Playing Devil's Advocate

The Interview

"You must be Garret," I state. I look him right in the eye, showing him that I'm not scared of him.

"Depends on who's talking to me, my servants call me 'Master Garret,' my family calls me 'Garret,' and my business partners call me whatever they want to," he tells me.

"What would you like for me to call you? While I'm here at least," I ask.

"For the next few days you may call me whatever you please. I will let you know if something changes as soon as I make my decision about you."

I finally break eye contact and look down at the floor. "Why do you want me?" I ask him.

"I was intrigued the first time i saw you. I had some people follow you around for some time, just to find out more about you and your life," he shuffles some papers around on his desk and finds the one he was looking for. He picks it up and quirks a smile at me. "You don't do much do you? School, work, and home. That's pretty much it, isn't it?"

"H-how do you know that? Who was following me?"

"Colten, for the most part. He's good at blending in. The new girl at your school, Grace, she was one of them too."

"I didn't even know there was a new girl," I say astounded. "How long was she there?"

"She was in all of your classes for the past four months,"

I started to move around and I decide to sit in the chair in front of his desk. I put my head in my hands and try to figure out who Grace is.

"I don't remember her," I mumble, mostly because I'm talking to myself. "How do I not remember a new girl at school? I know everyone in that bodunk, little town."

"I asked her to try not to bring too much attention to herself. She claimed that it was hard because everyone knew everybody else, and according to you, she succeeded." He smiled at me.

"So how long did you have me followed?" I ask weary of the answer.

"Four months, more or less," he looks at the papers again. "Would you like to know something else about the people I had following you or would you like to begin the interviewing process?"

"You call the shots around here, not me," I remind him.

He chuckles. "This is true, but I want you to feel comfortable with me here," he smiles again but this time its not a knowing smile, its a sincere one, and i swear my heart stops beating.

"Let's get on with the interview then," I suggest. I try to hide how his smile affected me. "What would you like to know?"

"Nothing really," he tells me exactly what I expected to hear. "Just a few things."

"Well, go on then," I encourage him.

"Who's your favorite author?"

"Meg Cabot."

"Favorite movie?"

"Musical, rom-com, action, or kids?"

"All."

"Phantom of the Opera, 10 Things I Hate About You, This Means War, and Beauty and the Beast. Respectively."

"This Means War is a 'rom-com' though."

"Its both, a rom-com and an action movie."

"Favorite book?"

"Avalon High by Meg Cabot."

"Do you have any questions for me?"

"Just a few," I respond as I smile.

"Go for it," he tells me.

"How old are you?"

"Nineteen."

"How did you find out about me?"

"I was visiting some friends in the next town over and we went to the daycare you work at to pick up their daughter."

"Who was their daughter?"

"Keelin."

"What about her brother?"

"He was home sick that day."

"Will I ever see anyone from home again?"

"More than likely, yes, you will."

"Why were you intent on getting me here?"

"I wanted to know how beneficial you would be to my business."

"What is your business?"

"I work at home for the most part."

"Why do you hire servants? Do you kidnap all of them too?"

"I hire servants so that I'm not as stressed at home. I don't like the word 'kidnap'-"

"But you do just that, at least with me you did. You kidnapped me."

"I see it more as 'surprise adoption,' "

"But we're the same age."

"Nope. You're a year younger than I am," he states smiling.

"Same difference." I mumble as I cross my arms and look away from him. "So, what do you plan to do with me now?" I ask.

"We'll see," he informed me. "Any more questions?"

"Not that i can think of," I reply.

"Then you are dismissed. Have Colten show you to the room you will be staying in."

"How will I find him?"

"He's right outside the door."

I get up and walk out. Colten is standing outside the door just like Garret said. We walk to my room in silence.