Chapter 4
1468 Words
/Zoe/
"Be quiet. Don't you get it? I'm in, of course. We're getting paid to make plans for an event!" I start to feel really excited, and I can't keep my cool anymore. I put down my drink and jump around right there. Anyone who has planned events before is welcome, but getting paid to do it is the dream.
It's getting dangerously close to being negative in my bank account, and my pay won't get me very far. I'm so glad that my last four months of college are almost over. Now I can start working full-time.
Sam waves his hand at me and laughs. "Let it all out."
"Wait." I freeze and look at him with doubt. "You never sounded excited in that short speech you just gave." We've dreamed for years of getting paid to plan, so this is great news. It actually looked like you were telling me bad news. "What is going on?"
He makes a face and sets down his gross drink. "It's all right."
"That didn't make sense at all. There's a problem. Who is the customer? I think they're also jerks because of the weird way they talk about being rich.
Sam, Noah, and Kate are good people who have money.
But we all know that Henry fits the mould.
..." "It's for a law firm's anniversary every year."
"Okay, but why did that take so long to figure out?" I finally catch up and narrow my eyes again. He did seem like he was about to tell me my cat had died, which makes sense now. "Sam, which law firm?"
Henry's at "The Bens'." Not good. Mom and dad.
"Nope. I'm leaving. Don't do it. "I don't work for him."
He lets out a frustrated sigh. "Come on, Zoe. "This job pays."
"He's going to make this hell."
He tells me the truth and takes a step forward, losing his cool. "Are you sure you don't want this?" "Work that will make your resume look good when you apply for jobs."
"Sam, let's go." Do you really want me to work for Henry? I think I'd rather eat fast food."
"And sell your body to pay the rent?"
"So far, I haven't had to do that." I feel good about myself.
I don't tell him that there were months when I almost bought a miniskirt and a leather bra.
"Zoe! We work for his parents, not him, but the pay is pretty good. Are you sure you want to say no?"
To be honest, I can't. My family isn't very rich. We never had more than enough, and they couldn't pay my rent and school fees.
I mutter something and slump down at the table. My earlier joy goes away like smoke. Why do they have to be the ones? Even though I've never met them, I know they raised him, so...
"Great, we'll see them in thirty minutes."
"What?"
"Let's leave."
"Be quiet. "Are we leaving now?"
He smiles and rings his keys in my face. "Get a pen and notebook. "I know you're stuck in the past."
I didn't think much about killings before, but I guess I'm not that mad at him. I'm glad he asked me to work with him on this project.
It is only going to be hard.
You need to have a place to live and food to eat. I'm sure I'll get through it if I say it a million times.
I'm ready to spend time with Henry. He might not be such a jerk when we're with his parents... This will look great on my CV.
"When did you agree to this?" I ask.
This happened "about a week ago."
Yes, of course.
"Thanks for letting me know thirty minutes ahead of time."
To be fair, that was a good move. It would have made me worry all week.
I put my shoes on and grab my bag, which already has a pen and notes in it. My shoes are still wet, you jerk.
"I didn't want the whining that I knew would happen all week." This way, I'll only have to listen to it for a short time."
I lock the door and shut it behind us. "Sam, you look proud, but what makes you think the complaining will end when the meeting is over?" "Hey, does Henry know about this?"
As Sam opens his car door for the second time, he winces.
Oh no, he does. Since a week ago, Henry must have laughed behind my back every time he saw me. He could have used this against me already, so why wouldn't he? He's had lots of chances to brag or get me worked up.
It doesn't make sense for him to be quiet.
"Something is wrong between you two. You need to get over it." "The people you live next to won't always make you happy."
I hit Sam's car door a little harder than I should. Before Henry started being rude to me, I didn't have a problem with him. I had no thoughts about him at all. This grudge was started by him, and I'm not going to take it lying down.
It doesn't matter to me who he is, where he's from, how good-looking he is, or how much money he has. **** him.
This person is a bother that I can't get rid of.
In four months, it won't matter.
"What is the brief?" I ask because I don't want to be totally lost at this meeting if they have a theme in mind.
"Not yet."
"How about a theme about danger on the streets?" We could put up mug shots of all the killers and drug lords who got away with their crimes in court.
Sam makes a small joke laugh. "Don't try to be funny around us."
"I have to."
"I really mean it, Zoe."
No need to worry, I can be professional.
"You can do it. It's been seen. But this is not the same. When it comes to Henry, you've never kept your cool.
He's telling the truth, which is making me feel uncomfortable in this conversation.
"I'll be fine."
In Sam's Land Rover, we fly along the roads. For the rest of the way, he makes small talk, and we're both glad to leave the scary ghost behind.
There are homes that look more expensive as we get closer to Henry's parents' house. Large homes and grand homes take the place of small semi-detached homes and apartment blocks.
"Imagine growing up here," I say quietly as we drive by homes. I feel a twinge of envy in my stomach.
literally huge homes.
Sam just shrugs as if nothing is wrong. "This is how my house looked. There were many things to worry about besides money. "Even rich people can get shit."
No, but I bet it's nice to not have to think about having enough money to pay your rent or keep your car running, which I don't have.
We pull up to the driveway of a house that's almost as big as Buckingham Palace. Okay, so it's not quite as big, but Jesus.
It pays well to get dons out of jail.
"How are you going to find anyone there?" "Think about the heating bill."
He makes fun of it. "Be calm when we get inside, Zoe. Get it all out now."
"Do they have a chef and a butler?"
"Zoe…"
They do, God. "All right, I'm done."
"Afternoon tea with them will be on the terrace." His dad, Frederick, told him to go around the back. I know how to get there.
In the garden for afternoon tea.
I wish I were wearing a racer dress in a soft pink colour and Mary Janes right now. Instead of being in free waves, my hair should be in a proper bun. I was lucky that I had already put on some makeup and was wearing nice pants and a T-shirt before he came to pick me up. Most of the time, I'm in pyjamas.
Sam parks in front of the house, and I follow him around the huge building, amazed at the intricate bricks and chiselled stone. Above the front door, the family name BEN 1919 is carved in stone.
The family that owns this house has had it for a long time.
Will he ever move in here with his poor wife and kids?
Or a group of w****s and demons?
"Wow, the window is so big!"
"Zoe." His tone warns you.
"Oh my goodness, is that a pool house over there?" It looks like they have a tennis court!"
He stops me by grabbing my hand. "I believed you had spoken your mind."
"I saw more of it after that." "Are you kidding me?"
- Writer
