Do you believe in God?
That's a question that can get a hundred different answers, depending on who you ask. For me? It's a load of bullcrap; I don't really buy into the idea of some all-knowing, all-powerful being running the whole world. Except, of course, when it's exam time, then I suddenly remember that Gods really do exist.
I believe people makeup and worship gods to find a sense of belonging, to find peace from their daily debacle, trust me, I used to do that too. Suddenly, I felt a vibration near my thighs; It was my phone ringing. Taking it out of my pocket, I looked at the caller ID. It was my little brother Neo.
"Hey Neo, what's up?" I answered, holding the phone near my ear.
"Did you finish your exam? How'd it go?" he asked, his voice sounding a bit cracked and robotic. Guess it's time to change the phone.
"Yeah, it went alright. I think I did pretty well," I replied.
"Nice! So, when are you reaching home?"
"Just about to head out now, walking through the university gates as we speak," I said, glancing at the massive gate arch behind me.
"Great! Uncle said we can have fried chicken for dinner tonight!" Neo declared, his tone brimming with excitement.
"Alright, I'll be there soon." I chuckled at his excitement. He is still a kid, alright.
"Okay, see you soon," he chirped before hanging up.
I shoved my phone back into my pocket, but not before looking at my wallpaper: A photo of my parents, Neo, and me. They were smiling, their hands resting on our shoulders, and for a second, I felt an ache in my chest.
Our parents, Ramond and Elise Crawford, had died in a car accident, some 17-year-old guy was driving under the influence and crashed into our car. I still remember that scene like it happened yesterday. I was in the backseat, my mother was at the front, and my father was driving, we were on our way to pick up my little brother Neo from school.
The accident happened 8 years ago when I was 13. And now, I am 20 years old and studying at a prestigious university in Berlin. My uncle and aunt had taken in both Neo and Me after our parents' tragic accident and raised us. They provided for both of our education and were like guardian angels for us.
That's why I am trying my best to get a good job and provide for them as they did for me and Neo.
*
The city streets buzzed with life, the chattering of voices, the tap of shoes on the pavement, the occasional honk of impatient drivers. I drifted through the crowd, feeling weirdly detached from it all. I was mostly a loner in my life, and I never made many friends, so yeah.
'Look at those two love birds, ' I whispered as I glanced at a couple holding hands. Yes, I am envious, got a problem? My head was still spinning from that brutal exam on Algorithms and Data Structures. I wanted a coffee very badly, to calm my mind.
As I turned a corner, a sign caught my eye, "AROMA." Neo had mentioned it before, and he said the pastries from this Cafe were delicious. I peeked through the windows; there were a few people who were enjoying their day, few were talking among each other while the others were busy on their laptops for work or studies.
I pushed open the door, and the warmth hit me right away, along with the smell of fresh coffee. The place had a cozy vibe, with wooden tables and a soft golden light filtering in through large windows, casting a peaceful glow over the café.
I went over to the counter and ordered a chocolate pastry for Neo and a large coffee for myself. After a while, the barista, a pretty woman with a warm smile, handed over my order and asked if I needed anything else. I shook my head, mumbling a "thanks" before finding a seat by the window.
I sat down, putting the packaged pastry down on the table while holding the paper cup in my hand, I took a sip from the cup, savoring the delicious coffee, the sugar amount was perfect for me, not too sweet, not too bitter. I glanced around; people were still coming in and going out, and the place was now filled.
'It's pretty popular, huh'
"May I join you?" I looked up, surprised. It was an old man standing, his age, according to me, might be in the 60s. He wore a brown overcoat over a crisp white shirt, and round glasses rested neatly on his nose. His lined face softened with a kind smile.
He glanced around the crowded cafe, then back at me. "Looks like you've got the only empty seat," he said, his voice gentle.
"Uh, sure," I said, awkwardly gesturing to the chair across from me. "Go ahead."
"Thank you, young man," he said with a sigh of relief, sliding into the seat.
"No problem," I replied, offering a small smile.
"I'm Hector Morgan," he introduced himself, leaning forward a little. "But just call me Hector. And you are?"
"Aiden Crawford," I answered. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Hector."
Hector's eyebrows lifted slightly at my last name, his gaze sharpening. "Crawford?" he repeated as if he had heard that name somewhere before.
"Is something bothering you?" I asked, witnessing him deep into his thoughts.
"Are you related to a Richard Crawford, by any chance?" he asked, tilting his head with curiosity.
Richard Crawford is my uncle, and he was my dad's brother. He and Aunt Hannah were the ones who took Neo and me in after... well after everything happened.
'Is he perhaps his friend?'
"Yeah, he's my uncle," I confirmed.
"Ah, I thought so," Hector said, nodding to himself. "I'm a colleague of his."
"I see,"
"And you must be Aiden, the eldest?" Hector asked, eyes brightening with recognition.
"Yes, it's me," I replied.
"Your uncle talks about you a lot," Hector added with a smile.
"Oh, does he? What does he say?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.
"Mostly that you're diligent... and that you're... well, 'so-so,'"
'Yep, that's just like him to do'
I couldn't help but chuckle at Hector's words. "Yeah, that sounds about right."
We both smiled at that and for a second, I felt a little more at ease, he felt familiar, like an old friend. But then Hector's expression shifted, his eyes widened slightly as if he had just remembered something important.
"Oh! I nearly forgot." He rummaged through his coat pocket, eventually pulling out a white envelope. He handed it to me with a serious look. "I need you to give this to your uncle. I was planning to drop by your place, but since I've run into you, it saves me the trip."
I looked down at the envelope, confused. "What's this?"
"Just a letter," Hector replied, his tone light but his eyes sharp. "Make sure it gets directly to him, alright? And, uh... don't open it."
I blinked, thrown off by the sudden change in his demeanor. "Yeah, sure. I'll give it to him."
"Good," Hector said, his voice lowering. "It's important."
"Well, I'd better get going," Hector said, standing up and dusting his coat.
"I hope we meet again, Aiden," he added with a warm smile.
"Yeah," I nodded, standing too. I gave him a small bow.
But before walking away, he told me something that caught me off guard.
"Good luck, N***l."
"Good Luck, What?"