"I might never be your knight in shining armor
I might never be the one you take home to mother
And I might never be the one who brings you flowers
But I can be the one, be the one tonight
When I first saw you
From across the room
I could tell that you were curious, oh yeah
Girl, I hope you're sure
What you're looking for
'Cause I'm not good at making promises"
- "Perfect" by One Direction
****
Many of the other Nouvers I registered were just like Harry. They knew what to do, how to answer, and where to go. Others were newer and frightened or disturbed by the process. All the Nouvers that came in varied from women to men, teenagers to elderly, frightened to fearless, etc.
In conclusion, I felt it was almost time to go home after my fifty-second registration. Sarah went home awhile ago, as did Victor. Kate was controlling the Nouvers being sold, while Trent checked the assembly lines for errors. There was no work to be done, so I assumed I should go home like Victor and Sarah. Because I spent the entire day stuffed into the back room, I noticed I haven't spoken a word to the other interns. Though, it is not like there is much to say.
Walking out of the registration room and into the intern office, I saw Kate shuffling in piles of papers. She was the busiest on here, always taking it upon herself to make sure it all gets done. I like the "take charge" trait about her. She didn't even look up when I walked past and into the main room of the entire factory. I stood in the main building, districts one through five are held in this building other districts are held in five other separate building that belong to my father. They all are placed around the main one. And then, of course, there are, like I said, many other factories across the continent.
Outside of the intern's office the assembly lines were managed by many workers and looked over by Trent and other Jeminas who worked for my father. I didn't pay much attention the last time I was in this room, but this time I really took a look at the Nouvers. They seemed worn and tired, some of them even went to as far as laying down. Their bodies looked almost without life. Most of them, however, were working assembly lines to piece together the automobiles that will soon be bought by Frants. My eyes couldn't help but travel around the Nouvers - until they found Harry,
with his hair up.
I was actually a bit shocked that he took my advice, considering he didn't seem the type to listen to what someone had to say. The now-shirtless-Harry was too deep into his work to notice me staring. When I turned to leave I could tell Trent definitely noticed. He glared at me, but I didn't really care. I could care less of what Trent thinks of me.
Daylight was almost gone when I walked out of the main building and into the yard. It wasn't the same yard I used for an entrance. Betti later informed me that I could use the back door that led to the employee parking lot, where no Nouvers were allowed. I figured that would be easier than having an escort.
My father told me that I could use his car to drive home, as he would just call Jeffrey later. It always bothers me when he calls him Jeffrey. Jeff told me his legal name is just Jeff, but he was just too polite to correct my parents. He talks to me like the teenagers we are and feels comfortable sharing with someone, he says, considering he is only a sixteen year old.
I stepped into my father's Bentley to get home before the sun goes down. My mother doesn't like when I don't get home before dark; she gets worried easily and I hate to do that to her. I wasn't expecting to spend the entire day in this place, but I was glad to be driving out of the long driveway out of here now.
At home I already expected my mother to be in bed, as she was. Cynthia had the day off, and the only worker here was Daizy. Daizy was cleaning up in the kitchen, so I didn't bother her and continued upstairs in my room.
I wouldn't know how to spend my Sunday tomorrow. I never really do, Cynthia has Sundays off and my mother usually goes out for tea with a friend, which she sometimes invites me but I refuse. And, of course, my father works. Choosing not to think about my boredom that shall come from tomorrow, instead I get the sleep I have been longing for.
****
"No," I reply, still laying in my white silk sheets, to answer the call I get from Alec. He asks if I would want coffee today. I hung up the phone with that and lay in bed for a few more minutes. Mother already left for a brunch that she goes to, and father never came home from work, as he does most of the days.
Perhaps with nothing to do, I should go down to the factory along with him and complete more hours of interning. It seems as there is no more to do here. In this house, only workers roam to complete tasks we Father bought them to do. I'd rather not stay alone in the awkward air that is here without Cynthia.
Deciding to leave this place, whether I go to the factory or just drive around, I take the Bentley my Father gave me. He has no use for it, so I claim it as mine. I doubt he'll notice.
Even the factory seemed dull today. Outside few Nouvers roamed, which means few to be registered. Inside the air was dead and the only noise was the machines and a cough from a Nouver. I hope they aren't too sick.
As I walked down to the Intern Office, I noticed my father was looking over the assembly lines. He glared at each and every Nouver that worked today, staring them down and looking them dead in the eye until they would look away in fright. Harry was one who refused to look up at all, the one to get the most work done, the one who didn't even acknowledge the boss's presence. This made my father not care for him.
Ignoring it all, I continued to the office where I was positioned. Only Kate was here today, even though I didn't expect anyone. Sunday was a common leisure day for all who were employed in Phonobus. Of course, my father is different when it comes to his success.
Kate didn't look up as she never does, instead she gave me a "Good morning," to welcome me back. "I wasn't expecting to see anyone else, I never do."
"Neither was I." Kate looked up from her work for the first time in a long time.
