Four years ago
TateMy answer is honest. It’s a reflection of Nigel’s thoughts about me. He always tells me, he always tells me how beautiful I am. Never misses an opportunity to say it to me and everytime, he has wonder in his eyes when he says it . He smiles at my cocky tone then lays on the other side of the bed while I lay on his chest and trace his eyebrows.“How was college?”, I ask“It’s good. I wish I could be doing something else with my time though”That earns a chuckle from me“What? You don’t think the education is worth it?”He bites his lip in response. “No, I just wish you were there with me”My breath catches in my throat and I stare like an idiot at him. It’s him who chuckles this time.“Anyways, I’d be done very soon. Just a few more months. I’d round everything up as soon as possible so I won’t have to spend any more time than needed there. God knows I’ve spent too many years there already”I laugh. Nigel is five years older than me. I recently turned 19 and he’s 24. He’s on his way to becoming a lawyer and here I am, wondering if going to college is worth it. I want to be a nurse but I don’t know if the funds for that can be scraped out.“How long till you go back?”. He laughs“What? Already tired of me”, he asks cockily“No, of course not. I just want to know how long I have to catch up with you before you leave again but I’m happy you’re back though”, I tell him sincerely. He stares at me for a few seconds“Yeah, we can catch up later”, he says breathily then leans up and kisses me. We kiss for minutes more before he’s tugging off my shirt. Unbuttoning it is a hassle but he manages it just fine. When I shrug it off my shoulder, he unclasps my bra in a second flat and flips me over so I’m lying on my back and he’s above me. He pulls my jeans and snickers off. Shrugging off his own shirt, he leans down and continues kissing me. A myriad of emotions and sensations are coursing through me but it all stills when I feel him between my legs. I don’t know when he took my panties off. I don’t even know when he took his jeans off but I really couldn’t care less.“I love you Tate”, he says, driving into me<<<>>>>PresentNoah“He said insurgencies”, Benson interrupts the head of marketing while laughing. I don’t see what’s funny and everybody else feels the same way because they stop to look at him as well, probably wondering what knot he’s lost again.Dad isn’t in the best condition at the moment and looking at Bensons face, I kinda regret my decision to sit in for him at this meeting .Most of the board members are dads old friends, the people he built his empire with, while others were additions along the line who’ve also contributed to the growth of the company .I’ve never really liked some of the new board members but this Benson guy is a straight out idiot. The only thing that keeps him in the company is his abilities. The board members know it, dad knows it, I know it so we can’t fire him when he’s being his asshole self. Benson stops laughing once he realizes that he’s gained everyone’s attention. He clears his throat and takes a sip of his water. The marketing guy goes back to the projector to continue explaining his reports for the month. Half an hour later, I leave after the meeting ends and I’ve managed to sort out most things. I need to be at the hospital by evening but I’d drop by my apartment first.Somehow , I change my mind and end up going to Dotty’s instead. A restaurant close to my street. I’m hungry and could use some food.Dotty’s not a five star restaurant. It’s just pretty decent and I prefer eating here than any other five star restaurant.The owner of the restaurant sees me the moment I walk in and waves me over.“Hello Dorothy”, I greet curtly“Oh hi sugar. How’re you doing. It’s been a minute”, she says everything with a wide smile on her face. Dorothy has always been an erratic person and as much as I prefer quiet people, Dorothy has a charm to her persona.“Yeah. Been a bit busy”“So, what would you like to order?”. Her tone is suggestive and I almost crack a smile. Dorothy is middle aged, late forties if I’m not mistaken and flirts a lot with me but I’ve learnt that she doesn’t actually mean any of it.“The usual”“Coming right up. You taking it home sweetie?”“Yeah, I have some things to finish up”“Oh okay”. She turns to the window behind her to communicate with the kitchen staff then turns back to me.“What’s up with you?”. She always asks this question even when she never actually gets an answer from me.“Oh, we’re back on with late deliveries. Got a replacement for poor Jonah . Just telling you since you used to order dinner. We could whip you up something tonight as well”. I’m not good at cooking anything so I used to rely on Dorothy’s restaurant to provide my meals and truly, since their temporary issue with their delivery man last week, I’ve been getting my meals delivered from a less appealing restaurant or skipping dinner altogether.“I’m glad you sorted out your delivery issue Dorothy, I was getting tired of missing dinner”“Anytime sweetie”. I leave the restaurant to go home, eat and get lost in work. Somehow, I lose track of time and end up skipping dinner again.Four years agoNoahThe next day, I get off work late and manage to order dinner this time around. I finished everything at the office so I won’t have to work while home. Delivery doesn’t take a lot of time and I sigh in relief while moving to open the door. The knock sounds again followed by a feminine “Delivery for Noah ‘sugar’ Brooke”. I can almost hear the mocking smile in her voice and for once I wish Dorothy wasn’t always so extra.I swing the door open a little bit more forcefully than normal while grunting out a hesitant “That’d be me”I must have used a bit too-much force on the door because the girl jerks back in surprise and I still because I recognize her. It’s annoying that I still do after so many years but my memory is potent. She looks much different than before but at the same time, she looks like she hasn’t changed at all. She’s still a little lady, albeit with certain parts of her body more formed than her earlier, most likely teenage self and a certain maturity t
