Working Boy

[Author's Note: Hey everyone, Nomz here! This is actually my first upload on this website for original fiction. I thought about doing this earlier, but I was far too shy to do it, haha ^^;. If you guys happen to like (or even dislike) what I have- feel free to write me a review down-below. Well, enough of me blabbering, enjoy the story~] This wasn't what Chase was expecting. All he could do was peer out from behind the velvet curtains as bright lights lit up the shiny, navy blue stage. Surrounding the stage was a sea of spectators, whooping and hollering- waiting to be entertained by Damon's Paradise's newest dancer: "Black Mamba". The alarm blared, tearing itself through Chase's unconscious mind and rousing him from his sleep. He groggily rose up out of bed and rubbed his eyes- slinging his legs over the side of the bed and getting up. He trudged out of his room and down the hallway towards the bathroom. He brushed his teeth and washed his face before drying It off and looking in the slightly cracked mirror. His thick, curly hair was a wild mess, yet he always managed to style it into place right before he left for school. He turned on the shower and went to bathe himself. Chase Galiel Machalle was known as a guy whose personality contradicted his looks. He was 6'3 with a sturdy build and was a native to Trinidad. He was pretty attractive- his eyes the bright color of an amber stone and his skin being the color of milk chocolate. Many people loved the way his dimples became increasingly prevalent when he smiled which earned him the nickname, "Crater Dimples". He was the quarterback of the football team (much to the past quarterback's dismay) and had a part time job as a waiter after school to help his uncle support their living conditions. He had moved in with his Uncle Antwon at four years old when he first migrated to America. His parents back home no longer had the funds to take care of him and decided to ship him off to America where he could have a better life without fear of impoverishment. There, he got a green card and became an official American citizen (though not entirely through legal means). Chase finished up and turned it off, drying off and wrapping his lower body with his black-and-white towel. He left the bathroom and made his way back to the room just be instantly stopped by his Uncle Antwon. "Oh, uh- hey!" He jumped back, caught off guard. "Good morning Chase," Antwon fiddled around with his alarm clock in hand before shutting it off. "You forgot to turn it off." "Right," he scratched the back of his head, bashfully. He was totally out of it. He didn't mean to wake the guy up so early in the morning. "Sorry about that." "It's fine. Go get dressed," he waved him off before going into the kitchen to fix him something. Huh. That was strange. He would normally just go back to sleep. Wasn't he tired? Oh well. Chase shrugged and went into his room to get dressed for school. Chase went to a predominately white school save for a few Asians and some Middle Eastern kids. Upon him coming to America, his uncle only wanted the best of the best schools for him- even if it meant breaking an arm or a leg to get him there. In his eyes, he had potential and was destined for greatness. Among the blonde-haired, blue-eyed kids, Chase always stuck out like a sore thumb. He was darker, taller, and much bigger than most of the people there. Many found him scary and would often avoid him. Others saw him as an exotic gem, constantly wanting to touch his hair and his face. It was pretty damn annoying to him, but he would put up with it for the sake of appearances. He did have a few friends, though they tended to flip-flop from time to time. He put on his uniform, which consisted of a stark white button-down, a navy-blue vest with similar color pants, and a red tie. He tied his wild hair back into a low, bushy ponytail and went into the kitchen for breakfast. On the table, there was two plates filled with over-easy eggs, toast, and bacon. Chase took his seat at the small wooden table and was served ice-coffee. "So, what's the occasion?" He smiled, his eyes brightening as he locked eyes with his Uncle. "Nothing really," Antwon fixed himself some coffee and sat across from him. "Oh c'mon Ant, it's not like you to fix an elaborate breakfast like this, especially considering that you have work in the morning." Antwon simply fell silent. The island native could instantly sense something was up. "You okay?" He asked, worried. Antwon sighed before taking another sip of his coffee and opening his mouth. "You remember that little office job I had?" "Yeah? What about it?" He replied, his voice slightly muffled with the piece of toast in his mouth. "...I got fired." "You what!? How could they-!" "Lower your tone." "How could they fire YOU out of all people! Didn't you come in with some great sales last month? You were the STAR!" Chase exclaimed, incredulously. It just didn't make any sense. "Apparently the new boss didn't approve of a 'lower-class' individual outshining the likes of a 'higher-class' company," he broke a piece of egg with a spoon and scooped it into his mouth. "This place isn't for people like you and me," he lamented with another sigh. "That's ridiculous! I mean- who are they to determine what we're worth!?" His blood was boiling now, his fists tightly clenched. "They have the money and the power. That's just how the world works," He shrugged, getting up to wash the dishes that were in the sink. There was nothing but the sound of running water before Chase decided to speak again. "So that's it? You're just gonna sit there and let it happen? That's discrimination! He can get in trouble-!" "Does it even matter!?" Antwon wheeled around to scold him for the first time in a while. "Even