7. Existence

I went home, had my lunch and was trying to study chemistry, unsuccessfully might I add. This part of chemistry is different than the equalization one. We have lab practical tomorrow and I don't know a single thing about it.

"Ahh!" I

sighed and rested my head back on the chair. Swinging on the chair with my hands resting on the study table for the support, I was wondering what to do.

"Levy! I need your help." Adam shouts from the living room in a voice that really needs help.

I hastened towards the hall thinking he might be hurt or something.

'Wow!' He is completely fine sitting on the couch playing a video game!

"What is it, Adam?" I snapped. 
He turned towards me with a smile and said. "Come here soon." Tapping on the couch beside him.

His smile always melts my anger.

I sat beside him. He threw a joystick at me and spoke without looking away from the screen.

"Handle this car while I shoot."

He changes the single-mode to a duel.

"Is that why you called me?" I asked and paused the game.

"Of course." He said and resumed the game.

"That's not the way to call someone for PLAYIN A GAME." I said stressing on words 'playing a game' and paused again.

"Doesn't matter. Now play please." He resumed again.

We played the game until it was time for me to go to the office. I dressed in a suit this time black along with a tie. Trussed my hair into the same bun, I put on my fake glasses and took a bag with three suits in it. If I get a situation like yesterday I can change there.

During my way, I saw some kids in a playground who were bullying a kid. I thought to go and help but stayed in my car and drove it to the playground. To gain their attention, I flashed the headlight on them.

"Who's there?" One of the kids asked.

"Leave the boy alone." I hollered from the car.

"It's a girl in the car." Another kid said while narrowing his eyes to see through black glasses.

None of them moved from their spot. So, I rammed the car against one of the boys just to scare him not hurt. He took a step back on my action.

"Hey! Are you trying to kill us." The third boy yelled at me.

Of course not. I am just scaring you.

I didn't respond instead turned my car in his direction.

"She's mad." The fourth boy shouted.

They were four against one. Bad.

Now I was following each boy, one after another until they ran screaming. I halted my car in front of the kid and stepped out. He was sitting on his knees with a book pressed against his chest in folded arms.

"Hey, Kid." I looked down at him.

He is almost 14 years old with brown wavy hair that covered his forehead. From the top, his jaw appeared curve which gave his face a round shape.

He raised his head to meet my gaze and stood on his feet. He has brown eyes. I handed him a water bottle and asked his name.

"Luke." He said after he drank the water.

"Why were they bullying you?" I asked out of my curiosity.

"Because I am poor." He said simply as if it always happens to him and dusted his clothes.

I was quiet for a moment then spoke
"Just because you are poor?"

"Yes." He answered tamely.

I didn't know what to say now. So, I changed the topic.

"So, you like reading books," I said in a cheerful tone.

"Yes." He replied while holding the book in front of me.

I recognized the book it's 'The wind in the willows' whose author is 'Kenneth Grahame.'

"It's a good book," I said with a smile.

"Did you read it?" He asked with a beaming smile.

"Yes. I did." I responded.

"I liked this book. I wanna be a great writer one day." He said with full of excitement.

"That's a good thing," I said and remembered; I was getting late for the office.

"Listen. If you need anything come to Carrollton High at 4 pm." I said and sat in the car.

"The college where rich kids go?" He asked.

Rich kids? well, it is.

"Yes," I said and drove straight to the office.

As usual, I took my private elevator and landed in my cabin. When I entered, I saw Loren already sitting on the sofa reading a newspaper.

He is already here.

It's 8:10 pm.

I walked towards him. He tilted his face in my direction by the sound of my footsteps. His jaw almost dropped, almost as he managed to position it. And the eyes were wide open. As if he never saw a girl in a suit.

I cleared my throat and said. "Haven't seen a female in a suit."

I didn't ask it as a question yet he answered "No. I did see ladies in suits." He stood up, walked closely beside me in the opposite direction and whispered near my ear. "But girl." And sat on the chair.

He again indirectly mentioned me as a small girl. I turned around to respond but didn't when I saw him sitting on an employer chair. Not mine but another.

Why are there two employer chair?

