Steal my Heart.

79

Alastair's Point Of View.
I'm lazing around in my room when my phone rings. Graduation happened a week back. Results will be out and we'll have to apply for colleges. So I'm enjoying doing nothing as long as I can.

I check the screen. It's some unknown number. Weird. I pick up the phone.
"Alastair?" A female voice, weak and lost.

"Mom." I whisper.
"How are you?" She asks softly.
I'm tempted to snap back, but I just can't bring myself to do it. Why is she comtacting me now, after so long? Does she even care?

"Please come to the point."
"Can't I even contact my son to ask about his well being? What..."
I cut her off. "No you cannot. Just say what you want to. I'm busy right now." There, I just lost it.
"You have to come to Washington."
"Why?"
"Basically, all you have is here. You might be settled there, but your future is here. Mr. Roberts needs an assistant. You can realize your dream over here. The one of becoming an entrepreneur."

I take a sharp intake of breathe. She knew of my ultimate goal of life, granted.

"Is there any personal reason also?"
"No. But Mr. Roberts wants you here, he's asking for you. And you have to come. To pay off our debts."

My head is throbbing now. Our family had taken money from Mr. Roberts when I was very young. For dad to start his business. If there was any way we could repay him, it was to serve him.

"And why do you think I will care for any debt my pathetic excuse of a father took?"
"Don't care if you don't want to. But he'll come after you then. And destroy your life." She says.
"I'll talk to your later."

I hang up and hold my head in my hands. What the holy fucking shit. I'm so so so screwed right now. I'll have to go work for that bastard. I know the extents which he can go to. If I work for him, I might become a great business tycoon. If I don't, he'll destruct my chances of further education. And I won't be able to do anything because he's so fucking powerful. And leaving Seattle means leaving Grace. A knot ties up in my stomach and my throat suddenly goes dry. What am I going to do? Long distance relationship? I'll have to talk to her about this. Yes, hell yes, we can make it work! Love can do anything.
I head off towards her house.

Getting on my bike, I ride off at top speed to her house. Her dad might be there, but right now that's not what I'm thinking. My head is buzzing and my heart's beating out of my chest. I literally jump up the steps and ring the doorbell. Vanessa opens the door.
"Can I meet Grace?" I ask, my hands on my knees, heaving.

"She's in the washroom. Come, sit here." Vanessa says, gesturing to the drawing room.

I walk in. She's in the shower. Umm...shower. I control my thoughts and sit on the couch, opposite her dad who's reading a periodical. He seems like a very knowledgable man.

"Alastair Kerr." He says, in a loud voice.
"Sir." I say nodding at him. I'll be lying if I say that this man doesn't intimidate me.
"You seem to be tensed. What's the problem?" He asks.
I tense up. Am I that transparent? "Nothing." I mumble.
"Come on. You know right, you need to impress a girl's father to have direct contact to her." He says smirking.
I just sit blankly.

He says again,"Speak up boy. I might be of some fine help to you."
I think and then explain the whole situation to him. He listens very diligently.

"Okay Alastair, you're young. You have been in love young. Are you completely ready?" He says.
"Readier than I've ever been." I say firmly.

He laughs. "Suppose you marry Grace, just suppose okay? Will you be able to support her? Your salary helps you support yourself. Will you be able to take care of her?"

I blink. "Sir, we have years for that. We aren't marrying so soon."
"Yeah, but future planning is a thing. Do you think you two will be able to have a career when you are so madly in love? Just consider this, you two were able to come so far because you were in the same school. You two might not get the same college, since now you're going to Washington, but what about after that? You will get busy in your respective careers. Will love stay?" He explains very clearly.

"But we love each other." I protest, almost like a petulant little child.
"Now you do. Will you love each other seven years down the lane?"
"Love is forever."

"Oh no my boy. Every young couple says that. But 50% of love marriages end in divorce. Do you want that?"
"So what are you saying? I came here to talk to her about a long distance relationship."
"It won't work."
"We can make it work if we're determined enough."

"You're not getting it Kerr. You will go your seperate ways. You'll might just drift apart and never see each other again."
"But-"
"Better than that, just break up."
"What?" My heart is about to shatter.

"Look, easen the blow. You have to go since you have no other option."
"But we're making it work right. I'll visit her at times, she'll visit me at times-"

"Alastair, what are you talking about? Skype calls? Meeting on weekends? What exactly? You will get so busy with college and building a career that you'll no longer be able to concentrate on each other. And if you two choose each other, then your careers will be destroyed."
"So you're saying that I break your daughter's heart?"

"To put it harshly, maybe yes. I've got nothing against you son. But maybe you should get together when you deserve each other better. There's time for everything in life. And I'm sorry, but this isn't your time. You might be hating me, but this is for your best. Falling in love is easy, staying in love is challenging. Think about it. It will take time, but you two will get over it. And if it is in fate, you will meet further in life."

I look at this man. No doubt what he said was true. But am I willing to do this? My heart breaks, for the first time, in million pieces.
I get up dazed and without a second glance, I leave.

I enter my apartment and take some sleeping pills which were of no use to me when Grace came in my life. I need them now, because she's going to leave.