The Conversion

Chapter Four

On a completely random and unrelated topic, you know how at the bottom of notification emails it says in that really tiny writing 'find like minded readers'? ... Did anyone else get really excited because they thought it said 'find mind readers'? Only to be extremely bummed out when you actually bothered to take a proper look and found that there aren't any mind readers on Wattpad? ... Or was that just me? ................

Chapter Four

“Can I go now?” I asked Tomas for what must have been the fortieth time in the last hour. I was already late as after Shannon and I had finished the dishes he demanded we go out and tend to the garden. I replied by kindly telling him to shove it. I was on kitchen duty not garden duty. He then responded by grabbing me and shoving me into the green house. Now I know what you’re thinking. Harlow? Tomas got you into the green house? Tomas? Really? Okay, in my defence, I wasn’t expecting it. And I wasn’t watching him. I was staring intently at the clock on the wall signalling I was already late to meet Liz. So when he grabbed me by the back of my shirt I barely had time to register what was happening before he shoved me out there and locked the door. I finally got Shannon to open the damn thing with emotional blackmail. And the bribery of some stolen chocolate. He wasn’t too impressed but he would never even think about yelling at her, he completely adored her. But me, on the other hand, well we had the sort of relationship that was barely tolerable for either party. Then he’d stood there lecturing me about taking orders and... something else... I wasn’t really listening.

“You know what your problem is?” he asked me.

“Oh God,” I mumbled under my breath. If he started on this we’d be here for another hour. I knew I’d had this lecture before. From Aaron, Finn, Aaron again, Tal, Aysh, Aaron... You get the picture.

“You have no respect for authority!” he spat, jabbing his bony finger in my direction. I scoffed.

“I have respect for authority. What I don’t have respect for is the kitchen cook,” I shot back. I swear his entire face and neck lit up red. The veins on his neck protruded harshly against the skin, threatening to burst through, and his eyes and nose flared. He limped over to me quickly, but I wasn’t scared of him.

“How dare you!” he spat at me. “You have no idea-” he broke of roughly, exhaling a large gust of air as he turned away from me, running his hand over his short, greying hair and face.

“Harlow you should go,” Shannon told me quietly.

“Well it’s about time!” I exclaimed quietly for only her to hear. When I looked at her I was shocked. Her expression was angry, but it wasn’t directed at Tomas. It was directed at me. I stood there blinking in shock at her. I wanted to ask her what the hell was going on and why she was taking his side over mine but I couldn’t. I was already late enough as it was. Instead I sighed loudly and shook my head as I stalked towards the exit. I ripped off my apron and threw it on one of the steel counters as I passed, bursting out the door and through the dining area before running full bore straight to the labs.

“You’re late!” Liz declared when I ran through the doors to the lab. Jeez if only I had a dollar for every time someone’s said that to me.

“I know! I’m sorry!” I huffed. “Blame Tomas’s ego,” I grumbled as she stood in front of one of the examination rooms and beckoned me over.

“You should be nicer to that man,” she told me. “He’s been through a lot.” Again? What was it with these people? Were they in some kind of Tomas fan club or something? I bit my tongue as I made my way inside, grabbing the gown Liz held out to me on the way. Once she closed the door I stripped out of my clothes and shoved it on, snooping around a little before calling for her.