You're Mine

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Seb and Bran had moved to Aspen City after leaving their previous apartment. Luckily he found a job as a waiter in a club close to a university. The pay was good and the place was close enough to the new apartment he got for him and his little brother.

The barely 19 year old was planning to continue his education and hopefully he could transfer his school credits to Aspen University. But first, he needed to keep working and earn a little more for his future plan not only for himself but also for Bran. His brother is now in first grade at his new school.

"Don't open the door to anyone, okay. Keep the phone I gave you close by so you can call me." Seb is getting dressed for his job one evening.

Bran nodded and smiled as he handed Seb his belt while he himself sat on the bed, the TV quietly plays in the background. As a six year old, he's become very perceptive of things. He knows his brother works hard for them both and the best thing he could do was obey what Seb says. He doesn't mind staying at home alone and go to bed by himself.

Seb knelt down and kissed his brother on the forehead. "Thank you for being such a good baby brother." Bran giggled and pulled his brother for a hug. "That's because I have the best big brother in the world."

Seb went to work hopeful. Bran's birthday is coming up and he's planning to take the soon seven year old to see a circus. The pay he gets could barely pay for their studio apartment, bills, and daily necessities. As much as he could, he didn't want to touch the rest of the insurance money he received from the house fire. It's for Bran. That is why Seb is thankful that he can get extra money from his current work.

The good thing about his job is he could get tips from customers who are kind enough to thank him monetarily for the service he does.

Tonight, Seb worked diligently as he always had in the past three months. He would serve VIP seats as well as help at the bar if he's needed.

There are regular patrons at the club, those who know the manager well. The owner would sometimes go see them personally in their seats. At one particular point, Seb was serving one VIP corner when one man finally acted on his liking for the young waiter.

"Hey, beautiful. How about we go after your shift. For some different kind of night activity." The man is in his early twenties, a regular customer and a good friend of the manager.

Seb smiled politely and declined the offer. He left the drinks and went back to his station. Moments later, the said patron walked towards Seb and stood behind him. The dim lights of the club could easily hide what was going on.

"I made a nice offer. That wasn't a very nice response. For a lowly waiter, you should be thankful for such attention." The said man leaned towards Seb's face and hissed. "Do you have an idea who I am?"

Seb stepped to the side and politely ask the customer to let him be. It wasn't the first time Seb had this kind of encounter. For most times, he could make them back off with polite request. Other times, he could only stomach the insults before the manager comes to his rescue.

The 18 year old values the importance of having a job and keeping it. But it's not always an easy ride.

Seb was about to attend to another set of customers when the one bugging him suddenly grabbed his arm, pinned him against the wall and cupped his lower back. It happened so fast that before Seb could process his anger, his fist had already hit the said customer's face.

"You fucker." The client uttered, his angry face hidden by the darkness of the corner he was in next to the shocked waiter.

Seconds later, Seb realized what he had done and knew exactly what would happen. Sure enough, in the middle of the blaring sound of music, strobe lights, and neon signs hanging around by the walls, he was called in to the manager's office, scolded and fired right there and then.

He was angry at the unfairness of his situation. And when he remembered his little brother, he fell depressed knowing he would be jobless and then he won't be able to take him somewhere on his seventh birthday.

He got out of the club in middle of the night with a heavy heart, gritted his teeth as he recalled his ex-boss' words.

"He's been hitting on you for weeks now. You could have had just said yes. He's got looks, the money. What were you being picky for?"

'Yeah...what was I being picky for? Oh, yeah. Because he was a fucking pig!'

He knows he wouldn't have gone so far as to punch the guy if he listened to his polite request to leave him alone. And seeing happy faces of college students having fun at the club while he, a drop out, works hard to earn a living, didn't help his mindset at that moment either.

Seb doesn't resent the responsibility he was entrusted to by his mother but at an early age, there are still some moments where he wishes he was back to his college life, having fun with his friends which are now non-existent.

'I'll be fine...
...Bran and I will be fine...'

This has been his mantra ever since there was just the two of them.

Seb stared at the streets blankly as he walked the sidewalk. Soon, the neon lights, the lights from cars passing by, became a blur as tears fall from his eyes. He stopped and wiped his cheeks knowing he can't be crying like that. He can't afford to anymore. Crying makes someone weak. Crying is useless.

Seb was trying to calm himself from the whirlwind of emotions flooding him - anger, sadness, sorrow, anxiety, fear - when he remembered why he was walking.

He had forgotten his bicycle outside the club. Seb decided to go back and fetch it. When he reached the alley where he left his bicycle, he found someone dead drunk and lying down near the dumpster.

"This freaking drunkards never learn." He leaned his bike back on the wall and approached the said man. "Hey, Mr." He tried to wake him, lightly tapping on the man's tanned cheek.

Though he had faced countless hardship as a breadwinner for him and and Bran, Seb was not one to ignore others who are need of help. He's just like how his father was. Just like right now, as he stared at the helpless drunk in an alley, he couldn't help but wonder if the man would be alright if he's left alone by himself.

Seb stood up and looked around, then back at the unconscious person again. "Should I just leave him? But this street can be dangerous." He muttered.

Caught in his dilemma, Seb excused himself from the man as he tried to find some identity on him, in hopes that he can find an address and send him home by a taxi. He found a card on his worn out shirt's left pocket and raised a brow when he realized where the place is.

"You live here and yet you came to this place? Are you stupid?" Seb frowned seeing an address located at the rich neighborhood right next to Aspen lake.

He knows the other won't be able to say anything back but he kept ranting on him anyway. "You could have been robbed here, you dumba--
Wait. You could be working there, right? Doesn't matter. I'm taking you there anyway."

It dawned on him that by the looks of the guy's clothes, he could easily be just working in that area. No way someone from that rich neighborhood would be caught clubbing where they are now.

"Argh!" He shrieked but nobody would hear. "Geez. You're heavy." Seb took the man's arm, slumped it around his shoulder and walked him towards the side of the road to hail a taxi.

"Khun, you have to come with him and send him home. I ain't carrying him out my car later." The driver said as Seb put the drunk and unconscious man inside the vehicle.

Seb sighed heavily and got inside as well. "Let's just hope someone there pays for my ride. Maybe your boss or something." Seb muttered as he kept the man's head off of his shoulder.

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