"I think that's the first time I heard you speak, Antonia." She chuckled with an awkward humor. Kate has a favorable superiority to her that I can't describe. It's like with the hard work she does put together with her straight-forward personality and her rough edges give her an advantage in life that very few have.
"I don't talk much, if you haven't already noticed. Thinking is easier than saying it out loud."
"If you keep it all cooped inside, your going to have a bigger problem than not." I just nodded, not fully understanding what she meant. She just shook her head and smiled. Reaching down into one of the piles of unorganized papers, she grabbed a folder and came over to hand it to me.
"If you would, I need someone to look over the assembly lines. It's performance examination day, meaning Mr. Antonia is going to be pissed if we don't have everything in order in our district." I nodded once more and took the folder to examine the sections. Reading it over, I just saw a few things to look for like quality, amount, shippings, etc.
Once out in the main floor, I started to fill out the pages by what I saw. Father must have gone back to his office as he was nowhere to be seen. The workers didn't dare look over at me, nor stop working for any distraction. When I looked up from writing to check the progress once more, right in front of me a few feet away, Harry stared back.
He was in the same attire he wore yesterday; shirtless with jeans and his hair out of the way. I don't know how long he had been staring, or why, but he didn't seem embarrassed that I caught him whatsoever. Fixing a conveyer belt that must have been broken and he was assigned, with two assembly lines between us. Yet I still managed to find his face with so many other workers in the way. Yesterday, I didn't seem to notice much about the man. Today, I saw he had multiple tattoos over his arms and chest. I managed to avert my attention away to move on to the next line, further from his gaze.
Finally, I had everything filled and everything done to return to Kate, as I did. It took me almost all day to fill out the paperwork. I didn't see Harry for the rest of the day after he left his shift at his post.
As soon as I walked in Kate had a new objective for me. I handed her the papers I filled out and she handed me more paperwork.
"I need you to go to wing four and make sure everyone is there, like a roll call off sorts." I was in the intern office for a minimum of twenty seconds before my new assignment took me back out the door without a word and left to go to wing four to insure the attendance of the day-shift Nouvers. The Nouvers that worked for twelve hours under the sun as the night-shift Nouvers worked twelve hours under the moon. The day-shift Nouvers slept or used this time for leisure while the night-shifts worked (and vise versa).
Wing four smelled of sweat and reeked of many other odors I cannot identify. It was simple to mark off the Nouvers with their names and system code printed on the wall next to the doorway. The Nouvers didn't have doors, so it is easier to keep track of them. Although it is simple to mark off each Nouver, it is nerve wrecking to have their hateful gaze on me once again. Kate failed to explain that wing four is the men's quarters. The women (not most but some) tend to show more timidness then the men. The guard that watched over the wing settled my nerves as he eyed each man.
Yet the longer I walked down the corridor, the further I got from the guard's post. My confidence began to drop once again. Then I saw him. The man I just keep bumping into, Harry Styles. He stared from the end as I walked down the long hall. I put my head down and pretended not to have a lack of confidence as i marked off the next man who gave me looks of hatred. And the next, and the next, and the next.
"Harry Styles."
I looked up at the man who stated his name in confusion.
"They don't have my name written on the door, yet." He explained leaning against the pillar of his doorway. "And I assumed you don't remember my name."
"You should get some sleep, Mr. Styles." I marked his name and turned around to leave.
"Mr. Styles." He repeated with a humorless chuckle. "That's too official for a Nouver, Ms. Beatrix. Unfortunately, I don't have the pleasure of knowing your last name." I came to a stop, but didn't turn back around.
"Goodnight, Harry."
"Sleep is for the ignorant. The ones who choose to not pay attention." I turned around and took a few steps toward the chuckling man. He looked at me with the bags under his eyes that made feel sorry for his long work hours.
"So," I asked out of curiosity. "You don't sleep? At all?"
He stared at me, emotionless, "I sleep when you leave this dreadful place. When I hear the clicking of your heels on the concrete that signals your departure and says that you are miles away from hateful and lustful men that gaze at you all day, that is when I sleep."
"Why would you care about the hatred I receive?" I ask.
Harry took a step forward away from the pillar he once leaned on and towards me. "There isn't much else to do around here." I can't read his emotions, as he is well at hiding them, but he can't hide from what his green eyes tell. Although I don't see why he would lie.
"Don't you ever get to go anywhere?"
"I don't 'get' to do anything."
"Do you want to go somewhere?"
"I don't get to 'want', Beatrix."
"Follow me." I commanded and turned around to walk back down the long corridor. I didn't expect him to follow, but heard his footsteps and knew he did as I said.
****
I wrote this entire chapter and it didn't save for some reason. I was really angry and sat here thinking about how stupid I was for about an hour before I finally finished the chapter. *Sighs out of happiness that this chapter is finally finished*
Thoughts or predictions?
Where do you thing is Beatrix taking Harry?
-Ali