Eventide (Her Father, My Master) (5 page)

“Okay.” I really wasn't in the mood to put up with any more of her foolishness, so I turned and trotted

after Derrick. “Wait up!” I called. Thankfully, the crowds in the food court were much thinner, and I was

able to catch up to him easily.

“Your friend is strange,” he said, not looking at me.

“I know, I'm really sorry. I wasn't expecting her to be so weird. I think she was just trying to get to

me.”

“Well, she got to me.”

“I'm sorry. Just don't be angry with me.”

He shook his head. “Dude, I'm not angry. That was just a little crazy for me. I'm kind of an

introvert.”

“And introvert?”

“Yeah, you know, I like to keep to myself, I like to be alone, I like quiet.”

“Oh, I know what an introvert is,” I blushed. “I just never would have pegged you for one. You

always seem so energetic.”

“I'm good at faking it.”

“Oh.” I thought with a start that maybe I was the same as Derrick. I just wanted to be alone too, right

now, not ducking through a malls filled with hundreds, if not thousands, of people. “So, what are you

thinking about getting for your sister?”

“I have no idea. She likes music. Maybe I should just get her a gift card to iTunes.”

I wrinkled my nose. “That's kind of lame. What kind of music does she like?”

“Oh, pop music. The stuff on the radio. You know.”

I blanked. I actually didn't know a single popular artist at the moment. Most of my music listening

time was spent listening to obscure channels on Pandora, now. I wanted to see how weird music could

get, and I got an answer, there. “Yeah,” I said, lamely not offering a single band. “What else does she

like?”

“Um. I don't know.”

“What about-” I furiously swiveled my head around at each store we passed. People were jostling me

left and right, the crowds were so thick, and at the moment I just wanted to escape into one of the stores.

“What about tea?” We were fast approaching one of those expensive chain tea boutiques.

“Huh, I don't know. That might work. Let's look around.”

I exhaled with relief as we stepped into the quiet store. Blessed silence. No crowds. Just me,

Derrick, a few other customers and an employee or two.

“You know anything about tea?” Derrick asked as he picked up a heavy looking iron teapot. I didn't

even know one could brew tea in an iron pot.

“Not a lot,” I admitted. I had never been much of a tea drinker, and the entire store was confusing to

me. “Um. Genmaicha is good,” I offered. It was one of the few teas I did know, and it was a good nutty-

flavored tea. “And it's cheap,” I added with a slight smile.

“Perfect,” Derrick grinned, and just then, an employee tracked us down, probably sensing our

confusion and picking us out as an easy target.

As Derrick explained his situation to the cheery young woman who seemed all to eager to sell him as

much as possible, I meandered through the store, fingering the various cups and pots, smelling some of the

available teas. I'd never been much of a tea drinker, or a coffee drinker for that matter. The only hot

liquid I'd ever really cared for was hot chocolate, and in the heat of the summer, I didn't exactly drink

much of that, either. It boggled my mind how customers could come into the coffee shop every day and

order a steaming hot cup of coffee. Especially on days where it was over a hundred outside, which

would become too often all too soon.

“Do you need any help?” a young man asked, pulling me out of my reverie with a start.

“N-no, I'm good,” I stammered. I mentally cursed. Was I so unused to crowds, to other people, that

even someone starting a conversation with me could scare me so much?

“What kind of tea to you like?” the young sales associate persisted.

“Oh, I don't drink tea,” I said absently. He was rather cute, with large brown eyes and short, curly

hair. “I'm here with him.” I jerked a thumb in Derrick's direction.

The employee seemed to deflate at my words, and I wondered whether it was because I was so

disinterested in the tea, or because I appeared to be taken. Which I was, just not by Derrick. “Sorry,” I

added.

“Oh, it's all right. Let me know if you need anything.” With that, he wandered off to assist another

customer. Or possibly harass them. The employees at this store seemed a little pushy, judging by how

that girl was treating Derrick. He already had an armload of merchandise that he didn't seem to want. I

decided I better go save him.

