The Tale of Edward Benson.

An Ordinary Day

Chapter 1

They say the opposite of love is hatred—two antonyms that still share a strange similarity. God is love, and the devil exhibits hatred for mankind. We all carry both emotions within us, but we choose to deny that hatred exists in us at all. Love can turn into hatred, and hatred into love; it all depends on the circumstances we find ourselves in. Not that it really matters anyway, but these two phenomena have their own peculiar similarities.

"I'm off to work."

"Yeah, sure, be safe," I replied.

Jimmy is my roommate on campus. He comes from a wealthy family but still chooses to earn his own money, just to experience how life really works outside his comfort zone. To me, that's just plain stupid—but then again, I think I understand his logic.

Jimmy hurried off to work while I sat in my chair, scrolling through my phone, waiting for my package.

*Knock, knock.*

"Delivery for Mister Edward," said a voice from outside the door.

"I'm coming!"

I stood up and walked to the door to collect my package. When I opened it, a girl stood there holding the delivery.

I don't know what happened, but the moment I saw her, I lost my senses for a few seconds. Her eyes were light and expressive, with a sparkle that lit up her entire face. Her smile carried the warmth of a morning sun, and her rich blonde hair complemented her skin. She had a slender, petite frame that gave her an almost otherworldly presence.

"Please sign here," she said, with a gracious smile, her voice pulling me back to reality.

"Oh, alright."

As I signed, I noticed her T-shirt bore the same logo as Jimmy's uniform.

"Here you go," she said, handing me the package.

"Thanks."

"Thanks for your patronage," she said, still smiling.

"Um... sorry," I mumbled, trying to compose myself before speaking again. "Do you happen to know a guy named Jimmy at your workplace?"

"No, not really."

"Oh, sorry I asked. I thought you might know him, since I saw the same logo on your shirt."

"Oh—" She chuckled. "I'm actually a new employee, so I'm not acquainted with most of my coworkers yet. I only got the job this morning. Luckily, you're my first delivery."

"Oh, I see. Well, sorry to cut into your work hours—have a great day."

"Thank you very much, mister. Enjoy your day too," she replied.

*The door closed.*

The interaction was brief, but I had no way of knowing that this small encounter would mark the start of an extraordinary journey—one that would challenge everything I thought I understood, and change the course of my life. I could only wonder where it would lead.

---

"Yo, Jimmy."

"Yes, boss."

"I need you to deliver this package to an old lady five blocks away, across the next street."

"But my shift's almost over, sir," Jimmy said reluctantly.

"But it's not, is it?" the manager asked.

"No, sir. But I'll be late for practice."

"Alright, fine. You can go after you've delivered the package. Just be sure to sign out before you leave."

"Sure thing, boss," Jimmy said, smiling despite himself.

---

**In the dressing room**

Jimmy was getting ready to head out when Lucas, whose shift was just starting, walked in.

"Hey, Jimbo. Leaving early, as usual."

"What's up, Lucas? I see you're right on time, as always."

They both laughed.

"Yeah, basically I've got nothing to do at home, so here I am," Lucas said, smiling.

"Well, I'm in a bit of a hurry. Boss wants me to deliver a package to an old lady five blocks over. If I do, I'll be thirty-seven minutes late for practice, so I've gotta run."

"Ah, I see. Have fun at practice. And hey—if you don't want to be *extremely* late, try to avoid getting into a conversation with her. She's quite the talker."

"Huh. I'll keep that in mind. Alright, gotta go."

"See ya."

"Bye." Jimmy rushed out.

Pedaling hard, Jimmy sped down the street toward the old lady's house. He arrived and rang the doorbell.

"Who is it?" an old woman's voice called from inside.

"Delivery from Mason Logistics!" Jimmy called back.

The door opened, and an old lady dressed all in white stepped out.

"Ah... it's finally here."

"Yes, ma'am," Jimmy said. "Please sign here."

"Oh, how lovely," the old lady said as she signed the paper.

"Thank you very much, ma'am."

"You're welcome. You must be tired from today's work—why don't you come in and join me for some tea, young lad? It's not good to overwork yourself; sometimes you need to rest," the old lady said.

"I really appreciate the offer, but I have somewhere to be, ma'am."

