Give and Get

Although we all received our payment, we were saddened as the event didn’t happen and our effort had gone to waste. No one could expect how death arrives. Who would expect a rich businessman would suddenly die of a heart attack in the middle of a birthday celebration? 

Apart from that, I couldn’t stop thinking about Hayden. His angry face, his punch, and the way he made the man kneel wouldn’t stop revolving in my head. It made me feel my life was valued and it was not worthless. His behavior overwhelmed me and I would never forget it. 

Also, I wondered if the client who was dead, was the one whom Hayden met in the hotel and the thought of Hayden might be saddened because of his death worried me so I texted him if he was fine. I kept looking at my cell phone, waiting for Hayden’s reply. 

Hayden – I’m alright. Why would I cry over his death? 

He replied to my text. It clarified me he was there to meet someone else. Knowing that Hayden was alright, I felt relaxed. We might not have had a great relationship but there was a special bond between us. While I was talking to him, I received a call from Eric, and as we planned before, we went out to have our dinner. 

Almost every day was the same. My work and home but I didn’t feel as boring as I used to feel because of the people around me. As days passed, I became so close to Eric and uncle Otis. It felt my relationship with Eric strengthened. It was not like an average friendship between teenagers anymore but we started to understand each other more. Not only with me, Eric got close to Mira and her boyfriend too.

And about Hayden, as usual, he was a mysterious guy even though how much I felt I became close to him. When compared to the time I usually spent with Eric, Hayden and I always spent less time together but whenever we did, it was unexpected and memorable. 

“Are you sure you don’t want strawberries?” Uncle Otis asked having the fruits for himself. 

I shook my head while playing the cartoons on TV. Despite how much I grew up, I would never stop loving cartoons. 

“What do you want for lunch then?” he asked. 

“I said I’ll cook. Don’t worry about that.” I replied. 

As it was the weekend, we both decided to meet. As we planned, I reached his home, and we played board games until I fed up. 

“Uncle Otis,” I turned to him. “When are you going to introduce me to your children?” I asked. 

“To do that, they have to come to this country.” He scoffed. “They forgot me after they got married.” 

I saw him pouting which made him look like a kid. I said taking a strawberry from his bowl “Tell your kids to come soon or I’m going to steal their father.” 

“Oh, poor Serena! I’m so sorry, I’m loyal to my wife.” He laughed. 

I hit his arm while laughing along with him. He was always funny, compassionate, and warm-hearted which made us closer than I ever expected. I might be selfish but I hoped to have him forever and wished to be his unofficial daughter all my life. 

“What are you thinking?” he asked, snapping me out of my thoughts. 

I shrugged my shoulders. “Nothing. I am grateful to have an uncle like you.” 

He smiled. After a few seconds of silence, he asked “Serena! Have you ever tried to find your family?” 

I nodded. “I did. However, all I hit was dead ends.” I let out a sigh. 

“If you are fated to meet them, it will happen for sure.” He said while feeding me strawberries though I was against eating them. As he never liked spending much time outside, we stayed at home, had fun playing indoor games, and in the evening, I left. 

The next day, as usual, I reached the shop and started to work along with all others, at the same time, talking to Mira. She kept telling me how she spent her weekend with her boyfriend and kept asking me about Eric. 

“You both are cowards.” She scoffed. “We all can see how much you care for each other but you never make a move.” 

“Mira! Eric and I are so close but that doesn’t necessarily mean we should be in a relationship.” 

“So, you don’t have feelings for him?” she raised her eyebrows. 

“I… I am not sure. But, I am happy with him and he also makes me feel special. Even I can see how much he adores me.” I said, smiling. 

“Then what is your problem? Oh, is it because you are waiting for him to propose first?” 

My problem? Not sure. Whenever I thought about being in a relationship, I couldn’t wholeheartedly imagine myself with him. 

“Ah! Leave it, Mira. Let’s focus on our work.” I said. As I walked away from her, I saw Hayden entering the shop. He was in his black t-shirt and had put on a black mask as well as a cap. 

“What are you doing here?” I asked, confused to see him. 

