried controlling himself, and I jumped in my seat when he did.
I might've gone too far.
His best friend is a touchy subject.
My heart skipped a beat in a mixture of surprise and fear. Never once in my rebellious life have he taken that tone with me – with such anger – not when I didn't came home for days, when I failed most of my classes or when I went home drunk the first time at the age of sixteen. At that moment, I feel a stab of disappointment and longing in the pit of my stomach, but I pushed those feelings away.
Chase and I are both silent as we waited. "Chase will be staying with us," he said, when he finally lifts his head up with his poker face on, as if he hadn't just been unnerved by his own daughter and as if to get back at me for that, he continued, "he'll be staying at the guest bedroom across from yours. You'll accompany him around when needed and you'll be civil." Before I even get to open my mouth, he ended with "and that's final," while waving a dreaded piece of paper, his smirk gracing me mockingly.
I breathed deeply to avoid blowing up on him. Again.
Then his voice enters my meditative state, "I guess we're roomies again, Angel."
My head snapped to look at Chase sharply, and that smile was playing upon his lips. How dare he call me that so casually! I can feel my eyes shooting daggers at him but I refrain from saying anything in front of my dad. I'm pretty sure 'being civil' starts now.
Instead I curtly asked my dad, "Can I leave now?"
He made some gestures towards the door, smirked still in place, glancing between the two of us again. I'll take that as a 'yes'. I stood up swiftly and stomp my way out the door, where John was leaning against the wall next to the door.
However, I can faintly hear them talking about me as I was walking out.
"I bet you're pretty surprise," my dad said conversationally, "Destiny didn't used to be so difficult. She used to run to hug my legs as soon as I get home, and now all that greeted me is the slamming of bedroom door as soon as I unlocked the front door." I can imagine him shaking his head. "She's not the same girl that stuck to you all those years ago, Chase. I hope you're not too disappointed." I did not stick to him! He's the stalker!
I hear him chuckled, "Don't worry, Mr. Vanderbilt, she's never been a disappointment. And if I remember correctly, I was the one following her." That's right! "And that's probably what I'll be doing again," What?! "But I really think I'm going to enjoy getting to know her again. She won't make that easy, I can see that but that's the fun part." The nerve he has!
"Unbelievable," I muttered to myself.
I hear John laughed lightly from next to me as he observed my facial expression as I eavesdropped. "That boy has really worked you up; you have more look on your face now than since I first worked for your father."
My eyes widened and I can feel my heated cheeks at being caught. "I-I did not!"
"Nah," he laughed again, "Sure you do."
I swung my hair over my face to hide my embarrassment. "Shut up." John is the only person I can show my vulnerable side to because I know he won't used it against me, and no matter how hilarious he found it, it comforted me somehow.
"Alright, girl," he said, reaching up to mess up the hair at the top of my head, "I'd go if I were you, sounds like they were finishing up in there."
I fixed my messed up hair and looked up at him, "Thanks, John."
Good thing I left when I did, because I was not more than five steps away from my bedroom door when Chase walked out of my dad's office. "Hey, Angel!" I stopped dead in my tracks at that nickname, my heart going into overdrive.
"What do you want?" I sighed, trying to mask my reaction.
I hear his feet walked towards where I'm standing and the next thing I know, he's standing in front of me. Since he was already sitting down when I came into the office, I barely notice how tall he is, not taller than my father but still tall enough to tower over me.
As if he isn't looking down on me already, I thought bitterly.
"I'm not needed at work until tomorrow afternoon, why don't we go out tonight?" From the distaste I'm sure he could see from my face, he continued, and smile almost pleadingly, "Come on, for old times' sake?"
I smiled sweetly at him, the yelled to his face, "Like hell I would!"
Feeling victorious over a small thing, I almost glided to my room.
His voice stopped me, "Alright, i get it. I'll just tell your dad that Zeus will find a new home by the end of the week." I spin towards him but he's already walking slowly towards his room and even with his back to me; I can already imagine his smirk, that mocking smirk.
"You wouldn't," I called his bluff, my voice firm and ice cold.
Without turning his body, he glanced back, "Try me."
I faced upwards with my eyes close, trying to find some willpower and asking all the divine power for some patience to endure this demon that had reentered my life. I know conceding to his demand with be his victory and not to mention hurt my pride immensely, but I'm doing this for Zeus, the only living creature that has always been there for me. After a few agonizing minutes, with a heavy heart, I sighed in defeat, "What time shall I get ready?"
"Seven," I felt him breathed in my right ear.
I jumped back against the door when I realized that he'd close the distance between us and was leaning against the wall beside me. Having him so close made my face heated up again and my breath uneven, but he didn't seem to notice as he said, "Dress comfortably."
"I-I know that! You don't need to tell me!"
Hand on the doorknob, I'm ready to escape him to the comfort and familiarity of my bedroom when he whispered, "Glad you see it my way." I threw him one last glare and just proceed into my room, having all remarks and smartass comments flew out of my head.
The feeling of relief in getting rid of him wasn't fulfilled when he continued to look into my room, leaning against the door frame. Not quite inside my room but not really outside either, he's in-between. For some reason, I feel embarrassed he's looking so closely. My room isn't messy, in fact it's quite clean and everything is in order except for the black leather boots from last night thrown carelessly at the foot of the bed. I had nothing to hide. Kinda.
Before I got reprimand him, Zeus who had been napping peacefully on his paws, jumped onto all fours and growled at the stranger standing way too close to his mistress for his liking. Chase, for once, looked a little scared as he jumped. It might sound sick, but that gives me some satisfaction. Since I'd know he's here, I was the one always on edge while he just sits there calmly with an air of superiority around him. We'll see about that now.
Zeus keeps growling, jumping off the bed while his feline eyes were still trained on the supposed stranger. While still looking a bit scared, I can see something clicked in Chase mind and he smiled fondly, "Hey, is that Zeus?"
Now feeling a little bit of superiority, I answered nonchalantly, "Who else?"
"Wow," he actually looked amazed, "He's grown so big." That's where he made a mistake in walking forward, hand extended to pet Zeus who continued to growl at him, taking a step forward, as if stalking its prey. "Hey buddy, it's me."
I frowned at him, "He doesn't remember you."
"What? How could you know?"
"He wouldn't be acting this way if he did," I said simply. "He's trained to attack stranger and suspicious people. You should leave before he does; I'm not the mood to see blood cover my wallpaper."
Chase looked shock at how bluntly I said that. "I know it's been a long time but animals would usually remember," at that he actually looked a bit forlorn. "I haven't change at all that much."
"Well, most people do," I said as I looked directly into his greens, feeling a prick in my chest at the familiar look. I know as well as him what I meant by that statement. For a while, it's silent between us with only Zeus's growls filling it.
"I'm sorry you feel that way."
He backed away and closed the door, leaving me and the now quiet tiger, purring at my legs. Looking at my desk clock, I absentmindedly pet his head, feeling drained. It's not even seven in the morning yet.