if I was to get my job back, who's to say things are gonna change!? Are we are is just a pair of n*****s in a white-dominated society!" Those words stung. Chase's eyes downcasted as he got up to put his dishes on the counter, his food only half-eaten. It pained him to hear his uncle speak of them like that, as if they were nothing...like they didn't matter. "Wasn't it you that always used to tell me that I was destined for greatness?" He spoke, his voice soft and quiet. "Well, of course I did," Antwon responded. "I guess it was just a lie, wasn't it?" "Chase," Antwon sighed, his face softening as he went to put a hand on his shoulder, but Chase shrugged it off. "I have to go. I'm gonna be late for school," he picked up his bag by the door and slung it over his shoulder before leaving. He got off the public transportation bus, which dropped him across the street from his school. His school was a massive building atop of this huge hill that overlooked the city of Oakland. There was only one bus that took you up there. The Oakland Hills was an area where the rich and proper lived. The houses were big and nice and the view was remarkable. Oh how Chase would love to own a house like that one day. He crossed the street and greeted one of his deans, Mr. Barr before walking through those grandiose double doors. The inside of the building looked like the inside of a mansion- the walls were beige with white lacy patterns lining the top and the bottom of the walls and a great golden chandelier hung from the ceiling which was adorned with hanging diamonds, reminiscent of crystal raindrops. There wasn't too many people hanging around the lobby area since everyone was heading to class. He decided to do the same, making his way up those ivory staircases to his classroom, which wasn't too far away. He casually walked inside and took his seat towards the back, ignoring all of the strange looks he was getting. It wasn't like he hadn't experienced it before. But somehow, this time felt it a little different. He could only hear Antwon's venomous words echoing in the back of his head. Was the world really that grim? Was that really all he was worth to these people? Just a n***o who was only accepted for the sake of "diversity"? No...it can't be. He was worth more than that. He was a proud Trinidadian and was certainly worth more than what some may see in him and he would make sure that it would be known. "Hey Island-Boy! Pull your head out of your ass and listen to the teacher!" A familiar voice snagged him out of his thoughts and he turned to see where it was coming from. He narrowed his eyes at a stocky blonde-haired, blue-eyed male. Samuel. Jesus, he was annoying. Ever since he broke up with his sister and took his spot on the football team, he's been giving him nothing but trouble. The damn bastard grinned widely as Chase rolled his eyes and redirected his attention to the teacher. "Yes Mr. Mazocchi?" He grumbled. "Please pay attention to the board. This is very important, okay?" The Italian male spoke. He wasn't the type to yell. However, when he does, be prepared to duck and cover. "Alright," he responded, pulling his notebook and pen out of his backpack. It was after school and he had to be at his job by 5, which gave him about an hour and a half for football practice. He always enjoyed football. It was his way of easing off after a long day. He pulled the hair-tie out of his hair, unleashing those beautiful curly locks of his as he jogged towards the football field to join the rest of the team. His friend, an albino boy named Jace, sat on the bleachers to wait for him. They always hung out during lunch and after school. They also worked at the same job, so it was highly convenient for the two of them to hang out. He knew of Chase's current issue, so he agreed to help him search for a second job after work. A little after the football practice and the restaurant job, the two of them made their way down the quiet, dimly-lit street. "So, how do you plan on balancing work, football, and two jobs? Won't you tire yourself out?" The albino frowned. "Most likely, but it's something that I have to do. Besides, I don't know when my uncle will decide to go back to work," Chase responded with determination. Just then, a flyer had blown towards them and got caught in Chase's hoodie. He took it out and inspected it. It was bright pink with Palm trees adorning the corners and had black bold lettering which stated: "DAMON'S PARADISE BOUNCER WANTED. STARTING SALARY $23 PER HOUR. HOURS WILL BE DISCUSSED UPON INTERVIEW." Underneath that listed a number and an address. "Jace, look! $23 dollars an hour!" Chase pointed excitedly at the flyer. It was as if God himself sent down a gift for him to use. "Wait...isn't that a nightclub?" Jace took the paper and inspected it himself. "Well, yeah, I think so-" "But Chase, you're only 17! You're too young to be taking up this kind of work," he said, worried. "It doesn't hurt to try, Jace. Besides, I'm built enough to take on the drunkards," Chase mimicked some Bruce Lee poses. "Oh God, just stop it...please," Jace chuckled. "No, but seriously," Chase stopped in front of him and placed his hands on his shoulders and looked him right in the eyes. "I wanna do this job. I'll call tonight and book an interview for tomorrow. I'm gonna need you to cover my shift, okay?" Jace rose an eyebrow in disbelief before chuckling. However, the more he looked at Chase, the more he realized how serious he was. "Chase..." "I'll be alright okay? Just wish me luck!" They were nearing Chase's house. Jace's wasn't too far from here. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" Chase flashed a goofy smile. "Alright then. Have a good night, Chase," he returned the smile before continuing on his way.