“I had a tough day. I wanted to see you.” 

“Tough day? It’s not even the end of the day. It’s still afternoon.” 

He ignored me. He glanced at everyone and after he noticed many people watching us, he put on his mask again. 

“What? You don’t like when people stare at you? I thought you’d feel proud and happy as they are drooling over you.” I said after noticing the girls looking at him even ignoring their work. 

“Serena! Let’s go out.” He said. 

“I can’t.” I widened my eyes. “I have work now. Let’s meet later.” 

He narrowed his eyebrows. “But you said I can be with you when I feel tired.”  

“But now…” 

“Ask for a day off.” He said. 

Before I could speak anything, Emma shouted “Serena! What do you think about this place?” 

“Emma, I’m so sorry-”

I couldn’t finish my sentence. Hayden said “Are you her superior? She needs a day off.” 

“Wow! Unbelievable.” She gritted. She said, crossing her arms over her chest “Mr. Whoever you are! She is an employee here and she has responsibilities and works to do that make us money.” Then she turned to me and spoke in an angry tone “If you want to leave, you can. But only after you make us money how much we all do on average for a day.” 

“Emma…” 

“How much?” Hayden asked. “If Serena works here for a day, how much does she make for the shop?” then he leaned a little closer to Emma which might have scared her. “If everything here is bought for today then I guess Serena will leave with no work.” 

“What?” she was shocked. “You are not going to buy…”

He gave her his card and asked her to withdraw how much money she wanted. Emma couldn’t speak anything but gave us the way to walk away. 

“As all these flowers are ours, you all can take them along with you if you want.” He shouted, making all the workers scream. 

Everyone took the flowers they wanted and he filled the backseat of his convertible car with the remaining flowers. 

“You are too much. Do you know that?” I asked as I sat in the roofless car that was filled with flowers. “Too much.” 

He took me to a beach and we started to enjoy the Sun, leaning on the car’s bonnet. I asked “When did we become friends? I mean, I seriously don’t know when we became so close that you dragged me out of my workplace.” 

“I didn’t drag you out. You willingly came with me.” He said, smirking.  

“Whatever!” I rolled my eyes. “What did you do today?” 

“I had to train today.” 

“Training? Special training, which is given to the heirs, who are going to take over their family businesses?” 

He nodded. 

“You must be tired.” I let out a sigh. “It is good to come out like this.” 

I took out my cell phone to click a selfie. As soon as I opened the camera, Hayden walked away from me. He was really strange. No social media and never uploaded pictures anywhere as if he were keeping a low profile. I shouted “Why do you hate taking pictures? We don’t have any single picture together and what’s more, I don’t even have a single picture of yours on my cell phone.”

“Well, I don’t want to take pictures.” Then he leaned towards me, looked at me in a flirty manner, and asked “Why? Do you want to fill your gallery with my handsome pictures?” 

I gritted my teeth. “In your dreams.” Then he stood beside me after taking the coke tins from his car. As we started to drink, he said in his serious tone “Serena! I don’t know how much time I have left with you.” He gulped. “I want to spend it to the fullest. So, never say no if I ask you something.” 

His words sounded so serious that frightened me. I held his hand, looked at him worried, and asked “Hayden, do you have any terminal illness?” 

“What?” 

“Please tell me I was wrong.” 

“This girl…” he scoffed. “That’s not what I meant. I’m perfectly fine.” He shouted. 

“Then why did you talk about time and things like that? It’s your fault.” I rolled my eyes. 

I saw him hitting his forehead with his palm which made me smile. I said “Even if you become busy after you take over your businesses, we can meet and spend time like this. There’s no need to think like we won’t see each other after you achieve whatever you are struggling with.” 

He remained silent. 

“By the way, what does your family do? Though we are becoming close, I still feel we are distant.” 

“So, you want to know about me?” he asked, to which I nodded my head in reply. “If you want my information, you should also give me something. Give it and get the information.” 

“What?” I narrowed my eyebrows.

He came so closer to me that made me bend a little back. The look that could easily scare anyone was back on his face and he put his palm beside me making a thud. He then said in a low whisper “A kiss.”