Four years agoTate“Jesus. Seriously Tate? All this time, have you seriously thought Nana knows nothing about us?”, he asks, surprising me.“Uhm..”, I try to come up with something to say but words elude me. The possibility that Nana knows about us has been a nagging thought in my mind for the longest time. But hearing him voice it makes me realize that she really has known all along. All the side comments, the knowing looks, oh my God, she knows!“Nana knows everything in this house. I don’t know how you possibly thought that she didn’t know. But don’t worry, she won’t tell on us”, he continues, trying again to pull me to him.“Yeah, but I still have to finish this”“Ugghhh”, he’s groaning now and it makes me smile till I hear him speak up again.“Oh hey chica”, he shoots down from the counter and goes towards Nana- I didn’t see her come in- then circles his arm around her shoulders and leads her towards the fridge.“What is it now boy?”, Nana asks, trying to sound exasperated. It
Four years agoTatum Nigel always saw me as a child and a little sister when I was already so obviously in love with him. We didn’t talk again because he went back to college and I didn’t see him for a while. Those were my most depressing days. I was so hurt and felt so insignificant. If I wasn’t important enough to someone who I’d know since I was a baby, then I was probably not too important to anyone else. I could’ve never gotten over my feelings for him but I was beginning to accept my fate until he came back from college one Christmas. I had just turned seventeen then and hadn’t seen him for more than a year, he didn’t come back home after the incident so when I saw him, I was not only surprised but my feelings came rushing back like a hurricane. He was there and he was looking as beautiful as I remembered. He got me a gift for Christmas and one to wish me a happy birthday since he hadn’t come back that year for my birthday but wanted to wish me anyways. I thought we were fina
Present Noah“Hi”, Tatum greets unenthusiastically. She knows how to hold a grudge. I give my attention to her and she looks away immediately. Dorothy doesn’t notice though, she turns back to me to ask what I’d like to order.“What would you recommend?”, I ask, turning in Tatums direction. It’s obvious she’s been paying attention to my conversation with Dorothy because she instantly knows I was referring to her.“Me?”, she asks, turning to face me with a stunned expression“You’re the chef, what would you recommended?”. Dorothy turns to face her with a smile, probably also anticipating her recommendations“For breakfast? Uhm, you’d feel better if you consume a light meal so I’d recommend croissant sandwich with mushrooms and Brie. That way, you eat light enough to keep you active for the day but filling enough to keep hunger at bay. Coffee which would be served with the meal would soothe your body and make you alert”, she ends with a smile that seems genuine even if it’s me she’s ta
Four years ago TatumBridget summoned me to her office. Battle Bridget summoned me to her office . If that doesn’t spell disaster, I wonder what does. She’s hardly ever asked for me in the past but the few times she did, it was always for something bad I did. Getting into a fight with another kid on the manor, causing trouble, scoring the fence. I always got a good scolding for my actions but the last time Bridget summoned me, I was thirteen, young, stupid and on the cusp of pubertal craziness. Now however, I’m nineteen, almost a fully grown woman with a full brain to know when to walk out from a battle and put a lid on my stupid anger issues. I get to the door of her office and raise a fist to knock, frozen for a second by the torrent of questions that barrel through me, then taking a deep breath and finally knocking. “Come in”, her chilling voice calls from within. I don’t hesitate, I walk in and shut the door behind me. I’m about to open my mouth to ask why I was called when sh
Four years ago Tatum The picture in my hand almost makes me hyperventilate. I’m sitting on a swing and Nigel is behind me, smiling down at me as he holds on to the swing, preparing to give me another push. I’m smiling so hard while looking at him so my entire face doesn’t show but anyone who’s seen me before would immediately recognize me. Still, not enough evidence. The pictures keep getting worse though because in this next one, I can’t comfort myself with the “no evidence” thought anymore. We’re both lying on a sheet on the grass, with me lying flush on my back and Nigel’s head on my breast while he holds onto my waist, enjoying the feel of my hands caressing his hair. The picture was taken from above us on a day we’d gone for a picnic a month ago. There was a drone that was hovering about the park for some minutes, I remember smiling at the drone, happy about it, and when it hovered over Nigel and me, I had smiled at it because I thought nothing was amiss. Bloody idiot. If only
Four years agoTatumOver the next few days, I realize that Bridget is who I think she is. A witch. I’m not a servant in this manor, I live with my dad and he’s the one who works for the house so I’m never really expected to take on chores but I help when I can. It’s a norm in the manor, children of the staff aren’t burdened with duties but it seems Bridget doesn’t give a shit at this point. In the past week, I’ve done house laundry, cleaned the gardeners shed, washed dishes and even mowed the bleeding lawn. It’s all Bridget’s punishment for me. She’s trying to get back at me for standing up to her in her office and to be honest, I’m fed up of being tossed around and used like a human dog. But if there’s one thing Bridget is very good at, it’s treating people like dirt. Dad is out of town for a few days, all part of her plan I’m sure, since she sent him on a fools errand in town for a few days just to make sure he isn’t around while she makes my life hell. As much as everyone in the
Four years agoTateRyan has been my friend for the longest time. Probably my next best friend in this manor after Nigel and Nana. He genuinely cares for me and unlike other kids in the manor, we’re both two of the few kids that have stayed in this manor all their life. Most others Don’t live here permanently and others usually move out in their teen age or earlier. Ryan and I however have our whole lives here, our parents too so we stay and stick with them. I take a sip of the water he offered me and access the work I’ve done on the lawn so far. Choppy is quite an understatement for what I’ve done but that’s why Bridget gets for making me do hard labor like this, I dont have the slightest idea about lawn work. Ryan notices my stare and he cringes when he too looks around the field.“You’re doing great Tate”, he says quickly, as if to reassure me, as if I care. “Yeah, I better get back and finish it up now”. I begin to move forward but Ryan grabs my arm to stop me“You need rest T