Learning The New World

"Hey, Elmer! How do you know the band After Sex?"

Iris had been bugging Elmer ever since he snapped from whatever had happened to him. She knew that he recognized the poster of her favorite band. But now, he's back to being a programmed robot. She was talking to him, hoping that she could talk to him again but the man just kept on moving.

Elmer continued to carry her stuff to the first floor. In the library that was above the basement. She had no idea why Calixto chose that room because she wasn't allowed by her father to enter that particular room in the house. The library, as far as she remembered, had always been locked. She had a glimpse of it when she was about seven years old. The door was left ajar and she has had a strong curiosity ever since she was young, she took a peek and she remembered how her jaw dropped because she had never seen that many books in her life. The city library didn't have that many books.

"Will you be fine here?"

Iris creased her forehead, running her fingers on her hair as she scanned the aisle of the massive library where Elmer put her bed and set up her computer table. Her eyes were drawn upward to see the shelves full of books, towering on each side of her bed.

It's like a dream! Her face was about to rip off with how huge the grin on her cheeks was. Calixto's question was truly unnecessary.

"Uhmm," she nodded, smirking smugly as she ran her hands at the back of the spine of books, beautifully lined on the oak bookshelves. "I'll be totally fine here!"

Calixto watched Iris dash and shriek as she ran between aisles of the huge library. Opposite of what he was doing.

He walked in between aisles, checking the books on the shelves and remembering how he had one of his father's collectors get him some of these books. He was ready to throw Theo and his family out of the street until he saw this library. Seeing that it was well-taken care of, he showed mercy to the family of three and decided against throwing them out the street. They still have their usefulness.

He stopped in front of the desk with an intricate design, positioned in front of a massive window. In the past, he had the desk put there because it has a view of the pond, but right now it has this ugly view of small boxes, hanging outside the ugly tall buildings. These people had the audacity to call those tiny boxes, balconies. He scoffed in disgust.

"Wow, it must be a beautiful window if not for those apartment buildings out there."

Calixto glanced over his shoulder and looked down at Iris who was just like him, staring outside the window, seeing those ugly buildings.

"They say one apartment in that place costs an arm and leg but seeing them from here, they don't look so expensive at all. They are an eyesore," she wrinkled her nose, pouting her lips.

Calixto smirked inwardly. It was the first time that he and Iris agreed on something. He stapled his hands on his back and returned his gaze to the window and sighed.

"I should have those buildings removed."

"Don't. You're going to gather too much attention when you do that. Those residential buildings were being promoted as modern neighborhoods. People would ask what happened if you had them crash to the ground."

A satisfied smile crossed Calixto's face. He was glad that his meal provider wasn't just a meal but could actually think. He would not get bored once he decided to venture out to meet his family.

"Put everything that you play around on your phone in here."

Iris jumped a little when Calixto shoved a phone in her face. She looked up and saw his usual sharp jawline as he gazed outside the window with his perpetual blank expression on his face.

He looked at his hand, holding the latest phone model from the number one phone on the market. She looked at it with longing. She had been wanting to get one of these but it could cost her life.

"All of what I'm playing?" A naughty smirk was playing at the corner of her lips.

"Yes," he answered curtly, waving his hand after it became empty.

"Tch, jerk," she mouthed, watching Calixto's hand waving in front of her face after she took the phone from his hand. He was like waving off an annoying fly away from him.

Iris walked away from him. The intention to get even was strong with how Calixto acted towards. He can't get mad at him if he didn't like what she was going to download on his phone since he positively said all of what she was playing on her phone.

Whistling, she connected Calixto's new phone to the wifi, made him a profile, and started downloading all the apps that she had on her phone. She went above and beyond, started playing most of the games, especially her favorite ones, and then, she started posting on the social media account that she created for him.

She secretly took a photo of him, standing in front of the window. And she cursed at his photo when it came out so good. He was like a beautiful prince, watching his kingdom from the window of his place. It wasn't far off since this house was indeed his kingdom and all of them who lived here were his people.

In her case, she was the kitchen help. His chief cook provided him with his meal. She didn't know if she should laugh or be sad about it. In the end, she just shrugged her shoulders and let the thoughts in her head go.

She had no control over the current situation but she believed that it won't be forever like this. She smirked, following the social influencer that has the same family name, Stocker, using Calixto's new account.