The fragrances of natural trees, earth, and flowers permeated through the air. It was almost hard to believe that I was stuck in between two people in a theater the size of a football field. *Sigh* Rich people and their tastes. To my right was Lily, and to the left was some random woman. I swiveled my head to get a better look at the theater that I was sitting in. There was a big-ass stage packed with light that shined from one of the hundred interior lights. They all merged on the stage to greet a small man who was wearing a three-piece suit and a monocle to go with it. His body was spotted with golden accessories: rings, earrings, bracelets, chains, and so on. I wouldn't be surprised if he had plated his penis in gold too. The shit that people wear these days was ridiculous, or...I was just getting old. I turned my head to see the thousands of individual seats which were separated into different sections depending on the first-come-first-serve basis. Balconies, sky-top view, people staring in from the gigantic windows. It was legit. Chandeliers decorated the ceilings, and the seats were set to a red color to match the beige curtains on the stage and the maroon carpet. The seats were of yet firm making them a wonder to sit on. Suddenly I felt a nudge on my shoulder. It was Lily. "Flin, the shows about to start!" As soon as she said it, the lights began to dim. My pupils began to dilate.
"Yeah, I could tell," I responded.
"Get ready to have a good time!"
"Oh, I better. This old man doesn't have all the time in the world to watch some half-assed talent."
She looked up at me and said, "Even with me?"
My heart throbbed before I replied, "Anything for you, darling."
She gave me her divine smile before saying, "Get ready to be treated!" I chuckled. I won't be the only one.
***
After the lights dimmed to their maximum, the little man on the stage threw his notecards on the ground and began to speak in a sound and confident voice, "Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you with open arms to the annual Redtar High's Talent Competition!"
I felt soft hair inch close to me before Lily whispered, "He's going to say 'talent show', but everyone knows that it's just for singers and musicians and stuff."
I bowed my head and said, "Thank you for the information." She leaned back to her position and reclined on her chair. You could do that? "Lily, how do you do that?" I whispered a little too loudly.
The woman beside me reprimanded me, "You! What do you think you're doing?"
I whispered back, "I'm asking my granddaughter here a question."
The lady smirked, "Are you one of those boom billionaires? I knew you guys had no manners."
I turned back to Lily and asked her, "What's a 'boom billionaire?'"
She said, "It means that you have a newfound wealth. Basically, you -well me and you- weren't born into wealth like her."
I looked back at the smug lady, who was staring back at me with a condescending gaze. She said, "I knew every last one of you were just pigs. Rolling around in the mud with your offspring. Filthy mutts!"
I've had enough for one day. Should I just follow her into the bathroom again? I looked back at Lily. Maybe not. It wouldn't do Lily any good having sex-offender grandpa. Instead, I did the next best thing I know. I drew my middle fingers out and shoved them into her face. "I'm sorry that your prim and proper ass has a stick shoved into it. It must be hard to be rich, is it not?" She was about to answer that, but I cut her off, "Don't answer that you stupid bitch. I knew that money can't buy brains, but you just proved it!" I retracted my middle fingers finished it off with, "Next time your husband wants to put his dick in your ass, make sure you tell him to pull that stick out, it might hurt him." Her face paled, and she turned away with an angry face. I guessed that her evening wasn't going to be the way she planned it. Shit! Lily was right next to me. I looked back at her slowly, expecting to be shunned. But, I found her being mesmerized by the first act.
I looked back up at the stage and watched the anchor introduce a girl with a flat chest. "Alright everyone, today's first act will be a song sung by Carolina Freid!" Applause rang about. I purposefully ended my claps a few seconds late to draw her attention. She connected with my eyes, and I tapped on my watch. Time was ticking, and she knew. Sweat built upon her neck, and it glistened in the over-used spotlights. She let it run down her back, patiently waiting for a miracle. But, it would not come. It was time for her to confess her sins or at least one of them.
I sighed. When would my time come to confess mine? I turned to Lily and said, "Lily, what do you feel when you look at her?"
"What do you mean?"
"Like, do you feel angry, sad, disappointed..." I shrugged my shoulders.
She thought about it and replied, "I don't know. I feel like she has a good reason for why she did what she did. I was mad. I was sad. I was wishing her bad luck. But, I realized that I would have done the same thing if I were in her shoes. Doesn't that make me just as bad?"
