CHARLIE CHADWICK SMITHSON THE THIRD

CHAD

Why would she think I'd prefer to be called Chad? I love my name in full. No shortcuts. I insist this because people think they can come from wherever and call you whatever they please. I'm not stupid for telling you my name the way I say it for you to try say it 'better ' because it's what you think. Why do I make a big deal out of my name you ask? 

Good question. The answer is simply that I am Charles Chadwick Smithson the third and not when someone calls me Charlie or Chad. I feel whole with my full name. I feel complete and comfortable in my own skin despite my other issues. Most importantly, I don't like how people always want to classify you or group you or keep you in some loop or define you or plan your life for you all in the name of how society works. 

I don't give two f***s about how the society works. I don't want to be a slave of it and will never participate in its mechanism. Damn I'm so frustrated blame my damned ovaries! Yeah I have a pair of those. And I'd like to say I like them but I mostly don't because I almost have my 'time of the month ' every freaking month. I mean I have it half way and I'm in that point in my life!

And all that is besides the point so where were we? Right my penthouse. I pull up at the lot feeling excited to be home. As I walk towards the building I'm welcome by music from the party at the club house downstairs. I have always loved Tuesdays for it's crazy parties around here. Live performances and all. 

"Sir, welcome back. You have a couple of deliveries on your desk . Pride party is already started and ah... " Simone pauses momentarily. 

I stop and turn around to look at my assistant. She is acting weird because I could never get her to shut up and now... 

"And what Simone? " I question already  walking away. 

"There is a kid here to see you. Says you are friends or something . She's like seven with these adorable pigtails and in a school uniform... " She trails off again. 

'My name is Penelope Rita Rudolph. But you can call me Penny or Pretty. My friends at school like Penny but my parents called me Pretty. You can call me whatever you want. '

That is definitely her . The 'adorable ' pigtails and looking like she's seven definitely is her. She is here in school uniform to see me? 

"Where is she? " I ask. 

"In my office, I'll bring her to yours in a while sir. Unless you don't want me to. Of course I'll do what you want me to do. So tell me what you want me to do. And I go to just that. " Simone rumbles jogging to keep up with my pace, her stilettos filling the lobby with loud tapping noises against the marble floor. 

Obviously I don't answer her. If by mistake I ever give her an answer when she's being a complete nuisance, she'll always pester me. If she weren't so good at her job I'd have already fired her for talking too much. And that is not petty. I know what I'm talking about because it is I who has to deal with the girl. 

I take the elevator straight to my office. Way I really wanted to get to my penthouse and freshen up for the party downstairs. If I don't go check on the deliveries and the girl, Simone would be hanging around me at the party reminding me every second of the business I have to attend. I hired her to do that because sometimes I can really get carried away. But the girl is just too good at her job. 

Practically lives at my penthouse with me from how regular she is always there. Sometimes drives me insane especially when I have someone over. She is always working and nothing can stop her. Sometimes not even I her boss. That's just how too good I repeat she is at the job. 

My office is tidied up from since I was last here. There is a fresh scent of jasmines and rosemary just like I like it. The flower vase of my desk has some fresh flowers on it. I smell the flowers and smile in satisfaction. 

I walk around the desk to sit on my fancy office chair. Twirl awhile on it before settling down. I'm stalling to work seeing the huge piles of papers and files on my 'IN' tray. This is what I get from ditching work on Monday. Now I have to sign a lot of papers today. Lucky for me Simone read through all of them already leaving notes on some sticky notes when necessary. 

I barely ever read the notes. Not on Tuesdays at least. I notice some package close to the files. Of course I grab it first. I tear it apart to find chocolates and a card in it. Some secret admirer. They should have bought quality chocolate and better packaging. I throw the whole thing in the trash can. 

"Noo! Those were my favorite chocolate. " A tiny human voice cries. 

I immediately look up with a smile on my face. Penelope Rita Rudolph. Pretty! Then I see Simone too walking towards my desk so I drop my smile. Pretty looks mad at me for some reason. 

"You are a monster Charlie, how dare you! " She scolds. 

How dare me what? I look at Simone for help but she is frozen. I wonder what's up with her. So I look back at Pretty with raised brows. 

"What did I do now? " I ask innocently. 

"The chocolate! " She say unbelievingly . Oh that. She walks to the trash can and looks inside still frowning. She looks like she is about to pick them. " Lucky for you I'm full right now. Your office has a lot of food. " She says her tiny hands rubbing her tummy 

There is actually a restaurant here so... 

"Hey Pretty, why don't you sit over there as I talk to your friend, my boss over here for a second. I promise it'll only be a second. " Simone says tenderly to Pretty gently pushing her towards the couch. 

She bobs her head in agreement then sinks into the couch. My white leather she just sits on with her seriously dirty school uniform. That leather is just too expensive. I frown still eyeing her. 

"Sir please don't be mad at her. She's just a kid and I'll have the couch cleaned later this evening. It will be as good as new. I just thought like she said and you didn't deny it she was actually your friend. But if you want her thrown out I'll have security up here in no time. " Simone pleads looking scared for some reason. 

