All Cloaked Up For You

Chapter 2 - Alexander

I, Alexander Herrington, was an heir to the Herrington Dynasty - a family that was renowned for their wealth and power in Sterling's government. I was often seen in the company of the most influential figures in the city, but my true passion was for the more private side of life. I was a man of few words, but I had a dignified air about me that made people take notice. I had a strong sense of honor and duty, and I was determined to make the Herrington Dynasty proud and help people in the wasteland.

In public, I was courteous and well-mannered. I always wore the finest suits and carried myself with a certain degree of sophistication. My speeches were always measured and I was always willing to listen to the opinions of others. I attend prestigious private schools in the city and outside the country if I want to.  

In private, however, I was a passionate man. I loved to read, and I could often be found deep in thought. I had an insatiable appetite for knowledge and was always looking for ways to expand my understanding of the world. I was a man of substance and integrity, and I was determined to uphold the values of his family and its legacy.

I looked toward the clean air as I watched my next company being built in Sterling. I hope this company will bring help to the wasteland. Mayor Tumbleweed is suing my father. My father Vincent Herrington has power in Sterling's government. He claims that my father is always trying to interfere with his political regime and try to brainwash the people of the wasteland, we are trying to help people there from their stupid mayor who wouldn't do anything to fix the wasteland. 

I don't say anything about the wasteland to the rich kids here in the city. They would say "I hate those low rats" or "I hate those dirty chowders." At this point, those sentences are like slurs for the wasteland. I know about people in the wasteland and people in the city. The city hates the wasteland because they are dirty, stealers, greedy, and murderers. The poor hate the city because we ate full and they ate less, out of jealousy. 

"Yeah, the logo should be placed there," I said to the workers. Sterling and Herrington's Foundation. What a good name for a company that will send support to people in the wasteland. I want to make it sound amazing and legit. I look at my watch, it's time to go study before I head to school. I go to a café, where I go regularly. They always get my mocha order correct. I rushed through the crowds of people surrounding me and locked the door to the penthouse. 

I stood alone in the living room of my family's penthouse. I looked out the window at the sun setting behind the buildings, the silhouette of the ancestral carvings of my dynasty casting its shadow over the fireplace. I sighed heavily, my thoughts filled with sadness. I am wealthy and privileged, yet it has brought me nothing but loneliness. I miss Madeline Windsor. 

I had dated many girls, but none of them had seen beyond my wealth. I realized that the rich were too full of themselves to care and the poor were too greedy. I wanted someone to see me as I truly was, not just for the money I had. Women come and go, and so does my false sense of hope. I turned away from the window and made my way out of the living room, a sense of loneliness in my heart. Poor girls think I am so unattainable and the rich just think of me like a classmate. 

My false hopes became real hopes when I dated Madeline Windsor from The Wasteland. I am aware that people from the wasteland are greedy but, Madeline shows me that she isn't like the rest. She was perfect. Her hair was coiled up and I like how coils wrapped around her head. She braids her hair often too. Unlike rich girls who were full of themselves, Maddie was slightly insecure and I like it when girls are like that. Unlike other girls in the wasteland, she never asked me for money and only asked me to come over to the wasteland and hang out.  

Her black coiled hair, her kind gentle touch, her independent approach to things. She stands out to all the girls in Sterling and the wasteland. She has a straightforward mind. She said anything that was on her mind. Rich people wouldn't say anything on their minds so openly because they are afraid of being canceled. The poor are always greedy and selfish but, Madeline cares.  She's wild and likes to have a lot of fun. 

I remember choosing and buying an outfit for her just in case she ever tried to get to the city. I remember her in the dressing room and I waited for her outside. Her red dress fits her body. I watched as her face shone brighter than the sun when she wiped the dirt off her face. It was the last time I had seen her. I still held on to her watch which wrapped around my wrist. The last word she ever told me was, "Sorry, I have to go. Don't follow me." She left me in the store and ran to the wasteland with her red dress and the price tag on. Am I capable of love after her? 

I don't go to the wasteland anymore. I don't date other girls anymore. No one can beat Madeline Windsor. Dating her taught me many things, there might be girls like Madeline somewhere. Nope. I tried searching, but every girl wanted money or thought me too low. I also learn that wasteland people can be greedy but they also suffer from a bad government. My mind is filled with thoughts. Where's Madeline and what is she doing now? Is she alive? We are 16, she should be alive by now, right?

 I kiss her watch. I cried. It has been 2 years since I saw her. I should have chased after her that time. I lost her. I daydream or dream every chance I get about her. As days went by, I lost a bit of her. It ended up me only remembering the time we hung out, hugged, held hands, kissed, and her beautiful hair and face. Thank god I don't dream in public. I would have cried. I walked out of the living room. 

I got to the office, one of my paperwork for school was already done. I think one of my tutors has already done it for me. I placed my mocha on the coaster and looked through my emails. Blah, Blah, Blah. It was just fans blowing up my emails. I went to my documents and did a bit of homework and studying. Being 16 must be hard for a rich billionaire like me.  I not only have school, I have a reputation, and a business to own.