Tethered Together

Chapter 4 - Rubies

Luke was fast asleep in the back seat. It had already been twenty minutes since we started driving, that's when it struck me. Today was the last day for me to pay my bills or I was gonna get kicked out. I knew it was coming but it seemed very soon. I had a question of whether to tell this man or not. I didn't want to embarrass myself, I knew for a fact he'd help me pay. Moreover I didn't know this man. "Still not intrigued by what my name is?" He paused the silence. This was the second time he had told something i was thinking, not out loud. "What are you gonna call me then?" with no answer in return he picked up his phone and typed something. My phone buzzed suddenly. I could feel him bend down to read the contact's name as I checked who it was. IT WAS HIM. oh my god was this a trick?. "Grim Reaper huh?". "I-" I was spellbound. "Something nobody has ever called me before" He cut me off laughing. That was when my house was here. But he didn't stop. He drove. I was confused. He drove for a few more minutes and stopped the car near his house. I carried Luke out of the car then into the house and finally placed him on the bed. I returned to the dining room only to find out all my things from my old room were here. I looked around for a while as he looked at me, and striked "So you knew?" He didn't speak, instead he placed a sheet on the table. An agreement letter, some sort of a deal. It read out that I must take care of Luke and live in his house until he decides I shouldn't. I get food, a bed, my own space, the house facilities, etc. I even had a choice of getting tutored by this man. I was like a part of this family but still an outsider. I had all the rights to tell the man my problems and it said he'd do his best to help me with it. I agreed and signed the document. He turned to leave. 

"What exactly do people call you?" I spoke. "Robert Morph but Robbie would be enough for you" Before he left he ended his sentence "Bella.". That left me speechless. Luke came to the hallway rubbing his eyes. "When was all this?" I asked to which he replied "This morning! You're gonna be living with us!" "Yes Sir" I replied. "Now let's go and sleep, you woke up too soon". By the time we woke up it was already night time. Robbie- I mean Robert had booked food for us already. We ate then decided to watch a movie. It was Horror, and I was fond of horror. Not even half the movie was done and Luke had fallen asleep already. Robbie- I mean Robert picked him up and placed him in his room. He came back and took the seat next to me, I was still focused on the movie. Though my eyes were watching the movie I could feel his eyes on me. 

"The movie is in the front not on my face" I think my inner thoughts were too loud. He smiled but didn't move an inch. I couldn't help but look at him, look at me. He had Pale red eyes. It reminded me of rubies and roses and somehow blood. I could see a whole lotta things and relate a whole lotta things if I continued looking into his eyes. But I snapped back to reality. "You see the man might die now" I changed the topic. He then looked at the movie. That's when the ghost popped up, and frightened me. When my eyes opened I found myself on the man, hugging him. I could feel his huge arms around me tryna calm me down. He turned off the movie and I fell asleep even before I realized it. Right in his arms. In the morning I woke up due to a nightmare. I managed to calm myself down and not wake the man up. I quietly got up, went into my room and then went in for a shower. By the time I was out of the shower and dressed the man was ready too. Probably for his job?

"I'll leave you to your campus, it's on my way to work" He said as he fixed his tie." No Thankyou" I nodded. "A nightmare?" He continued. "You were up the whole time?" I replied as I left the house through the main door. I had to walk a few blocks to the bus stop from his house. It hadn't even been a few minutes and the man got his brand new car and stopped next to me "You've missed the bus" He said after he rolled down the window. He didn't turn towards me until after finishing his sentence. "Get in already," he said, noticing my motionless body. "I don't think your teachers would like to see you late to class. AGAIN" How did he know? It's as if he had been there the whole time. I hesitantly got in. We didn't talk until we reached. "See you" was his last words before I left the car. This repeated for many days. Every time the front desk called me I'd know it was him. He could've paid for my canteen every month. It was much cheaper. But he didn't. He decided to get me lunch every day. I never questioned it anyway. He was nothing but a friend to me, a really close one.