“Did you get what you need?” I asked Derrick as I approached him and the girl. The girl was busy

thrusting even more things into his arms – overpriced tea tins and cups – so I tried my best to put a stop to it. “You don't need all that!” I scowled, picking out the very tea tins the girl had put in his grasp and

looking at them with disgust. “You said you weren't going to spend more than $20 in here!”

Derrick blustered. “Sorry, I guess I got carried away.”

Inwardly, I grinned, but on the surface I looked even more angry. “You can have one tea, and one

cup. Got it?”

As I stomped off to another corner of the store, I chanced a small smile when I glanced back at

Derrick. He was in the process of dumping everything back into the sales girls' arms. I didn't want to

blow my cover, and presumed he was safe enough now. I kept stomping all the way out of the store.

Not five minutes later, Derrick appeared with a relieved look on his face. “Thanks Krys, you saved

my bacon. That girl wanted me to buy the entire store up.”

“Glad to be of service,” I replied, feeling confident for once today. “What'd you get?”

“Oh, not much. Just that tea you recommended, and a little cup she can brew it in. I hope so likes it.”

I smiled at him. “I'm sure she will.”

*****

Derrick and I spent a little more time together – just enough to wander into a silly gag shop and laugh

at the ridiculous merchandise within, but before long, I had to get back to Jess, which I was dreading. I

felt bad about dreading it. She was a good person. It was just that is was pretty easy to get my fill of her, and after a while, her personality became a little grating.

“So, see you tomorrow at work?” Derrick asked as we parted ways. He looked so eager. It made me

nervous.

“Yeah, I have a shift then.” I groaned lowly as I remembered the other person who had a shift

tomorrow. “So does Maddie.”

“Don't worry,” I'll protect you from her.” He looked so valiant, I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

“I don't need protection, she does. From me.” I bared my teeth slightly, and we both laughed.

“See you,” Derrick said, and ducked away into the crowd, almost immediately melting from my view.

Now I just had to find Jess. It didn't escape my notice that Derrick didn't go in for a second helping of

her. She really was a lot to handle.

“Heyyy! Hey!” I heard a familiar voice shout, cutting through the crowd's buzz like a honed blade. It

was Jess. I turned in the direction of the shout, and waved, biting back a slight grimace.

“Hey,” I responded more quietly, when we were close enough for her to hear it.

“How did the little date-thingy with lover boy go?”

An incredulous look crept across my face as I arched an eyebrow at her. “He's not my boyfriend.

He's not even a boyfriend candidate.”

“Why not?” she pouted, and I froze. I certainly couldn't tell her about my other relationship. I couldn't

even begin to describe it. She would think I was a crazy moron, and Mr. Hendricks was a cradle robbing

creep. But it wasn't that, it wasn't that at all. He was special, and I knew I was special as well. Not

many people could be in the kind of relationship that we were in.

“I'm just not looking for a boyfriend right now,” I instead lamely said, skirting around the subject

altogether.

“So he
would
be boyfriend material, if you were looking?” Jess seemed completely re-fired up by my

last sentence, and I bit back another groan. She was going to be insufferable on the drive home.

Another day, another day at work. I moaned and rolled out of my bed a disheveled mess, much to

Flicker's disgruntlement. “Sorry cat,” I mumbled as I crawled out of the tangle of sheets. “I don't want to be going either.” I glanced back longingly at the bed, still warm and once again full of black cat. I really didn't want to go into work today. It was still dark outside, and this was far earlier than when I preferred to wake up, but this is what happened when I had to open the store.

And I didn't want to have to deal with Maddie.

Our last shift together, she spoke to me like nothing had happened between us at all, like we were still

the best of friends. And I hated her for bringing up old memories, good memories, tarnishing them with

the present. Maddie
was
a good friend, but I didn't think she'd ever be a good friend again. Or even a friend. There was just too much bad blood between us.