"Stop being so formal, child. You can call me Mrs. Clara. Hardworking boys like you need to relax a little so you don't burn out. Come now, it's my treat. I insist."

*Ah—so this is why Lucas warned me about her,* Jimmy thought. *This is our first meeting, and she's already inviting me in like an old friend. Thanks, Lucas. You're a lifesaver.*

"I'd really love to take you up on that, ma'am, but I truly have somewhere I need to be right now. I promise I'll take you up on it next time we meet," Jimmy said, flashing a bright smile.

"Alright, then. Take care of yourself, my boy."

"Jimmy. Jimmy Walker."

"Alright, Jimmy. Take care."

"Will do, ma'am. Have a lovely evening." Jimmy sped off on his bike.

*Man, that really ate into my time. I'm going to be late now.*

---

**At the training ground**

"Jimmy, you're late again!" Coach Ben stared at him, angry.

"Sorry, Coach Ben. Work held me up."

"Save the excuses. Give me twenty laps around the field."

"What?!" Jimmy exclaimed.

"Was that whining I just heard?" Coach said calmly, staring him dead in the eyes.

"No, sir. Not at all."

Jimmy took off toward the track without another word.

"Hey, look—it's Boy Tardy," Raymond said, pointing at Jimmy as he ran his laps.

"My, my. Look at him. Seems like he could collapse any minute now," Mika said, amused.

"Hey, guys, don't be like that," Alex said. "We all know Jimmy's working part-time to support himself."

"We know," Raymond snapped. "We're sick of his tardiness. He should learn to put the team first, or the rest of us won't be able to perform our best."

Jimmy finished his laps, drenched in sweat, and approached Coach Ben.

"Done, Coach," he panted.

"Good. Now get out there and join the drills," Coach Ben said, his tone softening.

Jimmy nodded and jogged over to the group, who were in the middle of a passing drill. Despite his exhaustion, he pushed himself to keep up, determined to prove his dedication.

After practice, the team gathered for a debrief.

"Alright, good work today, everyone," Coach Ben said. "We've got a game this weekend, so get plenty of rest."

As the team scattered, Raymond and Mika approached Jimmy.

"Boy Tardy. Late as usual."

"My name's Jimmy, Raymond. And I'm sorry if my being late affected the team."

"Try showing some actual remorse," Mika said harshly. "If it weren't for Coach and the others having your back, you'd have been kicked off the team a long time ago."

"I'm grateful."

"While you're at it—don't be late to the next practice. I'll make sure you don't play in the game. Got it?"

"Yes."

Raymond scoffed. "You disgust me. C'mon, Mika, let's go."

As they walked off, Alex approached Jimmy.

"Hey, Jimmy—want to grab a bite? You look like you could use it," Alex offered.

"Thanks, Alex, but I need to head back and finish some assignments. Rain check?" Jimmy replied, grateful for the support.

"Sure thing. Don't overdo it, okay?" Alex said, patting him on the back.

Jimmy nodded and headed back to the dorm, thinking about Mrs. Clara's offer along the way. Maybe he'd take her up on that tea next time. It would be nice to have a moment to relax.

---

**Back at the dorm**

Jimmy walked in to find Edward glued to his phone.

"Hey, man. How was work?" Edward asked without looking up.

"Tiring, as usual. Almost got roped into tea with Mrs. Clara," Jimmy said, dropping his bag on the floor.

"Mrs. Clara? Who's that?"

"Just an old lady I ran into on my route. Have you been on your phone all day?"

"Not really. Went out for a bit to get some air and listen to music," Edward replied.

"Still with the phone, though?" Jimmy asked, incredulous.

"Yeah. Anything wrong with that?"

"Nothing. Just wondering when you'll get a life."

"I'm living. So obviously I have one."

"Yeah, yeah," Jimmy said. "Try getting a normal school life for once. Sitting in this room all day isn't good for you."

"Yes, Dad, whatever you say," Edward said sarcastically.

"Aww, someone's finally seeing me as a father figure," Jimmy said, laughing.

"Don't get your hopes up," Edward replied, still not looking up.

"Well, it's been a long day. I'm gonna shower and rest. Please tell me you made dinner."

"Yeah, it's in the kitchen."

"Thank goodness. I was so sick of pizza."

"Go take your shower, roomie."

"Alright, I'm going."