Virago ~ The better wrong

Chapter-14

“Look, I know why you hate me. I don’t know what to say but just know that I am sorry that you feel I am stealing Owen away from you__” Lillian began.

“You think that is why I hate you? Because I feel insecure about him! What am I, his crazy ex?” Deb said looking straight in her eyes.

“Then why do you hate me so much?”

“Lillian, I don’t hate you. I did but not anymore. Look after the car accident many things changed and ironically, I became over protective towards my brothers. I was not as close to my parents as these two were. When I heard about you, I thought you were the kind of girl who breaks heart and walks on their pieces. I was just trying to protect Owen from breaking again and hell I knew he would break if you go away. Owen cried after 18 years Lillian when you guys fought.”

“He was not crying it was only a tear” Lillian interrupted quietly, but Deb went on as if she cannot hear her at all, “He did not even cry when mom and dad died. You have that affect on him. So all in all, I don’t hate you and I should never have misjudged you. You are forgiven.”

“Excuse me Deb but your last sentence does not actually match with your speech.” Ben said still sitting on the couch.

“Fine, I am sorry and I hope….actually, I know you would forgive me and give me a room in your huge hotel heart.” Deb said sarcastically and made her ‘hopeful puppy’ eyes whilst Lillian held back a giggle.

“Wow, Hotel heart, well who could say no to that.” She said smirking in response.

“Eavesdropping is rude by the way.” Deb said.

“I was right here so technically it’s observing and listening.” He answered and got up to get a drink.

***

Liam and Ben were standing near the drinks counter talking loudly over the music.

“So you love to read huh?” Ben asked stirring his drink with the umbrella stick.

“Yeah, I practically live on them.” He answered before taking a sip.

“So what do you do?”  Ben asked again.

“Work for this horrible phone tech company as a sales manager.” Liam answered.

“Good pay?” at this question Liam started laughing bitterly. “Yeah great money. I wear Gucci if you didn’t notice.” He said sarcastically.

“So why not quit?” Ben asked again.

“Nah, I am not good at anything other than that, reading, apparently does not count as a skill.” He said nastily.

A minute passed in silence and then Ben’s eyes light up like a light bulb and Liam watched him with his eyebrows raised.

“Hey you can………Okay, can you read for living?”

“Yes I would love to.” Liam answered.

“Can you write stuff?”

“I have written blogs and got 9k likes.”

“Can you distinguish between good and bad article?”

“I guess?”

“Can you suggest changes required?”
“Yes but why?”

“You got the job then, I work with the Hype Company and we help youths in setting up their own business. Recently there is this new group who created a site to promote young writers and we are promoting them and get this, there is a post open for an article editor in the group! Isn’t that amazing?” He said.

"Why would a technical company promote a non-…… You know what on the second thought, never mind why, I am in.” Liam said quickly changing his statement at the site of a soon-will-be-frustrated Ben.

“Great. All you do is encourage writers with comments and publish official reviews on their books, comparing them with some other books. Oh and the pay would be about 50 to 80$ per hour. Is that okay?” Ben asked.

“Are you kidding me? It’s great.” Liam answered raising his glass in a toast sort of manner and after a soft cling they drank their first toast as co workers and he recited the offer again to Lillian, Owen and Tris as they came around after some time.

They were celebrating when TJ came running towards them. “It’s your tall friend, Den or Dem or something.” He said, face red with panic. Owen and Ben gave each other a look before running in the direction TJ came from. Somehow, they knew what the problem was and Lillian and Tris were pretty sure this had happened before.