The Faustian Love Bargain (COMPLETED)

Chapter 13

It was a cold evening and the flat looked more worn out and duller than ever. The paint was chipping off and the white paint had paled. Stella and Micheal went into the small metal lift in silence. Her mind was in a whirl and she could not take in everything that he had said to her earlier. 

“Can I show you the book now?” he asked but she declined saying that she should go home. 

She found her father at home early and watching the television. Her house appeared very cramped and old. It lacked any interior design and the couch was old and peeling. The light seemed dimmer than usual. As she stood there, adorned in her new suit, she looked strangely out of place.

“How are you at school today?” her father got up, smiling.

“I’m fine. Did you know where I was last night?” she asked. She thought of Nick's warm body against her and a pang of guilt hit her.

“Of course. Didn’t you read your text message? I went to Mr Smith’s house and found you sleeping. I told him to let you sleep for the night and I went home,” Ben Robbs spoke with little concern.

“Yeah I did. But why did you let me sleep there?” Stella's eyes widened.

“You looked tired and Mr Smith is a trustworthy gentleman! I was surprised you did not tell me that boy in the Lamborghini was him!”

“Do you know him?” she asked, more confused.

“Ah, your mother was an acquaintance with Mr Anthony Smith. He was a man of fine character! What a coincidence that you should become friends with his son!”

“I never knew Mom knew Nick’s father,” she said quietly. 

“I’m not sure when but maybe about a few months before she passed away, you know your mom has always been interested in history, so she went to interview Mr Smith regarding the royal family. He was very kind to give the interview.” Then, motioning her to sit down next to him on the couch, he said to her seriously, “How long have you met him? Since the time I spotted you?”

“Yeah, sort of.”

“How do you find him?”

She suspected her father was going into the whole relationship advice thing and stopped him, “We aren’t exactly friends.”

“Did you meet him at your internship?”

She forgot she had also lied to him that she had to go to Smiths Corporation after school on some occasions.

“Yeah, sort of.” She could not stand herself lying anymore. “Actually, he hired me for something.”

“It’s okay, some work partners also develop relationships. Your mother and I met at work as well. I guess things are progressing, seeing that you had a drink at his house.”

She blushed. Her father was often too direct when discussing relationships but this was the first time he seemed to be more encouraging than discouraging her. 

“He was very polite to inform me yesterday that you had become drunk from one drink and he was apologetic that he had served you alcohol. He asked if he should fetch you home and I said I would come down to bring you home. What a considerate young man and just as well mannered like his father. Do you not agree with me? So I went to Gordon Bay Suites and wow, what a big place he lived in. There was even someone at the concierge who greeted me and brought me to a private lift that arrived to his doorstep. I was amazed. It is strange that someone so affluent like him could be so respectful to his elders.”

She did agree that he was a polite person but other than that, she found no desirable trait in him. She wanted to tell her father that he was an alcoholic and a drug addict but he continued, “Then I found you sleeping on this huge bed and tucked under such luxurious quilt and I thought, why not let you have a nice rest here. He seemed rather surprised at first and resisted but I said, I trust you dear boy to take care of her. He said he was honoured to know that but he appeared to look uncomfortable. I was curious so I asked him if you two were close and what he thought of you.”

She nearly choked, “Wha-aat did he say?”

“Oh, he said you were a nice girl and I joked saying that you were quite a naughty child. He was very accommodating and told me that you did ask him several daring questions.” 

Stella was dying of embarrassment thinking about the stupid questions she had asked him. Yet, she was happy that he did not think of her badly. She forgot about all the frightening stories that Micheal had told her and about the fear she felt in the morning.  After having dinner with her father and completing some homework and revision, she went to sleep and dreamt of happy dreams. She did not have happy dreams ever since her mother had disappeared. The skies were blue and she was leaping across green hills in a soft white dress with floral lace. She drank from the clear lake. The water tasted indescribably fresh and as sweet as honey. She drank and drank and drank happily but her thirst never seemed to end.