Seconds felt like minutes, minutes felt like hours, hours felt like days. Good days they say, goes by in a flash but unfortunate times seems to last forever.
I stood at the ice cream bar we run with utmost boredom losing count of how many times I've walked from inside to outside, stood up and sat down, in what feels like forever within the few minutes I just arrived. When I spotted a familiar figure of an eighth years old girl in a worn out school uniform approaching.
My mom should be.. I don't know, inside I guess, probably as bored out as I am as well.
Getting a little closer I discovered it was.. Wenie? Is anything the problem? I thought to my self already moving to meet her half way and excort her in.
"Why are you here Wenie?" I creased my brows in worry "You're supposed to be at school"
"Supposed to, but I'm not. I got sent home" she shrugged, not even bothered "I guess the school owner has finally had enough of me" she moved in searching of something with her eyes "and it couldn't be a more perfect time as I was suddenly craving some ice cream in school and those dummies faces sucks!" Wenie crunched up her face in disgust as she talked.
What. The. Hell?! she got sent home? And the dummies should be her classmates if I'm not wrong. Yes it's true we haven't been able to afford her payment for some time now but I thought I had a deal with the principal? We agreed on a co-operation in exchange for her fees last week or did he lose his damn brain?
"Are we out of business? Any ice cream remaining? I could help out here" Wenie's voice resounded again.
"The only place you'd be helping out would be in school by sitting down and paying close attention to your teacher" I said
"No? Where are we going to get the money from? The fee is quite huge as I haven't paid in a while now"
"That's not for you to care about Wenie, get your bag, we are going back! I don't even understand why you got sent back in the first place" I was very annoyed
"Did you already pay it? How did you get the cash?" She was puzzled.
I tilted my head and narrowed my eyes at Wenie, this girl! "You ask too many questions, this conversation is over, get going now!" I said with a slightly stern voice
"Ok I'm going but I'm still.. you know... a little curious about it-" my response was a hard stare and without probing further, she picked up her bag "after you my dear sister princess Jena" she bowed and said dramatically which almost made me laugh.
I notified my mom before leaving and took Wenie back to the local school she attended, heading straight to the principal's office, I almost walked in without knocking, halting midway I got my act together and taped my knuckles slightly on the door once.. twice.. thrice.. the old geezer was still not responding. I looked around, even his secretary was no where to be found.
I twisted the door knob, applying a little pressure as the door was quite thick and heavy, I pushed the door open to be met by an empty office. Wondering where he must have been I decided to sit and wait.
Five minutes.. fifteen minutes.. twenty minutes.. I was getting impatient, thirty minutes later I heard lousy foot steps and knew he was back. The door was almost flunged open as he stepped in almost like he was rushing looking slightly irked, his secretary Cassandra an average beautiful young girl of about 27 years followed behind closing the door after entering.
"Sir we could actually-"
"No, no I'm the boss! I get to set the terms" she got caught off, I sneered inwardly this man Mr. Wilson still hasn't changed, he is a sort of bossy insensitive bully who enjoys throwing his weight around.
Cassandra, left with nothing else to say just bowed her head as he took his sit, finally noticing my presence. He looked as if though he had been expecting me, he dismissed his secretary and picked up a file to work on, as though I wasn't even there. Getting ignored for more than a minute I couldn't take it anymore, I speaked up
"Why-"
"I wonder what wind blew you to my office today" he said and raised his head
"What wind? Are you being serious right now? I thought we had a deal? Why did Wenie suddenly come back from school in the middle of the day?!" I was almost yelling but I tried to control myself
"A deal.. we indeed have a deal but who was it that backed down?" A smick was tugging at his lips now.
"I didn't back down"
"So why haven't I seen you at my place?"
His place? I raised a brow at him in confusion
"What do you mean by your place?"
He stood up and moved closer to me, I moved back as well "Jena, you know you're a unique and beautiful creature, even your worn out clothes isn't doing a good job at dimming your glow" I rolled my eyes, not this again.
"Thank you Mr. Wilson but you have to stop here, I offered to do work for you last week without pay in exchange that you let my sister in class, I'm sorry if there's any attitude from my side that made you assume reluctance to do the work, I.. I've been a little occupied but I'll do whatever you assign me to starting now" I replied putting a good distance between us.
"You don't have to work Jena, we can actually make things more interesting.. huh? Don't you think?" This sewage of a man has been trying to get under my pants for a while now and for a 65 year old man like him, he looks quite younger than his age and has features that would make you give him a second glance but the last people I'm interested in are jerks like him. I wonder how Cassandra puts up with this shit.. the same shit I'm about to put up with now if he agrees I work for him, ugh! I hate my life.
"Sir I think I need to clarify that I would be doing nothing apart from work for you" I held his gaze and told him in seriousness "Just. Work."
He didn't break his gaze and I stared back, unwilling to back down. We engaged in a staring contest for a few minutes until my eyes were almost strained, finally giving up I was about to look away when..
"Alright, I see.. it's fine" he said taking his sit, phew! seems like he gave up first, I hurriedly blinked my eyes in relief.
"Well then, since you want to work, you should have no problem with washing the toilets and cleaning the school, no?"
I don't know what I was expecting he'd tell me to do and I know he won't make it easy for me but it wasn't this! Didn't he employ people to do the job?
"If you're thinking I already have someone to do it then know that I already have someone doing whatever work you think I'll give you now, there are no vacancies, but you're lucky I fired the cleaner yesterday. I've had enough of that dimwit, so count your blessings!"
"Or what did you think I'd give you, an office with some paperworks to do? Dream on" he sneered "maybe I would've pulled some strings if you agreed to be a good girl and let daddy pamper you"
The f**k! I had a disgusted expression now
"I know being the wealthy princess you were before, you won't even think of cleaning school toilets in your wildest dreams but.. what to do? life is full of surprises dear Jena" he was laughing now.
Did I tell you I hate my life before? Well now I loath it! I knew he wanted to see me cry and cower in front of him but that is some impossible afternoon dream. I didn't let his words get to me. Taking a deep breath I moved my lips to speak
"If that is all sir then we have a deal. I accept the job and thank you for your kindness" do I have a choice? No!
He looked appalled "you may leave, and start tomorrow" he waved his hand dismissively.
I couldn't be more glad to finally leave but just as I was about exiting the door, I didn't quite expect his next words.
"I don't want to feel like the bad guy here, your sister can get the text books she needs and meet Daniel for new set of uniforms as well, all in account of your work, I see her uniform is looking quite.. old."
Wow! I turned to him with a smile on my face, some people aren't so bad though.
"Thank you Mr. Wilson, you'll marry a beautiful wife"
He looked quite confused and taken aback not quite understanding my sentence, when..
"Hey, you rascal! I have three kids!" He exclaimed in perplexity.
"Oh so you do remember you have three children?" I gave him a taunting smile.
"You.. you!" he seemed speechless
Hehe, I turned around, closed the door behind me, and left.