But still, I was inexorably connected to her, for now and possibly forever, through her father. I

couldn't be a total bitch to her. And I didn't want to be a bitch to her, either. Hate was an expensive,

exhausting emotion, and I was tired of fueling it.

I made my way to the bathroom, to turn myself into a presentable enough human being and get dressed

in my work uniform. It was wasn't anything fancy – just black slacks and a white shirt, over which a blue

apron would be thrown when I arrived at the shop.

Looking presentable now, I rolled down the stairs and gave the customary morning greetings to my

parents before dashing out the door. No time for breakfast here – I was already running a little late.

Maybe I could eat something at the shop.

I started my crappy little sedan and backed out of the driveway, then drove down the quiet road of our

little suburb. It was nicely shaded, now that the trees had their leaves, and it was really starting to get hot. It wasn't quite hot enough to need the AC, but I knew I'd need it on the way home. It didn't work

terribly well, but I wasn't surprised by that. The car was over ten years old, after all. I supposed I should be thankful to even have it, but it wasn't the best car.

What I was thankful for was the fact that work was less than fifteen minutes away. I could probably

walk or bike there, if I was feeling ambitious. I probably should have biked, actually. I stared down at

my gut with resentment. I hadn't been exercising lately, and it was really starting to show. I needed to do something about that. My master would surely notice.

But for now, I needed to concentrate on work. I narrowed my eyes as I pulled into the tiny lot in the

back of the strip mall where the shop was located. Maddie was already here. So was Derrick, but he

wasn't enough to outweigh the dread that came with working with her.

I sighed and shook my head. I had to stop this. Every thought I had of her was negative. I needed to

be neutral. I needed to have no thoughts at all about her. It was too mentally consuming to be so occupied with this girl.

Instead, I found my mind drifting to Derrick as I parked. He was intriguing, to say the least. Warm

and giving, and very considerate. I liked how he actually made an effort with his sister's birthday present, rather than just giving her money or that iTunes gift card. He was so different from my master. I found

myself, despite steeling my emotions against it, becoming more interested in him. Possibly just because

he was so different from Mr. Hendricks.

I'd have to watch myself around him. I couldn't afford to get attached to someone else, not right now.

I couldn't ruin what I had with my master, just because of my stupid emotions.

I took a deep breath, and made my way inside the store.

It was dark and dimly lit – to be expected, as we weren't open yet, and it was very early. One thing

bad about working here was the terribly early hours – we opened at six in the morning to get as much of

the breakfast rush as possible, but that meant waking up at four thirty to get here at five to open the store. I yawned hugely as I made my way to the kitchen and prep area. Maybe I could beg my manager for more

evening hours.

Though the storefront was dark, the back was brightly lit, and Derrick and Maddie both greeted me in

unison when they saw me. I waved back, grabbing an apron as emotions warred within me. I was happy

to see Derrick, not so much to see Maddie. It was conflicting, to say the least.

My emotions were conflicted for other reasons, as well. Seeing Maddie reminded me that I hadn't

heard from my master in a couple of days. I hadn't seen him in more than a week, not since I'd gotten

home. I reflexively brought a hand up, touching the warm metal of the collar. I was so busy yesterday, I'd barely thought of him at all. What did that mean?

No matter. I was thinking of him now, and hopefully I would be able to see him soon. I needed him

like I needed water, or air. He was so important to me.

My apron tied around my waist, I went to join the others in prep work, which mostly consisted of

getting the baked goods out and on the shelf. We had a small selection, nothing too difficult, but Maddie

already looked confused and overwhelmed.

“What goes next to the caramel scones?” she asked.

Derrick sighed like it was the tenth time she'd asked the question. “The cranberry ones.”

“Oh, thank you!” Maddie batted her eyes at the boy in a most sickening way, and I felt my stomach