A Tale Of Two Halves

Chapter 6

The warm evening breeze does nothing to help my clammy hands. I am walking home with a Rich. I am allowing myself to be alone with a Rich by choice. And most surprisingly, a Rich wants to walk me home. I think back to my life a week ago, and it seems so simple, so different to what it is right now.
"So," Hardin says, pulling me out of my thoughts. "Can I ask you something?"
I nod. 'Do as a Rich tells you without question'.
"How did you end up here?"
I laugh dryly. "Wow, just jumped right in there with that one didn't you?"
"Sorry," he says, looking like he wished he hadn't asked.
"No, it's fine. It's just a long, loaded story."
"Let me change my question then," he says, thinking. "How long have you been in this zone?"
Slightly easier I guess. "This is the only zone I've ever known. I've been here for just over 11 years now," I say, my heart squeezing slightly as I take a second to reflect on how different my life could have been if I hadn't ever have come here. He nods.
"Your turn," he says.
Interesting. I hadn't expected him to allow me to ask him any questions. But then again everything I understood about Hardin so far (and that wasn't much) didn't fit within the typical description of a Rich.

I think for a moment. I have a million questions running through my head but one pops out of my mouth without my choosing.
"Why did you get transferred here?"
"That is a long, loaded story," he says, repeating my words.
I smile. I see how it is.
"Okay. What was your old zone like compared to this one?"
He sighs. "So, so different Tessa. Coming here is like being in a whole new world. I don't think I'll ever remember all of the rules and social norms that seem to exist here."
So his old zone was different.
"Different in what way?" I ask.
"Nope. My turn. What's your last name?"
An easy one.
"Young," I say. "How about you?"
"Scott." I nod. Hardin Scott. I liked it. "How old are you?" he asks.
"I'll be 19 next month. You?"
"I just turned 21 last week."
"Oh. Happy birthday," I say, and he smiles.
"Thanks. So, what's the deal with this place? I feel like I need a lesson on how to survive and fit in here."
I laugh dryly. "Well if you want to fit in here, you're doing all the wrong things."
"How so?"
"Well, being here with me for one."
"But why? Why can't I be? Who says so?"
"It's just the way it is here. Is it not like that where you come from?"
Hardin scoffs. "No."
I can't help myself. "What was it like?"
He pauses, seeming to be contemplating something in his head.
"Do you really want to know?" he asks, all traces of lightness gone from his face.
I nod. Even if it kills me, I have to know that life out there could be different.
"We were equals, Tessa. There were still Richs and Poors but no one saw it like that. No one used those words and if you didn't ask someone, you wouldn't really know who was a Rich and who was a Poor. They worked for us but only because we were friends. We paid them well and we helped. We had equal opportunities. Equal education. We were equal."

I can feel my hands quivering and my eyes begin to water. That's what life could be like. Should be like. It feels so unfair. How come people like me, Mama, Elsie, Jack, everyone, how come we got this life?
"I'm so sorry Tessa. Please don't cry." He gently pulls me to a stop. He comes towards me slightly, and then seems to stop himself.

I just stand still, tears running down my cheeks, not even caring that I'm showing weakness in front of a Rich.
"It's-it's fine. It's not your fault," I manage to say in between small sobs.
"No, but I wish I could make it better," he says, and he lifts his hand to my cheek to wipe away a tear.
Instinctively, I flinch back, never having had a Rich touch me so tenderly before. Hardin drops his hand.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to -". He sighs and runs a hand through his brown, messy hair. "Shit I'm messing this all up. I didn't want to make you upset. I just- I just wanted to walk you home."

I look up at him through my tears and see the sadness on his face. He looks so innocent, so vulnerable, I feel bad that I had pulled away. God, what a mess. It seems like we'd never not have something to apologise for at this rate.
Come on, Tessa. Big girl pants needed here. I sniff an unattractive sniff and wipe my eyes.
"Sorry, I'm a mess." I give a small laugh and brush my hands on my jeans like I can wipe away the state I have gotten myself in. "Can we just talk about something else?"
"Definitely," Hardin replies, seeming pleased that I also want a change in conversation.

As I am about to ask some dull question about the weather, I feel my booker beep in my pocket. I take it out, glance at it and see a new job has been entered for the next evening. My heart sinks when I see the name on the screen is one of Jared's friends, but I try to push the thought from my head. No use worrying about it now.

"What's that?" Hardin asks.
"It's a booker. Didn't you have these at your old zone?" He shakes his head.
"It's like a phone but without any of the communication benefits. It's basically a schedule. Richs can scroll through a list of Poors and choose one that they want to book for a job. We get a notification and are expected to show up and do the work."
"Can I see?" he asks and I nod, holding the device out to him. He scrolls through my schedule before handing it back to me.
"How do I get this?" he asks and my heart drops. He wants to book Poors? I shouldn't be surprised, I've only known him for a few days, but it had seemed like he didn't want to benefit from the benefits that come with being a Rich here.
"Oh, it's erm, it'll already be in your phone," I say, already closing myself off to him. Every Rich that arrived here was given a new phone with the app already installed.

He pulls his phone from his pocket and I stand there awkwardly as he moves his fingers over the screen.
I feel my booker buzz again and look down at it. My heart drops even further when I see that Hardin has booked me.
"There," he says, and lifts his eyes to mine with a smug smile on his face. My face must be reflecting the pain and humiliation I feel as his smile suddenly disappears.

"Oh fucking hell Tessa no! God, I'm so sorry, that was so fucking inconsiderate of me! I just-I thought I could walk you home again tomorrow. I thought it would be cute. I'm so stupid. Hang on I'll delete it."
His flapped appearance and jumbled speech softens my heart once again and I can't help but smile.
"It was cute," I say. "I just didn't expect it." He lets out a breath.
"I'm not good at this am I?" He laughs a relieved laugh and I join in.

For the remainder of the walk, we keep the conversation light, both of us seeming too nervous to further mess up this weird friendship we have going on.
"Well, this is me," I say, gesturing to the grey-panelled building behind me.
"It's huge!" Hardin says, and then it seems to click and he shakes his head in annoyance at himself.
"Yeah, I don't live here alone," I say. "It's not much, and it's definitely not without its faults, but it's home. Goodnight Hardin. Thank you for walking me home."
"Goodnight Tessa," he replies. "Thank you for letting me." He bows grandly and I laugh before turning and twisting the handle.

Before I enter the house, I look back once more and see Hardin looking back at me as he walks away.