I just keep watching Pretty who is now standing on the couch with her dusty shoes right running her tiny fingers through the frame of the painting above the couch. She looks so lost in the painting like she's trying to figure it out. An abstract painting, good luck honey!

Simone soon stops talking and I couldn't be happier. But then she gasps and quickly gets up like the seat suddenly heated up to a thousand degrees. 

"Leave us. " I order her before she reaches Pretty. 

She is confused for a second before nodding slowly and walking out. My eyes find Pretty's tiny frame again. She is now looking at the conference room separated from my office by a glass wall. She is in awe. Then she jumps from the couch and walks behind my desk. I turn around in my chair to watch her. She is looking outside through the glass. 

Upon seeing the balcony outside, she turns to me with pleading eyes. I ignore her. She turns back around and stairs outside again flattening her tiny palms against the glass. 

"Pretty why are you here? " I question suddenly. 

"To see you. " She replies simply. 

I get up and open the door to the balcony holding it open for her to get out first. We both are at  the balcony now. We are quiet for a while. 

"I missed you, you know. I waited for you at the park yesterday but you never showed up. " Pretty complains. 

I'm confused. 

"Uh... Were we to meet yesterday? I don't remember that part. " I say truthfully.

She clicks her tongue concentrating on the city in front of us. 

"Lucky for me, I saw you on TV today talking about some pride party or whatever so I found out about this place. Charlie you are so rich! " She exclaims. 

"I am, aren't I? " I ask distractedly. 

How did she get here is the question on my mind. 

"Wasn't easy walking here from Eastern Park you know. I was so tired and slept for hours before you came back. Simone is really kind, if it wasn't for her they would not let me in. "She frowns for a second then her face lits up, "She gave me food and a place to sleep as I waited for you. "

She looks at me with a bright smile on her face. I would have appreciated the smile and the love behind it but I notice she didn't brush her teeth. Now it's me who frowns. Her smile drops. She wears a questioning look. 

"Why are you so messy like you are homeless or something. " I question before I could stop myself. 

Now I just noticed her 'adorable pigtails ' are not as neat as when I last saw her. Maybe she is newly homeless. I chuckle in my head. 

"I ran away from home three days ago. " She says quietly then looks away embarrassed .

Ran away? Three days now! A seven year old! 

"You know, you are too young to start disappearing on your parents like that Pretty . Come, let me take you home. " I say with a sigh. 

I'd know a thing or two about running away from home. I was never the easy kid. I don't want a kid walking aimlessly around the city when the parents are worried sick. I'm never proud of that time of my life. 

"I don't want to Charlie. " Pretty says her voice breaking in the end. 

I crouch down so as to be almost her eye level. I look her deep in the eye but for merely a second before she looks away again. Something is not right. 

"What happened kiddo? " I ask softly. 

"Charlie just hire me I could be useful around here. Simone said you own the building and all the businesses . There must be something I can do around here. "

Whoa! 

"You are seven Pretty. I could get arrested for giving you work. Tell me what happened at home. " I coax. 

"Seven and a half. " She says hoarsely and walks away from me to a corner. 

What is going on here? She walks with a limp I hadn't noticed before. What happened to this kid honestly?  I channel my inner patience because right now I really need it to deal with this without blowing on the kid. I walk up to her. 

"If you think you are going to get rid of me just forget it. I'm not leaving. And you will hire me or I'll live here for free. " Pretty says determined. 

Again, whoa! 

"You know you can't just live here when you have your home and parents. This is not even a safe place for a kid. And I'm most definitely not hiring you. " I say slightly irritated. 

"Well I'm not leaving so suit yourself ." She yells and runs back inside. 

Maybe I'm not the best person to handle this matter. I text Simone and ask her to look up Penelope Rita Rudolph. Maybe I need a lot more background information on the girl before dealing with her now that she is clearly not going to tell me anything. She replies immediately with a 'Right away sir! '

So I wait but meanwhile decide to use a different approach to talk to Pretty. I don't know anything else that could gain her sympathy and maybe then she'll open up to me. 

"You know I'm both... " She cuts me off. 

"A boy and a girl. " She says like it's no news. 

I didn't know it was common knowledge, to kids too? 

"How? Where? " I don't even know what to ask. 

"Wherever from I was watching the TV and saw you. " She looks at me guiltily, "They called you a freak. " She pauses looking down at her fingers, "I told them you are a good person and that they shouldn't call you that.... "

My heart pounds faster. 

"They threw me out and I hurt my ankles. It was harder to walk on them. "

A lone tear escapes my eye. Isn't it just today that I told my therapist she was an interesting girl? She stood up for me against losers who dare hurt a kid. I get up from the couch arm rest I was sitting on and pace up and down in the room. 

"Charlie I'm sorry to come to you like this. I don't mean to intrude. I just didn't know anywhere else to go. " Pretty says almost pleadingly. 

My heart rate increases again. All this is overwhelming. Before my emotions get the best of me, Simone walks in after softly knocking. She has unreadable expression on her face.