XXVI A Tuxedo For The Poor.
1093 Words
“Can’t believe what my eyes are falling upon,” Chris exclaimed with a balm over his chest.
“What?” Rick puzzled a hint of worry covering his face. “Are you in pain? Did they do something to you again?” he held his friend by both shoulders rocking him to his sense.
“Well no, but you…maybe yes,”
“Stop talking riddles, Chris,” Elfric frowned. Grabbing on to the sick prank that his friend has pulled on him yet again.
“You have been coming to school daily!” Chris held up his hands dramatically to support the gravity of the situation that he is stating.
It took Rick a moment to prevent himself from knocking down Chris face-first into the tiled hard floor of the class and no one would pat an eye. No one dared to come close to him anyway. All they did was give him and Chris disgusted looks from time to time.
“You and your sick jokes,” Rick breathed out, throwing down his bag next to his chair. He has got to admit that Christopher had a point, it was so unlike him to attend school every day.
And he thought it was clear why. He wasn’t exactly the famous type, girls gossiping about his ethereal looks, boys spitting to the side whenever they saw him. Not exactly the best of environments that he would want to be in every day for the rest of his miserable senior year.
Instead, he managed his attendance only to get him past dropping, taking advantage of his absence to get an actual job that would help him and his family pass through the month with some ease.
“Be honest,” Chris interrupted his dwelling. “Did you get kicked from your day job? You know that one job with the bossy boss, the one that called you…What did he call you again?” Chris poked him the arm as he slyly narrowed his eyes.
“Don’t even mention it,”
“A woman seducing merman…”
Elfric took the first book that came in his hand and slammed it across Chris’s head probably giving him a concussion. “I. Told. You. To. Shut. It,”
Chris groans in pain easing the throb from the smack with his hand. They got everyone’s attention as usual but it lasted mere seconds. Elfric figured that they might have noticed how he was so out of the mood lately and wanted to avoid messing with him. A wise choice in his opinion. He wouldn’t want to mess with him.
Back to the topic of why Rick has been coming to school daily now. Escape. It was an escape from his ravishing mind that prevented him from sleeping, resting, and anything else that a normal human could do. The fact that there was someone with him – not physically but literally, was still something that didn’t allow his nerves to settle down.
At least here in school, he had other things to worry about, and that is graduating with a decent grade. Decent enough to get him into a good college. Unfortunately, today didn’t seem to be that day for him.
The news that he saw from the display window on his way here was still lingering in the back of his mind. He did have a plan – or it was a mere gut feeling, he couldn’t yet decide. Anyhow, he needed to get close enough to Shaw Gotham, close enough that they could stare at each other right in the face.
He didn’t know that that guy existed a few hours ago, and now he was hoping to get a one-on-one meeting with him. How the hell was that going to happen?!
That was when his eyes fell on Christopher.
“Hey, Chris,”
“What do you want now?” Chris pouted. “Want to break my wrist next, eh!? Is that it?!” he held out his wrist.
“You are a Noble right?” said Elfric as his head jolted up.
The spark that Chris saw in his bi-colored eyes was unsettling, he was almost…grinning like an i***t. And well…Elfric doesn’t grin like an i***t.
“Well, yeah. To some extent,” said Chris.
He watched as Rick brought out his friend and searched for something that he guessed was important. Though he wasn’t sure what was that only he as a half-Noble would be able to answer for him.
“This man,” said Rick. “Do you know this man?” he held out his phone displaying a picture of a man in his forties. His face was shaded by the faint black and gray of his bread. Christopher recognized him instantly.
“That’s Shaw Gotham!” he exclaimed. “You don’t have to be a Noble to know this guy.” He raised his brow at his friend’s ignorance.
“What kind of primitive cave are you living in, Rick?” he was genuinely astonished by his friend’s ignorance.
“Do you know how can someone get in touch with this guy?”
“Are you serious?”
“Come one, Chris,”
“How the hell would I know!” Chris snorted loudly. “If you aren’t a Noble or a reporter then there is no way to get to even see him from afar.”
“Have you seen him before?”
“Once I think,” said Chris. “In a ball. But why are you so interested?!”
Elfric was quiet for a moment. “Tell me. Are there any balls soon?”
He knew that what he was saying was so out of character and that by now Christopher must have a dozen questions. But, he was also the closest he has ever gotten to a noble – or half-noble to be exact.
Christopher was silent, wondering what the hell has gotten into his friend but he replied nevertheless. “A week from now there is a ball to celebrate the opening of Cosmos Group's new branch. I will most probably be invited too because I am in the official family documents.”
It was already decided. “I will be coming with you,” Elfric stated. “Can you sneak me in?”
“I have got no clue what the hell has gotten into you but yes,” said Chris. “I can get you an invitation to the ball.”
“Then you better ready a tuxedo for your broke friend,”
- Writer
