ANOTHER'S TREASURE

CHAPTER 9

"You an outlaw at school or something?"

"No, just have some..." He paused, then walked over to the glass wall "woah the view from here is amazing"

Did he just change the subject?

Clever kid.

"Yh, I love miniature things and so I placed my office this high and made glass walls so I can see people moving around like tiny Lego's"

"You're so freaking weird man" he blurted.

"Weird and rich, ain't a bad combo" I smiled standing next to him.

"Why is your office so big, are you running away from ghost's at home?" He walked over to the lounge area in my office.

"It's not that big"

"Dude you've got enough space here for a studio and this couch could easily take two basketball teams." This boy was really something.

"Look I work a lot and I spend most of my nights here so...I just wanted to make it comfortable" wait why was i defending myself from this kid.

"So you're a rich man who's lonely?" He said it like he was sympathizing with me

"I'm not lonely, I'm occupied" somehow he was making ME defensive and it was quite impressive actually

"Yh, says the guy with a camp sized couch"

"You've got a big mouth" I said walking to the standing freezer.

"Big mouth and good looking, ain't a bad combo" he looked so proud of himself.

I couldn't stop laughing at this quirky version of Cynthia.

I sat down next to him, handed him a can of coke and we continued talking, the conversation drifted from his love for basketball to his admiration for the stars and as he spoke he never said anything and not call Cynthia. It was easy for even a blind man to know that Cynthia loved him more than anything.

"My mom has always been the one providing and helping, most times I really wish I could take her pain" I could see the weight from the way he took in deep long breaths.

"When I was younger, I used to think that..." He paused, slowly looking at the glass wall. A small tear forming in his eyes.

"I used to think that maybe if he left, she'd be happier but now he's gone and I hate to say it" he sniffled , running his hands under his nose. "She looked better when he was around"

Just like that, his tears broke free. He used his palms to try to clean the tears.

"Hey, come here" I scooched over, wrapping him up. "It's okay, you're okay"

Then he pulled away from me, " I know I'm okay, I'm okay but she's not" his voice was louder now.

"Every night I have to pretend like I don't hear her crying and praying to God for help. EVERY SINGLE DAY!!" He was getting furious, I didn't stop him.

He has been surpressing his emotions and he needed this, he needed to vent and I wasn't going to take that from him.

"She was sooo beautiful, she always looked at the mirror at least fifteen times a day and I used to be pissed because I thought she was silly for doing that" he wiped his nose "I thought she was silly but now.... now she doesn't even walk past the mirror at home"

He clenched his fists so hard, his knuckles were white and it made me wonder how much rage had he buried.

"Maybe.... maybe if she never had me then..."

"Then what?" I couldn't let him complete that statement, couldn't let him question his own existence.

"Then what? You think she'd have been happier? Huh?" He went silent, just staring.

"You are the one permanent good thing your mother has, you are the ONLY permanent thing she has!!. Why do you think she's pretending to be fine? Why do you think she wakes up and tries at all?"

He didn't respond, it wasn't a question I needed him to answer.

"It's because of you. You think her life would have miraculously gotten better? Your mother didn't have a choice before she had you....her life wasn't her's" that's right, Cynthia chose him because she wanted to be free.

"You gave her a choice, you gave her love, you gave her strength. Everytime she smiled through the pain it was because of you." His hands slowly loosened, turning red almost immediately.

"Her life may not be perfect... Hell, it may not be fine right now but she's still standing because of...you. and I know it hurts to see her like this" he was crying so much now.

"But her love for you keeps her going and you...I have never seen anyone who loved someone like you love her" I walked to him and slowly tried to go in for a hug, he grabbed me instantly.

"She's going to be fine, I promise you" I said and watched him calm.

After he calmed we dove back in to talking but this time we talked about her. I told him how Cynthia and I were supposed to get married before she fell in love with Marcus, his eyes went soft as he found out what she went through at home. Although it was nothing compared to what Marcus did, she still wasn't happy even then.

Jamie told me things I knew about Marcus and things I had stopped myself from knowing so I wouldn't have killed him. Cynthia left but I always watched her, never really being able to move on. I know ten years is a lot to wait for someone but I know Marcus would be foolish, I just needed to give it time even though it hurt her.

“I should’ve made her stay,” I continued, almost to myself. “Fought harder. But back then… I thought letting her go was what she wanted. So I let her.”

“And now?” Jamie asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I see the weight in her eyes and wish I could take it from her.” I leaned back, exhaling. “But if I’d fought harder, maybe you wouldn’t be here. And that’d be a shame. You’re a really interesting person.”

Jamie blinked fast. I saw the flicker of emotion he tried to hide. Then he smirked.

“For a guy who owns an empire, you’re kind of a softie.”

I laughed. “Don’t tell anyone. Bad for the brand.”

Then the conversation turned serious again. "Now, tell me. Why aren't you in school?"

He didn't say anything right away.

"You can trust me, I mean you just cried on me"

"Don't tell anyone" he looked so innocent" I couldn't help but laugh.

"Well, my mom usually gave you-know-who the money for my tuition but turns out he didn't pay for this semester. He took the money along with a lot of other things mom trusted him with and went off to la-la-land".

I was aware he was planning to flee but taking money from her to sponsor himself?, that bastard better pray I never find him.

"What's the name of your school?" I asked, he gave me a very questioning look and it made me smile

"What do you need it for?"

"Just want to do a good deed" I replied

"mom would kill me if she found out" he sounded dismissive.

"Don't worry about her, I'll handle it."