Girl in a Hoodie: Where the Future Lies

Chapter 8

James's POV:

Aubrey, a twelve-year-old girl is the eldest out of four children. Her mother is a stay at home mum with the youngest child being only six months. The other two children are ages 5 and 9. They suffer from domestic abuse as Dad is an alcoholic and punishes his children and wife by hitting and beating them up. Cierra has to deal with the thought of being a young carer at the same time, seeing as Mum is partially ill. Her grades in school have dropped and finds it very hard to concentrate in lessons now. How do you deal with this scenario? Write your answer in the description box.

I stare at the screen as I try and imagine myself in this situation and I can't help but think if it was me. I know it's only a made-up scenario but that doesn't mean things like this don't happen in reality. What if the dad has ODD like I do? What if in the future, my anger takes over and I begin to hurt Riley and our daughter? I don't want to think that I would but that doesn't mean it's not a possibility.

I try to pull myself out of my thoughts and type in an answer, and even though I'm not too sure of it, I decide on submitting it either way. This 'test' had 25 questions filled with scenarios just like this one and it's now almost 11 o'clock. I've been sat here for an hour and I'm tired of it. I can't imagine how people who work at this business sit in their booths for twelve hours straight, doing nothing but answer calls and type on their computers. It's exhausting.

I read over my answer, making sure it was perfectly accurate to what they're expecting from me before finally submitting the whole questionnaire. I take my phone, which was currently faced-down, from the side of the table and then text Riley once again to let her know that I've finished.

James: Hi Ri, I finished the so-called test now. It was tiring but I think I did good. Should be leaving here in a few and I'll be at the park in an hour max.

Riley: I knew you'd do well! Jasper's with us and we're advising him on girls - don't ask😑 I'll see you in a bit though!

James: Wow. I'd love to know how that's going! You sure he's moved on from you just yet though? 🤨

Riley: Ha-Ha. How funny. But to be honest, we kind of had a little heart-to-heart in the kitchen this morning. Your brother's actually really sweet and I told him we should spend more time together! He agreed to it and so that's what we're doing. Michelle says 'hi' by the way😅

James: Jasper - Sweet? I don't know about that. Tell Michelle I say 'hi' back!

"Who you texting?" a voice says from the door behind me, obviously reading the smile on my face as I text Riley. I turn myself around on the chair to face the person and see it was Desirée.

"Oh, just my girlfriend," I tell her. Her eyebrows furrow as she begins to walk over, wearing her long skin-tight black dress.

"Oh. I didn't know you were dating someone," she says, folding her arms.

"Yeah, we're actually engaged so..."

"Really? I thought you were like, what, eighteen though?" she inquires. I shrug, not too sure of where this conversation was heading.

"Yeah, well... I guess we already know what we want with our life," I say, beginning to pack myself and stand back up. She purses her lips, still not taking her eyes off of me.

"You're a smart one you know. I don't think anyone's ever finished the questionnaire that quickly with such detailed answers," she claims. I raise an eyebrow, not understanding how she was able to see my answers. "The interview questions - they upload on all of our emails and then we get a poll asking each person who works here whether or not we think you're qualified enough for the job," she explains. "Our responses then get giving to the boss, who I heard is your uncle, and he takes it from there."

"Oh. So my future kind of lies on all of your shoulders," I smirk. She tilts her head to the side and nods.

"Yeah, you could say that." We both pause for a moment, each waiting for the other person to say something. "Well, you might want to get my number just in case, so here it is," she says. She takes a piece of card out of her small breast pocket before handing it to me. Someone sure thinks high of herself if she already has it pre-written. "If you ever need help with something, just give me a call. I'd be open to getting to know you and us working together soon," she states. I smile and nod.

"Yeah, will do. I should probably get going now though..." I say, lifting my right hand up which had my phone in to show I was talking about Riley, or I guess Desirée currently only knows her as my fiancée.

"Yeah, wouldn't want to keep her waiting now, would we?" she says but I notice her roll her eyes the slightest. "So what's her name?"

"What?"

"Your fiancée. What's her name?" she repeats.

"Oh, it's Riley."

"Cute. 'She eighteen too?"

"Yeah, she is."

"Oh, interesting," she says. "Well I hope to see you around, I'll have you know that I'm definitely hoping you get the job. You seem like a great person." I feel my phone buzz, presuming Riley had texted me back. Desirée notices the vibration from the device on my hand as the noise fills up the tension in the room. "I'll let you go then, I've actually got somewhere to be right now, so..."

"Yeah, I'll speak to you soon, that is if I get the job," I admit. She laughs before nodding.

"Don't worry, I'm sure you will," she says as she brushes her hand over my arm before retracting it. "I'll see you later though, okay?" I nod and then she turns around, walking out and leaving.

As soon as she goes, I go back onto my phone and then read over Riley's message before calling her, figuring it was an easier way for us to talk. She picks up on the third ring and as she speaks, I can see the smile on her face from across the phone.

"Hey," she says cutely. I smile as I hear her voice.

"Hey, Ri. Are you still at the park?" I ask her, walking over to the windows by the edge of the room and looking out. I was currently on the second floor, which is really the third floor if you include the ground floor, and so I could just see over the top of the local houses which were honestly quite large.

"Yeah, we are. We'll probably go to the mall later on too..., I don't care Jasper, we can go to that gaming shop if you want, my treat," I hear her hiss to him, sending me the hint that my brother's not too thrilled about going shopping with two older girls.

"He doesn't want to go, right?" I say with a chuckle as I rest my elbow on top of my forearm.

"Yup," she says and I laugh.

"Well I'm sure he's having fun with you even if he won't say it. Do you want me to meet you at the mall, or...?"

"Uhm, how long do you think it will take you to get there? Michelle's paying for us to get a taxi."

"Okay, it should take me about twenty-five minutes if you're going to the one in the city," I tell her.

"Okay, I guess you can meet us there then," she says. "Anyway, apart from that, how do you like the job? I mean, I know you haven't exactly got it yet but..."

"Yeah, I really like it."

"Yeah? Well would you mind explaining to me what the job actually is? You kind of rushed out on me this morning," she says with a tone between her laughing and her sounding offended.

"Yeah, sorry about that... It's mainly just like social working and I'm more so looking at kids and helping with their mental health and troubles their facing at home," I tell her.

"Oh, any specific reason why you're interested in that?" she asks as I step away from the windows and back over to the desk table.

"Yeah mainly because of what I suffered from and hearing about your own childhood, I want to help other children," I explain briefly to her.

"Aw, that's really sweet, babe. Well I kind of have to go now because Jasper is getting seriously annoyed right now and won't stop bombarding Michelle with reasons as to why he shouldn't go," she says. I chuckle. "But I'll see you later, yeah?"

"Yeah, I'll be there soon, Riles," I say.

"Okay, bye."

"Bye," I say back before ending the call.