Uncle entered with some papers in his one hand and file in another. Loren signed on the papers, so did I. He said: 'Loren is going to work with us in the same office.' And kept the file on the table before leaving.

Same office? Ok. But why the same cabin.

I took the file and sat on my chair. It's the file that tells about the land on which the project is going to start from tomorrow. Brother informed me about a man named Mr. Martin who's in charge of this project. Without turning my head, I looked at Loren from the corner of my eye, he was reading a book.

That's good.

I made a call to Mr. Martin and within a couple of minutes, there was a knock on the door.

"Enter," I answered.

He's a man with short gray hair with barely visible eyebrows on round eyes. An over projected nose and smear lips. Fat to have a double chin, not too fat as his stomach shows before him when you see him entering from the side but fat enough that cannot button the coat. He heavily took a seat. I turned towards him, resting my folded arms on the table and asked.

"Mr. Martin I get to know that you are the in charge of the new construction project."

As I spoke Loren sighed and closed the book he was reading.

What's with him?  
-Ignored-

"Yes." He answered quickly.

"So Mr. Martin, may I see what have you done so far." I tried to speak more like an adult employer. So that he does not sigh at my words!

"Yes, Miss. I ask John to prepare the papers." He said after clearing his throat.

John Anderson. The young man from before.

"I know about those papers, Mister. I am asking what you have done?" I said stressing on 'you'.

"I ask him to do." He replied confusingly.

Can't you get what I mean? Your work Mister, not his.

I tapped the ballpoint pen on the table which makes a click sound. This man is building up my anger.

He is just throwing work on others.

"I mean what you have done apart from ordering Mr. Anderson," I said serenely.

"I. well. It's his work to do. So." He stammered while finding words to say.

I wanna replace his in-charge-ship to John.

Am I eligible to do that? Can I?

I was in my thoughts when Loren stood up from his chair and walked towards us. Putting a hand on the table beside me, he bends to face Mr. Martin. Taking the pen from my hand he wrote something on the note sheet. 
Why take a pen from me? Can't you see a pen stand on your right?

I wanted to say it out loud but didn't. No arguments between partners.

What is he writing?

After completion, he asked me to authorize it with a stamp. I slid open the table drawer and saw stamps. The names of my mother and brother were engraved on it. I stamped the letter with 'Admund Troustkey.'

"Thank you, Mr. Martin, for your corporation. You may leave now." Loren straightened himself and folded the letter into three halves.

Mr. Martin stood up and left without saying anything.

Loren called uncle by tapping the table bell. Handling him the letter, he asked him to pass it to Mr. Anderson and Mr. Martin.

When I asked Loren what did the letter say. He said: it contains a note which says; Mr. Martin has been removed from his in charge ship due to his non-participation at work and from now onwards Mr. Anderson will be handling the project.

There was silence in the cabin and my mind started wandering things. I was thinking about the kid 'Luke'. Different people in the world have their own problem, happiness and the way of leaving. Here again, I lost in my thoughts.

EXISTENCE

Standing on square feet of ground, 
Have you ever bothered to look around? 
Some are delighted, while few are dejected, 
With all kinds of thick and thin. 
We act, others watched, 
None notice to give a thought. 
People are perplexing with a vivid memory, 
We often spend time in solitary. 
Respect is all for the gentry, whether they are decent or sordid.
No one even glances at Spartan, yet being so splendid. 
We laugh with cheer and cry with forlorn, 
Many hear but few responses. 
There are different kinds of people with each new sign, 
Some are black while others are white, 
But all are of one humankind. 
At last, we exist from the same world which is differently designed.

"Miss Troustkey?" Loren's voice broke my thoughts. I turned to face him and answered. "Yes?"

"Bring that file to me." He pointed to the file in front of me which uncle brought.

"Take it by yourself." C'mon, can't he walk three steps.

"Maybe you forget, let me remind you. I am your si-" Before he could finish, I cut him off

"I do remember." I said and slid the file on the table from my side to his." No way I am gonna walk towards him with a file in my hand.

"Have some manners Miss.Troustkey." He picked the file and started reading it.

"Sure. Why not sir?" I said sarcastically which made him smirk a little.

This man!

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H.LOCKHART.