bapa: from here to eternity

chapter 8: bringing the divide

Bose POV:

I sat in my penthouse after a long day, the city lights twinkling beneath me. The skyline stretched out like a canvas, painted with the hues of the night. I thought about Chapa and how her painting had made it into the art exhibition. I was genuinely happy for her, even if I couldn't bring myself to look at her directly. I caught glimpses of her looking my way, but I couldn't discern her thoughts, so I pushed the thoughts aside.

The TV was on, providing some background noise, but I wasn't really watching. Instead, I scrolled through my phone, checking my schedule for the next day. It was a rare day without events, interviews, or photo shoots. Administration day, as I called it—most people dreaded it, but I found solace in the quiet tasks. A few people had applied for positions at the company, so I had interviews lined up, but other than that, my day was relatively free.

As the clock ticked closer to midnight, I felt fatigue settling in. I took a quick shower, letting the warm water wash away the day's stress. After drying off, I slipped into bed, gazing out at the cityscape. The tranquility of the view always helped me drift off to sleep.

—

The next morning, I woke up early, going through my routine like clockwork. Breakfast was a simple affair—coffee, toast, and some fruit. After that, I grabbed my keys and headed out. The drive to work was smooth, the early morning sun casting a golden glow over Rivalton.

The first interview was scheduled early, and Bridget was already in the room, ready to assist in judging the candidates. The first person seemed promising, fitting well with the company's ethos. After the interview, I dove into my administration tasks.

Around mid-morning, I decided to take a break and headed to the café for some coffee. As I approached, I saw Chapa on the phone, looking stressed and furious. She luckily didn't notice me. I sat at a nearby table, sipping my coffee and trying to catch snippets of her conversation. She was talking about bills and financial crises.

Suddenly, Bridget approached Chapa, asking her to keep her voice down. Chapa ignored her, but Bridget persisted, causing the situation to escalate. Reluctantly, I decided to step in.

"What's going on here?" I asked, trying to sound calm.

Chapa looked up at me, her eyes wide with surprise, but she quickly returned to her phone call. She mentioned Sage's name, confirming my suspicion that she was talking to her sister.

"It's going to be alright," Chapa said into the phone. "I promise."

Sage must have asked Chapa to come over, as I heard her consider it for a moment before saying, "I can't leave the academy, not with Ms. Ambrose around."

I could sense the tension and frustration in her voice. It was clear she was struggling, and it pained me to see her like this. Bridget, sensing my involvement, took a step back, allowing me to handle the situation.

She glanced at me, her expression a mix of surprise and frustration. She returned to her call. "Sage, I'll figure it out. Just hang in there."

Chapa finally got off the phone and looked at me with a mix of shame and desperation. "Bose," she said, her voice trembling.

"What's going on?" I asked, my tone colder than usual.

She took a deep breath, struggling to keep her composure. "My dad... he got into a car crash and now has to pay for it. There's more, but... I can't go into it now. Sage is freaking out over this. She's at school and wants to leave, but I can't go get her. I'm stuck here with Ms. Ambrose watching over everything, and if I lose my position at the art exhibition, we're done for. So could you please maybe talk to her and ask if I can leave? I know she'll listen to you."