The Last Wild Flower

013| As distant as the moon

The only text I receive today comes from a learning app, informing me that I haven't reviewed my flashcards in over a week. Tempted, my finger hovers over the app's icon, but I delete the reminder instead. I'm sitting in the back of an SUV, sipping on an iced coffee because it was the only thing that would get me out of bed.

"Almost there, Miss." The middle-aged driver says to me.

There is Elleview, where all the successful people in town,( basically everyone that attends the club), take up residence. I'm determined to speak with Mr. Alderidge. My stomach is in knots, and I've been chewing the inside of my right cheek for half an hour, but I'm still going.

It would be easier if I could hide under my covers and let time make all my problems go away. This morning though, when I sneaked downstairs to look at mom's computer again, the red numbers were still there.

The car comes to a stop, as the grey mansion appears into view. The driver opens the door for me, and I thank him. It's only after he drives off, that I remember I left my coffee in the seat. Now I'm going into the lion's den without any armor.

The same maid leads me in, and I feel a bit guilty because I still don't know her name. After all, I'd been a sort of maid for a day, when Grace hired me to clean the mayor's house.

I was expecting to find Alderidge in his office, but instead she shows me into a room in what she refers to as the "South wing" of the property. There are many more windows here, allowing the room to bathe in a pool of sunlight. He sits at the head of a long, carved wooden table with a feast in front of him.

"Good morning, Charlie." He said after swallowing a bite of an omelette. "I've been expecting your visit."

I didn't want to look at him directly because he reminded me of his nephew. So instead, I looked at the food on the table. A cup of milk was placed near him. I couldn't wrap my head around it; a serious middle-aged man drinking a beverage that was usually for babies.

I was probably watching him in a funny way, because he offered me a chair. "You must be hungry, why don't you sit down?"

That brought back memories of last night, and all the food that crazy cowboy had forced on me. I shook my head. What was it with these men always offering me food? I didn't think I was unhealthy looking or anything. Sure I had always been small and lean, but mom said that it was normal.

'I want to know what's going on." I  said, almost like I had practiced in the mirror this morning.

He continued to cut his omelette into smaller pieces, and then picked up a slice of fruit with the fork. "I must congratulate you on a successful assignment." He said, before returning to his plate.

"How?" I snapped back into attention.

"Pardon?" He asked back.

"How do you know I was successful?"

He looked straight at me, and warned, "There are some things that are better not said."

I usually prided myself on being reasonable, but this was not a time that called for reason. "Stop that." I began, my face continuing to heat up by the second. "I lost count of how much Galvin Fitz forced me to eat last night. I almost puked." I said it, and then started to scratch my arm.

"But it's over with now, isn't it?"

"Yes, but it was horrible and unfair." He didn't respond after that, so I spoke again. "I don't think I'm up for this."

"You're upset."

"Yes, and confused."

"Well, we can't have that. How would you like a raise?" The itching on my arm grew more aggressive. When I didn't say anything, he carefully folded his napkin. "Two-thousand for every night you're present at the Garden of Eden."

I stared at him, dumbfounded. It was true then, that the rich solved problems by throwing money at them. Unfortunately, I needed that money. Tuition at Westbury U started at fifty-thousand a year. And if we're being realistic, my parents needed his money too.

"Think of every night like 'punching in', the way you would at your old job."

I turned to look outside one window, at the landscape before us. The background was green with endless trees; but before the forest there was a large pool to the left and a basketball court on the right. "Can I at least know what part I'm playing in this?"

"I realize that some of the behavior from the previous nights might make you feel at risk, but I want you to know you have my protection." I turned my back on the windows, but didn't interrupt him. "It will all make sense soon enough. Charlie, you're the most important piece in preserving Westbury."

There wasn't any way that I could argue after that. I tried to dispute it, but nothing would come. On my way out, I was still doing the math in my head. Two-thousand for five nights is already ten-thousand dollars a week. That's forty thousand a month.

I think I get lost, because I come across a different stairwell. My calculations come to a halt along with my body, as soon as my eyes find Lincoln. He's coming down the stairs, but stops, gripping the rail.

Quickly, I access his appearance. He's wearing a crisp white-dress shirt, dark jeans, and the hand holding onto the railing is cuffed with a shiny silver watch. You would think he's doing great, but the expression on his face is tired. There's something else under his captivating gaze, something resembling distrust.

Even when we were complete strangers, he'd never seemed this far away. I can't help the pain his expression causes me.

Nothing is said aloud, but I swear the silence speaks.

He breaks off, and resumes his climb down. Relunctantly, I turn in the opposite direction, which is also where I first came from. I guess he's found me out now. I wonder what he thinks of me. It can't be any good. The worst part is that I feel the same way about myself.

I step out into the glaring sunlight, and set off running. The more distance I can put between myself and this cold castle, the better.

***A/N: Welp, I procrastinated for some days. But finally, I present you with a somewhat-finished chapter marking the end of the beginning.

Like always, please comment and vote if you liked it!! Thank you for sticking with me so far, I appreciate you so, so much!