I stared at her. She wasn't wrong. I just simply shook my head and turned back to look at the redhead. Maybe, she was having a hard time. Suddenly, the microphone near her mouth exploded with sound. "I am going to confess my mistake. No, my crime, right now." Her voice devalued itself into a whisper that could be heard by everyone. "I ripped Lily Bishop's dress to prevent her from competing today." Her voice got even softer. Several hundred gasps rang out from the crowd. "I wanted to say that I'm sorry. I'm sorry for ripping your dress. I'm sorry for making the past few years for you a living hell," her voice cracked, "I'm sorry for taking your allowance, I'm sorry for filling your backpack up with dirt and mud, I'm sorry for pretending to be your friend once, I'm sorry for...everything." She broke down in tears and ran off the stage. I looked at Lily. A tear escaped from her right eye and streamed down her lips.
"I forgive her," she said.
I was astonished, "What? Why?"
She gave it thought and said, "I think she really meant it, so I forgive her." I nodded my head. "Flin, can we go home?"
"Don't you want to see the rest of the show?" I asked. She was pretty pumped when she got here.
"No." I understood her response, so we both walked out of the theater. It took an awkward while because it was a long way from the door. But, we managed. Lily asked me a question, "Flin, why do you think she apologized in front of all those people?"
I scratched my head and gave her an uneasy smile before saying, "Maybe she had a change of heart?" She simply nodded her head and kept moving.
***
The bright lights hit me like...well you know the feeling. My eyes took some time to adjust, so did Lily's. After my eyes were A-okay, I rubbed them and saw Carolina sitting by her two green-haired companions. "Lily, would you run off and call us a taxi? I've got to use the bathroom."
Lily shook her head and ran off out the doors. I quietly made my way over the group. As I was approaching, all of them had wide eyes. They yelled, "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM US NOW?! WE DID WHAT YOU ASKED!!"
"Calm it." They all shut their mouths and ceased to make any sounds. "Do all have good grades, test scores, recommendations?"
Carolina answered, "Y-yes, but they're all useless now."
"Which university do you want to get into?"
The green-haired girls were still scared of me, but Carolina was different. "What kind of sick joke is this?"
I said in a firm voice, "Tell. Me."
She whimpered before saying, "Wacy Arnold's University. The top te-"
"Yeah, yeah, I know what it is." I whipped out my phone and texted my old friends that I met in the business. "Okay, you're in."
"What?" They all looked really confused.
I sighed, "The university. Apply to it this fall, you'll get in."
"B-but...HOW?!" the redhead responded.
"I have some friends, but that's not important."
"What do you want in return?" she continued.
"Good, good. It seems that all of you understand how to conduct business," I squatted down in front of them and took a solemn tone, "In my area of...expertise, people don't last long. It's a miracle that even I have made it this far. But now...I'm old."
"Can't you just retire?" Carolina asked.
I chuckled, "I'm afraid that it's not possible. Now listen, the trade for your university is my granddaughter. I have a feeling that I will be leaving this world very soon, and when that happens I want you to look after her until her mother comes back. Can you do that?"
Carolina's face neutralized. "Is that it? You don't want to exploit us or anything?"
I took offense to that, "I was a professional hitman, not a conman. I don't take money, I take lives."
She shivered when she looked at me. "I will."
I stood up and said, "Thank you." They all looked at me with surprised faces. "What? I can be a gentleman too!" Cold gazes attacked me. I backed off and walked towards the door. I added in a louder voice, "If you need my expertise on anything, ask Lily for me." I waved my hand without turning back.
"WAIT!" Carolina's voice called out. I stopped but did not turn back. She continued, "You didn't have to give us one of the best universities, and you didn't have to ask me to take care of your granddaughter! So, why?!"
In a louder voice than before, I said, "I gave you that those seats in the 'best' university- as you called it- because I respected what you did on stage, even if it was forced." I took a couple of steps forward before saying, "As for the seconds part...My granddaughter forgave you. Forgiveness should be earned, like trust, like love. I'm giving you a chance to do so when I die." I took more steps forward.
Carolina called out again, "Thank you." I could tell she meant it.